[0] MORE ROAD WOES KINGS TIE\KINGS 6, SAN JOSE 6.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

Chris Tancill might have begun the year in the minors and Dody Wood might have entered with just seven points all season, but they looked like superstars for the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Of course, they were playing the Kings, who when they're on the road routinely make mediocre players look great.

Tancill had a spectacular goal and two assists, and Wood had two goals as the Sharks tied the Kings 6-6 at San Jose Arena.

The Kings (17-23-12) have one victory in their past 10 games and have won on the road just once in their past 18 games away from the Forum. It's no wonder they've made a steady fall in the Western Conference standings - they are in a three-way tie for seventh. The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs.

But at least in this game the Kings showed a willingness to fight back, something they haven't done much of all season. They rallied from two deficits during the third period to force overtime.

Wood scored his second and third goals of the season and Tancill, who was recalled from Kansas City on Dec. 16, had a goal and an assist in a wild third period. Six goals were scored in the third frame.

"We could have given up ship when it was 5-3," Kings coach Larry Robinson said. "We have to get every ounce of confidence we can and try to ride it."

Tancill made the play of the game when he stick-handled up left wing, fought off defenseman Darryl Sydor and avoided goalie Kelly Hrudey's stab at the puck before scoring on a one-handed shot from right and deep of the goal.

Wood opened the Sharks' scoring at 13:04 of the first period and closed it at 12:49 of the third.

His final goal gave the Sharks a 6-5 lead, but just 48 seconds later Jari Kurri scored from in front of the net to pull the Kings even.

Wing Jeff Odgers, the third member of the gritty line, scored in the first period and now has a goal-scoring streak of three games, no small feat considering he went 56 straight games over two seasons without a goal.

"That's a plain example of what hard work can do for you," Robinson said. "Someone is always going hard to the net. They take a beating in front and get goals."

Hrudey made 32 saves, the most important coming midway through overtime when he reached high to make a glove save on a shot by Ray Sheppard while doing the splits.

"It was 50 percent luck and 50 percent whatever you want to call it," Hrudey said. "I was partially screened so I didn't see it that well. At the last split second I saved it. To tell you the truth I thought he scored."

Each team started slowly offensively before catching fire in the final seven minutes of the opening period. Five goals were scored during that span, with Gary Shuchuk and Barry Potomski scoring within 18 seconds of each other to give the Kings a 3-2 lead.

Shuchuk took a beautiful set-up pass from Kevin Todd in front of the net and cashed in at 17:39. Potomski picked up the puck in the right circle, spun and fired a no-look shot past goalie Wade Flaherty. Todd was credited with an assist on the play.

The Sharks took advantage of a defensive miscue by Steven Finn of the Kings to take a 1-0 at 13:04 of the first. Finn failed to control the puck off the rear board, allowing Sharks right wing Shean Donovan to pick it up in the right circle and pass to Wood in the slot. Wood beat Hrudey high for his second goal of the season.

Slap shots: Kings forward Tony Granato was transferred to UCLA Medical Center on Thursday for further neurological tests and will remain there at least overnight.

Granato was admitted to Centinela Hospital early Monday morning after experiencing severe headaches. He was diagnosed as having a concussion and pool of blood deep in his brain tissue, believed to be the result of hitting his forehead on the wooden boards during a game last week. . . .

Kings left wing Kevin Stevens stayed behind in Los Angeles so he could rehabilitate his sore back and missed his second straight game. He is scheduled to join the team in Calgary late today if his back is feeling up to it. Team doctor Ronald Kvitne has said Stevens has a bulging disc, an injury he termed not unusual nor serious. . . . Flaherty left the game at 3:46 of the second period after straining his groin when he did the splits making a save on a shot by Robert Lang. . . . Defenseman Rob Cowie was the Kings only healthy scratch. . . . Wayne Gretzky had two assists and now has eight points in his last three games.

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