One Second (Period) Is All Flames Need : Stanley Cup playoffs: Calgary scores five unanswered goals to erase Kings’ 1-0 leads in the game and series, 9-4.

The difference between Game 1 and Game 2?

Take your pick. But one small example in Calgary’s 9-4 victory over the Kings in Game 2 of the Smythe Division semifinal series aptly demonstrated which way the tide (or tidal wave) turned Wednesday night at the Olympic Saddledome.

With the Kings struggling to mount a third-period comeback, King defenseman Marty McSorley stood at the left crease and helplessly watched Flame center Robert Reichel’s shot bounce off his skate past King goaltender Kelly Hrudey. His inadvertent mishap gave the Flames a 6-2 lead. Only three days ago, McSorley was on the positive end of a fluke play when his shot glanced off defenseman Chris Dahlquist. His goal had given the Kings a three-goal lead in Game 1 on their way to an easy victory.

A hero one day, an anti-hero on another day.

Now, this best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 and heads to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Friday. No one expected the Flames to roll over, but the Kings had to be stunned by Calgary’s offensive output. The Flames, trailing, 1-0, after one period, scored at will in the second with five goals, a club playoff record.

“It shows the character of the team,” said defenseman Trent Yawney, who has two goals in the playoffs after scoring only once during the regular season.

“Guys were happy with the first period, but it wasn’t typical Flames hockey. It was a matter of doing the little things. Communicating on the ice. We won a lot of the battles in our own end and in the neutral zone. It was vintage Flames hockey.”

Which meant the second-period goals came in every variety. Three were at even-strength--by Joel Otto, Yawney and Joe Nieuwendyk. Reichel scored on the power-play and Otto scored again, a short-handed effort coming on a spectacular breakaway just after he came out of the penalty box.

Otto’s game-breaking play came with 22.3 seconds remaining in the period, giving the Flames a 5-1 lead after two. And the Flames picked up their power play, scoring three goals in six opportunities.

“We played well in the first,” King right wing Tomas Sandstrom said. “But we didn’t show up for the second. It was an awful period. We can’t play that way.”

Said forward Tony Granato: “We got unnerved. It hasn’t happened in a long time. We can’t lack effort at this part of the season.”

Essentially, the third period was garbage time, although the Flames nearly equaled their second-period output by scoring four more goals. Scoring for the Kings in the third period were Jimmy Carson, Jari Kurri and Warren Rychel.

Calgary was led by left wing Gary Roberts, the playmaker, who had three assists. Otto had his two goals and Nieuwendyk scored once and added two assists.

For the Flames, the game started inauspiciously. Actually, the first period of Game 2 was almost a repeat of Game 1. The Kings struck early, though not as quickly as Darryl Sydor’s goal 16 seconds into the game on Sunday. At 1:11 into the game, Carson’s shot from the edge of the right circle silenced the crowd of 19,477. Carson beat Vernon between the pads, taking advantage of a Greg Paslawski giveaway.

Carson, who has four goals in two games, has easily been the best forward for the Kings this series. But on Wednesday night, the Kings’ total team defensive breakdown overshadowed their offense, leaving Hrudey virtually helpless in the crease.

Hrudey, who faced 40 shots, played a sharp first period and couldn’t be faulted for the second-period avalanche of goals. Although defenseman Rob Blake, who hadn’t played since April 3, returned to the lineup, it didn’t give the Kings any sort of lift. Neither did Wayne Gretzky, who didn’t play a full game on Sunday due to a charley horse. He had one assist.

As early as the first period, they were losing some of the small battles, with the Flames seeming to gain possession of almost every loose puck. That trend grew more pronounced in the final two periods.

King Coach Barry Melrose was asked whether he was surprised by the Flames’ turnaround. “No, my team shocked me,” he said. “We were outworked. Calgary did to us what we did to them the other day. Our defense got beat one-on-one. You’ve got to win the one-on-one battles. That’s what playoff hockey is all about.”

Melrose indicated that his team, at least subconsciously, may have been accepting a 1-1 split heading back to Los Angeles. “That’s what they’ll be saying in there,” he said, motioning toward the dressing room. “I won’t be reading those quotes. I only read after a win. I’m selfish.”

The Flames entered Game 2 by taking somewhat of a gamble. They didn’t make a single lineup adjustment. They knew they couldn’t play as poorly as they did on Sunday. They also received some help when the Kings had to drop down to five defensemen at the end of the second period when Charlie Huddy left with a groin pull. He said he suffered the injury when he was turning to receive a pass.

Or, maybe none of this meant much. Perhaps the real reason was a bit of King history: They have never won the first two consecutive playoff games on the road.

* OTTO-MATIC: Flame center makes the big play, breaking away and beating Hrudey at end of the second period. C6

* NHL PLAYOFFS: Vancouver takes a 2-0 advantage over Winnipeg when Canucks’ Bure breaks a tie at 4:01 of the third period. C6