Kings Win; Solidarity Comes First : Hockey: Players trade rare handshakes with Rangers before 1-0 victory in symbolic move before possible lockout.

Everyone is used to seeing teams go through the traditional handshake ritual once a playoff series is completed. But before an exhibition game?

Yes, the Kings and New York Rangers shook hands before the puck was dropped Wednesday night at the Forum and before the Kings went on to win, 1-0, with goaltender Kelly Hrudey stopping 33 shots before an announced crowd of 11,436. You might think the Rangers, winners of the Stanley Cup in June, are simply used to being gracious, accepting handshakes all around.

Actually, it was a pre-planned move of union solidarity. It also happened before the Montreal-Toronto and New Jersey-Philadelphia games. Facing the possibility of a lockout, perhaps as early as next week, the players are paying attention to the little details as well as the major ones.

“It could just be this one game or it could be other games as well,” said Maple Leaf forward Mike Gartner, president of the NHL Players Assn. “It was a small signal of solidarity.”

The Kings have been creative in other ways. King defenseman and union representative Rob Blake and defenseman Marty McSorley informed team officials that the players would not participate in next week’s Media Day at the Forum, a traditional preseason function.

“We want to be cooperative, but we can’ say we’re going to continue with a smile on our face,” McSorley said. “There’s a time and a place to draw the line. We have to somehow let the owners know we’re not happy.”

But amid the potentially distracting talk of the lockout threat and on-going labor negotiations, the Kings seem to be rounding into form. They are 4-1 in exhibitions and have won three consecutive games, all by one-goal margins.

They scored four power-play goals against the San Jose Sharks Sunday and scored with a man advantage to defeat the Rangers. With Alexei Kovalev off for boarding Kevin Todd, King defenseman Alexei Zhitnik scored on a rebound at 10:52 of the second period, beating goaltender Mike Richter. Assisting on the goal were forward Dan Quinn and Blake. Quinn has five points in five games.

Notes

Wayne Gretzky, who was scheduled to play against the Rangers, missed the game because of a minor groin injury. “If this was a league game, he could play,” King General Manager Sam McMaster said. McMaster said Gretzky will probably play Friday against Pittsburgh at the Forum. Gretzky has appeared in two exhibition games. . . . Former King left wing Luc Robitaille, who was traded to the Penguins in July for Rick Tocchet, is not scheduled to play against the Kings on Friday but is expected to be in the lineup against the Mighty Ducks on Sunday in Anaheim. Tocchet will make his exhibition debut with the Kings on Friday.