Kings Mix Some Bad News With a Good Win : Hockey: Sandstrom hospitalized after injuring shoulder in 9-4 victory over Oilers.

Even when they win, they lose.

The new-look Kings, playing their second game with their modified lineup, came up with their biggest offensive night of the season Saturday, beating the Edmonton Oilers, 9-4, before a sellout crowd of 17,503 at Northlands Coliseum.

But the joy in the Kings’ dressing room after the game was muted by the absence of wing Tomas Sandstrom. Sandstrom was in a hospital, undergoing tests on his right shoulder, which was partially dislocated in the second period when he was checked into the boards by the Oilers’ Luke Richardson.

What made Sandstrom’s injury particularly painful was that he had scored a pair of goals Saturday, his ninth and 10th of the season, giving him three in the two games since his return from a five-game suspension for a stick penalty.

“Isn’t that something?” King Coach Tom Webster said, shaking his head in disgust at Sandstrom’s loss. Saturday’s game was only the second this season the Kings had started with everyone healthy.

It was also their second victory in a row after they had gone 1-7-2 to fall into fifth place in the Smythe Division.

And it was their second consecutive game with:

--Marty McSorley moved up from defenseman to left wing on the first line with Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri.

--Tony Granato moved from a wing to second-line center.

--Corey Millen, obtained in a Monday trade, moved into the lineup as third-line center.

The results have been impressive.

Kurri scored his 17th goal Saturday, his third in the two games.

Gretzky scored his 16th and added three assists, giving him seven points in the two games.

The new third line contributed goals from Mike Donnelly (16th) and Bob Kudelski (13th).

Granato added his team-high 18th, Dave Taylor got his fourth and Charlie Huddy his second, enabling the Kings to get back to .500 at 14-14-7.

“We were not worried about our offense,” Gretzky said. “The problem was not our offense, but our intensity. If we can maintain the intensity we’ve had over the last four or five games, we’ll be fine. There is so much parity in the league that if you don’t play hard every night, you’ll get beat.”

Normally, playing with the kind of goaltending both teams had Saturday is a good way to get beat.

Kelly Hrudey carried the Kings at times during their recent slump, but Saturday, he leaned on them. He gave up four goals on 21 shots.

“It’s a win,” Hrudey said afterward. “And none is any sweeter than any other. I’ve had other games where I’ve played well and we haven’t won.”

Compared to the Oiler goalies Saturday, Hrudey put on a goaltending clinic.

Edmonton starter Bill Ranford gave up six goals on 25 shots in two periods.

Peter Ing was even worse, turning into Peter Ping. Not only did he surrender three goals on 13 shots, but he actually scored the goal given to Taylor.

Blocking a shot by John McIntyre, Ing let the puck land in front of him. Falling to his knees, the Edmonton goalie reached for the loose puck with his stick. He grabbed it all right, whipping it back toward him, then past him, and finally all the way into the net for a King goal.

That play symbolized the Oiler futility on a night when they dropped to 15-17-6, leaving them still in third place but only one point ahead of the revitalized Kings.

But Edmonton didn’t corner the market on futility Saturday. Tomas Sandstrom has a large chunk.