Sabres Blunted by Kings : Hockey: Berthiaume, defense control Buffalo in 4-2 victory to give Los Angeles a 9-1-1 record at the Forum.

Opponents of the Kings used to lick their lips and rub their gloved hands in glee at the thought of playing in the Forum.

Win or lose, and it was win more often than not, they knew they would be fattening up their scoring totals and bulking up on goals in that scoring paradise where defense was a dirty word.

But no more.

Defense has become the Kings’ favorite word, and, as a result, the Forum has become their private paradise, leaving opponents shaking their heads in frustration as they lose at a record rate.

That was the case again Wednesday night when the Kings, behind another strong defensive effort and the goaltending of Daniel Berthiaume, beat the Buffalo Sabres, 4-2, before a sellout crowd of 16,005.

It was the Kings’ eighth consecutive victory at home, a team record, and gave them a 9-1-1 record at the Forum, best start on home ice in team history.

The Kings outshot Buffalo, 43-14, and moved into first place in the Smythe Division at 13-4-1, two points ahead of the Calgary Flames.

Buffalo fell to 7-7-4.

“We have made a commitment to playing hard at home,” Wayne Gretzky said. “At least part of problem with our record last year was that we did not have an overly strong record at home. We seemed to be lackadaisical for whatever reason. Now we are bearing down. This is our home rink. Let other teams think they’re on a two-day or three-day holiday here. We’re ready for them.”

One of the reasons is the strong goaltending.

Berthiaume, coming off a shutout against the Chicago Blackhawks, extended his scoreless streak to five periods before giving up goals to Buffalo’s Dale Hawerchuk (his third) and Donald Audette (his fourth) in the third period.

Berthiaume missed a start because of a swollen knee, the result of getting hit by a puck in practice.

But the only thing swelling Wednesday night was his won-lost record, now at 7-1.

Last time out, Berthiaume blocked 40 shots in getting the shutout. Against the Sabres, he faced only four in the first period, three in the second and seven in the final period.

What’s easier, facing 40 or 14?

“Forty,” Berthiaume said without hesitation. “When you don’t have too many, it’s hard to concentrate. It’s always harder to play facing just 14 shots.”

Gretzky broke a scoreless tie and extended his point streak to 16 games with a 40-foot slap shot from the top of the left circle at 12:53 of the second period.

The puck appeared to glance off former King Mikko Makela before sailing past Sabre goalie Clint Malarchuk. The goal was Gretzky’s team-leading 13th.

Later in the second period, the Kings added Bob Kudelski’s eighth goal and Tony Granato’s 11th.

Brian Benning scored his second goal of the season to close out the scoring in the third period.

King Notes

The Kings are reportedly discussing a trade that would sent wing John Tonelli to the Sabres for wing Mike Foligno. King General Manager Rogie Vachon would not confirm or deny it. Tonelli, 33, first came up with Houston of the World Hockey Assn. during the 1975-76 season. He is in his third season with the Kings. Foligno, 31, is in his 12th year in the NHL. . . .

X-rays were negative on King forward Tomas Sandstrom, who went to Centinela Hospital Medical Center after being hit on the right side of his face by a puck in the second period. It was the same spot where Sandstrom suffered a fracture last year in a fight. . . Still no word from the league office on any additional punishment for the Kings’ Luc Robitaille. Robitaille was thrown out of Saturday night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers for cross-checking Craig Simpson from behind. Referee Kerry Fraser assessed Robitaille a match penalty, ruling that he deliberately attempted to injure Simpson. Robitaille was in the league office in Toronto Tuesday for a hearing. . . .

King defenseman Bob Halkidis is in New Haven, getting back into shape with the Kings’ farm team. Halkidis is getting his first game action since undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of last season. He is not expected to rejoin the big club until at least early December. . . . The Kings won seven in a row at home twice before, in Nov.-Dec. 1979 and Oct.-Nov. 1980. . . . Mike Krushelnyski’s wife, Areta, gave birth to the couple’s second child a Wednesday in a Torrance hospital. The infant, a boy, has not yet been named. Krushelnyski was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last Friday for John McIntyre, but received permission from his new club to remain here until the delivery. . . . The Sabres are playing without defenseman Jay Wells (knee injury), right wing Rick Vaive (shoulder) and left wing Mike Hartman (elbow).