Coffey Finally Gets Untracked : NHL playoffs: His two first-period goals and two assists are major factors in the Kings’ victory.

Paul Coffey didn’t take long to make his presence felt with the Kings, scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers only a few hours after he was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 19.

But until Monday night, when he scored two goals at the Forum in the Kings’ 8-5 victory over the Oilers in Game 2 of a best-of-seven Smythe Division semifinal playoff series, Coffey hadn’t scored a goal since.

The NHL’s all-time scoring leader among defenseman, a three-time first-team NHL All-Star, a four-time second-team All-Star and a two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, Coffey had accumulated only five points in 11 games against the Kings.

He had four against the Oilers, adding a pair of second-period assists after scoring two first-period goals, to establish a club playoff record.

“It was nice,” said Coffey, who was sidelined for 11 of the Kings’ last 21 games of the regular season because of wrist and back injuries. “I’ve had a tough time getting on track, getting my hands, getting my legs, getting a feel for things, because I haven’t played that many games.”

Said Coach Tom Webster: “He’s still trying to find his timing. As each game comes on, you’re going to see him get better and better.”

He was pretty good in helping the Kings even the series.

“It was a huge win for our team,” Coffey, 30, said. “We’re all well aware that we came out pretty flat in Game 1.”

But not in Game 2.

Coffey scored his first goal 46 seconds into the game, stationing himself just outside the crease to the left of the net, taking a pass from behind the net from Wayne Gretzky and lifting the puck past Oiler goaltender Bill Ranford into the upper left corner of the net.

“It was just a great play by Wayne,” Coffey said of Gretzky, whose assist gave him the 300th playoff point of his career. “There’s not a guy who passes the puck better than him from behind the net. All I did was get the opening. I knew (the pass) would be on my stick, and it was.”

Coffey, who has 42 goals and 91 assists in 119 playoff games, scored his second goal on a shot from the blue line at 14:53.

“It was another great pass from Wayne and a good job by our guys in front of the net,” Coffey said. “I just tried to get it on net, and I was lucky that it went in.”

In the second period, Coffey assisted on a goal by Marty McSorley that pulled the Kings into a 4-4 tie at 11:57 before assisting on a goal by Charlie Huddy that gave the Kings a 6-4 lead at 19:14.

“He did the things we got him for,” Gretzky said. “He scored (both of his goals) on the power play; he blocked shots late in the game. You’ve got to understand, he’s one of the best defensemen ever to play the game, and he’s a champion. He wants to win.”

The Kings have won 11 of 32 playoff games against the Oilers. They are 11-4 when they score four goals or more, 0-17 when they don’t.