European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 a the stars and stripes saturday May 23, 1992penguins devastate Bruins 5-1pittsburgh puts Boston on Brink of elimination playoffs by Howard Ulman Boston apr Kevin Stevens grew up in the Boston area went to Boston College and nearly became a Boston Bruin. Instead he a a Boston killer. Stevens scored four goals thursday night pushing his Hometown team to the Edge of elimination and his own team a the defending Champion Pittsburgh pen ruins a a win away from the Stanley cup finals with a 5-1 Victory. Before the season the Bruins hoped Stevens would have a different Kina of Homecoming. They signed him to an offer Sheet but the penguins matched it. A a that a Why we went after him a Boston coach Rick Bowness said after watching Stevens score three foals in 5 55 of the first period. Quot in a Happy to be in Pittsburgh a Stevens said. That a the place where we won the cup last  Pittsburgh leading 3-0, can sweep the Best of seven Wales conference finals tonight in Boston. The Only teams to overcome 3-0 deficits were Toronto in 1942 and the new York islanders in 1975. A a that a Why you can rewrite history a Bostons Don Sweeney said. Crisp passing by line mates Mario Lemieux and Jaromir jagr set up two of Stevens goals. Lemieux also assisted on a third by Stevens. Jagr had scored the winning goal in the opener and Lemieux had two goals in game 2. Stevens was relieved to contribute. A a it a great to come Back and score four goals a he said after taking Over the nil playoff Lead with 11 goals. A i done to think in be scored in four games and when you re a goal scorer you worry about those things. A that was a Good Way to get it going. It  happen in a better place. Quot whenever you see in the papers that a Guy like that is struggling a Bostons Dave Poulin said a you sort of  Bryan Trottier the eighth leading playoff goal scorer in nil history got his fourth of the season and 71st of Nis career Midway through the second period. Tom Barrasso a shutout bid was spoiled by Joe Juneau at 8 11 of the thira period. The penguins won their seventh straight playoff game against the Bruins outscoring them 34-13 during that Streak. Boston won the first two games of last year s Wales final at Home before losing the next four to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh s Troy Loney gets tripped up behind Boston s Ray Bourque 77 during play in the Boston Garden on thursday night in one of those games a 7-2 win Stevens had two goals and three assists. On thursday night he continued his Strong play against the team he nearly played for. He was open for All four goals three of them set up by Lemieux playing with a broken left hand sustained in the previous series against the new York rangers. Five players including Lemieux hold the nil record of five goals in a playoff game. �?o1 was amazed the Way Kevin gets in tight and he still can put the puck where he wants it a Pittsburgh coach Scotty Bowman said. The Bruins a were unfortunate to fall behind so Early because then they weren table to play their game. They had to open it up Pittsburgh s Larry Murphy said. Stevens got his first goal at 9 08 after Lemieux raced up the Middle of the ice and went around defens Eman Jim Weimer at Bostons Blue line. Lemieux dropped the puck in the Slot to jagr who passed to Stevens. The Quick shot from the right Corner of the crease beat goalie Andy Moog. Stevens scored from the same spot on a Power play at 12 42 with Dave Reid off the ice for tripping. Rick Tocchet passed the puck from the right Corner to Ron Francis behind Boston s net. Stevens was unguarded As he skated in took Francis pass and scored. Stevens third goal came at 15 03. Lemieux passed the puck from the right Side across the Slot to Stevens who flipped a 10-footer by Moog. After Trottier a goal at 8 26 of the second period and Juneau a Quick wrist shot from the lower right Circle Midway through the third Stevens got his fourth goal with 5 29 remaining. Lemieux took a backhand pass from jagr in the Boston zone and passed across the Slot to Stevens for a 20-footer from the  would Trade his Success for rings by Tim Liotta Oakland Calif. Apr As much As he appreciates becoming the a bad a Only three time coach of the year Don Nelson would willingly discard the distinction. A i would gladly Trade All three of these awards in on one championship ring a Nelson said thursday after being named the Aba coach of the year. After shaking up their roster with a blockbuster Trade on the opening weekend of the season the warriors recovered and finished two games behind the Pacific division Champion Portland Trail blazers who had the Best record in the Western conference. Just hours before their season opener Golden Ison state acquired Rookie for Ward Billy Owens from Sacramento in Exchange for guard Mitch Richmond who had been billed during the preseason As one third of the warriors big three along with Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway. �?o1 think this award is a team award,1�?T Nelson said a i think its actually Given to the team that overachiever More than any other during the season which we did. We won far More games than 1 or anybody else expected. I think this team made More strides this year than any team in be Ever coached. That a Why this is so  Nelson led the warriors to a 55-27 record an 11-win improvement Over last season and the teams Best in 16 years and coached the Western conference team in the All Star game. Golden state finished the 1975-76 season with a 59-23 record under coach a1 Attles. A the lets us play and he makes it fun a said Mullin the warriors leading scorer. A but there a a whole lot of work that goes behind what you  Nelson whose overachieving Golden state warriors won 55 games during the 1991-92 regular season received 26 of a possible 96 votes from a panel of sports broadcasters and writers who made the selection. Pat Riley of the new York kicks was second with 21 votes followed by Phil Jackson of the Chicago bulls with 17. A this one is the most exciting one because i won in a year in which there were so Many great jobs Dom by great coaches a said Nelson who also won the Honor 1983 and 1985 with the Milwaukee Bucks the warriors were eliminated in the first round the playoffs by the Seattle supersonics marking first time in Nelsons 15-year coaching career tha team he coached failed to win an opening round Seri the playoffs were Between the great season we 1 and this award a said warriors president Dan Finna we be got to forget about the playoffs and Cone rated on the great season we had and Are going have this  on became the ninth coach Aba history to compile 700 victories and on March became the first Man Ever to appear in 2,500 game a player and a coach. Nelson said he thought Riley would win the award i was surprised and As close to Shock As i can pc Nelson said. A i thought i would be in the top five thinking i would win it would have been  the awards voting panel was made up of three r resent Tives from each league City and 15 from the tonal Media. Votes for the coach of the year based on regular season play and cast on the last a the season