Defensemen Urged to Talk on Ice

Prompted by a mixup involving goalie Stephane Fiset and defensemen Jere Karalahti and Aki Berg on Carolina’s first goal Thursday, King assistant coach Mark Hardy met with all the defensemen and urged them to be more vocal.

“We’re a quiet team and I said if we talk to each other, that makes it that much easier,” Hardy said Saturday. “When I was playing, we used to talk a lot. . . . It’s like having an extra player out there.”

Hardy, who spent 10 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Kings, said he’s pleased overall with the Kings’ defense corps and with Karalahti’s adjustment to the NHL.

“I think Jere is a world-class player, and we’ve been putting him in key situations,” Hardy said. “On the power play, he’s behind Robbie Blake, so you don’t see him as much, but he’s getting some time there. In our end, he’s a very strong guy and we think he can be even more physical.”

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Right wing Donald Audette, who has one goal in nine games since returning from an ankle injury, was scratched Saturday. Coach Andy Murray put Jason Blake beside Glen Murray and Bryan Smolinski in an effort to jolt the second line out of a scoring slump. . . . The Kings told season-ticket holders playoff ticket prices will increase by an average of $10 for lower-level seats and $7.50 for upper-level seats. A club spokesman said season-ticket holders must pay for all four games the Kings might play in the first round, but the club will send them tickets for two rounds; should the Kings get to the second round, the seat holder’s account will be charged.