Kings and Mighty Ducks Open Exhibition Play in San Diego

The Kings, a skilled team that tried to add toughness this summer, and the Mighty Ducks, a tough team that tried to add skill, open the exhibition season against each other tonight at 6 p.m. at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Wayne Gretzky and newly drafted goalie Jamie Storr are scheduled to play for the Kings, but Duck Coach Ron Wilson plans to hold out rookies Paul Kariya and Oleg Tverdovsky--in part because he expects a physical game between the rival teams.

“That’s been the Kings’ game plan all summer, to be more physical, and I think that’s a response to us,” Wilson said.

“Get in line,” Coach Barry Melrose of the Kings said. “Florida punished us physically, the Ducks punished us, and Dallas punished us. Those days are over.”

Kariya, the Canadian national team star who signed a three-year, $6.5-million contract on Aug. 31, has been the star of the Ducks’ camp, showing his speed and passing flair on a line with Anatoli Semenov and rookie Valeri Karpov. He is scheduled to make his debut Tuesday in an exhibition game at Dallas.

Storr, the seventh draft pick in June, is considered a potential franchise goalie within a few years, and the Kings want to take a good look at him to decide if he is ready to be an NHL backup in his first season. He will split tonight’s game with Robb Stauber.

Mikhail Shtalenkov and John Tanner will be the Duck goalies.

Notes

Defenseman Don McSween, 30, a journeyman who was making $75,000 in the minor leagues when he won a job because of injuries last season, has re-signed with the Ducks, agreeing to a three-year deal that will pay him $300,000 this season if he appears in at least 30 NHL games. . . . King minor league wing Keith Redmond, who has not been in camp because of personal problems, will report to Phoenix in three weeks.