Taylor’s 1,000th Point Helps Kings Win, 3-2

Sixteen years ago, Dave Taylor wasn’t dreaming about making it big with the Kings. He was just hoping to make the team.

That’s understandable for the 210th pick of the 1975 entry draft, a guy playing at tiny Clarkson University in Upstate New York.

Well, make it he did.

And Tuesday night at the Spectrum, in his 14th season and his 930th game, Taylor became the 29th man in league history to score 1,000 points.

Taylor’s milestone led to a key goal as the Kings came from behind to beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, before a sellout crowd of 17,382.

He was a King in the Marcel Dionne years. He’s still a King in the Wayne Gretzky era.

Taylor was a King in the worst of times. He’s still a King in the best of times, the club improving its record to 31-18-5. It was the Kings’ fifth victory in their last six games. It improved their road record to 14-11-2, giving them one more victory away from home than they had all last season.

And, coupled with the Calgary Flames’ loss, it gave the Kings a six-point lead in the Smythe Division, equaling their season high.

Luc Robitaille scored the game-winning goal 7:53 into the final period, his 30th of the season, fifth in the past three games and his second game-winner in as many nights.

But the number everybody focused on in the locker room was 1,000.

At 35, Taylor, who was a star on the Triple Crown line with Charlie Simmer and Dionne, has 402 goals and 598 assists.

“I’m real fortunate to have played with some great players,” Taylor said. “First, there was Charlie Simmer and Marcel. And now Luc Robitaille and Todd Elik. With these types of people, you’re going to get a lot of opportunities.”

Taylor’s 999th point came early in the second period after Murray Craven’s 18th goal had given the Flyers the lead after one period.

Taylor fed Elik for his 13th goal early in the second period for a 1-1 tie.

After Philadelphia retook the lead on Norm Lacombe’s seventh goal, Taylor reached the magic mark.

Elik had left him a drop pass in the Flyers’ zone. Taylor shoved the puck toward the goal as he was flipped up in the air by Philadelphia defenseman Dave Fenyves.

As Taylor crashed to the ice, he watched defenseman Steve Duchesne race in and sweep the puck under goalie Ron Hextall’s right pad.

It was Duchesne’s 15th goal, and one he won’t forget.

“That’s awesome,” he said. “I got an assist when Gretz scored the goal that broke Gordie Howe’s point record. And now this. He (Taylor) is the only guy who is left that was here when I came here.”

While Duchesne’s goal was the most memorable, Lacombe’s was the most unusual.

It came on a penalty shot after King defenseman Rob Blake threw his stick at Lacombe.

Blake said he didn’t mean to. He and teammate Brian Benning collided just inside the blue line as Lacombe skated free for an apparent breakaway.

“I didn’t mean to throw my stick at him,” Blake said. “When I started to fall on Brian, I let go of my stick. It kind of took a path to him (Lacombe). It will probably look on the tape like I threw it at him. As it was, I wound up breaking Brian’s nose anyway.”

Benning left the game with blood coming from his nose and a deep cut on his forehead. It was later described as a bruise.

Lacombe, given the free shot, skated in on goalie Kelly Hrudey and scored in the upper-right hand corner, the Flyers’ third penalty shot this season and second successful one.

It didn’t stop the Flyers from falling to 27-24-6.

When the game was over, Taylor clutched the historic puck in his right hand as he posed for picture after picture.

“When I look back and see where I started,” he said, “with people not giving me much of a chance in this league, I get a lot of satisfaction.”

King Notes

Wayne Gretzky achieved a minor milestone, playing in his 900th game. . . . Dave Taylor is the third player this season to reach 1,000 points. He was preceded by Mark Messier of the Edmonton Oilers and Paul Coffey of the Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Philadelphia right wing Rick Tocchet sat out with a pulled groin muscle. He is expected to miss another two weeks. . . . King defenseman Larry Robinson, out two games with a back problem, remains home with back spasms.