Kings Get Tough, Beat Bruins, 2-1

On paper, where so many hypothetical games are won and lost, the Boston Bruins figured to out-battle the Kings with their storied feistiness and tenacity. Who expects less from a town that goes to war over tea leaves?

Boston, the National Hockey League’s version of the Teamsters (they’ve paid their dues) met their blue-collar match in the Kings Saturday night in the Forum. A season-high gathering of King fans--13,648--were treated to a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory by the Kings.

More revolutionary than the Kings’ rough-and-tumble defensive play was the win itself, which came on a goal by Morris Lukowich with 40 seconds left in overtime.

It had been nearly four years since the Kings beat the Bruins. The last win was a 5-3 victory on Feb. 22, 1983, also in the Forum.

“It was a hell of a hockey game, I liked it,” King Coach Pat Quinn said. “Historically, they (the Bruins) are a club who has given us fits.”

The Kings moved to 16-18-3, and to within one point of the third-place Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division. Boston is 16-15-4.

“Both teams played well and battled for the puck all night,” Quinn said. “Obviously, I’m pleased with the way it turned out. But I would not have been displeased if it hadn’t (turned out that way).”

The Kings did well Saturday night those things which they were unable to do at all last Tuesday night against Vancouver--battle along the boards.

“It was just a matter of the team playing well after not playing well in the last game,” Phil Sykes said. “It came from good practices.”

The Kings won on a play that can’t be practiced but is a result of what coaches call hockey sense .

There was less than one minute left in the overtime period when rookie defenseman Sean McKenna slid the puck to rookie center Jimmy Carson. Carson’s perfect pass to Lukowich, alone in the slot, set up the game-winning goal.

“It came to me, I just chipped it over to Morris,” Carson said.

Lukowich was alone in front of Boston goaltender Bill Ranford and beat him.

The Kings held a tenuous 1-0 lead through two periods and allowed Cam Neely a goal in the third to tie it.

There was nothing sloppy or wasted in the first two periods. Both teams were defensively sound. It was a style of play to be expected from Boston, but it constituted an improvement for the Kings.

The Kings’ first goal came from McKenna, his eighth of the season. McKenna tipped in defenseman Grant Ledyard’s shot from the right point.

The Kings played a dump-and-chase style in the first period, which is more commonly observed to be the Bruins’ style. It worked for both teams Saturday night. That set up a rough evening along the boards for both teams.

The Kings showed their mettle by allowing Boston only one shot in the last 14 minutes of the first period.

They had adequate opportunity to show defensive muscle, as the Kings faced three power plays early in the second period.

Boston carried a power play over from the first, which the Kings killed. The Kings, of course, killed the other two as well.

Immediately after the third, at 8:56, the Kings launched a furious assault at Ranford. Ranford saved five quality shots in a span of 30 seconds.

“We killed that penalty and came right out after them. I think that was something that gave us a lift,” Quinn said.

Both goaltenders played well, and Ranford and the Kings’ Roland Melanson each faced 26 shots through regulation. The Kings had five shots in overtime to the Bruins’ one.

“This kind of game is a concentration game,” said Phil Myre, the Kings’ goaltender coach. “Probably the toughest thing to bring back after you haven’t played for a while is the concentration.”

It was Melanson’s second start since Nov. 21. Myre, who keeps track of such things, counted 8 scoring chances by the Bruins and 14 by the Kings.

King Notes

Both teams missed several injured players. Boston was without top scorers Ken Linseman (knee injury) and Keith Crowder (bruised ribs). The Bruins also lost Thomas Gradin late in the game. He was shaken up after a hard check. . . . The Kings are still without defenseman Mark Hardy (muscle strain) and goaltender Bob Janecyk (severe arm rash). . . . Saturday night’s game was Marcel Dionne’s 1,200th in the NHL.