Goals Ease Pressure on Bob Kudelski

After scoring two goals for the Kings on passes from Wayne Gretzky Sunday night at the Forum, Bob Kudelski felt better about being given Mike Krushelnyski’s place on Gretzky’s line.

It’s not that he was ever sorry about getting such a break. But, as he admitted with a sigh of relief: “It is kind of a mixed blessing. It’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s also a lot of pressure.”

Especially at a time like this, when Gretzky is closing in on the all-time scoring record set by Gordie Howe, and everyone is watching and counting down every Gretzky goal and assist.

What if Gretzky’s passes had gone sailing past him? Or if his shots had hit the post?

“I know there are people looking up my number and saying, ‘What’s he doing out there with Wayne Gretzky?’ I know that happened last year, too,” Kudelski said.

“The first game when I was called up last year, Robbie (Ftorek) told me, ‘You’re playing with No. 99 tonight.’ When you’re first called up, you’re scared enough without that. That was when they were having trouble finding someone to play on his line.”

Kudelski wasn’t the answer at the time. The search continued long after Kudelski was back in New Haven, Conn., playing for the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate.

In New Haven, Kudelski played on the right side of Hubie McDonough’s line. Craig Duncanson was on the left. It was a strong line, with McDonough leading the team in scoring, Duncanson second and Kudelski third.

“The kids,” as Coach Tom Webster calls them, had a productive training camp in Hull, Canada, and played well through the exhibition season. And all three stayed on the NHL roster when veterans such as Phil Sykes, Ron Duguay, Dale DeGray and Chris Kontos were sent down.

For the opener, Kudelski started on the Kings’ fourth line with McDonough and veteran Jay Miller, and he scored his first NHL goal--the Kings’ first goal of the season.

In the second game, against Edmonton, he had two assists, one on a power-play goal by Gretzky and the other on a power-play goal by Luc Robitaille.

For the third game, he was on Gretzky’s line, and Webster said he’ll play there for a while.

“When you play with (Gretzky), you get a lot of opportunities to score,” Kudelski said. “It brings your level of play up, too. You’re going to get a lot of great passes from him--if you’re ready for them. He’ll give you the puck when you least expect it.”

Kudelski seemed ready enough Sunday night, not too rattled by the presence of Gordie Howe, who got a big cheer when his name appeared in lights at the top of the Kings’ scoreboard, or by the presence of his parents, Richard and Lorraine, who got no particular notice when the scoreboard lights said: WELCOME MRS. AND MRS. RICHARD KUDELSKI.

He was just happy to have played such a good game after his parents made the trip from Agawam, Mass. They came out for one of his 26 games with the Kings last season, but he didn’t exactly dazzle them then. In all of those games last season, he had a total of one assist and no goals.

Webster was impressed by the progress Kudelski made in New Haven.

“He’s a young man who has paid his dues and is making the most of his opportunity now,” Webster said. “Obviously, when he was in the minors, he made the most of his situation. He seems comfortable with being on Wayne’s line. Sometimes, it’s a matter of being the right person at the right time, and with Wayne, you can make the most of the nice, soft passes that are right there.”

Kudelski, 25, came into professional hockey through Yale University. He graduated in 1987, the year after the Kings had made him their first choice in the supplemental draft.

But there’s no arguing that he’s making the most of his opportunity.

“The thing is, you have to have a little luck, too,” Kudelski said. “That first goal (Sunday night) was pretty lucky, the one that I reached up and batted out of the air. I think I got a lucky bounce on the next one, too.

“That’s what you need to get your confidence up. Right now, I feel on top of the world. I feel like they’re going to bounce my way.”