European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 12, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 21 Kings trip Caps 7-6 in of by the associated press Landover my. It took a couple of whacks but then the rest was easy for Luc Robitaille. Robitaille pushed a rebound underneath washing ton goalie Clint Malarchuk for his second goal of the game 1 39 into overtime Friday night lifting the Kings to a 7-6 Victory Over the Washington capitals. John Tonelli took a slap shot from the Blue line that Malarchuk held for a moment but then the rebound came free in the crease. Bernie Nicholls took a whack at it and i took a whack at it Robitaille said. It came free. It was an empty net. You can t miss that. I la take those any  Malarchuk thought he held the puck Long enough fora whistle. I had it under my Arm he said. You can assume expected a  the Victory snapped an eight game Road wingless Streak for the Kings who were 0-5-3 away from the forum before Friday. It s about time Robitaille said. We be been play ing pretty Well on the Road. If you want to win in the playoffs you have to be Able to win on the  the capitals Are Only 1-5-1 in their last seven Home games. I Felt the play in our own end was t Good Wash nil Roundup in ton coach Bryan Murray said. Los Angeles which had squandered a 4-1 Lead in the second period had pulled even at 6 with 11 26 remain ing in regulation on a goal by Wayne Gretzky who also had two assists. Steve Leach had Given Washington its first Lead of the game at 6-5 at 7 55 of the final period just 1 33 after Geoff Courtnell scored his second goal of the game to tie the score at 5. Courtnell s goal came on the Power play snapping an 0-15 Streak for the capitals Over the last four games. The capitals rallied from the 4-1 deficit As Dave Christian and Courtnell scored late in the second period and Mike Gartner tied the score at 4 2 05 into the final period. The Kings after squandering their three goal Lead went ahead 5-4 on Robitaille s goal at 3 55 of the final period. The Kings got goals from Tim Walters Tonelli and Jay Miller in a 3 33 Span Early in the second period Totake their 4-1 Lead. In the first period Bernie Nicholls scored his 53rd goal with 2 06 left to match Rod Langway s first goal of the season at 7 53. Langway s goal was his first in 68 games dating Back to feb. 27, 1988. In other games Friday canucks 5, sabres 4 Buffalo . Tony Tanti had a goal and two assists As Vancouver snapped a four game losing Streak and handed Buffalo its fourth straight loss. Paul Reinhart Jim Benning Trevor Linden and David Bruce were the other Vancouver scorers. Linden broke a 3-3 tie at 5 58 of the second period and Bruc scored the eventual game Winner at 12 02. Rick Vaive had a goal and two assists for the sabres while Pierre Turgeon Phil Housley and Jeff Parker added the other Buffalo goals. Blackhawk 3, islanders 1 Chicago Alain Chevrier continued his hot goal ending stopping 27 shots to give Chicago its Vic tory Over the new York islanders. Chevrier who came to the Blackhawk from Winnipeg on Jan. 19, has started All 10 games since his arrival. The Blackhawk 12-27-1 before acquiring Chevrier for future considerations Are 7-3-0 since he joined the team. Steve Larmer scored the Only goal of the first period and Everett Sanipass made it 2-0 at 7 32 of the second period. The islanders Tomas Jonsson scored during a two Man Power play Midway through the third period but Chicago s Troy Murray iced the win with an empty net goal at 19 31. A it s time for the boys of Spring by Richard l. Shook up sports writer baseball s hot stove league turns into the hot Sun league this week. Thirteen teams have asked pitchers and catchers to report thursday at their Florida and Ari Zona bases to begin workouts. The Milwaukee Brewers and to Ronto Blue jays Are the last. They re not asking their pitchers and catch ers to Check in until feb. 21 the Day 10 other teams request everybody on their roster to be in Camp. San Francisco on feb. 26, is the last team to have a full squad report. It is the last Spring training with Peter Ueberroth As commissioner. Bart Giamatti ascends april 1 with Bill White replacing him Asna tonal league president. In the Back of everybody s minds will be the question of whether there will be a Spring training next  current agreement Between players and management expires after the world series. Discussions on a new one typically won t heat up until the very last minute which Means next Spring  Hope is what Spang training is All about. And Hope in the Spring is new players rookies or new  of the rookies and second shot newcomers expected to Haven Impact this Spang or Early in the season shortstop Gary Sheffield Milwaukee. May move dal Sveum who has a broken leg to third or second or the Bench. Left hand Pitcher Dave West new York mets. Everybody wanted him this Winter. May not make staff but will Advance Assoon As someone falters. Third baseman Matt Wil Liams. San Francisco. Can t miss Guy has missed see Spring on Page 25 Aba takes its All Star break with Bird magic on sidelines by Bill Barnard a basketball writer it s the Aba s last All Star break of the 80s, the decade of the lakers and the celtics magic and Bird. So who Are the hot teams not the celtics or even the lakers who have won eight of the last nine Aba championships Between them and have finished with the league s top two re cords the last five years. The celtics Are proving that Larry Bird is the most valuable player of the decade since they Are .500 without him. The two time defending Champion lakers have proven mortal on the Road losing eight in a Row at one Point and Are actually being challenged in their own division by the Phoenix suns of Al teams. Neither does this season belong to the Detroit pistons or the Atlanta Hawks last year s up and coming challengers. This is a season marked by surprises streaks stress and even shootings. Losers have been As notable As winners a game was cancelled because of a riot and a coach collapsed at court Side. For the record the division races at the break shape up like this Atlantic new York kicks five games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers. Central Cleveland Cavaliers three games ahead of the Detroit pistons. Midwest Houston rockets one game ahead of the Utah jazz. Pacific lakers 2 /2 games ahead of the suns. If the season were Over today the playoff teams would be the kicks 76ers, celtics Cavaliers pistons Bucks Hawks and bulls in the East the Rock ets jazz Mavericks lakers suns supersonics warriors and Trail blazers in the West. The biggest Success stories have been surprises the Cavaliers who until last year had not had a winning season since 1977-78 but now boast the Aba s Best record. The kicks who lost twice As Many games As they won the last four years but now have the largest division Lead the Larry Bird. Out with Bone Spur surgery Best Home record at 20-1 and along with Detroit the longest winning Streak a five. The Golden state warriors who at25-20 under new coach Don Nelson Al ready have won five More games than allow last season. The suns who at 29-17 have Al ready won one More than last season. The Milwaukee Bucks who were supposed to show their age but Are tied with the kicks for the fourth Best re Cord. The expansion Charlotte hornets who have the fourth worst record at 13 35 but Lead the league in attendance. Lest there be any doubt about who s magic Johnson. Has hamstring injury on top these Days just look at who s anal Star and who s not. Bird in the has been out since the sixth game of the season for surgery to remove Bone spurs from both heels. The Only celtic on the roster is Kevin Mchale and there Are those who argue that kicks Forwar Dcharles Oakley deserved it More. Magic Johnson in t an All Star either knocked out by a hamstring injury wednesday night in the lakers last game before the break. Two of his teammates Are on the roster but one of them is Kareem Abdul Jabbar added in magic s place As a Reward for his 20-year career not his 10 Point average this , the East team includes three see Aba on Page 25