Brust does enough to lift Kings in end

Good goaltenders are not difficult to find in the Kings’ organization. They are scattered all around.

Ron Hextall, the team’s assistant general manager, won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Bill Ranford, the Kings’ goaltender coach, won a Stanley Cup. Even Rogie Vachon, whose career numbers deserve Hall of Fame consideration, is hanging around as the team’s “Royal Ambassador.”

On the ice, well, that’s another matter.

It has reached the point where Barry Brust is the best option. That was evident after a 4-3 shootout victory over the Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center on Tuesday night. Goals by Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar kept the Kings out of last place in the Pacific Division, but it was Brust’s play that was the difference in ending a four-game losing streak.

“Barry came in and did the job for us,” Coach Marc Crawford said. “You hope your goaltender can come in and play strong.”

Brust was thrust into the lineup after Dan Cloutier came up lame at the morning skate, a “lower-body soreness,” Crawford said. Brust stopped 28 of 31 shots during regulation and overtime, then two more in the shootout -- the Coyotes, down 2-0 in the shootout, did not get a third attempt.

The announced capacity crowd of 18,188 at Staples Center, some of whom displayed “Brust or bust” signs, welcomed the change in net. They saw the Kings blow a one-goal lead with six minutes left, then rally to tie the score when Sean Avery buried Anze Kopitar’s no-look pass with 38 seconds in regulation.

“It has been fun because I have shown I can play here,” said Brust, a 2004 free-agent signing who was little-known and not highly regarded until he was called up after Mathieu Garon suffered a groin injury last month.

“But the job the guys are doing in front of me has made it much easier. I’m just happy to be here, and I’m trying to be a rock back there.”

The alternative is Cloutier, who has been more paper than rock. Crawford tap-danced around the questions about whether he would have started Brust if Cloutier were healthy.

“That’s a hypothetical question, and all I can give is a hypothetical answer,” Crawford said.

Still, those were not six hypothetical goals Cloutier gave up in a 7-0 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, a game he left early after an on-ice meltdown resulted in a game misconduct penalty.

Cloutier is last in goals-against average (3.98) and save percentage (.860) among the 44 goaltenders who have played at least 12 games. Cloutier had lost three games since returning from a shoulder injury, giving up 15 goals in that time.

Team captain Mattias Norstrom was quick to point out the team’s woeful season can’t be blamed on Cloutier alone.

“It is so important that each individual to take a look at themselves and see what they are bringing to the table,” Norstrom said. “I wish it was that simple that we could point the finger at one thing that is causing us to struggle.”

Still, Brust is 2-0-1 in his three NHL starts. His immediate future is still undetermined, as Garon said he would return to practice today and make this week’s three-game trip.

The Kings avoided falling behind the Coyotes in the standings with a spasm of offense in the third period. Derek Armstrong banged in a rebound and Rob Blake chipped in a power-play goal five minutes later to give the Kings a 2-1 lead 9:59 into the third period. It was the first lead the Kings had had in more than 239 minutes, and it was short-lived.

Fredrik Sjostrom and Oleg Saprykin scored goals to put the Coyotes back in front 13:45 into the period.

[email protected]