HOCKEY PLAYOFFS : Kings Limp Into Calgary, Leave Gretzky Behind

With the injured Wayne Gretzky a doubtful participant, the battered Kings open the NHL Smythe Division playoffs Wednesday night against the defending Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames.

Gretzky, sidelined after absorbing a hard check from Alan Kerr of the New York Islanders on March 22, is one of six injured Kings. That’s hardly encouraging considering the Kings’ 8-4 loss to the Flames in the season finale Sunday night and a healthy Los Angeles team’s playoff loss to Calgary last season in four straight games.

“At this point, we do not expect to have Gretzky back in the lineup on Wednesday,” Coach Tom Webster said Monday before the Kings--without Gretzky--left for Banff, Alberta, to prepare for the first-round series.

“I’ve no idea when Wayne will return,” Webster said. “We just have to take it day by day.”

Team officials say Gretzky, who won his eighth NHL scoring title this season, has spasms and a hyperextension of the back. But they haven’t ruled out the possibility, however remote, that he may play Wednesday night.

“Wayne continues to be treated in Los Angeles, and remains on a day-to-day basis,” team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo said.

The other injured Kings are forwards John Tonelli, Dave Taylor and Steve Kasper and defensemen Larry Robinson and Tom Laidlaw. All missed Sunday’s game.

“We do expect to have Robinson back, hopefully Tonelli and Kasper, too,” said Webster, himself recovering from an inner ear operation. “But both Tom Laidlaw and Wayne Gretzky are big question marks.”

Gretzky, who likened the Kerr check to being rear-ended in an auto accident, had 40 goals and 142 points this season. Those were the worst numbers he has posted since getting 137 points as a rookie in 1979-80.

His absence would be a severe blow to the fourth-place Kings, whose 75 points this season surpassed only the Islanders’ 73 among the NHL’s 16 playoff teams.

“Gretzky is the best player in the world,” Kings goaltender Mario Gosselin said. “With him in the lineup, it changes the way the other team plays against you.”

Despite the injury, some of the Flames wonder if the questions concerning Gretzky might be a ploy to throw them off their game.

“It could be,” forward Theoren Fleury said. “The only guys that know are the Kings. We can’t be worried if he’s going to be playing or not. We have to focus on us and how well we’re going to play.”

The first-place Flames, whose 99 points are second-best in the league, will host the first two games of the best-of-seven series. After Friday night’s second game at the Olympic Saddledome, the series shifts to Inglewood, where games three and four will be played Sunday and next Tuesday. The teams would alternate sites for games six through seven, as needed.

That rotation also would hold for the other Campbell Conference series.

In the other Smythe Division series, Winnipeg opens at Edmonton, where Gretzky led the Oilers to four Stanley Cups in 1980s.

In the Norris Division, regular-season champion Chicago is host to Minnesota and Toronto visits St. Louis.

The Wales Conference playoffs start Thursday night, with the second game in each series set for Saturday. Games three and four would be Monday and next Wednesday.

The Boston Bruins, whose 101 points led the league, are at home against Hartford to open the first round in the Adams Division. Montreal, a loser to Calgary in the Stanley Cup final last year, opens at Buffalo.

In the Patrick Division, the Islanders open at the New York Rangers.