Defense-Poor Kings Open Second-Period Gates to Blackhawks

Bruce McNall spent $15 million to get Wayne Gretzky. He is paying nearly $30 million to keep him on the Forum ice through most of the ‘90s.

His payroll is in excess of $7 million, most expensive in the league. And he is shelling out $5 million to buy a 727 for his team.

That’s nearly $60 million, a steep price for a cup, even a Stanley Cup.

But it may get even steeper. McNall might have to buy himself a new defense. The one he has let down again Thursday night as the Kings lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, 7-4, before a sellout crowd of 16,005 at the Forum.

Chicago broke the game open with six second-period goals, five in just under eight minutes.

Now 22-24-6, the Kings’ struggles have usually been the result of porous defense.

Coach Tom Webster said his frustration level is “at the boiling point.”

“That second period, that was the first time that has happened to us in quite a while,” Webster said. “Missed checks, missed pucks around the boards, breakdown on our defensive coverage. We are going to take a good look at the second period before we go out on the ice (for practice today). You’ve got to learn from your mistakes.”

In breaking a five-game losing streak at the Forum, Chicago improved to 29-19-4, best in the Norris Division. The Kings are 2-9-2 over their last 13 games.

Chicago was led by Doug Wilson’s two goals and Jeremy Roenick’s three points. Bob Kudelski had two goals for the Kings.

The Blackhawks wasted little time establishing an offensive night, scoring in just 29 seconds.

Mike Hudson shoved the puck past Keith Crowder to Wilson, a defenseman showing an offensive side. Wilson, firing from the left circle, put the puck past goalie Kelly Hrudey on the far side.

The Kings evened the score at 1-1 at 4:09 after Kudelski had passed to Gretzky on the right side. Gretzky passed to Larry Robinson, who spotted Kudelski circling in from the right. Robinson got the puck back to Kudelski, who spun around defender Dave Manson and scored his 14th goal.

With just 37 seconds remaining in the period, the Kings took their only lead of the night. On a power play, Gretzky scored his 29th goal from in close off a pass from Tomas Sandstrom.

It was Gretzky’s 103rd point, tying him with Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the league lead.

Then came the second period and the new optimism, established Tuesday when the Kings battered New Jersey, seemed to disappear.

Along with the defense.

Chicago’s second-period included:

--Duane Sutter’s third goal at 2:12.

--Dirk Graham’s 12th at 3:09.

--Wilson’s 18th and second of the night at 5:43 on a power play, his 10th power-play goal.

--Mike Hudson’s eighth at 6:23.

--Jocelyn Lemieux’ fifth at 7:50.

When the red light had stopped flashing, and the Blackhawks had stopped hugging, the Kings, 2-1 leaders at the start of the period, were down 6-2.

Hrudey was pulled after the fifth goal, but backup Mario Gosselin could do little better.

Todd Elik got his third goal of the season, and Kudelski added his second of the game and 15th of the year to pull the Kings closer, 6-4, but Jeremey Roenick scored his 16th to give Chicago a 7-4 advantage heading into the final period.

After losing to the Hartford Whalers last Saturday, the Blackhawks were taken to Lake Arrowhead for four days to try and re-focus their game.

“We worked really hard the last few days,” Wilson said. “It sort of paid off tonight.”

Lake Arrowhead?

Maybe McNall ought to consider that. He’s tried everything else.

King Notes

King Coach Tom Webster said his problems with light-headedness may be a combination of the flu and a mild concussion. Webster suffered the concussion a week ago when he fell in the shower in Edmonton. . . . With two points Thursday, the Kings’ Larry Robinson broke a tie with Bobby Orr to become the second-leading scorer of all time among defensemen. Robinson has 917 points. Denis Potvin is No. 1 with 1,052.