41.   The four rookie defensemen stepped up tonight, and one nearly tripped himself up.

42.   The injury report on Los Angeles Kings rookie defenseman Andreas Lilja was better Thursday.

43.   The Kings are waiting to hear if rookie Finnish defenseman Jere Karalahti, who was once arrested for heroin possession, will be granted a visa.

44.   The Kings were confident enough that they lent rookie defenseman Andreas Lilja to minor-league Manchester, N.H., for a two-game conditioning assignment.

45.   The Kings went back on top when rookie defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky found a wide-open net.

46.   The Kings made other moves Friday, lending rookie defenseman Franticek Kaberle to minor-league Long Beach and sending down defenseman Jaroslav Modry to the Ice Dogs for conditioning.

47.   The most likely choice is the rookie defenseman Bryan Berard.

48.   The Red Wings, who traded veteran Paul Coffey earlier this season, have been playing with three rookie defensemen.

49.   The San Jose Sharks assigned rookie defenseman Rich Brennan to their American Hockey League affiliate in Kentucky.

50.   The Stars yesterday called up rookie defenseman Sergei Gusev from the Michigan K-Wings as a prelude to the playoffs.