Kings Just Can’t Win for Tying

Three besieged goaltenders, 12 goals and an distinct neglect of defense all added up to a typical King-Shark game.

Among the few high points the Kings had last month came against the Sharks--two wins, in fact. So why should Thursday be much different?

This time, the Kings hung on as they showed some third-period life by rallying from a two-goal deficit to secure a 6-6 tie at San Jose Arena before a crowd of 17,190. Helping bring the Kings back from a 5-3 deficit was a short-handed goal by defenseman John Slaney at 5:54 and an even-strength goal by right wing Jari Kurri at 8:21. Yet the Sharks were to squander one more lead before it was done. Shark center Dody Wood gave San Jose a 6-5 lead at 12:49 but it lasted only 48 seconds before Kurri responded with his second goal of the night.

Left wing Dimitri Khristich did the hard work on the play, carrying the puck out from behind the net and taking a stab at it. Kurri put the rebound away past Shark goaltender Chris Terreri.

Terreri wasn’t supposed to play, but entered the game at 3:46 of the second period in relief of starter Wade Flaherty, who suffered a strained groin while making a split save. Flaherty gave up three goals on 13 shots.

“It’s not the kind of game that’s good for the health of coaches,” King Coach Larry Robinson said.

King goaltender Kelly Hrudey, coming off a victory against Anaheim in his last start, faced 38 shots. But Hrudey, typically, saved his best for overtime, stopping Ray Sheppard with a stellar glove save with 2:35 remaining. Kurri almost won it with 2:09 left in overtime, nearly getting the hat trick.

“It was a little bit of river hockey,” Hrudey said. “It [the save] was 50% luck. I was partially screened. At the last split second, I got a piece of it. I thought [Sheppard] scored.”

Said Gretzky: “It was a great comeback to get a tie and we need every point we can get. . . . There’s a lot of hockey left. Hopefully, for us, the worst is over so we can get some momentum.”

The Kings continue to flounder on the road as they are 1-14-3 in their last 18 away games. The lone road victory in that stretch was a 5-2 win against the Sharks on Jan. 5.

Hit hard with injuries, the Kings plowed along with a patchwork lineup, especially on left wing. Also scoring for the Kings was Eric Lacroix (13th of the season), Gary Shuchuk (first) and Barry Potomski (first). Khristich had two assists, as did Kevin Todd. Gretzky assisted on Kurri’s first goal of the game, and has eight points in his last three games.

It seemed as though the Sharks, who had won only one of their last six games, had taken control early in the third period, scoring twice in the first 4:43 to go ahead, 5-3.

The Kings weren’t victimized by the Sharks’ well-known goal scorers such as Owen Nolan and Sheppard. Instead, the grinders led the way.

Jeff Odgers, who hadn’t scored in 56 games over the last two seasons, scored for the third consecutive game. And Wood, who had only one goal in 21 games, scored twice.

King Notes

Injured King forward Tony Granato, hospitalized because of a intracerebral hematoma since early Monday morning, continues to undergo a series of neurological tests, moving to UCLA Medical Center on Thursday and staying there overnight. The doctors most likely won’t know the results of the latest testing until Monday. . . . Left wing Kevin Stevens (strained back) is scheduled to join the team in Calgary after practice today. If his trunk-strengthening therapy goes according to plan, he could play against the Flames on Saturday. . . . The healthy scratch Thursday was defenseman Rob Cowie. Cowie has appeared in 32 games and has three goals and eight points.