Robinson Knows Well Score of This Rivalry

The rivalry really isn’t one right now, because it’s hard to have a rivalry when one team is so dominant.

Victories: Mighty Ducks 3, Kings 0.

Goals: Ducks 9, Kings 2.

The Ducks have passed the Kings in the all-time series, 13-12-4, and the Kings haven’t beaten the Ducks since March 9, 1998.

“Our biggest problem is that we haven’t been able to score goals” against the Ducks, King Coach Larry Robinson said Tuesday.

Part of that has been the play of Duck goalie Guy Hebert--”He’s played awfully well against us,” Robinson said--part of it the Kings’ performance on the power play. They are one for 13 with a man advantage in the series, while the Ducks are three for nine.

“We need to stay out of the penalty box,” Robinson said.

The Kings are four for 36 in the last 10 games on the power play, and it gets harder because teams have hampered them with aggressive forechecking, cutting back the time the Kings have the puck in the offensive end and creating turnovers to menace Kings’ goalies.

“Other teams aren’t respecting the guys who bring the puck up the ice,” Robinson said. “That hurts your confidence.”

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The Kings have recalled center Nathan LaFayette from the Ice Dogs of the IHL. He had been farmed out there Dec. 18 and had six goals and 17 points in 30 games.

“We had some guys who we thought might be out,” Robinson said. “Ray [Ferraro] was sick and Donald [Audette] slashed, so we thought we needed some [insurance].”

Ferraro and Audette practiced Tuesday. LaFayette is expected to play tonight at the Arrowhead Pond.

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Defenseman Philip Boucher missed practice because of flu. . . . Winger Vladimir Tsyplakov, out since Feb. 18 because of a sprained left knee, is getting a brace and has been cleared to begin skating today.