The last 48 hours for the Los Angeles Kings has been a tough one. In one fell swoop, both starting goaltenders for the Kings have been rendered useless, thanks to injuries. Therefore, the dwindling playoff hopes fall on the shoulders of Barry Brust, whose last victory came against the Phoenix Coyotes on Nov. 30. Also added to the mix is Japanese netminder Yutaka Fukufuji, an emergency call-up from Manchester. Fukufuji only has 3 games under his belt in the AHL, and 12 games down in the ECHL.

Anze Kopitar has had some good luck against the Blues this season. He has scored a goal and three assists in two meetings with St. Louis, comes in with a three game scoring streak. Also announced today was the addition of Lubomir Visnovsky to the Western All-Star team as a reserve.

Michael Cammallari got the scoring started for the Kings, when he put one in past Manny Legace. Cammallari gets knocked down skating into the zone, but had the presense of mind to get the puck to Derek Armstrong. Armstrong holds on to the puck, as Cammy gets to his feet. Cammallari gets the puck back and skates out just a bit, putting the puck on goal, and it squeaks past Legace for Cammy's 17th goal of the season.

Michael Cammallari got the scoring started for the Kings, when he put one in past Manny Legace. Cammallari gets knocked down skating into the zone, but had the presense of mind to get the puck to Derek Armstrong. Armstrong holds on to the puck, as Cammy gets to his feet. Cammallari gets the puck back and skates out just a bit, putting the puck on goal, and it squeaks past Legace for Cammy's 17th goal of the season.

The Blues come right back, when Martin Rucinsky scores a power play goal to tie the game for the Blues. Raitis Ivanans got whistled for interfering with Doug Weight. And the Kings penalty kill proved lackluster again. Doug Weight fed Dennis Wideman a one-timer, which hit the post. Brust almost made the save, but Rucinsky was there for the rebound off the post for his 11th of the season.

The Kings came right back, as Craig Conroy took the puck and passed it to Ivanas. After taking the puck behind the goal line, he fed Tom Kostopoulos for a one-timer. TK beat Legace over the shoulder for his fifth goal of the season, and the Kings are up, 2-1.

Coming off both teams switching up lines, St. Louis' Barret Jackman flipped the puck out of St. Louis' zone, and it landed right in front of Dan Hinote. Hinote knocked it over to Jay McClement, who blasted it past Brust's glove to tie the game again. All this with one minute left in the period.

The Kings outshot the Blues in the first, 11-7, and won 14 faceoffs, to St. Louis' 4. But the score is tied as we go to intermission. This is NBC's first Game Of The Week telecast, and the announcers were from St. Louis. You never know what you have until you go without, and it was brutal trying to listen to new announcers. Not so much that they are homers for the Blues, but that they hardly called the game. Bob Miller, Jim Fox... I love you guys.

First period: Kings 2, Blues 2

Rob Blake was hit in the face by Lee Stempniak's skate in the first period, and went back into the locker room. He received 20 stitches to his face, and was out there for the second period. And not a moment too soon, as Blake's second shift of the period resulted in a goal. Konstantin Pushkarev got the puck on the right side of the rink, and fed it back to a waiting Blake, whose slapshot flew past Legace for the Kings' third lead of the game. It was Blake's second even strength goal of the season. Anze Kopitar and Pushkarev each got an assist on the play. Pushkarev now has 3 points in four games, and Kopitar has had an assist in four straight games.

Conroy gets two minutes for interference, then 45 seconds later, Brian Willsie was whistled for tripping. So the Kings go down two men, handing the Blues a great opportunity. Keith Tkachuk took advantage of the power play, when he redirected a Wideman shot to tie the game a third time.

It was about this time when I realized that after a Blues goal, a bell tolls in the arena, signaling the number of goals St. Louis has in the goal. Everyone starts chanting the number with each toll. Couple that with the annoying "When The Saints Go Marhcing In" song on the organ, and I have to say that's about the most annoying goal celebration I have ever heard. Next to the Ducks, of course.

Lee Stempniak, who apparently only uses wood sticks, lift the Blues when he steals the puck away from a flailing Brent Sopel, skates in and puts one past Brust. The Blues now have their first lead in the game, and that annoying bell and resulting chants grow louder.

But then Mattias Norstrom ties the game when he gets a pretty pass from Anze Kopitar. Kopitar gets the puck mid-ice, and skates in, moving the puck deftly from side to side. As he turned the corner, he quickly sent the puck over to a charging Norstrom, who one-timed it past Legace to tie it up.

Doug Weight scored to break the tie, to give St. Louis five goals this game. He blasts one past Brust, which looked pretty weak. They was no one in front to screen him, and Brust looks dejected. So now, the attention turned to Fukufuji, who was an emergency call-up from Manchester when Mathieu Garon went down with a finger injury. After Brust's fifth goal, the cameras kept showing Fukufuji, who looked really nervous. And rightfully so, since he just arrived early today after being snowed in Cleveland on his way to St. Louis. He has only played in two AHL games and 10 ECHL games. I'd be nervous too.

The shots were even through two periods, but the Kings keep winning faceoffs, now at a two-to-one clip. But winning faceoffs are no good when you are down a man.

Second period: Blues 5, Kings 4

As expected, Fukufuji started the third period and made history as the first Japanese player to play in the NHL. HIs first save was a brilliant one against Eric Brewer, when he stopped him point blank.

The Kings didn't really do Fukufuji any favors, as they got whistled twice for penalties. On the second Blues' power play, Dennis Wideman scores a goal, giving him three points in the game.

But Blake brought the Kings within one, when he crashed the net and popped in his second goal of the game.

Crawford pulled Fukufuji with a minute to go, but was unable to get the tying goal, as the Blues continue their torrid pace. The Kings head to the locker room on the wrong end of scoring five goals. An exciting game to watch, as there were 11 goals scored.

The Kings managed to limit the Blues shots to five in the third, while putting the puck on net a dozen times. And the Kings soundly beat the Blues in the faceoff circle. But the defense was lax, as well as some soft goals given up by Brust. Not that it solely rests on any one player's shoulders. This team is a young one, and I wouldn't be surprised if the inevitable house cleaning takes place sooner rather than later.

Third period: Blues 6, Kings 5