A Healthy Hrudey Keeps Kings Well

A year ago at this time, goalie Kelly Hrudey of the Kings was worn out after one period, sweat pouring down his aching body.

Sunday night, Hrudey played three full periods, saved 42 shots and led his team to a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

No sweat.

“Facing 43 shots is not a big deal,” Hrudey said, “if you feel all right.”

But it was a very big deal for the Kings, who remained atop the Smythe Division, a point ahead of the Calgary Flames, by completing an impressive four-day weekend that also included a Thursday tie with the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers and a 7-1 victory Saturday over the defending Wales Conference champion Boston Bruins. A year ago, Hrudey was suffering from the early stages of what would turn out to be a four-month bout with mononucleosis, an illness that would all but ruin his season.

His Kings were suffering from a different sort of malaise, one that would seem to sap their strength on the second night of back to back games, and cause their defense to look ill at the most inopportune times.

“This weekend, we showed we are committed,” Hrudey said. “Last year, we might not have taken advantage of the situation and squandered a game like tonight.

“The win (Saturday) wouldn’t have meant anything without a win (Sunday).” Hrudey’s big night followed a similar performance Saturday by backup goalie Daniel Berthiaume, who saved 40 shots against the Bruins.

“They’re pushing each other,” Wayne Gretzky said. “That’s good for everybody.”

No argument from Hrudey.

“That’s a great read,” he said of Gretzky’s remarks. “That’s exactly what happened. We are challenging each other. After watching (Berthiaume’s) phenomenal game, I knew I needed a great performance just to get close.”

Never, advised Gretzky, underestimate the importance of the man in the mask.

“I don’t care who you’re talking about,” he said. “The teams that won championships always had great goaltending. If you don’t get great goaltending, forget it.”

Or a great defensive effort.

The Kings, despite the absence of injured Tim Watters, Marty McSorley, Tom Laidlaw and Bob Halkidis, are playing an air-tight game with two goals against in the last two games.

“Our goaltenders are getting the first save,” Gretzky said, “but now, they are not having to make the second, third and fourth saves.”

Sunday, before 13,777 at the Forum, the Kings even shut out Brett Hull, the Blues’ 72-goal scorer of last season.

But Sunday didn’t start out well for the Kings. They let the first opportunity of the night slip away.

When Paul MacLean was assessed consecutive penalties for hooking Tony Granato and for unsportsmanlike conduct, the best the Kings could up with was two shots on goal in the next four minutes, both of which missed.

When the Kings’ penalty box received its first visitor, however, the Blues were more responsive.

With Rene Chapdelaine out for holding, St. Louis scored on a 35-foot slap shot by Geoff Courtnall, fired from the left side. The puck glanced off Hrudey’s glove into the net at the 10:25 mark of the first period. It was Courtnall’s fourth goal and team-leading fifth point.

It was also only the third time the opposition had scored on the Kings’ penalty-killing unit in 27 tries. Entering play Sunday, the Kings were the league’s top penalty killers.

The Kings came back to score a power play goal of their own at 13:44 of the first period.

Todd Elik, rushing the net from the right side, tried to dump the puck to Luc Robitaille in the slot. Instead, it glanced off defenseman Scott Stevens’ skate, sliding into the right circle. From there, Dave Taylor put the puck through goalie Curtis Joseph’s pads for his first goal of the season.

The Kings went ahead on a goal that never touched the ice.

On another power play, Gretzky fed Rob Blake the puck in the right circle. Blake took a shot that Tomas Sandstrom, standing by the right post, deflected into the upper-right corner of the net while a helpless Joseph stood by. The goal, coming 16:16 into the second period, was Sandstrom’s third.

The Kings’ third goal was scored by Bob Kudelski at 8:40 of the final period after he took it away from MacLean along the left boards.

Kudelski skated up the left side within reach of Joseph and then shoved the puck past him for the unassisted goal.

It was the third goal in two nights for Kudelski, who had 23 last season in 62 games.

Robitaille scored the final goal of the night off a pass from Elik. It was Robitaille’s fourth of the season and the 200th of his career.

“I never knew this feeling last year,” Hrudey said when it was over. “I feel great, like I barely played a game.”

Amazing what good health will do for you.

And good defense.

King Notes

Tim Watters has joined Marty McSorley on the ice in practice. Neither of the two King defensemen has played since being injured Oct. 6.