Hrudey Returns, but Kings Don’t

The Kings have given up a barrage of shots without goaltender Kelly Hrudey in the crease and found no reason to change their distressing habits when he returned for his first NHL game in more than six months on Wednesday night.

With a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders, the Kings barely mustered a season-low 18 shots on goal. And they have faced a total of 79 shots in back-to-back losses on consecutive nights to the Flyers and the Islanders.

Losing to Philadelphia, after all, is one thing. The Flyers and the Eric Lindros-led Legion of Doom can overpower almost any team. But the lowly Islanders? Frankly, they’ve looked more like a doomed legion of players this season, with only one victory at Nassau Coliseum before beating the Kings.

About the only positive for the Kings, at least other than Tony Granato’s two goals and Wayne Gretzky’s two assists, was that Hrudey played the entire game without tweaking his left ankle. Hrudey suffered a torn ligament in the ankle before training camp and it has been a problematic 10-week recovery.

“I didn’t realize it was six months, it seemed like it at times,” said Hrudey, who faced 39 shots. “One of my strong suits is that I can really read a play and see what is happening. There were times I wasn’t seeing the whole ice or expecting certain situations to happen.”

His reflexes, however, looked sharp.

“I was very happy that the game hadn’t passed me by as far as speed and what not,” he said. “It wasn’t the result I wanted. But nobody came down the wing and beat me with a straight shot. That’s one of the tests, always sort of a barometer for me.”

Hrudey’s only real miscue came on the Islanders’ first goal, at 12:10 of the first period, when his clearing attempt around the boards cut off center Travis Green at the edge of the right circle. Green intercepted the pass and hit Wendel Clark down low in front.

Meanwhile, adding to the Kings’ problems is the likelihood they could lose left wing Eric Lacroix to a suspension. He was given a five-minute major for checking from behind and automatic game misconduct at 6:36 of the third period. Lacroix checked defenseman Dennis Vaske from behind into the end boards near the Islander net, and Vaske hit his forehead into the rim of the boards below the glass and immediately went motionless.

Vaske, down on the ice for several minutes, was carried off on a stretcher and taken to North Shore University Hospital for overnight observation. He suffered a concussion and forehead lacerations.

Lacroix, previously suspended three games for abuse of an official this season, probably will face review and potential supplementary discipline from the NHL, which is attempting to cut down on hitting from behind.

“I will certainly state he checked him from behind,” referee Dan Marouelli said. “Vaske was defenseless, and Eric Lacroix did not pull up in time to avoid checking him from behind . . . with Vaske sustaining a serious-type injury.”

Said Lacroix: “I’m forechecking there right on the side and he turns to make the pass and I ran into him. I’ve never got a boarding [penalty]. Sometimes, it happens. You don’t like to see a guy get hurt. . . . There’s not much to say, you try to let up a little. I saw it [the blood] on the ice and I got a little dizzy.”

By then, the Kings were trailing, 3-1. Despite a lackluster effort--nine shots on goal through two periods--they had a legitimate chance to win, entering the final period tied, 1-1.

The Islanders responded with four third-period goals, including two on the power play, meaning the Kings have been outscored, 7-1, in the third period of their last two games.

“As well as they played, it was probably our worst, including training camp,” King Coach Larry Robinson said. “There was just no effort there. No hitting, no skating.”

And no thinking, at times. Rookie defenseman Aki Berg had the most blatant giveaway, leaving a drop pass behind his own net--for Islander right wing Ziggy Palffy, who scored an unassisted goal past a stunned Hrudey, making it 3-1 at 1:51 of the third.

Only 1:25 earlier, Islander defenseman Darius Kasparaitis broke the 1-1 tie with his first goal in 66 games, setting it up with a huge hit on Gretzky at the red line.

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King Notes

The King scratches were defenseman Denis Tsygurov and forwards John Druce and Kevin Brown. Druce was the only one of the three who is injured, having suffered a mild charley horse against the Flyers on Tuesday.