Kings Take Best Shots, Still Get Tied : Hockey: L.A. outshoots San Jose, 39-10, breaking a record for fewest shots by an opponent, but Sharks force 2-2 deadlock.

Three shots in the first period and four more in the second made the Sharks look harmless, almost non-threatening.

Which is why the Kings, long accustomed to shooting-gallery nights of 40-something shots on goal, were almost lulled into complacency in their first appearance at the San Jose Arena Tuesday night.

It’s a very strange night when you outshoot a team, 39-10, and come away with a 2-2 tie, which startled the Kings and delighted the sellout crowd of 17,190. The previous record for fewest shots against the Kings was 12 by the Atlanta Flames on Oct. 28, 1976 and the Kings won it, 5-1.

“A 10-shooter,” King Coach Barry Melrose said, shaking his head. “We played very hard and very smart. They (the Sharks) thrive on mistakes when you don’t keep the puck deep. But we haven’t lost on the road in five games (4-0-1) and it’s something to build upon.

“It’s a very hard game for a goaltender to play. Their forwards lull you to sleep. They don’t forecheck and rely on their goaltender.”

Said King goaltender Kelly Hrudey: “It wasn’t that hard to stay in the game. We played well. I thought it would be a matter of time before we scored on (Arturs) Irbe.”

For the Sharks (12-21-10), the 10 shots is a club record for fewest shots on goal. Twice before they had 13 shots on goal, most recently on Nov. 20 in a 3-2 victory against Hartford.

These days, the Kings (16-21-4) are happy if they give up 10 shots in a period. The previous low for shots against this season was 21 by the Canucks on Nov. 10. The Kings lost that game, 4-0, in Vancouver.

But San Jose made the most of its limited opportunities, scoring two power-play goals after trailing, 2-0, on first-period goals by Tomas Sandstrom.

Rob Gaudreau scored on San Jose’s third shot, at 18:39 of the first. Shark defenseman Tom Pederson hit Gaudreau in the slot with a pass. His shot was going wide, but it bounced in off defenseman Rob Blake’s foot, surprising Hrudey.

“I feel bad for Kelly,” Blake said. “When it is 2-2 and one goes off your skate, if it doesn’t happen, we win. Those things do turn games.”

The Kings also got help. On Sandstrom’s second goal at 16:23 of the first period, Sandstrom, deep in the right corner behind the goal line, threw a harmless-looking backhander at Irbe, but the shot went off Doug Zmolek’s skate into the net.

Earlier, Sandstrom converted a two-on-one with a pass from Wayne Gretzky. With the assist, Gretzky has 71 points, taking the sole lead of the NHL’s scoring race. Detroit’s Sergei Fedorov, held pointless on Monday in Anaheim, has 70 points.

King Notes

Securing the rights of a Russian player is not as simple as it may seem. Tuesday, the Sharks reached an agreement with Dynamo Moscow to purchase the rights of forward Viktor Kozlov for $400,000. Kozlov was the Sharks’ first draft choice (sixth overall) in June. Dean Lombardi, Shark vice president, had been negotiating with Alexander Steblin, the president of Dynamo Moscow. But the Sharks still have to negotiate with Kozlov’s agent before he plays in the NHL. Lombardi said he has made a four-year offer to Kozlov--$2.4 million, plus a $500,000 signing bonus.

King goaltender Kelly Hrudey appeared in his 500th NHL game. This is his 11th season and sixth with the Kings. . . . . The Kings’ scratches were defenseman Brent Thompson and forward John Druce. Right wing Dave Taylor (concussion) remained home in Los Angeles.