COLUMBUS, Ohio – Alexander Frolov scored three goals in the opening 12:35 – on a power play, at even strength and short-handed – and Craig Conroy also had a hat trick to lead the Los Angeles Kings to an 8-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Conroy added two assists and Frolov had one. Eric Belanger and Michael Cammalleri also scored goals for the Kings, who have earned points in four straight games and six of seven.

Conroy’s five points, Frolov’s four and Pavol Demitra’s four assists – all in the first period – were career highs for each player.

It was Frolov’s first career hat trick, coming in a span of 8:18 in the opening period as Los Angeles rolled to a 5-0 lead.

Conroy had three goals in a game for the second time in his career.

The Blue Jackets’ Todd Marchant scored his third goal in three games and Jason Chimera also had a goal.

The Kings came in with the third-best record in the Western Conference, while the Blue Jackets were next-to-last and had scored fewer goals (32) than any NHL team. Columbus has lost six of seven and continues to founder without leading scorer Rick Nash, out until mid-December with a sprained knee.

After a turnover by Marchant, Frolov made it 2-0 on a one-timer off a drop pass from Demitra at 4:17.

With the Kings on a power play, Demitra tossed a cross-ice pass to Conroy. His shot hit the skate of defenseman Radoslav Suchy and bounced to Frolov, who one-timed the puck past goaltender Martin Prusek.

That gave the Kings a 3-0 lead on only five shots.

Frolov finished his hat trick on a short-handed rush, deking Marc Denis, who replaced Prusek after the third goal. Frolov scored on a backhander at 12:35. Kings goaltender Mathieu Garon, who made 27 saves, picked up an assist.

The Kings took a 1-0 lead 1:35 in on Conroy’s soft shot from the left hash, assisted by Demitra and Frolov. The Kings’ fifth goal of the opening period was also short-handed, with Conroy scoring his second off an assist from Demitra on a 2-on-1.

The five goals in the period matched the most given up by the Blue Jackets in franchise history, tying the mark set by the Kings in a 7-1 victory early in 2001.

The Kings made it 7-1 with two goals 2 minutes apart in the second period, Belanger notching his fifth on the power play and Cammalleri his fifth at even strength.

Conroy’s third goal came on a nifty move in open ice as he skated sideways. He got the puck after it bounced off defenseman Bryan Berard and then rocketed it past Denis.

Chimera scored his fourth on a rebound late in the game.

Prusek had just two saves on five shots, and Denis gave up the other five goals with 18 saves.

Notes: The Kings are 9-5-4 in the series. … Detroit’s Jason Williams scored three goals in 10:48 of the first period in a 6-0 win at Columbus on Oct. 22. … Columbus had not given up a short-handed goal in its first 17 games before giving up two in a span of 5:13 in the opening period.

AP-ES-11-13-05 1950EST

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