Game of the ‘80s Lasted Nearly as Long

Choosing the player of the decade in the National Hockey League is no problem, because 99 of 100 no doubt would name Wayne Gretzky. Selecting the game of the ‘80s is pretty easy, too.

When the conversation turns to overtime, people like to recall the circumstances in which they watched the conclusion of that four-overtime struggle between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals on April 18-19, 1987.

For anyone connected with the Capitals, Pat LaFontaine’s goal after 128 minutes 47 seconds was traumatic. For Greg Smith, it completed a nightmare.

In the second overtime, Smith rattled a post with a shot that would have won it. In the third overtime, he suffered a fractured kneecap.

“It got to the point in that game that I wondered, ‘Will we play this forever?’ ” recalled Smith, currently selling orthopedic implants in the Baltimore area. “When I hit the goal post, I couldn’t believe I’d come so close without ending it.

“When I got hit with the shot in the knee it hurt badly. I tried to play the next shift and when LaFontaine went around me on the outside I pushed off on the knee and couldn’t believe the pain. I thought sure he’d score, but he didn’t -- then.

“After that I had to sit on the bench, even though everybody was so tired. (Coach) Bryan (Murray) asked me, ‘Can you go?’ but I couldn’t risk losing the game. The last period I stayed in the dressing room, icing my knee, and by the time it was over I was in pain physically and emotionally.”

Smith said he often thinks about that night, but it is not his most unhappy memory of life with the Capitals.

“I don’t think about that as much as the year before, when we lost to the Rangers,” Smith said. “If ever the Stanley Cup was going to happen while I was there, that was the year.

“I’d never played on a team that played as well as we did against the Islanders. I was in the Stanley Cup final with Minnesota (in 1981), but there was no contest in my mind that the Caps were better. We just dominated the Islanders.

“I don’t know how we could go from playing so well to letting the Rangers beat us. I still can’t answer it. I guess if I could I wouldn’t be thinking about it. But with Edmonton beat out, things were taking shape. That was the Caps’ year. I still feel that way today.”

Of six Washington players on the ballot for the Prince of Wales Conference’s all-star team, announced this week, Geoff Courtnall received the most votes, 115,506. Others: Dino Ciccarelli, 74,563; Bob Joyce, 71,129; Scott Stevens, 66,749; Mike Ridley, 48,793; Kevin Hatcher, 28,239.

The remainder of the Wales roster for the Jan. 21 game will be selected by Montreal Coach Pat Burns. Each team must be represented by at least one player.

After putting the Gretzky experience behind them, the Edmonton Oilers have returned to their accustomed spot at the top of the Smythe Division. Defenseman Kevin Lowe said: “I really believe we’re back on track this year. The whole Gretzky thing was devastating to everyone and, looking back, none of us realized how uptight we were last year. A lot of guys were lost for the entire season. But the new guys are fitting in well and the Stanley Cup veterans -- well, we’re still young enough to do it again.” ...

One of the veterans, defenseman Randy Gregg, has been combining hockey with his offseason work as a practicing physician. On a flight from Minneapolis to Edmonton, Gregg treated a passenger who suffered a mild heart attack, making a proposed emergency landing in Regina, Saskatchewan, unnecessary. Earlier, Gregg assisted Grant Fuhr when the goalie suffered an appendicitis attack during practice.

Mario Lemieux has been selected as male athlete of the decade in Pittsburgh, topping Mike Webster of the Steelers and two-time Olympic hurdles champion Roger Kingdom. ... Latest chapter of the Sutter family Christmas: Chicago’s Duane skated in front of the St. Louis bench before a recent game and wished brother Brian a Merry Christmas. Replied the Blues’ coach: “Buzz off. I’m here to win a hockey game, not to talk to my family.” ...

Who says hockey fighters are dumb? Minnesota’s Basil McRae uses Velcro strips to hold the sleeves of his sweater together. When an opponent grabs the sleeves, they come apart, giving McRae room to swing. ...

Who says hockey fighters are smart? McRae has a date Friday with Brian O’Neill, the NHL’s executive vice president, to explain the match penalty he received for kneeing Chicago’s Mike Peluso last Wednesday. That is just one phase of a meeting that also will inquire into the circumstances of the pre-game fight that night between the North Stars and Blackhawks.

Player of the week in the NHL is Winnipeg goalie Bob Essensa, who allowed six goals in three victories last week. Essensa, called up from Moncton Nov. 9, has a 7-2-2 record with a 2.68 goals against.