Nicholls Scores No. 60, but the Kings Lose, 4-2

With his breakaway goal early in the third period Friday night, Bernie Nicholls replaced Marcel Dionne as the Kings’ highest scorer ever in a single season.

Nicholls’ 60th goal proved that his slump is over, but it was not enough to beat a Vancouver team that has given the Kings fits this season.

Former King Doug Smith scored the Canucks’ go-ahead goal, and Steve Bozek scored an empty-net goal with just over a minute to play as Vancouver beat the Kings, 4-2, Friday night at the Pacific Coliseum.

The Kings’ record went to 35-28-6, leaving them still one point behind Edmonton for second place in the Smythe Division. Vancouver is a solid fourth in the division at 30-33-7.

Kirk McLean was in goal for Vancouver, still sharp after stopping 26 shots in a 3-0 shutout of Winnipeg in his last outing. He faced 26 against the Kings, too.

Glenn Healy started in goal for the Kings for only the second time since Kelly Hrudey joined the team in a trade with the Islanders. Healy lost a game to Washington the night Hrudey joined the team. Since then Hrudey is 3-2-1 for the Kings with a 2.94 goals against average. Healy’s last game was a loss at New York against the Rangers, a game in which he gave up five goals.

But the last time Healy played here, on Dec. 23, he faced a career-high 50 shots and won, 5-2.

The Kings were trailing, 2-1, when Nicholls scored on his breakaway at 1:39 of the third period, walking in between defensemen Garth Butcher and Paul Reinhart to beat McLean and tie the game.

Nicholls, in his eighth season with the Kings, had tied Dionne’s record with goal No. 59 Tuesday night against Pittsburgh. Nicholls had gone seven games without a goal before tying the record.

The Kings are 2-4 against the Canucks this season.

Healy gave up the first goal of the night at 15:17 of the first period when Petri Skriko deflected between Healy’s pads a shot that defenseman Jim Benning had slapped from the top of the left faceoff circle.

Gretzky tied the game for the Kings at 2:24 of the second period after Mike Allison dug the puck out of the corner and passed it across the front of the goal. Gretzky was waiting at the right post to pounce on it for the power-play goal.

Mel Bridgman put the Canucks back up at 16:07 of the second period with another power-play goal, a long shot from high in the left circle, while Tom Laidlaw of the Kings was in the penalty box for elbowing Craig Adams.

Tempers were growing short as the second period wore on. Laidlaw took dramatic exception to the call on him, chasing after the official who had called it before being restrained by two teammates.

While the clock was stopped at 16:07, Gretzky picked up a rare penalty--for unsportsmanlike conduct--while telling the officiating crew what he thought of their earlier whistle while the Kings were rushing at McLean with a two-on-one.

But the Kings managed to kill that penalty.

King Notes

The Kings will play Sunday at Edmonton, Tuesday at Quebec and Wednesday at Montreal before returning to the Forum. . . . Wayne Gretzky, Alan Thicke and composer David Foster are co-chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation fund-raising dinner that will honor Kings owner Bruce McNall as man of the year Sunday, March 19. There also will be a silent auction of celebrity “sports packages.” Tickets are available at $250 each. Call (213) 964-1836.