Notes on a Scorecard - May 31, 1993

Maybe the drought is ending. . . .

The Kings are Stanley Cup finalists. . . .

The Angels are American League West leaders. . . .

The Dodgers are winners of 11 of their last 12 games. . . .

It sure beats what has been happening to most Southland sports teams the last couple of years. . . .

What a wonderful show the Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs staged during the Campbell Conference finals. If not for icing, there hardly would have been a dull moment. . . .

The Kings were outscored, 23-22, in the seven games, the last three of which were decided by one goal. . . .

“I hate to see this series end,” said John Davidson, the ESPN commentator and former goaltender. . . .

Never to be forgotten: Wayne Gretzky raising his stick in triumph after Games 6 and 7, Tim Watters delivering heavy checks despite stitched-up lips and broken teeth, Doug Gilmour playmaking the Maple Leafs back from two-goal deficits the last three games, Marty McSorley rushing the puck coast-to-coast as though he was a nifty center, Kelly Hrudey and Felix Potvin working magic with gloves, sticks and pads, and Barry Melrose and Pat Burns exchanging handshakes instead of insults at the end. . . .

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Among the best performers in a white, silver and black jersey was No. 93, Warren Weibe, who sang stirring renditions of “O, Canada” and “America the Beautiful” before L.A. victories in Games 3 and 6. Without him, the Kings lost Game 4 at the Forum. . . .

Most of those of us who have followed the Kings since opening night in 1967 at the Long Beach Arena had considered the second-round series against Boston in 1976 as their most exciting until now. . . .

Butch Goring scored his second overtime goal of that series to give the Kings a 4-3 victory in Game 6 at the Forum, but the heavily favored Bruins won the decisive game, 3-0, at Boston Garden. . . .

Melrose on 23-year-old defenseman Rob Blake: “He’s the next Norris Trophy winner. He doesn’t know how good he is.” . . .

Even Vin Scully and Don Drysdale were talking about the Kings during the Dodger telecast Sunday. . . .

Seven days rest might be too many for the Canadiens before the first game of the Stanley Cup finals Tuesday. Two days rest seems just about right for the Kings. . . .

Do you give the Angels high marks for picking Chad Curtis in the 1989 amateur draft or low marks for waiting until the 45th round? . . .

Tom Lasorda’s streak of sound moves ended in the eighth inning Sunday at Pittsburgh when he pinch-hit Dave Hansen for Carlos Hernandez with a runner on third, two out and the Dodgers trailing, 4-3. Hernandez had hit a home run and, besides, Pirate right-handed reliever Stan Belinda is tough against left-handed hitters. Hansen grounded out. . .

Jose Canseco is not among the leading candidates for the AL player of the week award. . . .

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I will never understand why coaches such as Paul Westphal leave players such as Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle on the court so long in a playoff game after all hope is lost. . . .

At halftime of the game against the Bulls on Saturday, Knick Coach Pat Riley told NBC’s Hannah Storm: “We’re only contesting about 31% of their shots.” . . .

The NBA ought to expand the draft lottery instead of eliminating it. Let every team in the league participate every year and give each equal odds. That way, mediocrity wouldn’t be rewarded, teams wouldn’t go into the tank late in the season, and middle-of-the-road teams such as the Lakers would have a better chance to rebuild. . . .

Tampa Bay and Seattle each paid $16.5 million to enter the NFL in 1976. The next two expansion franchises will pay $140 million each. . . .

Billy Conn, who died Saturday at 75, weighed only 169 pounds when he was knocked out by heavyweight champion Joe Louis in the 13th round in 1941 while well ahead on points. Conn’s weight was announced as 174 to make it appear that he was a truer test for Louis, 199 1/2. . . .

This was probably the best Indianapolis 500 telecast yet because of the camera innovations and the lack of commercials during the last 20 laps. Among the negatives were too many commercials early and too much Teresa-cam shots of Emerson Fittipaldi’s wife. . . .

Prediction: The Kings in six games.