Kings Are Trounced by Oilers

How could anything be worse than getting shut out?

Try Thursday night’s King game.

If the Kings felt they were getting close to hitting rock bottom--or, as a former Angel baseball manager once said, “bottom rock”--in a loss to Detroit earlier this week, the landing was considerably harder in a 8-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at the Forum.

Unfortunately for the Kings (4-6-0), the game was shown on local cable television, unlike their two previous defeats. At least the announced crowd of 10,195 was a very generous estimate, so maybe word won’t spread about the Kings’ colossal second-period collapse, in which they gave up six goals.

“It wasn’t so much losing 8-2, it was embarrassing,” King defenseman Rob Blake said. “It was embarrassing in your own building. It can’t happen.”

In a span of 6:44, the Oilers turned a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead, establishing a franchise record for scoring the fastest five goals. The previous Oiler record was 7:01 against Buffalo in 1990.

Leading the Oilers was a former King draft choice, rookie left wing Rem Murray, who had his first career hat trick and added an assist for a four-point night. In 1992, the Kings drafted Murray, the son of a pig farmer who played at Michigan State, but never signed him because of shaky finances, according to Murray.

“We couldn’t come to an agreement, and both parties agreed it was in my best interest to explore other options,” Murray said. “I’m fortunate they let me go. I’ve got a great opportunity here.”

The Oilers took advantage of the opening and signed him last season, and he promptly led their minor-league team in Cape Breton, Canada, in points. Murray has five goals and 10 points in 10 games.

As for the Kings, they have lost three consecutive games after a three-game winning streak, getting outscored, 13-3, in those three games. But Thursday was an equal opportunity second-period collapse, featuring four even-strength goals, one power-play goal and a short-handed breakaway by Oiler forward Todd Marchant. Marchant’s goal came, at 13:58, shortly following a brief slowdown in the scoring after the five-goal onslaught. In all, the Kings surrendered eight unanswered goals.

So, how could it be worse than the shutout in Detroit?

First, the Oilers--another team in the midst of rebuilding--are hardly the Detroit Red Wings. Second, it showed that King Coach Larry Robinson’s dressing down of the team after the second period in Detroit and the subsequent video session on Tuesday must have fallen upon deaf ears and closed eyes.

“We’ve tried yelling, but all it does is lose your voice,” Robinson said. “ . . . I don’t think we know who were are. I think we think we’re the Detroit Red Wings or Colorado. Like we’re filled with Joe Sakics and [Peter] Forsbergs, and we can play any game we want and show up any time we want. Unfortunately, we’re not there yet.”

Even the previously stellar goaltending of Stephane Fiset went bad on Thursday. Fiset could not be held solely accountable but looked truly shaky for first time this season, yielding four goals on four consecutive shots.

He was pulled at 8:36 of the second period, shortly after Murray’s unassisted goal at 6:46 made it 4-2. Fiset was replaced by Byron Dafoe, who fared no better.

It had started so well in the first period.Vitali Yachmenev scored at 14:10, and added an assist on Vladimir Tsyplakov’s goal at 17:03 Dimitri Khristich had assists on both goals.