KINGS NOTEBOOK: YOUNGSTERS TRYING TO KEEP TEAM AFLOAT.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

The Kings' best line right now is Michael Cammalleri, Dustin Brown and Derek Armstrong, which is good news for those players but not necessarily for the team.

On a club that features veteran forwards Craig Conroy, Pavol Demitra, Luc Robitaille and Jeremy Roenick, the Kings shouldn't have to rely so much on two youngsters.

Cammalleri, 23, and Brown, 21, are in their first full NHL seasons. Cammalleri entered Saturday with a team-high 23 goals, not counting the 25 goals scored by recent acquisition Mark Parrish, and Brown, while inconsistent at times this season, as emerged as a solid two-way player.

``It's tough when you're talking about a 21-year old and a (23) year old as your offensive leaders,'' coach Andy Murray said before Saturday's game. ``We need more from the other guys.''

With Craig Conroy back in the lineup, but Pavol Demitra (concussion) and Alexander Frolov (separated shoulder) still out, Murray shifted his lines but kept Armstrong, Brown and Cammalleri together.

The latter two played together in the American Hockey League last season, and Cammalleri appears to be growing more comfortable and confident as a legitimate scoring threat.

``He's hungry when he's around the net,'' said teammate Craig Conroy, who moments earlier had joked about Cammalleri's propensity for shooting. ``He's got a gift ... and not many people have that.''

--Out of action: Kings defenseman Tim Gleason, playing with a sore left knee for much of this season, missed Saturday's game. Murray described the injury as a leg strain.

Gleason has one goal, 19 assists and a plus-2 rating in 66 games this season.

``To his credit, he's been battling through it, but he just needs a break,'' Murray said. ``The injury has been there, but with this post-Olympics schedule it just caught up with him a little.

Gleason missed two games in late January with what was then described as a bruised knee. Murray said Gleason will not skate today but hopefully will test the leg in the morning skate before Monday's game.

With Gleason out, Nathan Dempsey returned to the lineup and was paired with Aaron Miller.

--Status report: Frolov, who injured his shoulder last month during the Olympics, participated in a full-team practice for the first time and has an outside chance of playing Monday.

More likely, Frolov will return for the following game Saturday.

Pavol Demitra continues to suffer from concussion symptoms. Murray said that if Demitra was symptom-free today, there was a chance he might play Monday, but that appears unlikely.