Fuhr Frustrates Kings; Oilers Skate to 4-2 Win

Generally the way teams prepare to play the Edmonton Oilers, the best offensive team in the NHL, consists of strategy sessions, viewing game films and . . . excessive prayer.

The Oilers have the depth to put so much talent on the ice at any one time that it’s difficult to judge which player is the most dangerous. For teams who haven’t figured it out--they all are.

None more so than diminutive goaltender Grant Fuhr. Wayne Gretzky is called The Great One, but Fuhr is the Great Little One. The 5-foot 10-inch goaltender played brilliantly Sunday night against the Kings, making 36 saves and allowing his teammates to do what they are so famous for--score goals and win.

Fuhr held off the Kings to give Edmonton a 4-2 win in front of 11,373 in the Forum. It was the third straight loss for the Kings.

The Kings (13-17-2) slipped farther away from their goal of reaching .500, but remained in fourth place in the Smythe Division. The Oilers (20-11-1), the team everyone is chasing, remained in first place.

It was little solace to King Coach Pat Quinn that his team played well, again. The Kings outshot the Oilers, 38-28.

“You know you are going to get your chances against them, we got our chances,” Quinn said. “He (Fuhr) just did his job. He’s a cut above. He’s why they won the game.”

Fuhr, who has never lacked for confidence, seemed hardly bothered by the King onslaught. “They spent a bit of time in my crease, more time in my crease than they did putting the puck in my net,” he said.

The game, minus the goaltending, was close, as have all contests between the teams this season. It was the Kings’ first loss to Edmonton this season. They had won, 7-6, at home and tied, 5-5, in Edmonton in overtime.

Three kooky calls enlivened the end of the first period. First came a tripping call against Dave (Tiger) Williams. It might have been one of the few times Williams was innocent.

The Kings were well on their way to killing the penalty when the second strange whistle blew. Bryan Erickson got the puck in the neutral zone and was two strides into a breakaway when Kevin Lowe wrapped his stick around Erickson, dragging him to the ice. It was a smart move by Lowe, as Erickson had every Oiler beat except Fuhr.

Lowe was called for hooking, but King fans were calling for a penalty shot.

These things have a way of evening out. Seconds later, King defenseman Mark Hardy, alarmed that Oiler winger Mark Napier had slinked past him, chased the Oiler and gingerly hopped on his back, piggy-back style for 10 feet. No penalty was called.

The second period was damaging for the Kings. Edmonton had a 2-0 lead and scored two more in the second, while the Kings, who had 18 shots on goal, scored just once.

Jim Fox played a strong second period and inspired linemates Bernie Nicholls and Williams to do the same.

“Jim has played good for us all year but he had an extra spurt in the second period,” Quinn said. ‘Nicholls’ line has been our best. Regardless of goals, they’ve been our best.”

Despite outshooting the Oilers and having the territorial advantage, the shots didn’t go in for the Kings.

“We blistered him and we blistered him, but we couldn’t put shots into the net,” Fox said of Fuhr. “I think he won the game for them tonight, he kept them in the game.”

Fuhr was impenetrable. The Kings did all the right things in the period, creating scoring chances and pressuring the Oiler net. But all the best shooters and all the best shots could not beat Fuhr.

Except one. Rookie defenseman Steve Duchesene scored a power-play goal to boost the Kings to within one goal, 2-1.

It was the only one of six power play chances that the Kings converted. The Oilers were 0-3.

The Oilers scored two quick goals to put an end to the King rally. Defenseman Craig Muni scored his second of the game, shooting between Larry Playfair’s skates.

Playfair had screened Darren Eliot and the goaltender didn’t have a clear look at the shot.

“He (Playfair) was in the slot and he want watching the shooter,” Eliot said. “It was the kind of goal that wins games.”

The second goal was a showcase for the pure skating abilities of the Oilers. Mark Napier took a pass from Steve Smith and simply outskated the Kings to score and give the Oilers a 4-1 lead at 15:11.