Kings Lose, 4-3, Without Gretzky

SACRAMENTO — Theoren Fluery scored on a short-handed breakaway goal at 16:51 of the third period Friday night to give the Calgary Flames a 4-3 exhibition victory over the Los Angeles Kings, whose preseason record dropped to 1-4-2.

The game was the first sporting event held in Arco Arena II, the new playing facility of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Assn. Many in the crowd of 11,966 came in anticipation of seeing Wayne Gretzky, but he didn’t make the trip, even though a King publicist had told one Sacramento newspaper he would be present for the game.

“It’s not his turn to play,” said Coach Robbie Ftorek of the Kings when questioned about Gretzky’s absence. “We’ve got a lot of players to look at, and he’s not one of them.”