Paterson Makes a Point as Kings Make Theirs : His Goal in Decisive Second Period Helps L.A. Score a 5-3 Win Over Buffalo

ching King left wing Joe Paterson move in front of the net is like watching an 18-wheeler blow a tire at high speed.

He rumbles around like a bumper car, careening into as many opposing players as he can. But it’s OK, that’s his job.

So, when Paterson took the rebound of his own shot and punched it high into the net for a goal late in the second period during the Kings’ 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres Thursday night, a celebration erupted on the King bench.

The goal was a tribute to the hard-working Paterson on the occasion of his first goal and first point , of this nearly finished season.

“I don’t think our bench has yelled louder for any goal this year,” King Coach Mike Murphy said.

The Kings (30-37-8), who finished their six-game trip with a 4-2 record, appreciated Paterson’s contribution to their slow-starting effort.

Meanwhile, the 14,353 fans at Municipal Auditorium became excited early as the Sabres (27-41-7) struck for power-play goals by Phil Housley and Doug Smith in the first period.

But the Kings erased that 2-0 deficit with four goals in the second period, two of them on the power play.

Defenseman Steve Duchesne took a pass that Bernie Nicholls had placed right on his stick and gave the Kings their first goal at 3:19 in the second period.

Luc Robitaille tied it at 12:32. Murphy called that goal “the turning point.”

Jimmy Carson emphasised the point with a power-play goal at 16:47 to give the Kings a 3-2 lead, and Paterson made it 4-2 at 18:26.

In the third period, Bob Bourne scored on a breakaway for the Kings, and Mike Foligno scored for Buffalo.

Paterson’s goal bore testimony to his persistence. Duchesne had control of the puck near the Sabre blue line but was dumped.

Paterson picked up the loose puck and floated to the left side of the goal. His first shot was blocked by goaltender Tom Barrasso, but the rebound popped right back at him. He flicked it into the net to give the Kings a 4-2 lead.

“It was a great feeling,” Paterson said after the game.

Unaccustomed as he was to public speaking, Paterson seemed willing to recount his goal for as long as there were reporters to hear the tale.

It was what is known in hockey vernacular as a garbage goal, and it reminded Paterson of his first NHL goal, scored in this building in his rookie season with Detroit.

Thursday night’s goal was seen by Paterson’s father and two brothers, who drove here from Toronto.

Paterson, 26, was acquired from Philadelphia in December 1985, and the Kings hoped they had found one of the roughnecks the Flyers used to cultivate with regularity.

Paterson scored 27 points in his first 30 games with the Kings, and the coaching staff wondered where the offense had been hiding.

The Kings soon wondered where that offense went as Paterson played the final 17 games last season without getting a point.

That’s the way it went through the first 74 games of this season--clearly, Paterson was experiencing a drought of immense proportions. And he knew it.

“The guys liked to kid me about it,” he said.

Reminders of his offensive problems also found their way into press notes, which Paterson has had ample opportunity to study as he didn’t dress for 35 games this season.

“I’d look at the press notes and it’d say something like, ‘Joe Paterson--still looking for his first goal.’ I was wondering about it, the season is almost over,” Paterson said.

“It kind of took the monkey off my back. I know a lot of guys can go a long time without a goal, but without a point?”

With his one point, Paterson is mounting a drive to overtake the King goaltenders in the team point totals. Paterson moved into a tie with Al Jensen, who has been with the team five weeks. Rollie Melanson, who had an assist Thursday night and has five points, is the real target for Paterson.

King Notes Bob Carpenter missed his second straight game with the flu. . . . Dave (Tiger) Williams served the first game of his two-game suspension. Williams was given the automatic suspension when he received his fourth game misconduct penalty of the season Wednesday night at Detroit. . . . Even though Vancouver beat the Islanders Thursday night, the Kings retain their eight-point lead over the Canucks in the Smythe Division. . . . King defenseman Dean Kennedy has returned with a vengeance after missing nine games with a hip pointer. His checking has improved with each game. “He had five or six good hits out there,” Murphy said. “Believe me, that opens their (opponents’) eyes.”