Kings Are Backed Against Wall : A Loss to Oilers Tonight Puts Them Out of Playoffs

Rookie defenseman Ken Hammond and center Marcel Dionne of the Kings got onto the wrong bus after Thursday night’s National Hockey League playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Hammond boarded the Oilers’ bus, which was parked next to the Kings’ bus, and walked about four rows back before he realized that he didn’t know anyone.

Dionne followed Hammond but quickly realized his mistake.

Instead of rushing for the door, though, Dionne, as a gag, sat down in a seat next to Edmonton Coach Glen Sather.

Maybe that was Dionne’s way of trying to release some of the tension that he is probably feeling now.

Dionne, the Kings’ leading scorer during the regular season, has not scored a point in two Smythe Division semifinal playoff games against the Oilers. And with Dionne not skating effectively, the Kings are one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Oilers can wrap up the best-of-five series at 7:30 tonight in Game 3 at the Forum.

No team has ever come back to win an NHL five-game series after losing the first two games.

The Kings, who have played well enough to beat the Oilers, haven’t given up hope yet, though. The mood was relaxed at Friday’s practice, which could have been the last of the season.

The Kings may have put so much effort into stopping Wayne Gretzky that it has hurt Dionne’s offense.

Dionne played on a line with Dave Taylor at right wing and Brian MacLellan at left wing during the regular season. In the playoffs, though, the Kings have been playing games with their lines. Trying to avoid a shootout, they have been inserting left wing Phil Sykes whenever Gretzky skates onto the ice.

Sykes’ job is to shadow Gretzky, and he has done a good job of it. Gretzky has no goals and just three assists.

Dionne, however, dismissed the frequent line changes as the reason for his not scoring in the series.

“It’s not a distraction for me,” Dionne said. “It’s more of a distraction for the left wings. I haven’t had that many chances. What’s been really tough is the forechecking. This is playoff hockey.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen two goaltenders play like this in the playoffs. Three times the puck was going in (Thursday night), and (Grant) Fuhr sat on it.

“That’s the trouble with a five-game series. If a goalie gets hot, he can win it by himself. Hopefully, we’ll go to a seven-game series next year.”

Dionne was one of the first players on the ice at practice Friday afternoon, going straight from the airport to the rink. He worked on his shot in solitude against an empty net.

Coach Pat Quinn hinted that the Kings may change their strategy in tonight’s game.

“The tendency would be for us to open up,” Quinn said. “I’m not frustrated. I think we’re going to come up with a hell of a game Saturday.

“We’re going through growing pains. We’re on our way to becoming a good team, but we have some tough lessons to learn.”

Quinn also said that he may use left wing J.P. Kelly to counter the physical style the Oilers have used against the Kings. Kelly didn’t suit up for the first two games.

The power play has been another main trouble spot for the Kings so far. They have failed to score in nine power plays against the Oilers.

King Notes The Kings called up four players from the minors as emergency replacements in case of injuries--goalie Mike Blake, left wing Dan Brennan, defenseman Al Tuer and right wing Mark Lofthouse. . . . Tonight’s game is a sellout. . . . If there is a fifth game in Edmonton Tuesday night, the Kings may have to take two separate flights to Canada, because they couldn’t get enough seats on one plane.