ROBITAILLE FLASHES OLD FORM EARLY GOAL LEADS KINGS TO NINTH WIN IN LAST 11 GAMES KINGS 4, PHOENIX 0.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Luc Robitaille has just about faced it all this season: The disappointment and frustration of missing nine games with a leg injury, and sitting out four others because coach Andy Murray made him a healthy scratch.

This should have been Robitaille's glorious last go-around, a celebratory season in which he easily became the leading goal scorer in Kings history, but things haven't quite followed that script.

Some have questioned how much Robitaille, who turns 40 next month, has left, but on Thursday night Robitaille showed that he's still very much a threat when the puck is on his stick.

Robitaille scored his first goal since Nov. 26, and then a third-period empty netter gave Robitaille his first multi-goal game since Oct. 2003. Goaltender Mathieu Garon turned in the Kings' first shutout of the season as they beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 in front of 18,118 at Staples Center.

``He was shooting the puck well and he had a few chances,'' Murray said of Robitaille. ``I thought he was skating real well and was on top of the puck.''

The goals moved Robitaille to within one of tying Marcel Dionne's franchise record of 550 career goals and sparked hope that perhaps it's not too late for Robitaille to turn things around this season.

``It's not about being patient,'' Robitaille said. ``When you're struggling and things are out of sync, you just have to keep it simple. ... I feel our line has been clicking real well.''

Garon, who was named NHL defensive player of the month for December, stopped 29 shots for his fifth career shutout and his first since March 31, 2003, when he was a backup in Montreal.

``We played great defense,'' Garon said. ``It's always easier when you score. We scored early and then we could just focus on defense and we did a good job.''

It was also the Kings' first shutout since Cristobal Huet blanked Montreal on Feb. 23, 2004.

Garon and Robitaille provided the highlights for the Kings, who won for the ninth time in their last 11 games. The Kings have played five of their last six games against Pacific Division opponents and have earned 11 points out of a possible 12 in those games.

Thursday's effort was another impressive one for the Kings.

Garon stood up to some early pressure, made 12 first-period saves and easily outlasted Phoenix counterpart Brian Boucher, who was replaced at the start of the second period.

Boucher's night was short because the Kings turned in an impressive first period that included plenty of hard work in the corners and a handful of skillful plays that led to goals.

After a fairly even start, the Kings broke through with 8:14 left in the period. On a delayed penalty, defenseman Mattias Norstrom fed a cross-ice pass to Craig Conroy, who ripped a slap shot from the middle of the right faceoff circle and beat Boucher to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.

Even better for the Kings, the delayed penalty was a double-minor for high sticking, so Denis Gauthier still had to serve two minutes, and the Kings didn't waste their opportunity.

Just 50 seconds after Conroy's goal, Joe Corvo controlled the puck just inside the blue line and, with Conroy providing a screen in front, Corvo's slap shot beat Boucher to put the Kings up 2-0.

Robitaille's moment came with 1:52 remaining the period. Michael Cammalleri skated into the faceoff circle and left a drop pass for Robitaille, who ripped one of his trademark slap shots into the net.

It was Robitaille's sixth goal of the season, his first in 14 games and just his second goal since Oct. 25.

The score stayed 3-0 until the final minute, when the Kings controlled the puck at center ice facing an empty Phoenix net. Derek Armstrong deferentially handed off to puck to Robitaille, who lofted a long shot into the net with 49 seconds left.

The Kings also ended a dubious streak. Entering Thursday's game, they had allowed at least one power-play goal in 11 consecutive games and had slipped to 25th in penalty-kill efficiency.

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Luc Robitaille (20) scores his first goal since Nov. 26 to give the Kings an early lead Thursday.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News