At Break, Kings Breaking Down : Hockey: L.A. plays as if it needs the All-Star recess after falling to the Canadiens, 7-2.

MONTREAL â€”  Somewhere, Tom Webster is laughing.

There wouldn’t have been enough sticks in the NHL for Webster to throw this season had the Kings kept him around as coach.

Heading into the All-Star break, the Kings and their fragile sense of confidence took another tumble with a 7-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday before 17,164 at Montreal’s Forum.

They have won two games in their last 10, going 2-7-1. One of those victories came against the 6-46-2 San Jose Sharks. Wayne Gretzky went pointless for the third consecutive game. His linemate, Jari Kurri, has one assist during his last four games.

“We’ve hit rock bottom,� King left wing Warren Rychel said. “We have nowhere to go but up.�

Said left wing Luc Robitaille: “We pressed the panic button a long time ago. Now we just have to go out there and win.�

Actually, it could be worse for the Kings, who unraveled during the final 5:40 of the second period, giving up three consecutive goals, including two within a 16-second span. The Canadiens ended up turning a one-goal margin into a 6-2 lead by the end of two periods.

Wednesday, the best sight for the Kings (24-23-6) was the Ottawa-Edmonton score.

If the fifth-place Oilers had defeated Ottawa--coupled with the fourth-place Kings’ loss on Wednesday--Edmonton could have been within six points of the final playoff spot with an upcoming game against the Kings on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Ottawa 3, Edmonton 2.

That’s how low the Kings have fallen: Needing help from the Ottawa Senators.

The Oilers’ rapid advance toward fourth place has caught the Kings’ attention.

“I’m sure it’s in the back of everyone’s head,� Rychel said.

Said King Coach Barry Melrose: “It happens all the time. Hopefully, you’re never in that situation, but that’s the way hockey is.�

Preventing the Oilers from closing within six points was a former King, right wing Bob Kudelski, who scored twice and added one assist. In 21 games with the Senators, Kudelski has 13 goals and 17 points.

In fact, ex-Kings were doing well everywhere.

Wednesday, Paul Coffey scored for the Red Wings and had two assists. Jim Hiller even scored in Detroit’s victory over Chicago.

The problem is the current King players aren’t doing as well.

About the only player with scoring punch is Robitaille, who picked up two goals against Montreal. His 35th of the season came at 12:47 of the first period from the right crease. Jimmy Carson set him up with a slick back-handed pass from behind the net.

Robitaille’s second goal, a redirection of an Alexei Zhitnik slap shot, pulled the Kings to 3-2 with 14:46 left in the second period. But that was it for offense as the Canadiens took advantage of a shaky defense and scored four consecutive goals.

The Canadiens were particularly dangerous on the power play, converting four of eight opportunities.

Afterward, Gretzky, who was visibly tired, spoke about the necessity of cutting down on costly penalties. Defenseman Darryl Sydor, who was making his first appearance at Montreal’s Forum, criticized his own effort, saying: “I let the players down because I didn’t play with courage.�

Goaltender Kelly Hrudey, who started, gave way to Robb Stauber for the third period but not because he played poorly. Melrose simply wanted Stauber to get some work.

Hrudey said the one-sided losses simply have to end.

“We just have too many 7-2, 8-2, 6-2 type of losses,� he said. “We’ve got to be a mean, ugly team. Let’s lose 4-2 and have the most fights in the league. Let’s play close games and be the ugliest team in the league.�

And Hrudey wasn’t referring to the Smythe Division standings.

King Notes

King right wing Tomas Sandstrom, who suffered a broken jaw in Thursday’s loss to Calgary, will be out of the lineup until at least the first week of March, according to King physician Ronald Kvitne. Kvitne said the jaw needs to be wired shut for about five more weeks.