Tonelli Leads Kings in Win Over Whalers

John Tonelli had two goals and two assists, including the go-ahead score, as the Kings scored five goals in the third period to beat the Hartford Whalers, 9-6, Saturday night.

Wayne Gretzky, Bernie Nicholls and Ron Duguay also had two goals for the Kings, who won their third straight home game.

The go-ahead goal came at 10:08 on a battle in the crease between Tonelli and Whalers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. Tonelli gained control and slipped the puck between Mike Liut’s legs for his 700th career point and a 7-6 lead.

Nicholls scored the final two goals to push his season total to 45. Tonelli earned his 701st point when he assisted on Nicholls’ second goal, into an empty net with 42 seconds left. Nicholls is two goals behind NHL leader Mario Lemieux of Pittsburgh.

The Kings trailed 6-4 entering the third period, but Duguay scored at 2:04, assisted by Tonelli, and 6:49 of the period to tie the game at 6.

The Kings streaked to a 3-0 lead in the first seven minutes. Tonelli scored at 1:20, Luc Robitaille got his 30th of the season at 3:11 and Gretzky got his first of the night on a power play at 6:45.

Ron Francis got the first of three Whalers power-play goals at 8:37. Ray Ferraro tallied a power-play goal with 5:28 left to make it 3-2, then Dean Evason scored with 1:34 left to tie it.

Rookie Scott Young scored at 8:17 of the second period to give Hartford a 4-3 lead. Gretzky got the Kings even at 4-4 with his second goal and 32nd of the year at 9:13 of the second period.

Hartford regained the lead with two straight goals, by Kevin Dineen with 6:19 left in the second and Paul MacDermid on a power-play goal with 1:30 left.