Flames Outgun Defenseless Kings

Instead of playing at the Olympic Saddledome Friday night, the Kings and Calgary Flames might have fit in better at the building across the street--the Stampede Corral.

Because Friday night’s game was an old-fashioned western shootout.

Load your guns, check your defense at the door and fire away until your time is up.

When all the smoke had cleared, Calgary stumbled out the winner, 9-7, before a thrilled sellout Saddledome crowd of 20,133.

With two defensemen traded (Brian Benning and Jeff Chychrun) and two out with injuries (Paul Coffey and Marty McSorley), the Kings figured to be weak at the blue line.

But not this weak.

Not weak enough to give up nine goals on only 28 shots.

Not weak enough to give up eight goals in the last two periods.

Not weak enough to blow a three-goal lead.

“We had everything going, and we fell asleep,” Coach Tom Webster said. “We let a guy come out of the penalty box and score, and that seemed to ignite them.”

Webster was referring to Gary Roberts’ second-period goal that came with the Kings in front, 5-2.

Roberts lit a fuse all right--one that resulted in five consecutive Calgary goals, two of them 16 seconds apart in the first 54 seconds of the third period.

Tony Granato (29th and 30th goals) and Bob Kudelski (17th and 18th) led the Kings with two goals each. Also scoring for the Kings were Wayne Gretzky (26th), Corey Millen (13th) and John McIntyre (third).

Luc Robitaille had four assists for the Kings.

For Calgary, Roberts led the way with his team-high 35th and 36th goals. Also scoring for the Flames were Joel Otto (12th), Gary Leeman (eighth), Carey Wilson (eighth), Joe Nieuwendyk (16th), Gary Suter (ninth), Theoren Fleury (27th) and Paul Kruse (second).

Sergei Makarov had four assists for the Flames.

The total number of goals came within one of the Kings’ team record. They lost a 1987 game to Calgary, 10-7.

In this one, the Kings lost some ground. Dropping to 24-24-13, the Kings fell back into a second-place tie with the Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division.

And the fifth-place Flames, improving to 24-27-9 with their second consecutive victory, move to four points out of second place.

After playing every minute for 18 consecutive games, King goalie Kelly Hrudey was forced to the bench in the third period after surrendering seven goals on 21 shots.

New backup goalie Steve Weeks, obtained in a trade earlier this week with the New York Islanders, gave up the Flames’ last two goals on seven shots.

“I just didn’t have it mentally,” Hrudey said. “No matter what I did, I didn’t feel right. It was just a weird game. I’m not going to try and explain it.”

Who could?

King Notes

Paul Coffey has a strained back. No date has been set for his return. The newest King underwent medical tests Friday, but the results are not yet available. Traded to the Kings Wednesday, he flew all day, joined the team in Edmonton and played that night, causing his lingering back injury to worsen. The injury occurred about three weeks ago when Coffey was hit in the lower back. Coffey flew to Los Angeles for the medical tests Thursday. “We knew he was not 100%,” said King owner Bruce McNall, “so it doesn’t come as a total shock. But still, it’s obviously not the best news.” Although he remains confident Coffey will soon be back, McNall said the Kings would certainly seek compensation through the league should the defenseman’s injury prove more serious. . . Wing Tomas Sandstrom has rejoined the Kings. Not to play. Not yet. But he arrived in Calgary Friday and is expected to take part in a full-contact practice today for the first time since suffering a partially dislocated shoulder on Dec. 28. Sandstrom could play in the finale of the trip Tuesday in Vancouver, depending on how the shoulder holds up. . . . Defenseman Marty McSorley is day to day with a sprained right shoulder. . . . Asked about reports out of Pittsburgh that the Kings are paying Rick Tocchet’s $850,000 salary as part of the Coffey trade, McNall laughed. “Not,” he said. “That’s news to me. It’s ridiculous. I’ve got enough salaries to pay as it is.”