Kings’ Defensive Strategy Has Been Clear as Watters : Hockey: Defenseman was in the minors in the middle of the season, but he has been a key during the playoffs.

His last NHL goal was during the 1989-90 season. He is the proud owner of one playoff goal--scored as a Winnipeg Jet in 1984.

But the essence of King defenseman Tim Watters is not about scoring. If it was, this would be a very short story.

His fortunes have risen with the Kings’ playoff successes, and a victory today at the Forum in Game 4 of the Campbell Conference finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs would put them within one victory of the Stanley Cup finals.

After dropping the opener, the Kings have rebounded with strong defensive efforts to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Watters made perhaps the key defensive stand during Game 2, taking down Toronto center Doug Gilmour at the side of the Kings’ net and falling on the puck in the final minute with the Maple Leafs attempting to tie the score. He was singled out for his efforts during Games 2 and 3 by Coach Barry Melrose and his teammates and found himself surrounded by reporters after practice on Saturday, suddenly the center of attention.

The lack of appreciation for Watters’ talents irritated fellow defenseman Marty McSorley after Friday’s victory when a fan approached him at a restaurant and started talking about the King defense.

“He was saying what a great young defense we had and how it would be (better) after guys like Charlie Huddy and Tim Watters move on,” McSorley said. “And I said, ‘Listen, how can you say anything negative about guys like Tim Watters and Charlie Huddy?’

“For instance, Tim Watters hadn’t been on the ice in about 10 minutes and he comes right out and he kills the penalty and I’m in the penalty box and it made me smile.”

Said Watters: “They said those things about me in Winnipeg seven years ago. Maybe it makes me work that much harder.”

Watters and the Kings’ defense have been maligned over the years. Now, after beating Toronto at its own game in this series, the defense is lauded as an ideal balance of youth (Rob Blake, 23; Alexei Zhitnik, 20, and Darryl Sydor, 21) and experience (Watters, 33; Huddy, 33, and McSorley, 30). Veterans such as Watters and Dave Taylor had to prove themselves again this season. Neither player suited up for the season opener in Calgary, but Taylor quickly won himself a regular spot in the lineup. Watters’ route back was a little more circuitous. He was dispatched to the minor leagues in Phoenix on Oct. 13, in part to help the youngsters in the farm system, and pulled his kids out of school and moved the family to Arizona.

“It was almost like they sent him there, and they were certain he would be back here,” Blake said. “He’s so hard upstairs. Anyone else’s head would have been going three different ways. How he does it, I don’t know.”

Watters was not so certain he would return, but arrived in Los Angeles on Feb. 8 and appeared in 22 of the final 31 games. During the playoffs, he has been in the lineup since the middle of the first-round series against Calgary. For Watters, the downside is living in a Los Angeles hotel and being away from his wife, Sally, and three children. “It’s been a topsy-turvy year,” Watters said. “My wife is very understanding. The hardest part is only seeing them a handful of times. Hopefully, we can make it up to them.”

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Wayne Gretzky was criticized in Toronto during the first two games of the series, specifically for his skating. And there was speculation--groundless--that his back was bothering him again.

He did have another problem--an ingrown toenail.

Gretzky skipped Friday’s morning skate and had the ailment treated.

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The Maple Leafs were upset at their lack of discipline in Game 3.

“We’ve taken stupid penalties, and that’s completely out of character for this team,” defenseman Dave Ellett said. “You can’t give quality teams gifts.”

Gretzky, however, is mindful that Toronto trailed, 2-1, in its first two playoff series against Detroit and St. Louis.

“Let’s not jump ahead,” he said. “We don’t want to snub Toronto. Right now those teams (Detroit and St. Louis) are watching on TV.”