1992-93 Los Angeles Kings notes. -------------------------------- Playoffs: --------- *Stauber disturbed by third-man theme by Rick Sadowski, Daily News  Barry Melrose's decision to stick Robb Stauber in the stands rather than in the crease or even on the bench for the Stanley Cup playoffs does not sit well with the rookie goaltender.  "I want to be a part of the team at the most crucial time of the year, the most fun time of the year, and I'm not,"  Stauber said with some emotion Monday.  "I think I have worked hard enough for that."  Stauber said he accepts Melrose's choice of Kelly Hrudey as the teams top goalie in their playoff series with the Calgary Flames. Hrudey made 21 saves in Sundays 6-3 opening victory.  But Stauber clearly is upset with his sudden status as the No. 3 man behind Rick Knickle.  Stauber had a 4-1-2 record and 2.98 goals-against average down the stretch in the regular season and nearly wrestled the No. 1 job from Hrudey.  Knickle?  He won 2 of 3 decisions but had a bloated 5.26 average, twice was  yanked from games (once for stomach cramps) and hasn't played since March 29.  Yet, when the series resumes Wednesday, Knickle will serve as Hrudey's backup again and Stauber will have to satisfy his playoff hunger by munching on Olympic Saddledome popcorn.  "If I'm supposedly close to being the starter or could have been the starter...I dropped too. 3.  What happened to No. 2?"  Stauber wondered.  "Not that I'd be happy with No. 2, but I feel I should at least be a part of this team in the playoffs."  Perhaps Stauber eventually will get his chance, but Melrose apparently is not convinced the 25-year old is capable of handling playoff pressure.  While insisting he is the Kings' "goalie of the future," Melrose said Stauber flubbed all four of the big games he was asked to win this season.  They were, according to Melrose: a 7-2 loss to San Jose on Dec. 26; An 8-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 23; a 6-6 tie with Detroit on Feb. 11; an 8-6 loss to  Vancouver on Thursday.  "Four times this season Robb could have emerged as the elite goalie, he could have taken it away from Kelly Hrudey, and he didn't do it," Melrose said.  "An elite goaltender has to carry the ball when you give it to him.  The mark of a great goalie is that he isn't satisfied to be a backup."  "I'm not blaming Robb for the losses, but if you're going to be No. 1, you've got to be able to walk your talk.  You've got to be able to play when everything is on the line.  Robb Stauber has a great deal of ability, but maybe I expect more from him than he does."  Ouch.  That remark stung Stauber.  He began the season 9-0-1, struggled when the team hit a mid-season slump, didn't play for a month after Knickle was signed off the San Diego Gulls roster, then came on at the end.  "I expect more from myself than anybody, including Barry Melrose," said Stauber, a three-year star at the University of Minnesota who left school in 1989, only  to have his development hampered by a string of serious injuries.  "What I've been through the last four years - two knee operations, a herniated disk in my back, shoulder surgery - what more can I go through?  I obviously do expect a lot from myself, otherwise I wouldn't be here."  "Anybody who would disagree with that doesn't know me.  I'm not saying Barry  doesn't know me, but don't say I've been without expectations.  If anything, I'm a perfectionist."  Stauber acknowledged he played poorly in the four games Melrose mentioned. "But  even though I didn't play well, I get knocked down from maybe on to three? It's  a bit of a jump," he said.  "You're almost No. 1, or if you play a good game  you're No. 1 and if you don't you're No. 3?  Why does Jack Nicklaus shoot a 67  and then a 75?  Can you explain that?  That's what barry wanted me to explain  to him, why I didn't come through when he counted on me.  I don't know. What I  do know is, it's a sport.  I'll be there."  Melrose's "goalie of the future" statement doesn't mean much to Stauber. "Before you know it, I'll be 30 and there will be no future," he said.  ------  *Game 1 of the Kings @ Flames playoff series drew a 4.2 Nielsen rating on ABC  Channel 7 here in LA.  The Kings averaged a 2.1 Nielsen rating in the 10 regular season games aired on Channel 5.  Around the NHL: --------------- *San Jose fired Coach George Kingston, who lead the team to a 11-71-2 mark in  their 2nd NHL season.  Kingston was 28-129-7 over the past 2 years with the Sharks.  ------  *Former Islander executive Bill Torrey was named as President of the expansion Florida Panthers.  Bobby Clarke was named as the clubs General Manager.  *Last nights games: ------------------- WIN  2 @ VAN  4 (VAN leads 1-0) TOR  3 @ DET  6 (DET leads 1-0)  =============================================================================== Stan Willis (willis@empire.dnet.hac.com) net contact: L.A. Kings