European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 8, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes posts january 8,1993 Page 28 nil the return of Gretzky not enough by the associated press Inglewood Calif. The los an a Clos Kings endured their ninth straight game without a win a 6-3 decision to the Tampa Bay lightning despite the return of Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky returned for his first game of the season and 1,000th of his nil career with two assists. But the Kings lost to the lightning for the second time at the forum this season and fell to 0-7-2 in their last nine games. They have not won since dec. 12. Gretzky skated Well and made several setup passes to teammates including a pair that led to two goals in the second period. The Kings out shot Tampa Bay 36-20. Brian Bradley scored twice for Tampa Bay giving him 31 goals and 56 Points Tor the season. In other games wednesday rangers 6, senators 2 new York the new York rang cars gave new coach Ron Smith his first nil Victory night by beating Ottawa the senators 20th Road loss in As Many games. With a 3-36-3 record for 9 Points at the seasons Halfway Point the senators arc on target to break the 1974-75 capitals nil record for fewest Points in a season. The first year capitals got just 21. Devils 5, North stars 1 East Rutherford . Alexander Semak extended his goal scoring Streak to five games by tallying twice As new Jersey devils beat Minnesota. The devils snapped a season High four game wingless Streak 0-2-2the five goal performance marked Only the third time in the last 11 games that new Jersey has scored four or More goals. Canucks 5, Maple Leafs 2 Toronto a Anatoli Semenov Geoff Courtnell and Sergio Somesso scored in a 2 11 Span of the third period As Vancouver extended its undefeated Streak to nine games and moved into a tie for first place in the smythe division. Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure also scored for the canucks who Are 8-0-1 in their lust nine 15-2-2 in their last 19 and 25-10-4 Overall. Vancouver a Kirk Mclean had his shutout Streak broken at 154 58, but was outstanding As Toronto out shot the canucks 37-25. Todd Gill and Rob Pearson scored for the Leafs. Sabres 3, whalers 1 Hartford Conn. Pat Lafon Taine scored with 52 seconds left to break a lie then added an empty net goal As Buffalo beat Hartford for its fourth straight Victory. San fan Cusco 49ers quarterbacks Steve Young left and Joe Montana throw a few Warmup passes at wednesdays practice. Young was named the nil s map. By Barry w1lner new York a Steve Young once the most valuable backup Qatar Terback in football How is the a Fly a most valuable player. The 31-year-old Young who replaced Joe Montana As san Francisco a quarterback in 1991 and had a breakout year this season was selected the associated press 1992 nil map on wednesday. Young received 56 of 80 votes cast by a nationwide panel of Media members. A wow. That s just wild a said Young the a Fly a leading passer by a wide margin in helping the 49crs to a league Best 14-2 record. A my first reaction is its an unbelievable Honor. Quot but my next reaction is in be got to go to work. There a a sense that you want to continue to play on that level. People can do it for a period of time but sometimes they can t keep it up so i feel like that a my goal to keep that same level of play going.�?�. That might be difficult Youngs level this season was As High As Montana and just about any other quarterback in nil to Story. He completed 268 of 402 passes for 3,465 Yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He had an 8.62 average gain per pass play and a 107 rating. He also ran for 537 Yards and four touch Downs. But his most significant contribution might have been his leadership. Under Montana the 49ers never had to search for on Field guidance. When Young straggled in 91 a backup Steve Bono had a 5-1 record As a starter while Young was 5-5 a there were questions about his ability to handle the Job full time. Luckily for Young one of his believers was coach George Seifert who emphatically stated that the left hander was his Man while Montana was mending from Elbow surgery. As Montana s recovery lingered through the season Young responded with a spectacular year. A Steve has shown the skills we knew he had and the kind of skills that make you a Winner a Seifert said. A the deserves a tremendous amount of credit for being team oriented for hanging in  after graduating from Brigham Young a an ancestor of his a Steve Young played two seasons in the Usel. He joined the Tampa Bay buccaneers for 19 games through two seasons then was dealt to the 49ers for second and fourth round draft picks. Nil owners players make a Deal by Arnie Stapleton Grapevine Texas a working under a judges deadline the nil and its players agreed wednesday on a seven year contract that brings unrestricted free Agency and a salary Cap to professional football. The league has not had a labor agreement since the 1987 strike. A neither Side got everything that it wanted to get a nil commissioner Paul Tagliabue said at a news conference. A but that a the litmus test of a fair and balanced  on tuesday both sides were Given 24 hours to reach an agreement by . District judge David Doty of Minneapolis. A both sides seem somewhat unhappy with the result leading me to believe that it is a Good Mutual settlement a Doty said. The contract which runs through 1999, includes a free Agency plan that allows players with More than live nil seasons to become unrestricted free agents if player costs reach 67 percent of designated nil Gross revenues a salary Cap see Page 26 for terms of agreement goes into effect and players can become free agents after four years. Had the sides not reached agreement by wednesday Doty said he would impose his own contract a and that neither Side would be Happy. A judge Doty played a major role All the Way a said Gene Upshaw executive director of the nil players association. A the had an envelope with him and he carried it around All Day and he said a you Guys better touch hands and then shake  a Doty a threat came a week after an agreement fell apart with each Side accusing the other of backing off earlier concessions a in order to get things ironed out a los Angeles raiders owner a Davis said a sometimes you have to take a step backward so you can take a couple of Steps  Dallas cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the agreement left no winners and no  i think the system is riot perfect but 1 think we can make it work a he said. A a we re a better game today. We re a better  this Deal is official. Even the pending lawsuits filed by players against the league have been dropped. A we Are pleased to announce a settlement agreement has been reached in the Freeman Mcneil Reggie White and related lawsuits a Tagliabue and Jim Quinn the players lawyer said in a joint statement. Free Agency in the nil will More closely resemble the a bad a system than baseball a where superstars command huge sums of Money. One reason is that nil careers Are Shorter and the salary Cap will limit spending by owners trying to buy a super bowl Victory. A a it a going to be a lot different in football. Its never going to be the same again and that a Good a Upshaw said