Galley Rises to Respectability

It got about as low as it can get in Greensboro, N.C., when Gary Galley played left wing for a couple of shifts against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 25.

And was embarrassed about it.

“It was only the second game I played in the first 10 games, and I had played defense for 15 years in the league,” Galley said Friday. “I was playing a position I hadn’t played for years.”

And then, again, he wasn’t playing at all.

He talked with Coach Larry Robinson in New York, and they sorted things out. Robinson explained Galley’s role to him, then Doug Bodger was injured. Galley went back in the lineup, and he has been there ever since.

And playing as though he wants to stay.

“Just playing makes you play better,” Galley said. “At the start of the season, I wasn’t playing regularly and my game followed that. It was erratic.”

Said Robinson: “He was gambling, taking chances at the start of the season. Now he’s getting his shot on net.”

He has not scored a goal but has picked up five assists, and also is filling a role on defense.

“If I can just play the way Gary Galley always played, that’s what I want,” he said. “My dad always said good things happen to good people. I think that my dad was right.”

*

In the coming-and-going department, winger Craig Johnson is going and Russ Courtnall is almost ready to come back.

Johnson separated a rib from cartilage Thursday night when he was cross-checked near the boards in the 3-0 victory over Calgary and probably will be out of the lineup for a while.

“I had this earlier in the season, and I played with it,” he said. “But this is worse, and it needs rest.”

Courtnall suffered a broken ankle at San Jose on Nov. 18 and has missed 23 games. X-rays on Thursday indicated that the ankle has healed and he is hoping to play at least one game before the All-Star break.

vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30

Fox Sports West

* Site--Great Western Forum.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 16-22-4, Penguins 19-12-7.

* Record vs. Penguins--1-0.

* Update--Pittsburgh was on a six-game winning streak and had a 2-1 lead in the third period Wednesday at Phoenix before losing 5-3. The Penguins also lost at San Jose, 3-2, on Friday. Pittsburgh will be without Aleksey Morozov, who has a concussion. Jamie Storr, who has three shutouts in 16 games, will be in goal for the Kings.