Kings’ Late Rally Falls Short; Boston Wins, 3-2 : Bruin Goalie Keans Stops 37 Shots While L.A. Goes 0 for 7 on Power Plays

In the aftermath of Sunday’s debacle against the Edmonton Oilers, Coach Mike Murphy of the Kings met individually with his players this week, providing them with what he euphemistically called “job definitions.”

“That game exaggerated everybody’s problem areas,” he said Wednesday. “Things were starting to creep into people’s games, but we had been reluctant to talk about them. We addressed them this week.”

At least one of them--an inability to convert power-play opportunities--resurfaced Thursday night in the Kings’ 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins before a crowd of 8,964 at the Forum.

Murphy had said this game would “make or break” the Kings’ season-opening, five-game home stand.

Consider it broken, although the Kings staged a furious rally at the end, scoring twice in the last 16 minutes 45 seconds after falling behind, 3-0.

The Kings, who will meet the Vancouver Canucks Sunday night at the Forum before leaving on a seven-game trip, have lost three of their first four games.

And after failing to score on nine power-play opportunities in Sunday night’s 9-2 loss to Edmonton, they were 0 for 7 against the Bruins.

“When you want to score a goal, sometimes you’ve got to give it a second and third effort,” Murphy said. “Great plays around the net in this league aren’t made on one shot.

“It takes second effort, whether it’s somebody taking a check in front (of the net) or somebody grabbing a rebound and fighting off a check. Second effort is the only way you’re going to score goals in this league.”

It seemed to be the only way to score against Boston goaltender Doug Keans, who stopped 37 shots, including one from about 10 feet by Jimmy Carson during a power play with about 6 1/2 minutes left after the Kings had narrowed the gap to 3-2.

“He won them the game,” Murphy said of Keans, who spent parts of four seasons with the Kings and has never lost to his former teammates.

Claimed on waivers by Boston in 1983, Keans is 5-0-2 against the Kings.

Said Murphy: “Obviously, he gets the adrenaline up for us.”

Ray Bourque, winner of the Norris Trophy last season as the best all-around defenseman, scored two goals for the Bruins, who were outshot in every period.

“L.A. really outplayed us the majority of the game,” Bourque said.

But the Bruins got 3 of their 24 shots past rookie goaltender Glenn Healy, who made his first NHL start for the Kings.

Healy appeared to be screened by defenseman Mark Hardy on Bourque’s first goal, which gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 15:51 of the first period.

King defenseman Mark Hardy skated through the slot as Bourque fired a straight-on slap shot from just inside the blue line. The puck slid right through Healy’s legs.

The Bruins increased their lead to 3-0 in the second period despite being outshot in the first 40 minutes, 25-17.

Cam Neely scored a power-play goal at 7:41 of the second period, taking a pass from Ken Linseman and rifling the puck just inside the left post for his fifth goal of the season.

Bourque’s second goal, scored with 7:37 left in the period, actually was a pass, but it caromed off the left skate of King defenseman Jay Wells, who was in front of the net, and went past a startled Healy into the net.

The Kings, who established a club-first last season when they made it through the 80-game schedule without being shut out, finally scored on their 26th shot.

A wrist shot from the left circle by Wells with 16:45 left cut the Kings’ deficit to 3-1.

Dave Taylor scored his first goal of the season with 9:09 left, taking a pass from behind the net by Luc Robitaille and backhanding the puck over Keans.

King Notes

The contract of Dave (Tiger) Williams, released Monday by the Kings, was purchased Thursday by the Hartford Whalers. “He’s got another life,” King General Manager Rogie Vachon said of Williams, who played two full seasons with the Kings and is the NHL’s all-time leader in penalty minutes with 3,879. “I think they were looking for some muscle,” Vachon said of the Whalers, who will take an 0-4 record into their game tonight at Washington. . . . Defenseman Craig Redmond, who failed to report after being assigned to New Haven of the American Hockey League, has been suspended indefinitely by the Kings. Vachon said he is trying to trade Redmond. . . Czech defector Petr Prajsler made his NHL debut after missing three games with a groin pull.