Gretzky Scores Early, Late, but It’s Hrudey in Between : Hockey: Goalie fights off injury, center ends goal drought as Kings shut out Oilers, 2-0, to maintain three-point advantage over Calgary.

The drought officially ended Tuesday night. No, not the one that has left Southern California high and dry until the recent rash of storms.

This drought had left Wayne Gretzky high and dry in the goal-scoring column for nine games in a row, tying the longest such streak in his career.

But displaying the impeccable timing that has always seemed to mark his career, he broke through by scoring the only goals of a 2-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night before a sellout Forum crowd of 16,005.

That enabled the Kings to maintain their three-point lead over the Calgary Flames, who also won Tuesday night, on top of the Smythe Division. The Kings have two games remaining, Calgary three.

Another Gretzky streak, his league-record 23 consecutive games with at least one assist, was ended.

Gretzky provided the offense and goalie Kelly Hrudey provided brilliant defense. Nothing, it seemed, could stop him from recording his third shutout of the season.

Not the shot off the stick of Esa Tikkanen that exploded on Hrudey’s left knee in the third period, sending him crashing to the ice, his hands grabbing his mask in agony.

Not the shot off the stick of the Oilers’ Steve Smith in the third period that turned on the red light and caused Smith to raise his arms in exultation. A closer look revealed the puck had actually bounced off the crossbar.

Not even the second-period Edmonton shot that also turned on the red light--before it was ruled that the puck was intentionally kicked in.

As a result, Hrudey held off the Oilers on 33 shots.

The Kings are 45-23-10 with two games left. Edmonton is 35-37-5.

“It was a nice feeling to have had the streak,” Gretzky said of the 23-game run, “but like Tony (Granato) said, there’s only two games left anyway. So maybe it’s s good thing it ended, because it takes a distraction away from the hockey club, people trying to set me up.”

Gretzky’s drought ended 8:23 into the opening period after Marty McSorley missed a shot from the right side. Goalie Bill Ranford blocked it, but the puck came out to Gretzky in the slot.

He slid the puck into the middle of the left circle, paused for an instant as if double-checking his aim, then smacked the puck under Ranford’s left pad for his 39th goal to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.

The Oilers didn’t offer much opposition in the first period, getting only four shots on goal.

Edmonton appeared to have tied the score in the second period on a power play. Tikkanen’s shot went past McSorley, who was perched in front of his own net, over to Craig Simpson near the left post.

An instant later, the puck was in the net and the red light was on.

No way, referee Bill McCreary said, ruling that Simpson had intentionally kicked the puck in.

That brought an outcry from Edmonton Coach John Muckler, resulting in a bench minor.

When the Oilers continued to belabor the point, they were given a delay of game.

When Brian Benning finished serving an earlier penalty, the Kings had a two-man advantage for 57 seconds, but managed only one missed shot on goal.

Gretzky’s final goal came in the closing seconds after Edmonton had pulled its goalie.

It the 717th goal of Gretzky’s career, tying Phil Esposito for third place on the all-time list. Only Marcel Dionne (731) and Gordie Howie (801) are left.

King Notes

The psychological war over Sunday’s regular-season finale between the Kings and Calgary Flames may have already begun. The game at the Olympic Saddledome is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. PST. The Flames informed the Kings last week they wanted to move it to 7:30 because of better television exposure. The Kings wouldn’t go along, saying the new time would clash with a Laker telecast on Prime Ticket. There was a belief that Calgary’s real purpose was to give the Flames more rest after a Friday night game. When neither side would budge, the matter went to NHL President John Ziegler on Tuesday and he ruled in the Kings’ favor. Did King General Manager Rogie Vachon think the Flames were trying to play mind games? “Who knows?” he said. “The whole thing was ridiculous. Fortunately, Mr. Ziegler saw it our way.” Faceoff Sunday is still 12:30.

Before Tuesday night, Wayne Gretzky’s last goal came on March 7 at Pittsburgh. . . . Since the present divisional alignment was set up in 1982, this is the first time the Kings have won the regular-season series against all of their Smythe opponents. The only two teams in the league the Kings have a losing record against are the Boston Bruins (1-2) and the New York Rangers (0-3). . . . Linesman Ryan Bozak was accidentally slashed on the forehead by Edmonton’s Norm MacIver in the second period. He did not return after receiving 11 stitches. . . . King forward Bob Kudelski sat out his eighth game with a bruised ankle. Fellow forward Jay Miller missed his third with a bruised shoulder. . . . Miller’s wife, Paula, gave birth to the couple’s second child Tuesday, an eight-pound, five-ounce boy named Jay Thomas.