For Second, the Kings Let Down : Hockey: One period is OK, but they fall apart after that in 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.

The first period ended, and the Kings collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Apparently, there was not going to be a negative carryover from the miserable third period they played against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

But some crept into the Kings’ play in the second period. Seconds into it, they reverted to Saturday night’s game, giving up four goals on eight shots during one stretch. The Kings never recovered and the Calgary Flames won, 6-2, Tuesday night at the Saddledome before 19,169.

It was the first Smythe Division game lost by the Kings (5-2), who had won four in a row. Calgary (5-2) had lost two consecutive games to the Kings, the most recent being a 4-0 defeat Thursday at the Forum.

King Coach Barry Melrose had been worried about the effort in the first period and was surprised at the delayed reaction.

“We lost it in between periods,” he said.

And he had a reason.

“Again, we can’t handle success,” Melrose said. “. . . They forgot what made them successful: Hard work. The minute we stop doing that, we’re nothing but an average hockey club.”

Team captain Luc Robitaille, who scored a goal, agreed:

“We learned a lesson tonight. We just didn’t do it in the second period. We know if we had worked hard, it would have been a different game. We’ve got to play our own game.”

The Flames made one change, which might have provided a psychological difference, starting backup Jeff Reese instead of Mike Vernon in goal. Vernon, who had started the first six games, is 0-2 and constantly struggles against the Kings. Reese owns a 4-0 record against the Kings.

“Before, you’d get up against them because Wayne (Gretzky) was on the team,” Reese said. “Now, you get up because they’re No. 1 in the division.”

The Flames again came out flying in the first period with 16 shots on goal and were not discouraged when the first period ended in a tie, 1-1.

The Kings’ unraveling started immediately in the second. Hrudey couldn’t be completely faulted.

The Flames got to him in a variety of ways in the second. With the score tied, 1-1, left winger Theo Fleury beat Hrudey on the glove side with a 15-footer after mysteriously becoming wide open. That made it 2-1 only 58 seconds into the second.

Joe Nieuwendyk continued the momentum when he made King defenseman Rob Blake look like a post, racing around him all alone to beat Hrudey in close on the stick side, at 9:31. Less than 3 1/2 minutes later, Robert Reichel scored from 45 feet to put it out of reach, at least on this night, the way the Kings were playing.

King Notes

Another night, another milestone for the Kings. Saturday, it was Jari Kurri scoring his 500th NHL goal. This time, defenseman Paul Coffey recorded his 800th NHL assist, on Luc Robitaille’s goal at 3:48 of the first period. Coffey took the first shot from the left circle, and goaltender Jeff Reese made the initial save. The rebound came out to Robitaille in front, who put it between Reese’s legs. Coffey, in his 13th NHL season and second with the Kings, has picked up points in five of the first seven games.

King defenseman Charlie Huddy needed 12 stitches near his right eye and nose after getting clipped by goaltender Robb Stauber’s stick at practice on Sunday. Huddy played on Tuesday. . . . Despite receiving medical clearance to return to the lineup, the team decided to keep center Corey Millen (strained lower back) out for another game as a precautionary measure. Millen has missed three games because of the injury. . . . Right winger Bob Kudelski was scratched for the fourth consecutive game. . . . Flame defenseman Greg Smyth is the first player in the NHL to go helmetless under the new rules enacted by the league last summer. Previously, players were required to wear helmets unless they were in the league before 1979. Smyth first decided to play without a helmet in the Flames’ game against San Jose on Saturday.