Kings Get Mad as Calls Thwart Bid to Get Even

Malcolm Ashford turned the light off on the Kings’ power play Monday afternoon, but that was OK with Coach Larry Robinson.

When referee Stephen Walkom took his turn at the switch, though, Robinson saw red. Or didn’t see the red light, which made him hotter than a Palm Springs summer.

Two King goals were waved off--one on the advice of Ashford, the video goal judge; the other by referee Walkom--and they were the difference in a 4-2 Vancouver victory that left Robinson fuming and an announced crowd of 16,071 in a holiday mood on Canada’s Thanksgiving.

“I don’t mind losing a game, but I don’t like it when it’s taken away from you and that’s what happened right here,” said Robinson after the Kings had finished their season-opening Canadian trip with a 1-1 record.

“All I ask is that calls be the same on both sides.”

He alluded to the Kings’ spending much of the first two periods killing penalties, at which they excelled. Actually, more than excelled, because Yanic Perreault scored both of their goals short-handed.

But in the third period, the Kings were killed by a penalty.

And, according to Robinson, by a call.

“Right before the one was called on [the Kings’ Vladimir] Tsyplakov [which set up the power play in which Peter Zezel scored the game-winning goal], [the Kings’ Jozef] Stumpel was checked into the boards. So if that’s not interference, why is Tsyppie coming across the play when two guys collide with each other interference?

” . . . I hope somebody comes and tells me very, very quickly what is interference and what isn’t interference because I’m losing my mind over this.”

The Kings carried a 2-1 lead into the third period in an attempt to open the season 2-0 on the road for the first time in franchise history.

The lead could have been 3-1, save for a goal that was disallowed after it had gone in off Sandy Moger’s skate. Ashford called Walkom to let him know that Moger had been loitering in the crease, and the goal was waved off.

Such initiative involves application of a new NHL rule this season.

No problem.

“It’s black and white: If you’re in the crease, then it should be called off, and as soon as I saw the replay out there, I knew it would probably be disallowed,” Robinson said. “I don’t mind that.”

That the phone call can’t go the other way is another issue.

“I’m not even going to get into that,” Robinson said. “I’ll make myself sick for no reason at all.”

Vancouver tied the score, 2-2, at 1:44 of the third period when the puck set up in the crease for Dave Scatchard. The Canucks took the lead on the power-play goal by Zezel, scored from 20 feet on a shot delivered from a difficult angle that bounced off goalie Jamie Storr’s left shoulder.

Still, said Robinson, it shouldn’t have been enough.

The Kings appeared to have tied it, 3-3, on a shot from the point by Rob Blake on a power play at 17:29, but this time Walkom needed no help from off the ice in making the call. After a brief consultation with a linesman, Walkom waved it off, again citing Moger for loitering in the crease.

“That was a break for us, but they also got a break on their [first] short-handed goal,” Vancouver Coach Mike Keenan said. “The guy knocked it down with a high stick. I’m sure Larry will be reminding them the crease is a different shape [now], but you still have to be respectful of the in-the-crease rule.”

Actually, Robinson will be reminding them of nothing of the sort, although he tried to remind Walkom that a player has to be standing in the crease of his own accord to be a factor in a goal’s being waved off.

“Blakie didn’t even shoot the puck yet and [Mattias Ohlund] knocked [Moger] in the crease,” Robinson said. “It’s hard to get points and to have them taken away like that is very disappointing on our part.”

Still trailing, 3-2, the Kings pulled Storr in the game’s final minute, which allowed Alexander Mogilny to skate in alone for an empty-net goal with 43 seconds to play.

It punctuated a tough Monday for Robinson, who was giving no thanks on Thanksgiving.

“We should have gotten out of here at least with a point,” he said.

Instead, they left Vancouver with a bad memory.