Ferraro Shows He’s Still Ready to Go

On the plane from St. Louis to Chicago a week ago, King Coach Larry Robinson went to Ray Ferraro and asked, “Can you go again tomorrow?”

The question was music to Ferraro’s ears. He answered in the affirmative and played almost 16 minutes Sunday after playing more than 16 Saturday on 34-year-old legs.

“I feel good in there, I really do,” said Ferraro, who has been moved to a line with Vladimir Tsyplakov and Pavel Rosa that generates shots and scoring chances.

And goals, including one in the first period Saturday.

“I wanted to play more,” Ferraro said. “I tried to be patient, but it’s hard when you’re only playing six or seven minutes a game. You don’t want to make a mistake, because you won’t be in there again. And when you’re trying not to make a mistake, that’s when you make them for sure.”

Ferraro was told at the beginning of the season that his role would be that of catalyst, playing when someone else was struggling.

He didn’t play in the season’s first two games and has been a healthy scratch in six of 34 games.

The inactivity had accelerated his contemplation of retirement.

“My wife and I had a talk and decided that I should just enjoy the season,” he said. “If I’m going to retire at the end of the season . . . it will be after I’ve played well.”

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Goalie Stephane Fiset, sidelined since Dec. 18 after suffering his third strained groin this season, faced some shots Saturday morning and moved well in the crease and in drills after practice.

He will not make the Monday trip to San Jose and is questionable for Wednesday’s game against San Jose at the Forum.

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After sitting out a 12-game suspension and the game at Pittsburgh as a healthy scratch, winger Matt Johnson was scratched again Saturday. Center Yanic Perreault also was scratched.