ONE GOAL ALL KINGS NEED IN WIN DEMITRA RETURNS, GETS LONE SCORE, AND GARON MAKES IT STAND FOR L.A. KINGS 1, VANCOUVER 0.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Losing a crucial game is one thing, but to get embarrassed the way the Kings did in Vancouver last week in unacceptable, whether it's a playoff race or the middle of November.

The Kings got their chance at revenge, and a chance to pick up two huge points in the standings Monday night when the Canucks came to town, but from the start it was clear it wouldn't be easy.

Needing a victory simply to maintain their tenuous position in the tight Western Conference playoff race, the Kings pulled out a 1-0 victory over the Canucks in front of 17,196 at Staples Center.

Pavol Demitra, sidelined 14 of the previous 15 games with vision and concussion problems, returned and scored a power-play goal 13 minutes into the second period to break a scoreless tie.

``It was a great feeling,'' Demitra said. ``This was a huge win. We had everyone competing. We had everyone working hard.''

Kings goalie Mathieu Garon, coming off a shutout of Dallas last Saturday, shut down the Canucks and made 23 saves to maintain the Kings' slim lead.

``I think everyone is playing well, which makes it much easier on me,'' Garon said. ``Guys have done a great job in front of me and I'm just trying to do my job.''

Regardless, it wasn't going to be hard for the Kings to top their previous effort against the Canucks, a 7-4 loss last Saturday that started the club's winless three-game trip through Canada.

The Kings, who started the night in 10th place, didn't get much help, as sixth-place Colorado, eighth-place Edmonton and ninth-place San Jose all won Monday and picked up two points in the standings.

That left the Canucks - who fell into eighth with a loss to the Kings - and the Kings to determine who would lose ground with just two weeks left in the regular season.

The first period was a rarity, a scoreless but entertaining period in which the Kings killed two penalties in the first two minutes and had the best scoring chance in the process, on a Sean Avery breakaway.

Demitra's goal was the highlight of the second period, but the Kings dominated the period.

The Kings had four power plays in the period and at one point had outshot the Canucks 17-3, and they took the lead with Markus Naslund in the penalty box for a delay of game penalty.

Demitra, cleared to play by doctors just hours earlier, took a pass from Joe Corvo, and ripped a slap shot from approximately 10 feet inside the blue line, with teammate Mark Parrish providing traffic in front.

Vancouver goalie Alexander Auld made the save, but the puck trickled behind him and across the goal line to give the Kings a 1-0 lead with 6:47 remaining in the second period.

Demitra now has three goals in his past four games, although that stretch started on Feb. 11.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

The Kings' Sean Avery attempts to keep the puck away from Vancouver's Brendan Morrison during first period play.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer