Notes on a Scorecard - March 18, 1993

They call him Lucky, but it is the Kings who have been fortunate that the trade rumors involving Luc Robitaille over the years have been false. . . .

There are few more reliable or productive performers in the NHL than Robitaille, who shows up for work every night and more often than not scores a goal. . . .

Oh, he misses a game once in a while. During seven seasons, he has missed seven. But tonight he will appear in his 200th consecutive game, against the New York Islanders at the Forum, where he also will be trying to stretch his goal-scoring streak to nine games. . . .

Eight more goals and the 27-year-old left wing will become the first King to reach 60 in a season since Bernie Nicholls scored 70 in 1989. . . .

“I’m not thinking about 60,” Robitaille said after collecting Nos. 51 and 52 Tuesday night during an 8-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. “I’m thinking about winning. We’re not in the playoffs yet.” . . .

Of course, the Kings will make the playoffs. Every team does except the San Joses, Ottawas, Tampa Bays and Edmontons. Besides, the Kings are playing good hockey again and hoping to finish the season the way they began it. . . .

The emergence of the Robitaille-Wayne Gretzky-Tony Granato line has been the key. You would think Robitaille and Gretzky would go together like bread and butter. But since the arrival of the Great One in Los Angeles in 1988, coaches have chosen to give him a wide variety of linemates. . . .

My advice is to keep the Robitaille-Gretzky-Granato line together every night and don’t take the black-and-silver No. 20 jersey away from the left winger until it is time to hang it on the north wall of the Forum early in the next century. . . .

It will be interesting to see how much playing time Miami Heat Coach Kevin Loughery gives Harold Miner tonight when the former Trojan returns to the Sports Arena for his only local appearance of the season against the Clippers. . . .

Miner’s minutes have been limited during his rookie year, but he has distinguished himself off the court by donating $60,000 to USC and his $20,000 first prize in the NBA slam-dunk contest to schools and parks in Inglewood and Miami. . . .

Hall of Fame Coach John McKay will be honored by the Trojan Shrine Club at its “Celebrity of the Year” dinner Tuesday at Town and Gown on the USC campus. . . .

When they traded for Boomer Esiason, the New York Jets followed Reggie White’s suggestion, but also assured themselves of another quarterback controversy. . . .

A week after Jim Lampley quit the station, a promotion for his KMPC morning show was displayed on the Forum scoreboard between periods Tuesday. . . .

The California Horse Racing Board shouldn’t have to think twice next week about making flak jackets mandatory equipment for jockeys. . . .

How tough is it to crack the local jockey colony? Mickey Walls, who was an Eclipse Award-winning apprentice two years ago, has returned to Canada after riding only 10 winners in nearly three months at Santa Anita. . . .

Charlie Whittingham is thinking about entering 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand’s son Dinand in the Santa Anita Derby on April 3. . . .

ESPN commentator Mary Carrillo on Boris Becker pulling out of the Lipton Championships Wednesday: “He had a life-threatening 99-degree fever. Thank God, he didn’t play.” . . .

University High catcher Steve Hagins and Newbury Park shortstop David Lamp have been selected to Baseball America’s preseason prep All-American first team. . . .

Look for New York Met outfielder Vince Coleman, who did a lot of leg work in the off-season, to come out of the gate running. . . .

The major league owners’ television committee scored some points recently by allowing representatives of the Players’ Assn. to sit in on a meeting for the first time. . . .

You must be dying to know, so here is the probable list of survivors of the first round of the NCAA tournament: Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Iowa, Tulane, Florida State, Memphis State, Seton Hall, Michigan, UCLA, New Mexico, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Arizona, North Carolina, Rhode Island, St. John’s, Arkansas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Indiana, Xavier, Oklahoma State, Louisville, California, Duke, Brigham Young, Kansas. . . .

Sweet Sixteen: Kentucky, Wake Forest, Florida State, Seton Hall, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Arizona, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Cincinnati, Indiana, Louisville, Duke, Kansas. . . .

Elite Eight: Kentucky, Seton Hall, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Indiana, Duke. . . .

Final Four: Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Duke. . . .

Last Two: Kentucky, North Carolina.

Champion: Kentucky.