Williams Scores a Hat Trick, but Kings Lose to Canadiens, 6-4

The Kings have blown a lot of games this season, but they may have outdid themselves Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

Trailing, 3-2, at the start of the third period, the Kings took a 4-3 lead after left wing Dave (Tiger) Williams scored two goals a span of 2 minutes and 6 seconds. Williams, who also scored a first-period goal, had his second career hat trick. Williams did a wild dance up the ice after his third goal to celebrate.

However, King goalie Roland Melanson allowed three consecutive goals in 1 minute and 54 seconds as the Kings lost, 6-4, before 12,109 fans.

Williams tied it at 3-3 with eight minutes left in the third period when he scored his second goal of the game on a power play off a pass from right wing Bryan Erickson.

Williams gave the Kings a 4-3 lead when he scored off a pass from center Bernie Nicholls with 5:54 left in the third period. Williams also scored off a pass from Nicholls on a two-on-one in the second period to tie the score at 1-1. Nicholls had three assists. Morris Lukowich scored the Kings’ other goal.

Montreal tied it at 4-4 with 3:14 left when center Stephane Richer scored after a breakdown in front of the Kings’ net.

And rookie center Kjell Dahlin got his second goal of the game with 2:09 left to give Montreal the lead.

Bob Gainey scored his second goal of the game with 1:20 left as the Canadiens made it 6-4.

The Kings, who have lost six straight games at home, have the worst home record in the NHL this season (7-21-3). They need one more loss to tie a club record for most losses in one season, set in 1969-70.

The record could fall tonight. The Kings play host to the Calgary Flames. The Flames have won 10 straight games from the Kings dating back to last season.

Center Marcel Dionne, who needs seven points to pass Phil Esposito and become the NHL’s second all-time leading scorer, had a 13-game scoring streak snapped.

The Kings (20-37-6), who lost their third straight game, remained in third place in the Smythe Division, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks, who lost to Calgary, 3-2, Saturday night.

Montreal (35-23-6) increased its Adams Division lead to four points over the Quebec Nordiques, who lost to Buffalo, 8-4, Saturday night.

Goalie Bob Janecyk started the game for the Kings, but he was pulled at the start of the second period. Janecyk gave up three goals on 10 shots in 40 minutes.

Assistant coach Mike Murphy said that Janecyk was pulled because the Canadiens had three good scoring chances in the second period, and Janecyk allowed two goals.

Melanson replaced Janecyk. Melanson had started four straight games until Saturday night, compiling a 1-3 record.

The Kings outshot the Canadiens, 20-10, in the first two periods but trailed, 3-2, going into the third period.

The Canadiens had their first power play after King defenseman Jay Wells was called for high sticking at 6:26 of the first period. And the Canadiens, who have the best power play in the NHL this season, took a 1-0 lead when center Bobby Smith scored a power-play goal at 7:57 of the first period.

The Kings lost defenseman Larry Playfair with 6:59 left in the first period when he sprained his left knee after Montreal right wing Chris Nilan fell on him.

Playfair will undergo arthroscopic surgery today to determine the extent of the injury. The Kings acquired Playfair and right wing Sean McKenna from the Buffalo Sabres for center Doug Smith and defenseman Brian Engblom on Jan. 30.

The Kings tied it, 1-1, with 9:06 left in the second period when left wing Williams scored off a nice pass from Nicholls.

The Kings had a two-man advantage on a power play for 52 seconds in the second period, but they couldn’t get off a shot on goal.

Montreal scored two quick goals late in the second period to regain the lead.

Dahlin scored his 29th goal of the season off a pass from Smith with 3:45 left in the second period. Dahlin is the league’s leading rookie scorer this season with 64 points.

Montreal had just missed hetting a goal a minute before Dahlin’s goal, when Randy Bucyk’s shot hit the crossbar. Bucyk thought he scored and raised his stick in celebration.

Gainey made it 3-1 with 1:37 left in the second period when he scored his 16th goal of the season, off a pass from defenseman Larry Robinson.

However, the Kings scored with 56 seconds left in the second period when Lukowich got his first goal since Feb. 9 to close the score to 3-2 going into the third period.

King Notes

Right wing Jim Fox returned to the lineup for the first time in 13 games. He had been out with a hip injury. Fox played on a line with left wing Morris Lukowich and center Brian Wilks.. . . Defenseman Craig Redmond was moved to right wing. He played with center Sean McKenna, normally a right wing, and Phil Sykes at left wing.