Notes on a Scorecard - April 15, 1993

The only thing I can guarantee about the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin Sunday, is that the Kings will not be eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers again. . . .

After knocking out the Kings five of the last seven times, the Oilers are among the anemic eight who failed to qualify for the tournament this season. . . .

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Kings will advance past the second round for the first time. . . .

There are two keys to their surprising Calgary and then Vancouver, presuming that the Canucks defeat Winnipeg in the opening round: goaltending and Wayne Gretzky. . . .

A hot goaltender can carry a team a long way. Exactly which King is going to get the opportunity remains a question, although veteran Kelly Hrudey would seem to be the logical choice over rookie Robb Stauber and career minor leaguer Rick Knickle. . . .

Of course, Gretzky can make the goalie’s job easier by dictating the flow of the game and giving the Kings a marked edge in time of possession. . . .

The Great One has averaged more than two points per game during his NHL career, but has been been shut out in six of his last 12 playoff games and scored only 32 points in 25 games over the last three years. . . .

If only Gretzky could be to the Kings what Magic Johnson was to the Lakers in the playoffs for so many years. . . .

The first game of the King-Flame series will be televised Sunday at noon on ABC from Calgary. The bad news is that Prime Ticket announcer Bob Miller will have to sit this one out. . . .

Unusual sight at Dodger Stadium: season tickets being hawked at a table next to the press box entrance on the view level. . . .

When the Dodgers rallied from a 5-0 deficit to take a 7-5 lead over St. Louis in the sixth inning Tuesday, press box historians discovered that the last time L.A. had come from as many as five runs behind to win a game was Oct. 2, 1990, against the Chicago Cubs. . . .

Tom Lasorda began the season at 185 pounds, 33 fewer than five years ago. “I got down to 175 in 1989,” the Dodger manager said, “but my wife said I looked gaunt.” . . .

Two Dorsey High alumni are managing in the major leagues, the Detroit Tigers’ Sparky Anderson and the Florida Marlins’ Rene Lachemann. . . .

Among the differences in the starts of Philadelphia and Montreal is that Mitch Williams has five saves for the Phillies and John Wetteland won’t be able to pitch for the Expos for another week. . . .

The Colorado Rockies’ pitching staff is everything it was cracked up to be. . . .

Prairie Bayou will try to become the first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 to win the Kentucky Derby. What’s more, he probably will be the public choice, and a favorite hasn’t won since Spectacular Bid in 1979. . . .

Former Laker forward Kermit Washington, a graduate of American University who is now president of a company in Oregon that markets fitness gear, will be inducted into the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame April 22 with former football stars Raymond Berry, Dave Casper and Jim Grabowski. . . .

World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who is training in Hilton Head, S.C., for his bout May 8 against Tony Tucker at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, hurt his right hand three weeks ago, but says it is OK. . . .

Prime Ticket will replay the most exciting fight I’ve ever seen, light-flyweight champion Michael Carbajal’s seventh-round knockout of Humberto Gonzalez, Monday night at 7:30. . . .

Kennedy McKinney, who won a gold medal in Seoul and then slowed his pro career with drug problems, will make the first defense of his junior-featherweight championship Saturday against Richard Duran in Sacramento. . . .

How far has Mark Messier fallen? The winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player last season wasn’t even invited to play for Team Canada in the World Championships in Germany after the New York Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention. . . .

Terry Cummings went scoreless in six minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday in his first game after being activated by the San Antonio Spurs. . . .

UCLA football Coach Terry Donahue says that the participation of quarterback Wayne Cook, coming off two knee operations, in spring practice is “very limited.” . . .

That big vacant lot on Vermont Avenue in Gardena is where Ascot Park used to be. Plans to build a furniture mart on the site have not materialized. . . .

An advertisement for ice cream in the Dodger program says, “Dodger fans love Strawberry.”