Kings Have a Night for Dionne, Defense : Hockey: Team barely misses second consecutive shutout with 5-1 victory over Red Wings.

Marcel Dionne, on hand at the Forum Thursday night to have his number retired by the Kings, might have had trouble recognizing his former team.

Different colors. Different owner. Different defense.

Much different defense.

Continuing to remake the poor defensive image formed through years of futility, the Kings beat the Detroit Red Wings, 5-1, in front of a sellout crowd of 16,005.

Goalie Kelly Hrudey came within 1 minute 44 seconds of equaling the shutout performance turned in by Daniel Berthiaume Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Steve Yzerman finally scored on a power-play goal to end the Kings’ hopes of getting their first back-to-back shutouts in almost 14 years.

When Yzerman put the puck in the net, defenseman Larry Robinson, who had tried to swat it away with his gloved hand, smashed his stick on the ice in frustration.

That alone demonstrates how far the Kings have come. In the old days, a one-goal defensive effort would have been a cause for celebration.

“It just shows,� said Coach Tom Webster of Robinson’s outburst, “how much pride everyone is taking in the defensive game.�

Hrudey, however, was not upset at giving up the first goal against the Kings since the Washington Capitals’ Michal Pivonka scored a game-winner 3:34 into the final period last Friday.

“I would have been disappointed if we lost,� Hrudey said. “I’m never disappointed when we win.�

The Kings almost lost Hrudey when a shot off the stick of Steve Chiasson in the second period hit him squarely in the mask, dropping Hrudey to the ice.

Time was called until Hrudey was able to return to his feet, but he refused to leave.

“That never entered my mind,� he said. “It was not that severe a blow. It just knocked me silly for a minute. When I knew it was going to hit me in the head, I cringed.�

By the time he was finished, Hrudey had blocked 28 shots, enabling the Kings to improve to 11-4-1. They remain one point behind the Smythe Division-leading Calgary Flames.

Detroit is 7-7-3, 0-6-3 on the road.

The Red Wings should have sensed it wasn’t their night when the Kings’ Tony Granato was slapped with a double minor for high-sticking Yzerman in the first period.

The four-minute advantage produced four shots--all by the Kings.

Los Angeles had three opportunities for a short-handed goal. But Bob Kudelski missed on a breakaway and Scott Bjugstad and Steve Duchesne both missed on three-on-two rushes.

When the Kings finally did break through, it came at even strength at the 15:48 mark of the first period. Mike Krushelnyski, along the right boards, passed through the crease to the onrushing Jay Miller, charging from the left. Miller smashed the puck over the stick of goalie Tim Cheveldae for his second goal of the season.

The Kings doubled their margin when Chiasson lost the puck in his own zone. Luc Robitaille, in the slot, fed Todd Elik, camped by the right post.

With Cheveldae out of position, Elik was staring at an open net. He didn’t stare long, flipping the puck in for his seventh goal.

Wayne Gretzky added to the scoring by collecting his team-leading 11th goal on the Kings’ first shot of the second period.

Taking a pass through the crease from Tomas Sandstrom, Gretzky scored from the right circle at 2:54, extending his point-scoring streak to 14 games.

Gretzky turned to his other specialty, the assist, to set up the Kings’ fourth goal.

His behind-the-back pass wound up on Granato’s stick in the slot. Granato left a drop pass for Sandstrom, enabling him to score on a 50-foot slap shot at 5:32 of the third period, his ninth goal.

Duchesne made it 5-0 with his third of the season at the 10-minute mark of the final period.

The way the Kings were playing defense, that was more than enough.

“We are doing the things that make teams winners,� Gretzky said. “We are doing things this team hasn’t done before.�

At least not since the days when Dionne was young and the greatest one in town.

King Notes

The sweater of Marcel Dionne, bearing the number 16, was retired before the game. Dionne, a King for 12 seasons, is the team’s all-time leader in games (921), points (1,307), goals (550) and assists (757). Dionne who started with the Red Wings and finished with the New York Rangers in a career that spanned 17 seasons, is also third in NHL history in points (1771), behind Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe, and second in goals (731) behind Howe. Dionne is the second King to have his sweater retired. His No. 16 hangs beside Rogie Vachon’s No. 30. . . . On hand for the ceremony were former teammates Mike Murphy, Butch Goring, Gary Simmons and Vic Venasky. . . . Among the gifts Dionne received were a clock from the league, a gold plate from the Red Wings, a trip to Europe from King owner Bruce McNall, and a trip to Hawaii from the King players.