Kings Try for More From Less : Hockey: In Gretzky’s third season, they could gain victories by concentrating on defense.

Two years ago, this entertainment capital had the premiere of “Gretzky,” the story of a small-town hockey player who comes to the big city, hoping to bring it the elusive Stanley Cup.

It looked like a typical Hollywood format when the kid led his new team past his old. But when the Cup seemed within reach, the script took a twist. The kid and his new team got bumped off by the bad guys from Calgary.

Last year came “Gretzky II,” but it turned out to be more of a remake than a sequel. Same story, same sad ending. Again a first-round upset in the playoffs. Again, second-round elimination.

Tonight begins “Gretzky III: The Quest Continues,” as the Kings open their 1990-91 season at the Forum against the New York Islanders. And this time, vows Wayne Gretzky, the ending will be different.

It’s still the same old story for the Kings. The question is not how much they will score, but how much the others guys will score. The three most important keys to this team’s chances are: defense, defense and defense.

“We’ve got to play a two-way game,” said King defenseman Larry Robinson, who was one of the best for 17 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. “We didn’t adjust to that kind of game last year until crunch time in the playoffs. It takes a lot of extra effort to play good defense rather than the gun-them-up, shoot-them-down, you-score, I-score type of game we’ve been playing.”

Last season, the Kings scored 338 goals, second-highest total in the NHL. But they gave up 337, second-highest total in the Campbell Conference. Coach Tom Webster says his team can cut that goals-against figure by 50.

“We need to get back to playing defensive hockey,” Webster said. “As long as we win, I don’t care if it’s boring. To win boring means not to make the high-risk play. Don’t force plays if they are not there. Take the faceoff. Turn the other cheek.”

The 1990-91 Kings figure to line up as follows:

THE FRONT LINE--About to turn 30, Gretzky, the Great One, is openly, unabashedly predicting great things for himself this season.

The critics of last season’s Bernie Nicholls trade to the New York Rangers have headed for cover, driven there by the offensive onslaught of those who took his place.

In those brief moments when Gretzky, Tony Granato and Tomas Sandstrom were able to play on the same line, they were formidable. In one playoff game last season, the Gretzky-Granato-Sandstrom line accounted for 15 points.

Should all three stay injury-free this season, Gretzky wouldn’t rule out a 200-point season for himself.

And right behind that line, is another formidable group, centered by Todd Elik, with Luc Robitaille on one side and Dave Taylor on the other.

Robitaille scored 52 goals last season, his second 50-plus season in his past three, and totaled 101 points, trailing only Gretzky’s 142 on the Kings.

The 34-year-old Taylor, beginning his 14th season with the Kings, lends stability on the other wing.

But the pivotal point is in the middle, where Elik will get a chance to establish himself. With all the talk about Granato and Sandstrom last season, an overlooked aspect of the Nicholls trade was the opportunity presented for Elik, to add speed to the offense.

At least at the outset, the four lines will be:

--Sandstrom, Gretzky and Granato.

--Robitaille, Elik and Taylor.

--John Tonelli, Mike Krushelnyski and Francois Breault.

--Bob Kudelski, Steve Kasper and Scott Bjugstad.

THE BACK LINE--Things looked pretty bleak there for a while. Tom Laidlaw, troubled by back problems, hasn’t skated since March. Bob Halkidis is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. And Robinson, who struggled much of last season at 38, will try to come back at 39.

But the Kings have come back from an exhibition swing raving about defenseman Rob Blake. A 20-year who was playing college hockey at Bowling Green a year ago, Blake turned pro at the end of last season and turned a lot of heads in the playoffs. The Kings say he is a rookie of the year candidate.

Blake, the hot kid, will be teamed with Robinson, the cool veteran. If nothing else, they should lead the league in wing span, what with Blake standing 6-feet-3 and Robinson 6-4.

The defensive pairs, at least at the outset:

--Robinson and Blake.

--Steve Duchesne and Rod Buskas.

--Tim Watters and Marty McSorley.

GOALIE--Kelly Hrudey will suit up.

Last season, it was a nightly question whether he would be there or not. And for how long. A tough, dependable veteran of seven NHL seasons, Hrudey, who had always prided himself on his dependability, suffered through a nightmarish season. It began with mononucleosis and ended with cracked ribs. And it was made all the worse by the Kings’ inability to find a suitable backup.

They feel they have one now with the acquisition of Daniel Berthiaume from the Minnesota North Stars in a trade before training camp. Ron Scott and Mario Gosselin were sent to the minors.

“We made no drastic changes. They decided to go for stability rather than the revolving door they’ve had here,” Gretzky said. “This is our team and we’ll win or die with it.”