European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday May 19,1987 the stars and stripes Page 21 sports oilers top flyers in opener by Ken Rappoport Edmonton Alberta a Edmon ton s Wayne Grucky found some inspiration from the efforts of a fellow superstar Larry Bird of he Boston bullies. Gretzky broke out of a goal scoring slum and the oilers snapped out of an Early lethargy to beat the Philadelphia flyers 4-2 in the opening game of the Stanley cup final sunday night. I was beginning to forget what he net looked Ike said Gret Efcy who had a goal and an assist to help the oilers get the Early jump in this Besl of so Van no championship series. Gretzky had t scored a goal in five games before sunday night his last goal coming in inc fourth and final game of the Smythy division finals against the Winnipeg jets. Bui he broke thai string Wilh his fourth Goat of the playoffs Al 5 06 of he first period sunday night to give the Oil ers a 1-0 Lead. The oilers1 Star said he Drew his Cue from Bird s performance sunday in Henba playoffs. I was watching Bird this afternoon on television and the announcer kept talking about How the Boston celtics needed him to score if they were going Towin Gretzky said. In he fourth period Bird took charge and the celtics won. When i came to the Arena tonight 1 was determined to do the same Gretzky s goal came after a shot by Lin mate Jari Karri who also had a goal and an assist for the oilers the puck just came out to me and i threw it upstairs Gretzky said. No question i am Happy. It was a big goal for the team in that situation. It took off a lot of pressure and tension. It took pressure off he other Many of the flyers were impressed with Gretzky s performance. He just mesmerizes you flyers de Senseman Brad Marsh said. Gretzky is a very dangerous flyers goaltender Ron Hextall said Well he belter prepared for him in game 2 for the oilers themselves Edmonton defens Eman Paul Coffey fell his team looked like the oilers of old once the woke up from a slow Start in the first two periods. We had some problems in the firs two periods bul we turned it on in the third Toffey said. Our icam Trade Mark is usually a killer instinct but it ook us a while to show thai Coffey said the oilers played a very disciplined game and played Well away from the puck tonight the two Points gave arc Luzky 200 for his nil playoffs playoff career the first time anyone in nil history had reached thai level. He has 25 Points during this year s playoffs i decided o iry he new skates to night arc Luzky said. I like my skates Light and the last couple of week they be been a Little Philadelphia s Brian Propp had scored second period goal to tie the game at i 1 before Glenn Anderson put the oilers ahead for Good with a goal 48 seconds into the third period. Mark Messier did much of inc work on the goal As he carried the puck into he Ryers zone from the Blue line. Messier hit the Side of the incl with his shot Hen chased the puck around be Hind the net from left o right before Selling up Anderson for the score. Anderson the top goal scorer in the playoffs with 11, put the Pucic Between the goal Post and he Utasi s Glove. Gretzky Hen set up Coffey when he passed out from behind the net and the speedy oilers dec semen connected from be right Circle Al 7 05. Kuni then gave the oilers a 4-1 cad when he scored from the right Circle al9 11 after taking a pass from Grezky who was behind the incl. The flyers Cut the oilers Lead to two goals when Rick Tocchet ripped in a shot from the Blue line by Brad Maish at 10 18. Grand Fuhr made 29 saves in the Edmonton net. Tie teams meeting for the first Ime since dec. 23, appeared to be feeling each other out and afraid to make a mistake Al the beginning of the game. There was t a shot on goal until Gratz icy fired from the Slot at 3 52. The flyers did t get their first shot unlit the 5 05mark. But finally Gretzky the nil Points Leader this season brought the crowd of 17,502 at inc North lands coliseum to life i h his fourth goal of the playoffs and 68th of his career that lied him with Gordi Howe for fourth place on the All time list arc Luzky was behind the Goat line whence passed out to i nematic Kerri. Kerri unleashed a shot on goal that he Tau partially cleared out. Gretzky floating out behind the play picked up the puck and drilled a shot through a crowd of players Between hex Tail s stick and the Post from about six feet. The oilers held Oato thai slim Lead after one period thanks o a Superb Effort by Fuhr. Fuhr Brilliant throughout the playoffs As he oilers stormed to the Campbell Confer ence championship made stops on Consic by per up oilers Star Wayne arc Tzvi 99 gets bumped to the ire by Dave Poulan of he flyers. Ulic Point Blank shots by Pelle Eksund and Mark Howe Wilh just under two min utes remain ing in the period. However Fuhr was t Able to handle a Shol by Propp Al 16 08 of the second period thai tied the score 1-1. Eklund intercepted a pass by Messier and passed out to Tocchet. Tochel dropped a pass to Frapp who teed up the puck and fired a 50-Fooler above the left face off Circle. Fuhr got a piece of the puck before it skittered past his stick Side into the net it was Propp s nine goal of the playoffs. Magic Johnson named map by Aba new York a magic Johnson who red Tholos angles lakers to the Aba s Best record Wilh a career High 23.9 Points a game and a league Best 12.2 assists monday was named the league s most valuable player. Johnson received 65 first place votes and a total of 73j Points from the panel of Media members and was the Only player named on All 78 ballots. Michael Jordan of Chicago the league s leading scorer had 0 first place Voles while Larry Bird of Boston. The map the last three years came in third with one first place vote. The other two first place Voles went to Charles Barkley of Philadelphia who finished sixth in he voting and Akcam Olajuwon of Shomion who was seventh. The 6-Fooi-9 Johnson is the first guard to win the award in 23 years and Only the third since the award was first made in 1956. The others were Boston s Bob Cousy in 1957 and Cincinnati s Oscar Robertson in1964. Johnson was the catalyst Wilh his Points and assists combining for 48 Points a game As the lakers posted the Aba s Besl record 65-17, his scoring average was Lola in the league and he shot .322 from he Field and .848 from the free throw line. He also lopped the learn Wilh 138 steals and ranked Hird with 6.3 rebounds per game. The Irue a Ron Seiff of the superstars is thai hey make everybody around them Beller said Seattle coach bar Nic Bicker Start. Whose learn is facing inc lakers in the Western conference finals. Magic docs that he s just a great basketball following Johnson Jordan and Bird in the top lower Kevin my Haimof Boson Dominique Vilkins of Atlanta Barkley Olajuwon Isiah Thomas of Delroid fat lever of Denver and Moses Malone of Washington. Although Johnson is Only 27, he is compiling his cig huh season Wilh the later. He turned pro Afier leading Michigan stale to the Mcaa title As a soph Omore in 1979. The lakers arc shooting for their fourth Aba championship since Johnson joined them. They won titles m 9bo, 1982 and 1985, and reached the finals in 1983and 1984, when they lost to Philadelphia ind Boston respectively. Los Angeles was beaten by Houston in the Wesie conference finals is season before this season Johnson was asked by coach Pat Riley to do More than in he Pas. That meant More scoring. Somehow 1 knew ii was going to come Down John son said. But i did t know How it would be communicated and i did i know How it would be accepted i was wailing but i was t impatient. I was waiting because i had so Many doubters that i could to 1 had to go Back to the Days in High school and College when used to come Oul Johnson s Best scoring average prior to this season was in 1980-81, when he averaged 21.6 Points per garni1. Buthe was limited to 37 games by a knee injury. His second Best scoring average before this season was 1s.8 last year. Prior to this season. The lakers top scorer for 11 straight years was Center a Arcco Abdul Jabbar. I3ut the Ime was right for Johnson if for no other reason than Abdul Jabbar s age inc Aba s All Lime leading scorer turned 40 last month
