Gretzky, Enthusiasm Missing in 5-2 Loss at End of the Road

Wayne Gretzky left this trip early because of a slight strain in the groin area.

The rest of the Kings might as well have gone with him.

Without their leader, decimated by other injuries, devoid of any motivation after clinching a playoff spot, the Kings stumbled through their second dismal performance in a row Tuesday night, losing, 5-2, to the Minnesota North Stars before a Met Center crowd of 14,032.

On the first three games of this trip, the Kings played as well as they have all year, knocking off the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, three of the top Wales Conference clubs.

After beating the Bruins in Boston for the first time in nine years, all things seemed possible.

One day later, Gretzky was headed home and this merry road the Kings had been traveling led right over a cliff.

They lost to the Philadelphia Flyers, 7-4, and fell apart against the North Stars, getting only 21 shots, including just 11 through the first two periods, and blowing five power-play opportunities.

If nothing else, the last two games have at least shown just how great Gretzky is.

“We shouldn’t be happy that we are in the playoffs,” right wing Bob Kudelski said. “We have to work on our game, or we are not going to win any games in the playoffs.

“We want to rest people, but we still want to keep our lines out there. We’ve got to be able to do it without Gretzky.”

Coach Tom Webster took a harsher view of the evening’s proceedings. Asked if it was hard for his team to get up in a game like this, he replied, “It shouldn’t be. You just don’t show up and play the end of the schedule. We have a history of getting beat in this situation.”

Considering the rate of attrition, Webster has to be happy this trip is ending. Any more personnel losses and he might have to resume his own playing career. Also home with Gretzky are Tom Laidlaw (back problems), Keith Crowder (knee sprain) and John Tonelli (bruised foot or just being rested, depending on whom you talk to).

Tony Granato joined the injury list during the game, suffering a bruised right knee. He’ll have it examined when the team comes home today.

While the Kings, with six games remaining and a 32-36-6 record, are almost assured of finishing no better than fourth in the Smythe Division, the North Stars aren’t assured of anything.

While many are fighting to keep this team in the city, the team is fighting to at least extend its stay here this season.

With a 32-38-4 mark, Minnesota is in a tight struggle with the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot in the Norris Division.

Early in Tuesday’s game, the North Stars learned Detroit had tied the Vancouver Canucks, giving the Red Wings 67 points. A victory would give Minnesota 68 with seven games to play.

But, insisted left wing Brian Bellows, his teammates paid little attention to the scoreboard.

“I don’t think we thought about it too much tonight,” he said. “There wasn’t much talk about it.”

Bellows did his talking with his stick, scoring his team-leading 48th and 49th goals, the second into an empty net at the close of the game.

Fellow left wing Gaetan Duchesne matched Bellows with a pair of goals of his own, his ninth and 10th in succession after the Kings had taken a brief 1-0 lead.

That came on Craig Duncanson’s third goal of the season. Called up from the New Haven Nighthawks prior to Sunday’s game to help in the manpower shortage, he was on his way back to New Haven as the Kings headed home.

Todd Elik got the Kings’ other goal, his seventh. Basil McRae accounted for Minnesota’s other score with his seventh goal.

It was an important win for the North Stars, whose coach, Pierre Page, labeled their last game, a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, “a disgrace.”

The Kings return home to face the New York Islanders with Gretzky expected to be back--not a moment too soon.

King Notes

Brian Benning, recovering from an appendectomy, is scheduled to start skating in practice today. Coach Tom Webster said he expects Benning to be suspended by league officials once he is healthy because of a cross-checking penalty called in last month’s brawl with the Edmonton Oilers. . . . While so many Kings have been heading off the ice with injuries, center Mike Allison returned after missing two games with food poisoning.

Tomas Sandstrom, who has been wearing a full face shield since suffering a fracture in the Edmonton game, took it off on his own Tuesday, complaining that it bothered his vision. He wore a half visor, as did Bob Kudelski, who is playing with a broken nose. . . . The Kings expect to draw their 10-millionth fan in Thursday’s game at the Forum against the New York Islanders. The winner will be determined by a drawing that night, with all in attendance eligible.