THREE STARS BRIGHTEN KINGS PALFFY, DEADMARSH AND ALLISON CLICK AT ONCE KINGS 5, COLUMBUS 1.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Just days before the Olympic break, coach Andy Murray asked assistant Dave Tippett whether he thought their three biggest stars could ever play as one.

Ziggy Palffy, Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh are the Kings' three kings, just never together. The coaches drew up a plan and Tippett told Murray they'd talk more when they got back.

Two weeks later, Murray remains at home in Minnesota recovering from injuries suffered in an auto accident. The Kings returned to the ice Tuesday and with Palffy, Allison and Deadmarsh together on the first line, crushed the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 at Nationwide Arena.

``There is too much talent there not to really have something special,'' said Palffy, who recorded his team-high 21st goal and two assists. ``The timing has just never been there, but we always knew in the right situation we could do some good things. With 23 games left, I like us together.''

In addition to Palffy, Deadmarsh, a member of the silver-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team, had two goals and an assist. Allison scored one and added three assists. They combined for 10 points and gave Tippett, the interim coach, his first NHL coaching victory.

They also reignited a team that left for the break as one of the NHL's hottest. The Kings, now 28-20-8-3, entered the stretch sixth in the West but just one point ahead of Edmonton and two in front of No. 8 Vancouver.

``We'll need those guys if we are going to keep the pressure on,'' Ian Laperriere said. ``It's easy to see how talented they are.''

Tippett made it clear the three are not back together exclusively. Palffy and Deadmarsh had played well with second-line center Bryan Smolinski. Allison had been clicking with Craig Johnson and Nelson Emerson.

``It's the circumstances the dictate them being together,'' he said. ``We had seen them have some success together on the power play before the break. Andy and I talked about getting them more playing time together.''

Although the first period was sluggish for the post-break Kings, there were signs of good things to come.

With Johnson off for hooking at 11:12, Palffy intercepted a pass and had a short-handed breakaway opportunity. He was stopped by Marc Denis, but it was clear the Kings were back.

Deadmarsh tied the game with a power-play goal at the 4:48 mark of the second period when he redirected a shot by Jaroslav Modry from the blue line. Brad Chartrand, centering the Kings fourth line, scored the eventual game-winner less than two minutes later on a pretty touch pass from Laperriere.

By the end of the second period, the Kings added Deadmarsh's second goal of the game and 20th of the season. It came on assists by Allison and Palffy. In the third, the Blue Jackets' 42nd consecutive sellout was getting restless. Palffy scored on assists from Allison and Mathieu Schneider just 31 seconds into the period on the power play. Allison capped the scoring at the 6:55 mark on assists by Palffy and Deadmarsh.

``I think it is a hunger they have,'' Tippett said. ``They realize how good they can be together.''

It was in Columbus back on Oct. 24 when Kings general manager Dave Taylor was completing a deal that brought Allison and Mikko Eloranta from Boston in exchange for Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel. That night, the Kings routed the Blue Jackets 7-1, but the real jolt was felt the next day in the dressing room.

The Kings fell apart. Allison needed time to jell after a lengthy holdout. Then Palffy and Deadmarsh were sidelined with injuries. Deadmarsh recovered, but Palffy missed all of December with a cracked rib in his chest.

The Kings were healthy in January and finished with a club record 11-3 record. But Johnson was flourishing and Emerson had bounced Steve Heinzeoff the first line.

The only thing that was missing was the Three Kings.

''We've never really gotten the chance together,'' Allison said. ''We went on to different lines and did well.

`'You know, you don't want to get too top heavy with one line. But it's great for the team when we are all playing this way together.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Columbus goalie Mark Denis gets his glove down in time to stop a shot attempt by the Kings' Adam Deadmarsh on Tuesday.

(2) Ian Laperriere (22) of the Kings tries to push the puck away from Columbus' Mattias Timander on Tuesday.

Terry Gilliam/Associated Press