Kings’ goal: Better in net

With their NHL season a week away, the Los Angeles Kings still haven't decided on a starting goaltender.

What is known is it won't be anyone who played for the Kings last year -- which for Los Angeles fans is a good thing, given that the Kings allowed an average of 3.38 goals per game, fourth worst in the 30-team league.

Against Anaheim next Sunday in London, it's going to be one of three players: Jason LaBarbera, who spent last season with the Kings' American Hockey League affiliate in Manchester, N.H.; Jean-Sebastien Aubin, the backup with the Toronto Maple Leafs a year ago; or 20-year-old Jonathan Bernier, who was playing junior hockey at this time in 2006.

Second-year coach Marc Crawford said the starting job remains open. On Friday, the Kings released Dan Cloutier, last year's opening-night starter.

"Right now, it's unclear," Crawford said before the Kings' 3-2 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the team's 10th annual Frozen Fury game Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. "We said we'd include all the preseason and the London games. We can carry an extra goaltender in Europe, and we need it.

"The reality is our goaltending was subpar last year, and we can't be unsure about that position this year."

Cloutier cleared waivers and will start the season in the AHL with Manchester. After Saturday's game, the other three players will be on their way to Austria, where the Kings will participate in a four-team tournament this week to tune up for the season opener at London's O2 Arena.

"He needs to play," Crawford said of Cloutier, a nine-year NHL veteran who had his season cut short last year by a hip flexor injury and played just 24 games for the Kings. "He's had three major injuries in the last three years, and we need to see a body of work from him."

The Kings started Bernier against the Avalanche and the rookie played well, turning back 24 shots in front of a sellout crowd of 11,982.

Dustin Brown's goal with 6:41 remaining in the third period got the Kings even and eventually forced overtime. In the shootout, Brown netted the winner, going high over the shoulder of Colorado goalie Tyler Weiman after Bernier had stopped T.J. Hensick and Jaroslav Hlinka.

Meanwhile, LaBarbera said he never takes anything for granted when it comes to trying to claim a starting position on an NHL team.

"You don't get anything given to you here. You have to go out and earn it," he said.

LaBarbera, who appeared in 29 games for the Kings in 2005-06, was in Cloutier's current position a year ago. He was cut during training camp and spent the season in the minors. But this year, he is getting an opportunity to show he can be a No. 1 NHL goalie, and he's trying to make the most of it.

"The big difference is this year I know I'm getting a chance to compete," he said. "The circumstances were different last year. I didn't really have an opportunity to make the team.

"But you try not to think about the pressure of trying to make the team. There's a lot of stress, but it's part of the job."

Crawford said LaBarbera's work ethic has made a favorable impression upon him.

"He works really hard and he wants to get better," Crawford said.

LaBarbera said the more work he gets, the more comfortable he is and the better he plays.

"I got off to a bit of a slow start in camp," he said. "I was going through a feeling-out process. But I feel I'm at my best when I'm comfortable. I'm getting there."

Crawford said he feels better about the goaltending situation than he did a year ago.

"If you look at our third and fourth goalies from last year, it's a big upgrade," he said.