McSorley Helps Ducks Win It

If that was the Kings versus the Mighty Ducks on Saturday night at the Forum, where was Wayne Gretzky and what was Teemu Selanne doing there?

And why on earth did Marty McSorley score for the Ducks in overtime, giving Anaheim a 2-1 victory over the Kings? Paul Kariya’s desperation shot/pass with 52.9 seconds left in overtime went in off McSorley’s stick as he stood in front of his net, giving the Ducks their first victory over the Kings this season. The goal was credited to Kariya, his 31st.

The changing face of hockey in Southern California is evidenced by nothing so much as the changing faces themselves, and a battle of unfamiliar-looking lineups in familiar-looking jerseys.

This time, Gretzky was missing only because of the right hip pointer that kept him out of the Kings’ previous game. The Kings says he’s close to returning and might play Monday against Boston, but one day soon, of course, he could be gone for good.

Selanne, acquired by the Ducks on Feb. 7, would be the heir apparent as Southern California’s biggest hockey star.

The Kings and Ducks are two teams in flux--both trying to right themselves in time to avoid missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.

All the trade talk is about Gretzky, but the Kings made a deal Saturday that didn’t involve him, getting tough guy Shane Churla and defenseman Doug Zmolek from Dallas for defenseman Darryl Sydor and a draft pick. Both played against the Ducks, even though they arrived only about three hours before the game, and both provided some of the grit and determination King Coach Larry Robinson so pointedly suggests has been missing from the Kings.

If there was any doubt Churla would get acclimated, he proved he had 11 minutes into the game when he and the Ducks’ Todd Ewen fought in a predictable, almost obligatory, matchup.

The King lineup included only three players who were on the team that reached the Stanley Cup finals--Kelly Hrudey, Jari Kurri and McSorley.

The Ducks, on the other hand, played only three players from the 1993 expansion draft, which of course, can be considered a positive. They were defensemen Bobby Dollas and Randy Ladouceur and forward Joe Sacco. (Goalie Guy Hebert dressed as the backup because of a neck strain.)

The Ducks gave the Kings too many power-play opportunities--including one only 1:03 into the game that proved to be critical.

Rookie J.F. Jomphe was sent to the box for hooking, and the Kings made good on the opportunity 18 seconds later when Dimitri Khristich found the puck low in the slot and put it over Mikhail Shtalenkov’s outstretched leg.

After a dreadful display with a long two-man advantage in the first period, the Duck power play came through early in the third to break the Kings’ 1-0 stranglehold.

With the Kings’ Steve Larouche off for tripping, the Ducks’ Fredrik Olausson spotted an open lane to the net and skated all the way in from the point to take a pass from Selanne and beat Hrudey at 2:38 as he tried to scramble back from the other side of the net.

Hrudey, starting his third consecutive game for the first time this season, stopped 31 shots, including a point-blank attempt by Garry Valk in overtime. Shtalenkov made 29 saves, and saved himself with a poke check against Kevin Stevens on a breakaway in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

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Duck-King Notes

King defenseman Steven Finn didn’t play after being hit in the eye by a puck during Friday’s practice and will probably sit out Monday’s game against Boston as well. Doctors are concerned about blood behind Finn’s left eye, which was swollen shut Saturday morning. He also required stitches to close skin wounds. It’s unclear whether the injury will cause him to miss the upcoming trip. . . . Defenseman Sean O’Donnell returned after sitting out eight games because of a sprained left wrist. . . . Rookie defenseman Aki Berg was ill and didn’t dress for the game. . . . Right wing Tony Granato, recovering from brain surgery at UCLA Medical Center, has talked with teammates by phone but can’t have visitors yet. Doctors said he’ll probably be released by Wednesday. . . . The Ducks’ healthy scratches were forwards Mike Sillinger and Valeri Karpov and defenseman Oleg Mikulchik.