Finally, They’re Kings for 2 Games in a Row

Consecutive victories--or a mere win--have not exactly dotted the Kings’ schedule this season. But for the first time in two months, the Kings strung together two victories in a row, defeating Edmonton, 3-2, on Wednesday night at the Forum.

An announced crowd of 11,401, the third-smallest of the season, watched the Kings rally from a one-goal, third-period deficit. The victory means the 10th-place Kings have pulled within five points of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot held by idle Winnipeg.

They are one point behind the ninth-place Dallas Stars, who won at San Jose. The Mighty Ducks trail the Kings by three points and Edmonton is four back.

“It’s a start,” Coach Larry Robinson said. “After all the things that have happened to us, we’re not going to turn it around with just a couple of games.”

Leading the Kings was goaltender Byron Dafoe, who faced 28 shots and won consecutive games for the first time since the opening two games of the season, and newcomer Craig Johnson, who had one goal and one assist. They were Johnson’s first points with the Kings since coming here last week from St. Louis in the Wayne Gretzky trade, along with forward Patrice Tardif.

“It was a big relief,” Johnson said. “After the trade you want to come in and score a bunch of goals, so it was good to get the first one and get it off my back.”

Recent history was not exactly on the Kings’ side. Before the third-period comeback against the Oilers, the Kings were 1-25-4 when trailing after two periods.

Keying the third-period offensive surge was a goal by left wing Barry Potomski at 5:09. His second goal of the season tied the score, 2-2. Making the play was a clever pass from Tardif, who was deep in the right corner.

It was Tardif’s first point as a King.

A shorthanded goal then proved to be the game-winner from center Yanic Perreault, at 10:01. It was his 20th goal of the season and second shorthander. Perreault, who picked up his 41st point of the season, has four points in the last two games.

King Notes

King defenseman Marty McSorley, who sat out a third consecutive game because of a deeply bruised left thigh, will not accompany the team on a one-game trip to Chicago on Friday. McSorley, the subject of numerous trade rumors, has not played since Wayne Gretzky was traded last week. There has also been speculation that Philadelphia is interested in trading for Jari Kurri, and a Flyer scout attended Wednesday’s game, looking at both the Kings and Oilers. . . . King goaltender Kelly Hrudey is also ailing, suffering from tendinitis in his right ankle.