Notes on a Scorecard - June 2, 1993

One game does not make a Stanley Cup championship series, but the Kings seem to be quicker, hungrier, more nasty and better marksmen than the Montreal Canadiens. . . .

This time the game really wasn’t as close as the score indicated. . . .

I mean, the Kings won, 4-1, but they scored all five goals, including the deflection off Wayne Gretzky’s stick that eluded Kelly Hrudey in the first period. . . .

The victory came a lot easier than the last one by Los Angeles over Montreal during postseason play in Canada. Rick Monday’s home run gave the Dodgers and Fernando Valenzuela a 2-1 victory over the Expos in the fifth and decisive game of the 1981 National League championship series. . . .

Rob Blake, terrific at both ends of the ice, was the dominant defenseman Tuesday night. . . .

Maybe the Canadiens were rusty after seven days without playing a game, but they figured to be the fresher team at the end and they weren’t. . . .

Those who counted the Bulls out of the Eastern Conference series after their two losses in New York should have learned long ago never to underestimate the importance of the home-court advantage. . . .

NBA officials are swayed more by the crowd than NHL referees. . . .

Among the reasons the Knicks can’t afford to fall far behind Chicago in any game is that their best point guard, Mark Jackson, is in Los Angeles. . . .

The Clippers should consider the signing of low-key Lenny Wilkens as coach of the Atlanta Hawks a blessing. . . .

Cory Snyder ought to be moved from right field to left when Darryl Strawberry returns to the Dodgers. . . .

I love the Dodgers’ new nickname--the “Grasshouse Gang.” . . .

Remember when Memorial Day used to mean doubleheaders? Four American League teams weren’t even scheduled to play Monday. . . .

Albert Belle is trying to become the first Cleveland Indian to win both the AL home run and RBI titles in the same year since Larry Doby in 1954. . . .

At last glance, Bobby Bonds Jr. was hitting more than .300 for the San Diego Padres’ Waterloo farm team in the Class-A Midwest League. . . .

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Three members of the 1989 NCAA champions from Wichita State are beginning to make an impact in the major leagues--Montreal third baseman Mike Lansing, Minnesota shortstop Pat Meares and San Francisco pitcher Greg Brummett. . . .

Although they have been in last place for much of the season, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Class-A California League recently added 500 bleacher seats to enlarge the capacity of their stadium to 5,100. They were averaging 4,500, which was more than any double-A team in the country and second only to Wilmington, N.C. among Class-A teams. . . .

The name of the stadium is the Epicenter. The Quakes’ mascot is Tremor. . . .

Ticket sales for the George Foreman-Tommy Morrison fight Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas already have surpassed those for each of the last two heavyweight championship fights, Riddick Bowe-Jesse Ferguson and Lennox Lewis-Tony Tucker. . . .

Gerrie Coetzee, former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion, and Don Chargin will co-promote the WBA lightweight championship fight between champion Tony Lopez and Dinjaan Thobela June 26 at Sun City, South Africa. Then, on Aug. 6, Chargin will promote Coetzee’s comeback fight against an opponent to be named in Sacramento. . . .

Coetzee, 37, hasn’t fought in seven years and is being trained by Jackie McCoy at the Westminister Gym in Orange County. . . .

Sound-alikes: ESPN French Open broadcasters Mary Carillo and Robin Roberts. . . .

Among the favorites in the NCAA men’s and women’s track and field championships that begin today in New Orleans are Balacz Kiss of USC in the hammer throw, Inger Miller of USC in the 200 meters and Dawn Dumble of UCLA in the shotput and discus. . . .

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Jerry Belmonte recently broke the nose of Ron Warren during a scuffle in the jockeys’ room at Golden Gate. Two days later, Belmonte’s nose was broken in a spill. . . .

Laffit Pincay, who hasn’t been able to get a mount in the Santa Anita Derby for the last four years, was good enough to win the $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap aboard Ibero

at Belmont on Memorial

Day. . . .

Syracuse’s victory over North Carolina for the NCAA lacrosse title was a reminder that a former Orangeman, Jim Brown, is ranked among the all-time greats in the sport. . . .

Vin Scully on June weather in Miami: “I give your five-day roll-on about two hours.”