Hrudey Hot as the Kings Top Jets, 2-1 : Hockey: Goaltender makes 42 saves on night of tears and fears in Winnipeg. A victory over the Blackhawks tonight--or perhaps a tie--puts L.A. in playoffs.

The Kings skated right into a national crisis and emerged to play another day . . . or at least tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks.

After Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over the emotion-charged Jets, which may have been the final NHL game played in Winnipeg, the Kings (16-22-9) remain in position to reach the playoffs. They need to beat the Blackhawks tonight in the season finale. A tie may do it as well, but only if the Sharks lose to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Jets, having been eliminated from the playoffs on Monday, wanted to send their fans off with a farewell present since it appears as though the team will be moving to the United States, possibly Minneapolis. A loud, emotional crowd of 15,562 at Winnipeg Arena grew boisterous near the end, tossing garbage on the ice and coins in the direction of King goaltender Kelly Hrudey.

There is a palpable sense of impending doom among the small-market Canadian teams and Winnipeg is the most visible symbol at the moment. While president and co-owner Barry Shenkarow was briefing the media at a news conference--leaving little hope for the Jets’ continued presence here--the team threw everything it had at the Kings.

But Hrudey never wavered after the Jets cut the lead to 2-1 when a Winnipeg native, center Randy Gilhen, scored at 4:06 of the second period. Hrudey managed to block out the chaos around him, making 42 saves, including 19 in the third period.

“Wow, wow, wow,” said a hoarse Rogie Vachon, the Kings’ interim coach. “I can’t believe the way they played. We just didn’t generate any offense. Obviously, they played this one for the fans. They just kept coming and coming.”

King forward Jari Kurri, who scored the first goal of the game, at 1:08 of the first, was critical of the effort.

“We definitely didn’t play like a team chasing the playoffs, we were so sloppy,” he said. “But Kelly was amazing. Maybe we were looking too much ahead to tomorrow. So sloppy and not enough emotion.”

Said King right wing Rick Tocchet, who missed part of the third period when his back tightened again: “Kelly Hrudey . . . elevated his game to a different level. I thought our defense played their best game of the year and the forwards played our worst of the year.”

Maybe it was because the Jets seemed to corner all the emotion on Tuesday. Several were teary-eyed afterward.

“I feel bad for all those people out there tonight,” Gilhen said. “They’re caught in the middle of big business. They’re fans and they just want to enjoy the game and I feel bad for them.”

Hrudey was probably the only player in the building enjoying himself.

“People probably think it’s nerve-racking, but I had a ton of fun,” he said. “I just let it happen. But I have an outlet. People watching don’t have an outlet.”

Wayne Gretzky said he just kept his head down on the bench and tried to regroup for his next shift. The Kings seemed to sit back after defenseman Rob Blake’s power-play goal at 11:08 of the first made it 2-0. They had only three shots in the third period and 13 in all.

Gretzky has experienced nearly everything in his NHL career--but not this, not a playoff spot being determined on the final day of the season .

“First time and it’s not fun,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s like a Game 7. But at least we’re in a position to do something. I’d rather be us than in Dallas’s position.

“It’s like they (the Jets) kept coming at us. We had five guys in our end waiting for them.”

Forward Pat Conacher, who set up Kurri’s goal with a pinpoint pass from the right circle praised both goaltenders, Hrudey and Grant Fuhr, who is starting against the Blackhawks tonight.

“Let’s face it, goaltending is the game,” he said.

“We’ve got two guys doing it well. We’re not there yet. Kelly and Grant are standing tall. Now if we can get a few goals for them.”