''I mean, I didn't really try to put a lot of force into it, obviously,'' King said. ''Obviously, you never like to see a guy go out that way.''

Kings coach Darryl Sutter didn't think the NHL should or would review the hit, while referencing King's solid reputation.

''It's as much the player himself,'' Sutter said. ''I watched it, I care about that stuff. It's not even a hit, it's not a player that does that.''

Sutter was one of six brothers, all of them rough and tumble, who played in the NHL. So he warned those who want the league issuing suspensions on a routine basis.

''It's a tough game, that's a fact,'' Sutter said. ''You guys want to take hitting right out and see how exciting it is? Everybody talks about the first round, it happened to us to, not on a play that was accidental. It was a flagrant foul and we didn't complain but everybody loves watching it.''

The Kings' Kyle Clifford hasn't played since Game 1 of the first round after taking an elbow to the head from Vancouver's Byron Bitz, who was suspended for two games.

Mike Greene scored the go-ahead short-handed goal, the first of his career in the playoffs, with just over a minute to go in the second period while King was in the penalty box. Greene's easy tap-in came after Dustin Brown upended goalie Brian Elliott with his skate after he was stopped on a breakaway.

That was the key for the eighth-seeded Kings' fourth win in a row on the road in these playoffs. They seemed right at home in Vancouver while taking out the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks in five games in the first round, and now they have a chance to take command against the second-seeded Blues.

''It's a great start, you couldn't ask for a better one,'' forward Dustin Penner said. ''After a win you want to break it down to areas where you could have made it easier on yourself getting that win and that's what we'll do.

The Blues took four straight from the Sharks in the first round after dropping the opener in double overtime at home, where they set a franchise record with 30 wins and lost just six times in regulation.