Red Wings 5, Kings 4

DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Red Wings couldn't ask for a better scenario: Steve Yzerman made his season debut in a home victory.

Detroit beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 Monday night in Yzerman's return. He missed the first 61 games this season because of surgery on his right knee on Aug. 2. He last played in Game 5 of last June's Stanley Cup Finals when the Red Wings won the title.

Yzerman did not figure into any of the Detroit goals. He played 18 shifts, totaling 13:17 of ice time, but didn't record a shot. He won nine of 15 faceoffs.

``On the bench it was different, different for the players, too,'' Detroit coach Dave Lewis said. ``Because of just what we've gone through and he was back.''

Brett Hull and Igor Larionov each had a goal and an assist, and Kirk Maltby, Tomas Holmstrom and Sergei Fedorov also scored for Detroit.

Mathieu Schneider, Ian Laperriere, Eric Belanger and Derek Armstrong had the Los Angeles goals.

Belanger pulled the Kings within 4-3 with 6:52 left when his slap shot from the right faceoff dot beat Manny Legace high to the long side.

Fedorov scored off a breakaway with 3:07 remaining, putting a shot past Jamie Storr after making a move. That goal came just as Yzerman was stepping out of the penalty box after he slashed Laperriere.

But Armstrong brought the Kings back within one goal when he scored with 2:06 left.

``There was so many times that our team could have folded tonight, but we didn't do that,'' said Los Angeles coach Andy Murray, who singled out Armstrong for praise.

``It doesn't count if your team doesn't win,'' Armstrong said. ``At this level, it's all about wins and losses. If your team doesn't win, everyone should've done better, including myself.''

Laperriere's goal, off a rebound, with 16.4 seconds left in the second period brought Los Angeles within 4-2. The Red Wings scored three goals in the period.

``It was entertaining, I guess,'' Yzerman said. ``I thought we played pretty well. But, unfortunately, it was 5-4.''

Larionov made it 2-0 just 40 seconds in when he tipped in Fedorov's pass. But Schneider's power-play goal at 5:37 put the Kings on the board.

``I didn't see the first one,'' Legace said. ``I didn't see a lot of the shots tonight, I struggled. Had to come up with some saves late in the third period.''

Maltby broke a 17-game goal drought when he poked the puck in off a goal-mouth scramble with 4:05 remaining. Holmstrom was credited with a power-play goal with 2:27 left when the rebound of Hull's shot bounced in off Holmstrom's skate. It gave Holmstrom a career-high 17 goals.

Hull gave Detroit a 1-0 lead with 4:22 left in the first period when his one-time slap shot from deep in the right circle went through Storr's pads.< ^Notes:@ Detroit LW Brendan Shanahan went to the locker room after a shot by Schneider hit him in the groin area. He was struck in the middle of the second period but returned before it ended. ... Maltby's last goal was Jan. 13. ... Los Angeles C Brad Chartrand missed his second game because of a back strain. ... Detroit RW Darren McCarty missed his ninth game due to an infection of a cut in his arm.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)