The NHL / Chris Baker : Stretch Run Is Crucial for Kings

By Chris Baker

March 26, 1986 12 AM PT

It’s desperation time for the Kings.

They are battling with the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets for the two final playoff spots in the Smythe Division of the National Hockey League, although battling may be too strong a word.

It’s like a turtle race.

Crawling into the stretch, the Jets are in third place and have a five-point lead over the Kings and Canucks, who are tied for fourth.

There’s a big incentive to finish third because the fourth-place team will have to play the two-time Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs, which open April 7. The third-place team will play the Calgary Flames, who have clinched second place.

“I hate the word ‘desperation’,” King Coach Pat Quinn said. “This is a point in time that’s absolutely crucial for us.

“Third place is not out of reach. I think we can make up the five points on Winnipeg. For third place, we have to win two against Winnipeg and two against Vancouver.”

The Kings have six games left in the regular season, including two apiece against Vancouver and Winnipeg. The Kings have a 5-1 record against Winnipeg this season and a 1-3-2 mark against Vancouver.

“I’m hoping that in the last six games we can get some semblance of what playoff hockey is all about,” Quinn said. “There’s more intensity in the playoffs.”

The Kings’ other two games are against the Flames tonight at the Forum, and the Quebec Nordiques, who lead the Adams Division. The Kings have lost 11 straight to the Flames dating back to last season and are 0-11-1 in their last 12 games against Calgary, which has outscored the Kings during the streak, 51-16. The last time the Kings beat Calgary was Dec. 18, 1984.

Five of the Kings’ last six games will be on home ice, which is normally an advantage for NHL teams. For the Kings, though, home ice has been a disadvantage this season.

They have the worst home record in the league and have set team records for most home losses in one season and most consecutive home losses. They have won once at the Forum since Jan. 29.

With all that in mind, the Kings plan to wear their purple road uniforms for tonight’s game against Calgary.

What will it take for the Kings to make the playoffs for the second straight season?

“A little bit of luck,” defenseman Jay Wells said. “We’ve got skill, know-how and smarts. All we’ve got to do is put it together. We’ve proved we can play good games. We’ve got to use our heads and play smart.”

Said wing Jim Fox: “We have to win five of the six for third place and four of the six for fourth.”

Said Dave (Tiger) Williams: “There are 12 available points (two per game). For third place we need 10. If we’re just talking about making the playoffs, we need seven.

“It’s been desperation time for us the whole month, but you wouldn’t know it by the outcome (of games).”

Vancouver, which lost to the Jets on Monday night at Winnipeg, has seven games left, two against Edmonton, two against the Kings, two against Calgary and one against Quebec.

Coach Tom Watt of the Canucks said that his team must win both games from the Kings while Winnipeg splits its two-game series against the Kings next week.

“Go, Jets, go,” Watt said after losing Monday night’s game against Winnipeg. “Third place is just about out of reach, but fourth is ours if we sweep the Kings and the Jets get a split.”

One important factor is that the Canucks have three road games left, and they haven’t won on the road since they beat the Kings Dec. 21. They have a road record of 5-24-8.

Winnipeg has four games left, two against Calgary and two against the Kings. Winnipeg has a 1-1-4 record against Calgary this season.

“The Canucks aren’t out of the chase for third place,” John Ferguson, Winnipeg’s coach and general manager, said after Monday night’s game. “They’ve got three games in hand, and have Los Angeles twice. They’re not out of it by any means.”

The remaining games on the schedule for the Kings, Jets and Canucks:

Kings

Tonight--Calgary at the Forum.

Friday--at Vancouver.

Saturday--Quebec at the Forum.

Monday--Winnipeg at the Forum.

Wednesday, April 2--Winnipeg at the Forum.

Saturday, April 5--Vancouver at the Forum.

Jets

Friday--at Calgary.

Monday--at Los Angeles.

Wednesday, April 2--at Los Angeles.