Los Angeles Kings Hockey Team

Chris Osgood's mini midseason training camp produced results. The struggling goalie made 30 saves in his return to Detroit's lineup after a four-game break, leading the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the Kings on Friday night. Osgood has a 3.22 goals-against average, which is 42nd in the NHL, and an .883 save percentage, which is 32nd. He has been working on his technique and fundamentals with goaltending coach Jim Bedard. "The physical skills were always there.

A fast start helped the Chicago Blackhawks put a timely end to a mini-slump. Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien scored in the first period, and Antti Niemi made 22 saves in his first NHL start Sunday to give the Blackhawks a 4-2 win over the Kings. Dave Bolland added a power-play goal with 43 seconds left in the third as the Blackhawks ended an 0-2-1 skid and defeated the Kings for the first time in three games this season.

While NHL teams hunted for bargains before Wednesday's noon PST trading deadline, two notable defensemen were pulled off the market. Ducks General Manager Bob Murray said Monday he will keep Scott Niedermayer, captain of the 2007 Stanley Cup championship team, and Kings GM Dean Lombardi said he will keep veteran Sean O'Donnell while trying to re-sign him. Murray also indicated he might not deal prized defenseman Chris Pronger.

AT COLUMBUS Time: 4 PST. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 1150. Where: Nationwide Arena. Records: Kings 26-27-9, Blue Jackets 31-26-6. Record vs. Blue Jackets: 2-1. Update: This is the Kings' last game before the trading deadline of noon PST Wednesday. What will they do? Probably not much. Defenseman Tom Preissing was put on waivers Monday and forward Oscar Moller was recalled from Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League, where he had been sent for conditioning.

It won't go down as one of the greatest games ever played by the Columbus Blue Jackets. It may be remembered as one of the most important. Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, scoring the go-ahead goal midway through the third period Tuesday night to lead the Blue Jackets past the Kings, 5-4. "The most important thing, and I think what we're happiest about in this room, is that we're playing good hockey," Malhotra said.

Justin Williams looked every bit the successful young businessman Thursday, wearing a dark suit and light shirt that echoed his claim of being a blue-collar player. He also looked as if he was destined to be a King, because he was wearing a plastic splint on his left hand, protecting the broken bone he suffered when he was struck by a teammate's shot while with Carolina. Williams, the Kings' only deadline-day trade acquisition, was greeted at the airport by assistant general manager Ron Hextall.

VS. MINNESOTA Time: 1. On the air: TV: Prime. Radio: 1150. Where: Staples Center. Records: Kings 27-28-9; Wild 31-27-5. Record vs. Wild: 3-0. Update: Forward Kevin Westgarth was recalled from Manchester of the American Hockey League. In 55 games with the Monarchs he had eight points and a team-high 146 penalty minutes, so it's safe to assume he's not being summoned for his finesse.

So where was this kind of performance two weeks ago, while the Kings were losing nine of 11 games and spiraling toward the bottom of the Western Conference? Where was the tenacity they showed Saturday in their 4-3 victory over Minnesota, capitalizing on a bad effort by a good goalie and holding off a third-period push by the Wild to sweep the teams' four-game season series?

VS. VANCOUVER Time: 7:30. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 1150. Where: Staples Center. Records: Kings 28-28-9, Canucks 34-22-8. Record vs. Canucks: 0-1. Update: The Kings are five points out of the final playoff spot and have to pass five teams to reach the postseason. But that's a molehill compared with the mountain on their schedule over the next two weeks.

Jarret Stoll, being engaged to actress Rachel Hunter, knows pretty. But when his teammate Matt Greene ambled into the dressing room sporting a cut and a golf ball-sized knot above his right eye, now that was a thing of beauty. "That's what wins games," Stoll said admiringly. And in the Kings' case perhaps it did. Stoll scored two power-play goals and Teddy Purcell had a pair of assists for the Kings in a 3-2 win over Vancouver on Monday night at Staples Center.