KINGS STICK IT TO SABRES SMOLINSKI AND PALFFY SCORE 2 KINGS 4, BUFFALO 1.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Ziggy Palffy laughed and posed for pictures with some big guy wearing his jersey.

Just 24 hours after a humbling loss in Philadelphia, life was good again for the Kings and their pursuit of a playoff spot.

It happened at the expense of the league's worst team, the Buffalo Sabres, who never recovered Friday night after the first of two Palffy goals in a 4-1 Kings victory at HSBC Center.

``This was a big game and everyone in here knew it,'' said Bryan Smolinski, who added two goals of his own. ``That game against Philly (expletive). We need to win games against teams like the Sabres, play a strong game and show a lot of effort.''

For Palffy, his two goals seemed effortless, both unassisted after turnovers, the second shorthanded that gave the Kings their margin of victory.

Shut out against the Flyers after scoring in nine in a row, he now has 26 goals for the season and 13 in his past 16 games.

The news for the team also is good, or as good as it can be on a tough five-game trip that continues Monday with a game against defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit.

With the victory, the Kings now trail No. 8 Edmonton by five points and the ninth-place Chicago Blackhawks by three. The Kings also bought a little breathing room on the back end. They came in leading Nashville and Phoenix by just a point.

``We're getting closer, and we need to keep the pressure on,'' Palffy said. ``We got a good night from our goaltender and that was really huge.''

In between Palffy's goals was two by Smolinski, who has 14 for the year. Last season, he went 30 games between goals in the second half. But during Palffy and Smolinski's four years in Los Angeles, the Kings are 14-0-2 when both score in the same game.

Both of Smolinski's goals came from the perimeter and probably should have been stopped. But coach Andy Murray wasn't counting style points.

``We need him to score more,'' Murray said. ``He is playing great on defense and is a valuable member of this team. But there is no question we need him to get some goals.''

They also need the A game Jamie Storr had in goal instead of the off night he had against the Flyers.

Storr was back in net after getting pulled for the third period against Philadelphia. The Kings have won seven of 10 and Storr has been there for all of them.

Friday, he stopped 31 of 32 shots. The only Buffalo goal was by tough guy Eric Boulton at 2:58 of the second period. It cut the Kings' lead to 2-1, but Smolinski scored just 72 seconds later to put the game out of reach.

``That was big,'' Palffy said. ``We never let up.''

Palffy closed out the scoring after Jaroslav Modry was given four minutes for high sticking Miroslav Satan, the Sabres' top player.

The Kings were halfway through the penalty kill when Palffy intercepted a pass at center ice and swooped in on rookie goaltender Ryan Miller. Palffy's first shot was blocked but he poked in his own rebound at 13:52 to make it 4-1.

The Sabres actually were the aggressor in the first half of the first period. But they also were fragile emotionally after dropping eight in a row at the beginning of the month and losing three games in overtime.

It wouldn't take much to send them over the edge.

It came when Palffy stripped Dmitri Kalinin of the puck at center ice and moved in to beat Miller at 8:56.

``That deflated them big time,'' Smolinski said.

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