Notes on a Scorecard - April 8, 1991

Nothing is more sudden than sudden death in the National Hockey League playoffs. . . .

A blast from the blue line . . . a deflection off a skate . . . or Wayne Gretzky lifting a rebound into the Vancouver net Saturday night at the Forum to even the King-Canuck series at a win apiece. . . .

“Overtime is more nerve-wracking for the fans than the players,” said King defenseman Larry Robinson, a veteran of 215 playoff games. “I’d much rather play than watch. I can get rid of my nervous energy. The fans can’t.” . . .

Had the Kings suffered a sudden death Saturday, they would have had to win four of five games from Vancouver to avert a monumental upset in the opening series. . . .

“I enjoy the challenge of overtime in the playoffs,” Robinson said. “I’ve been in a few. In my rookie year with Montreal, I scored the winning goal against Philadelphia. I got the winning goal another time against Toronto.” . . .

Robinson, 39, was the Kings’ steadiest player in Game 2. And, in the overtime, he steadied some of his teammates, telling forwards Luc Robitaille, Todd Elik and Dave Taylor that they were getting caught too deep into the Vancouver zone. . . .

“In overtime, you play it closer to the vest and try not to take too many chances,” Robinson said. . . .

The game-winner made Gretzky the No. 1 star on what otherwise was an off night. For three periods, the Great One played as if he had just gotten the bill on the Honus Wagner card. He did the same thing two weeks ago in Edmonton--and then fed Tomas Sandstrom a perfect pass for the winner in overtime. . . .

Turning point of the series may have been Kelly Hrudey’s save on Steve Bozek’s breakaway in the second period with the short-handed Canucks leading, 2-0. Forty seconds later, King defenseman Rob Blake scored a power play goal. . . .

Quite a day for Bruce McNall and Allen Paulson. McNall was Paulson’s guest at Santa Anita in the afternoon. Dinard, owned by Paulson, won the Santa Anita Derby. Then Paulson sat in McNall’s box at the Forum. . . .

In 1987, McNall sold his half-interest in the sire Strawberry Road to partner Paulson for $1.2 million. The following year, Dinard was born to Strawberry Road and Daring Bidder. McNall and Paulson still team up to buy horses from Europe. . . .

“What a performance,” McNall said. “Dinard had no business winning with all that trouble he had. But he’s mentally tough. Just like his father, who was a real fighter.” . . .

McNall was mobbed in the walking ring area before the Derby when he handed out Kings’ pins. . . .

Dinard, who has been defeating better stock than has Fly So Free, is the horse to beat in the Kentucky Derby. Some people thought Fly So Free wasn’t even the best 3-year-old in trainer Scotty Schulhofer’s barn until Cahill Road finished a dismal third in the Preview Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park. . . .

Jockey Chris McCarron winning the Santa Anita Derby, two other stakes races, and a total of five races Saturday must rank among the greatest feats in Southern California racing history. . . .

This was the first time since 1980 that the Santa Anita Derby outdrew the Santa Anita Handicap. . . .

Dodger Stadium fans made Darryl Strawberry feel at home quickly Friday night at the Freeway Series when they gave him a standing ovation the first time he ran out to his position in right field. Strawberry waved back. . . .

“Any time you have so many new people on your club, you have to wonder how they’ll get along,” Tommy Lasorda said. “It’s a big concern of a manager. But these guys have hit it off from the start. They work hard and they also have a lot of fun.” . . .

The Angels chose to open the season on the road because they haven’t drawn well when they’ve opened at home after playing Saturday and Sunday games against the Dodgers before big crowds in Anaheim. . . .

The Clippers-Seattle game Friday night should have gotten an X rating because of Benoit Benjamin’s vulgar gestures to the crowd. . . .

Il Messaggero Roma, the Italian team Brian Shaw and Danny Ferry played for last year, will field an entry in the summer basketball league at Loyola Marymount. . . .

Don’t be surprised if former USC guard Mack Calvin, now an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks, replaces Bill Musselman as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves next season.