Kings Play One Period : Hockey: That’s not enough in 2-1 loss to Blues. Hull scores two goals and Fuhr is sharp.

Twenty minutes was not quite enough to prevent the Kings from losing for the first time in four games and for only the fourth time at home this season.

They turned up the offensive pressure and dominated the third period against St. Louis. But the weary Blues and former King goaltender Grant Fuhr clung to a narrow lead, defeating the Kings, 2-1, on Saturday night at the Forum before an announced 14,202.

The Kings (12-11-6) trailed, 2-0, heading into the third period after right wing Brett Hull scored in the first period and added another in the second, for his 17th and 18th goals of the season. Although the Kings outshot the Blues, 19-7, in the final 20 minutes, they were only able to cut the deficit in half.

With about a minute remaining, King goaltender Kelly Hrudey was pulled for an extra attacker and defenseman Rob Cowie got off a quality shot but was stymied by Fuhr. The Blues nearly scored with 46 seconds remaining when Peter Zezel’s 40-footer glanced off Jari Kurri in the crease and then bounced off the crossbar.

King Coach Larry Robinson would have preferred to see some semblance of effort in the first 40 minutes, rather than the final 20.

“If you want to get frustrated, you can, but welcome to the ‘90s,” he said. “Guys will play when they want to instead of when they’re supposed to. But I’ll be damned if I get sick over that.”

The Kings had prevented Fuhr from recording his first shutout of the season with left wing Dimitri Khristich’s first goal in 10 games. Fuhr stopped 26 shots before Khristich broke through at 5:31 of the third period, just after the Kings killed off a penalty for too many men on the ice.

Setting up Khristich was right wing Rick Tocchet, who was deep in the corner. Khristich, from the edge of the right circle, one-timed the shot and beat Fuhr on the stick side for his ninth of the season. Khristich had not scored since his two goals against the New York Islanders on Nov. 16.

Fuhr, who signed last summer with the Blues as a free agent, said he didn’t hold any hard feelings against the Kings.

“I didn’t get a chance to get into a rhythm, like I am this year,” he said. “I’ve got a chance to play every night. It gives me a chance to get into a rhythm.”

The Kings nearly tied it about a minute after Khristich’s goal later when Tocchet barely missed, just hitting the side of the net. What also helped the Kings generate some momentum was the decision of Robinson to juggle the lines in the third period.

Robinson took Khristich off Wayne Gretzky’s line for the final 20 minutes and replaced him with Tony Granato on the left wing. Khristich played with Tocchet and center Yanic Perreault.

“He [Khristich] was one of the guys who I didn’t think played a good first and second period,” Robinson said. “But a lot of guys were waiting and hesitating, and you can’t stand around with your feet spread out. You’ve got to skate.”

St. Louis (13-12-4) is unbeaten in its last six games, going 5-0-1 and looked nothing like the team the Kings beat, 1-0, last month.

Back then, Hull was out because of a pulled groin. Since returning nine games ago, he has 10 goals and 16 points.

Saturday, as always, he made scoring look simple. His first came on a short-handed breakaway as he flipped a backhander up high past Hrudey. Hull’s second goal came with 31.7 seconds remaining in the second period, off a rebound of an Al MacInnis slap shot from inside the right point.

King Notes

As expected, the team ended up buying out a portion of right wing Troy Crowder’s contract. Crowder, who went through waivers unclaimed, was scheduled to make $300,000 this season, but the buyout figure amounted to less than $50,000. . . . Rookie defenseman Aki Berg was scratched for the second time in three games and the third time in the last seven. Berg has two assists in 25 games and a minus-six defensive rating. . . . Right wing Kevin Brown sat out his second consecutive game.