Kings’ Win Spells Relief for Webster

King Coach Tom Webster was breathing a little easier Sunday.

His bruised ribs had improved.

And so had his chances of keeping his job.

Saturday, General Manager Rogie Vachon, showed up in Pittsburgh for the start of a four-game trip and, with the backing of owner Bruce McNall, delivered a clear message: Win or else.

He indicated the or else could mean a major trade or the firing of the coach.

For the second day in a row, the Kings responded, this time by pulling out a 5-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

It was left to Mike Donnelly to beat his former Sabre teammates, scoring with 2:02 remaining to give the Kings the victory before a sellout Memorial Auditorium crowd of 16,325.

On Saturday, Luc Robitaille beat the Pittsburgh Penguins with a goal with just 42.5 seconds to play.

“We’ve been waiting for things to happen. Now we’re making them happen,” said Webster, who was accidentally speared in the ribs by one of his own players, John McIntyre, Saturday.

Amazing what 48 hours can do for a team’s outlook. When the Kings took the ice in Pittsburgh, they were coming off a disappointing 2-2-2 home stand and in fourth place in the Smythe Division, one point away from being out of the playoffs.

But after pulling out the victory in Buffalo despite blowing a three-goal lead in the third period, the Kings (22-21-12) find themselves one point out of second.

Such is life in the ever-changing Smythe.

“We’ve known for a long time that we were in a make-or-break situation,” King goalie Kelly Hrudey said. “It’s tough to turn it around. You don’t just make a 180-degree turn. We never wanted to be in this position.”

Hrudey might have been in a much worse position if an instant replay hadn’t vindicated his claim that he had stopped Pat LaFontaine’s shot in the second period.

The score was 1-1 at that point. Randy Wood put in the first of his two goals Sunday just 51 seconds into the game.

But the Kings settled down, and Robitaille responded with his team-high 30th goal and seventh in four games to forge the tie.

LaFontaine’s shot was clearly caught by Hrudey. It was not so clear whether the Kings’ goalie was able to keep the puck in the front of the goal line as he tumbled backward. John D’Amico, the replay judge, ruled that Hrudey had successfully pulled off his precarious juggling act, bringing his glove down to the ice rapidly before his momentum carried it over the line.

It looked like a moot point when Scott Bjugstad (second goal), Tony Granato (26th) and Peter Ahola (fourth) gave the Kings a 4-1.

But if losing leads was a novelty for the Kings, Vachon would be in France watching the Winter Olympics, as he had originally planned, instead of being in Buffalo clutching a pink slip he might or might not hand to his coach.

Sure enough, two goals by Dave Andreychuk (27th and 28th) and Wood’s second of the night brought the Sabres back, setting the stage for Donnelly.

Taking a pass from linemate Corey Millen, Donnelly drilled the puck past the right skate of Buffalo goalie Daren Puppa for his 21st goal and first in eight games.

It was a moment of vindication for Donnelly, a Sabre for parts of three seasons.

And for beleaguered Tom Webster as well.