Robitaille Ices It in Overtime : Kings’ 7-6 Victory Over Capitals Ends Road Winless Streak

When Luc Robitaille and Bernie Nicholls saw that John Tonelli was going to fire a long shot at the Washington Capitals’ net early in the overtime, they both rushed in to help sweep up, if necessary.

They were both swinging, but it was Robitaille who finally brushed the puck past relief goalie Clint Malarchuk 1 minute 39 seconds into the overtime period to give the Kings a 7-6 victory--their first victory on the road since just before Christmas. They had gone 0-5-3 since winning Dec. 23 at Vancouver.

“It’s about time we won on the road,” Robitaille said. “If we want to win in the playoffs, we’re going to have to start winning on the road.”

While Robitaille was dancing on the toes of his skates in celebration, a groan went up from the 18,130 fans at the Capital Centre, who had their hopes set on a replay of the Kings’ January visit, when they led, 4-2, but finished in a 4-4 tie.

That game crossed Robitaille’s mind when the Kings were ahead, 4-1, in the second period.

“I said to myself, ‘Oh, I hope we’re not going to do the same thing we did the last time,’ ” Robitaille said. “At 4-4, uh-oh. At 5-4 (after Robitaille’s first goal put the Kings up at 3:55 of the third period), I thought we would win. But, after that, I didn’t have time to think anymore. We just had to keep scoring more goals.

“That was a lot of goals. All you can think is, hey, we have to get another one.”

During regulation, the Kings’ six goals were scored by six players--Nicholls, Tim Watters, Tonelli, Jay Miller, Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky.

Nicholls scored after the puck bounced back from a block by Larry Murphy, answering the goal that Rod Langway had scored earlier, and the first period ended in a 1-1 tie.

Watters scored on another close-in goal to put the Kings ahead, 2-1, early in the second period. Tonelli put a rebound over prone Washington goalie Pete Peeters at 4:07, and Miller followed up a shot by Ron Duguay just 18 seconds later to give the Kings their 4-1 lead and to chase Peeters back to the bench.

Washington Coach Bryan Murray said that he made the goalie change because Peeters had given up three quick goals, and four on 9 shots.

“I was hoping that the change would make a difference, and it did,” Murray said. “Our team was able to get back into the game.”

The Capitals scored the next three in a row. Dave Christian scored from the right side on a pass that Kelly Miller pushed across from the left side. Geoff Courtnall pulled the Capitals within a goal in the last minute of the second period with a slap shot down the middle, and Mike Gartner tied it, 4-4, just 2:05 into the third period.

After Robitaille’s goal made it 5-4, Courtnall’s second tied it at 6:22. It was Courtnall skating in on Glenn Healy again when Watters ran him down and checked him--into Healy. While the two were still in a heap, Steve Leach came into the picture, picking up the loose puck and putting it into the net to put the Capitals ahead, 6-5.

Gretzky kept the Kings alive by taking a pass from Mike Allison behind the net and putting it into the left corner of the net with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

As time ran out, Nicholls and Robitaille were attacking Malarchuk. One last shot in regulation bounced off Malarchuk’s shoulder and then off his mask, according to the goalie.

There was no way they would both come up empty in the overtime. As Nicholls put it: “Luc gets pretty hungry when the puck is down low like that. But it doesn’t matter who scores the goal, as long as it goes in.”

Tonelli, who was pretty busy all night, had taken the puck away from Courtnall to set up his high-scoring teammates with the game-winner.

“Johnny worked well tonight,” Nicholls said. “The first shift, we had the coaches shaking their heads again, but we kept working and kept working. It’s guys like Johnny Tonelli, who have those Stanley Cup rings, who are showing us what it takes.”

Robitaille noted how hard Tonelli had worked and added: “If you see that and don’t work hard, too, you feel kind of guilty.”

The Kings (29-22-5) moved back ahead of Edmonton into second place in the Smythe Division.

“Every team goes through a slump from time to time, and you just have to work your way out of it,” Nicholls said. “I’m not saying we’re out of it yet, but tonight was a good start.”

King Notes

After the Kings’ loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, owner Bruce McNall again was asked about Coach Robbie Ftorek’s status. McNall is still saying that despite the slump, and despite the “problems” to which players have obliquely referred, he wants to avoid a “revolving door of coaches” if at all possible. Asked if he felt convinced that Ftorek is the right coach for the Kings, McNall said: “No. Not necessarily. But I’m not necessarily sure that he isn’t, either. I’m not a thousand percent sure of anything right now. I’m the same as the players and the coaches. I’m a little confused. I know there are problems, but I don’t have any brilliant answers. We’ll have to see how it plays out.” McNall has issued no ultimatums and has set no time frame for deciding on whether Ftorek’s contract will be extended beyond this season. But, when pressed, he said: “I will be mightily disappointed if we don’t get out of the first round of the playoffs.”

Once again the Kings were outshot, but this time it was just by 28-26. They have been outshot in five of their last 24 games. Their 19 shots at Boston represented their lowest total of the season.