Kings Lose Again to Soetaert, 5-1 : Montreal Goalie Runs His Unbeaten Streak to a Dozen

Goalie Doug Soetaert of the Montreal Canadiens has the Kings’ number.

Soetaert stretched his unbeaten streak against the Kings to 12 games when the Canadiens defeated the Kings, 5-1, Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 16,005 fans at the Forum.

Soetaert is 9-0-3 in his last 12 games against the Kings. The last time the Kings beat him was Feb. 2, 1981 at New York while he was playing for the Rangers.

Rookie left wing Mike McPhee scored three goals, including two in the third period, as the Canadiens beat the Kings for the second time in three games this season. It was his first National Hockey League hat trick. He had scored just four goals in his first 40 games. But he has had four goals in his last two games.

King center Marcel Dionne, who had a nine-game scoring streak stopped in Thursday night’s game against Hartford, scored a first-period power play goal for the Kings.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Kings (22-21-9). Montreal (26-16-10) has a two-point lead in the Adams division over the Buffalo Sabres.

In their first game against the Canadiens this season, the Kings led, 3-0, going into the third period, but gave up three goals and settled for a 3-3 tie. Montreal beat the Kings, 9-7, in the second game last December. Goalie Darren Eliot started both games for the Kings.

However, the Kings went with goalie Bob Janecyk against Montreal this time. Janecyk was on a hot streak, winning his last three starts.

But the Canadiens beat Janecyk three times in the first two periods, including a pair of power-play goals, to take a 3-1 lead into the final period. Montreal leads the league in power-play goals this season. The Canadiens outshot the Kings, 25-16, in the first two periods.

The Canadiens led, 1-0, at the end of the first period as Bobby Smith scored a power-play goal with 8:45 left.

With 9:18 left in the first period, Kings defenseman Jay Wells was penalized for holding, giving the Canadiens their first power play of the game.

Smith took a pass from Ryan Walter, who was behind the net, and put the puck between the post and Janecyk’s glove. It was Smith’s first goal since Dec. 15. Smith missed 14 games earlier this season with a broken jaw. He wears a special helmet with a modified face mask to protect his injury.

The Kings had two power plays in the first period, but they didn’t have any shots on goal the first time they had a man advantage.

The Canadiens outshot the Kings, 12-8, in the first period.

The Kings tied the score on Dionne’s 31st goal of the season on a power play just 1:19 into the second period.

The Kings had their third power play of the game after Craig Ludwig was called for cross checking 29 seconds into the second period.

Steve Shutt, who was traded from the Canadiens to the Kings earlier this season, set up the goal when he passed the puck to Bernie Nicholls in front of the net. Soetaert blocked Nicholls’ shot, but Dionne put in the rebound to get the Kings even.

However, the Canadiens scored two unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead.

The Canadiens went ahead, 2-1, with 11:40 left in the second period when McPhee scored his seventh goal of the season, putting a shot between the post and Janecyk’s stick.

With 6:42 left, Janecyk made a good save on a breakaway by John Newberry, but Wells was penalized for slashing Newberry on the play, giving the Canadiens another power play.

Janecyk blocked a shot by Chris Chelios, but defenseman Brian Engblom didn’t clear the puck and Walter put in the rebound to give the Canadiens a 3-1 lead with 5:42 left in the second period.

Kings rookie defenseman Craig Redmond injured his left shoulder with 14:11 left in the second period when he was knocked into the goal post. Redmond had to be helped off the ice by Kings trainer Pete Demers. But he returned later in the period.

The Canadiens outshot the Kings, 13-8, in the second period.

King Notes

Kings center Marcel Dionne was named to the Campbell Conference All-Star team by Edmonton Coach Glen Sather. Also named to fill out the team were: Glenn Anderson, Mike Krushelynski and Kevin Lowe of Edmonton, Al McInnis of Calgary, Miroslav Frycer of Toronto, Thomas Gradin of Vancouver and Tony McKegney of Minnesota . . . Dionne was presented with an award for leading the team in plus/minus ratings last season by Gordie Howe . . . Center Doug Smith, who has been out since injuring his knee on Jan. 16 in a game against Toronto, said he hopes to begin skating with the team again next week . . . The Kings set a club record with their seventh regular season sellout.