Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 49

THE HARTFORD COURANT: Wednewkiy, April 25, 1990 03 Burns has the answers (in French) Whalers switch to Channel 20 Oilers win in OT, 6-5 Associated Press Joe Murphy banged in a rebound of his own shot 4 minutes, 42 seconds into overtime, lifting the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday night and a sweep of the Smythe Division finals in Ingle wood, Calif. Playoffs at a glance Divitlon final Adams Division Montreal vs. Boston Brains toad series, 3-0 Monday's rssuHj Boston 6, Montreal 3 Today's gamei at Montreal, 7:35 p.m. Patrick Division Rangsrs vs. Washington Capitals toad a arias, 2-1 Monday's result: Washington 7, Rangers 1 Today's gams: at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Smyths Division Los Angstos vs. Edmonton Oilers win series, 4-0 Tuesday's result: Edmonton 6, Los Angeles 5 (OT) orris Division St. Louis vs. Chicago Ssrtos tied, 2-2 Tuesday's result: Chicago 3, St. Louis 2 Thursday's game: at Chicago, 8:35 p.m.

By JEFF JACOBS Courant Staff Writer MONTREAL This hockey-mad city woke up Tuesday morning to French and English headlines blaring the imminent demise of its beloved team. Montreal had gone to bed Monday night shortly after 17,924 sarcastically serenaded the Canadiens with "Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye" midway through the third period of a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins at the Forum. It wasn't a pretty scene. On the verge of being swept from the Adams Division finals and with his lineup riddled by injury, Montreal coach Pat Burns suddenly found himself in a most unusual role. The tough former cop was a sympathetic figure.

He looked like he had seen a ghost, and not one of the friendly Forum variety named Mor-enz or Beliveau who have haunted the Bruins annually. Burns, complete with a rock-hard demeanor, wasn't asking for sympathy at his daily news conference TuejJay. And the pile of 50 reporters, mostly French and mostly reflecting the city's passionate affair with hockey, surely wasn't offering a comforting shoulder. With Montreal down 3-0 in this best-of-seven series, it was pretty obvious the weight of the world was on Burns. And it couldn't help but show as he explained fully in French that Stephane Richer (reinjured ankle) and Mike McPhee (long-term groin problem) would not play tonight in Game 4.

Hoping to trick the English-speaking media and thus deceive the Bruins, Burns did not give a full English translation about Richer and McPhee. Nor did he repeat that Russ Courtnall would be placed on a top line with Shayne Corson and Stephan 1989-90 regular season. "Channel 20 fits in with our marketing plan," said Bill Barnes, the Whalers vice president for marketing and public relations. "We want to increase our fan base into New Haven County and Channel 20 will allow us to do that." Channel 18 has been operating under protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code. Barnes said Channel 18's financial condition had nothing to do with the Whalers new TV plans.

"It was strictly a business decision," he said. Walter to retire. The natives are restless. And Bruins defenseman Raymond Bourque, who grew up 15 minutes from the Forum, knows those natives don't remain quiet for long. "We've got the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins and I think it's a big advantage for us," Bourque said.

"Here, all the people want to see or hear about it is the Canadiens. The pressure is incredible. "Because of the history of this series, people just don't expect us to be up 3-0." The Canadiens are 21-3 lifetime in playoff series against the Bruins. "I just wish people would realize Boston was No. 1 in the NHL during the season," Burns said.

"We played very well the first two games in Boston. We could have won both. Last night was dominance by the Bruins." The Canadiens power play was the worst in NHL during the regular -V- NHL The Oilers, who have seven con-Si secutive victories after trailing Win- nipeg 3-1 in the first round, won a faceoff in their own offensive zone Murphy took a long shot that Kings goalie Kelly Hrudey blocked. 'LlBut the shot bounced back out to Murphy, whose second attempt from deep in the slot eluded Hrudey. Esa Tikkanen forced the overtime when he scored for Edmonton with 2:55 left in regulation.

The Kings' Wayne Gretzky missed the game because he aggravated his 'hyperextended back when he was checked into the boards early in Qame3. Blackhawks 3, Blues 2: In St. Louis, Wayne Presley and Michel Goulet scored 36 seconds apart in the 'second period and rookie Ed Belfour lwon his first playoff start, tying their playoff series at two victories 'each. Belfour was spectacular in the third period, protecting a one-goal Tead with 18 saves. He finished with 31.

Greg Millen started the first 10 playoff games in Lakers fined $25,000 for sitting top players I fib Associated Press The Los Angeles Lakers were fined $25,000 Tuesday because Magic Johnson and James Worthy didn't play in the team's final regular-season game Sunday night at Portland. The Trail Blazers won 130-88, the worst defeat in Lakers history. Johnson and Worthy went through pregame warmups as did Mychal Thompson, another starter, but all three sat out. NBA commissioner David Stern said the Lakers were being fined "for failing to play two healthy players who are normally starters." Sunday night, coach Pat Riley said, "It really was an insignificant game for us. I do want to apologize to the Portland fans.

They paid their money to see us play. But this game was bigger than that for us. I had a gut feeling that we might get I injuries if we played our guys." The outcome of the game didn't affect the standings. The Lakers finished the regular season with an NBA-best 63-19 record, while the Trail Blazers were 59-23. The game was offered in Portland on a pay-per-view basis on a local season at 15.9 percent efficiency.

And they've gone downhill in the playoffs to 2-for-40 (5 percent), including 0-for-ll against Boston. In the first period of Game 3, Montreal allowed a short-handed goal by John Carter. On that goal, Burns had moved defenseman Chris Chelios up front and Richer back to the point. "I had nothing to lose, I'd tried everything else," Burns said. "But it also was a bad-angle goal by Patrick Roy." Sunday, Burns had turned sarcastic after being criticized about his special teams.

He announced he "might enroll in the Mike Milbury power-play school" and walked away from the media. The same day he went nose-to-nose with Lemieux on the ice. "I made a comment about the power play he didn't agree with," Lemieux said. Roy, meanwhile, was clearly Montreal's premier performer this season. But he has looked vulnerable going down too soon on shots in this series.

Burns pulled him for the first time this season in the second period Monday, but quickly announced Roy would be back tonight. Ignoring that the Bruins lost more manpower games than anybody in the NHL, Burns said, "The eight-point difference 1 101 to 93) between us and the Bruins probably wouldn't have been there without injuries. Chelios missed two months with a knee injury, practiced twice and you can't expect he will dominate. "And you don't see the same Petr Svoboda and Mathieu Schneider (who missed the first two games on defense as you did against Buffalo." Asked why the Canadiens looked so much stronger against Buffalo than Boston, Burns gave the questioner a steely glare and answered simply: "We're going against a better team." NBA cable television service. The league levied fines in 1985 when Riley held Kareem Abdul-Jab-bar and Johnson out of a season-ending game at Kansas City.

Robinson again rookie of month: David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs was chosen NBA rookie of the month for April, completing a six-month sweep of the award. Robinson is the first rookie to sweep since Ralph Sampson in 1982. Robinson averaged 25.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.36 blocked shots dur-ing the month and beat Tim Hardaway of Golden State. Robinson also was chosen NBA player of the week for the final week of the regular season. He finished the season 10th in scoring (24.3), second in rebounding (12.0) and third in blocked shots (3.99).

Honor for Rodgers: The Celtics' Jimmy Rodgers was named coach of the month. The Celtics were 10-2 in April, their best monthly record since Rodgers became coach in 1988. we've gotten the performances, had players step forward and put out." Forward Kevin McHale knows the backcourt will be crucial in the playoffs. "You know, a lot of times when other teams play us, they try and make our guards shoot the ball," McHale said. "They're capable shooters, they've just got to rise up and shoot it, play with confidence.

Coming down to the playoffs, we're going to play against teams who are going to double-team down low all the time, trying to keep the ball out of the big guys' hands. And our guards are just going to have to shoot it They shoot those shots and open it up, they're going to open it up for everybody. "That's where we're at right now. We're at the point where we have some different weapons to go to. If we can score some points from different positions, we'll be much tougher." The backcourt is functioning better than at any other time this season.

In the next few weeks, Celtics fans will find out if there is enough firepower back there to counter the likes of the Knicks' Gerald Wilkins, Mark Jackson, Maurice Cheeks and Trent Tucker. If there is, the next test probably will be against Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson and the Detroit Pistons. If there is a weakness, it certainly would be exposed then. I iftr in lfP Associated Press When the new hockey season begins this fall, the Whalers will have a new television home. The club said Tuesday it signed an agreement with WTXX-TV Channel 20 in Waterbury to broadcast 20 regular-season and three or four preseason games.

SportsChannel-New England will telecast at least 55 other Whalers regular-season games and all playoff games, the team said. WTXX replaces WHCT-TV Channel 18 in Hartford, whose three-year contract with the Whalers expired at the end of the Lebeau. Lebeau is a shifty French forward the media and talk-show callers here have clamored for, but he has yet to appear in this series. Mark Pederson, fourth in the AHL this season with 53 goals and 95 points, was called up Tuesday from Sherbrooke to play on a line with Bobby Smith and Claude Lemieux. When the Canadiens amassed 115 points and rolled to the finals last season, they were four quality lines deep.

But with Shayne Corson sleepwalking through this series and Richer and McPhee hurt, the Canadiens look punchless and paper-thin up front. About the only thing Burns could brag about was, "We've done a good job hiding injuries." Smith, back from a broken jaw, looks slow and aging. Mats Naslund, on the verge of leaving Montreal to play in Switzerland, has a groin injury and hasn't played against Boston. And the critics are calling for Ryan Patrick Flynn Special to The Courant "He's used to people expecting more than most can deliver," Yankus said. "He has a quiet intensity about him that makes him a leader.

He runs all the time, leads by example." Quiet intensity, leadership by example. Those are character traits always associated with his father. That's why contending teams such as the Twins and A's coveted Don Baylor Sr. for his clubhouse influence. His son is using those abilities to make his own mark.

"Being a leader is something you're born with," he said. "You either have it or you don't. You'd have to ask others if I am a leader. "My father was himself, and I'm myself. The differences are there.

I do feel people expect more of me; I just try to make them happy by working hard every day. I can only do what I can do." Hampton injury last season. His busiest season was in 1989 when he rushed 233 times. Giants coach Bill Parcells likes his running backs to work overtime. Only two backs in the league carried the ball more often than Ottis Anderson in 1989.

"I expect to come in and contribute to the team and play 150 percent every time I'm in there," Hampton said. "It's not important that I start. I just want to help the team. i think I'm ready for the next level and I'll be able to adapt." goal, but did not dress for Game 4. Presley got his seventh goal of the playoffs, surpassing his season total of six, on a screened shot from the left side at 2:06.

Goulet made it 2-0 when he knocked in a loose puck in the crease that goaltender Vincent Riendeau failed to clear. Trent Yawney scored the winning goal at 18:09 with the Blues' Brett Hull penalized for drawing blood from the face of Chicago's Jocelyn Lemieux with his stick. Hull received a major penalty and a game misconduct. League to meet on North Stars sale: As Gordon and George Gund apparently grow closer to selling the Minnesota North Stars to a group headed by former Whalers managing general partner Howard Baldwin, the league has called a special Board of Governors May 8 meeting to discuss the situation. Patrick Flynn Special to The Courant nailed the potential tying run at the plate.

"I don't know if I will (play pro ball," Don Jr. said. "It depends on whether I keep getting better and better." Don Sr. sent his son to prep school for a year of physical and psychological development before college. "It's really like a fifth year of high school for me, one more year to mature," Don Jr.

said. "It's been good. I played football for the first time, and enjoyed that. I have no brothers or sisters, and it's been a good experience to live with other people." While growing up, Don Jr. often served as bat boy for his father's teams.

When Don Sr. was named MVP in 1979, he skipped the news conference; it fell on his son's birthday. "Of course, my father has helped me a lot, taught me a lot," he said. "I was practically born in the stands at Baltimore." When the Baylors came to Choate for an interview last spring, it seemed everyone wanted to meet the father not the prospective and the offensive line was substandard, Hampton gained 1,092 yards in 1 1 games. In the two games after his knee surgery, Hampton compiled 351 yards of offense and scored six touchdowns.

Georgia, which had lost three in a row, won those two games. Hampton, 5-foot-1 1 Mr 217 pounds, is an elusive slasher with 4.52 speed in the 40-yard dash. He is a good receiver and, once in the open field, rarely does the first tackier bring him down. He runs high, his legs under him, with his bead up and his shoulders square. we i Guarding the Celtics The Celtics need steady contribution from their guard in the playoffs: 5 His Choate teammates say Don Baylor second from right, is a great guy and one of the hardest workers on the team.

i. Baseball star's son thrives on pressure AV6 3-Pirt. PLAYER MIN FCM-FCA PCT FCM-FCA FTM-FTA PCT PTS AVO HO Lewis 79 31.9 540-1089 .496 4-15 256-317 .8081340 17.0 34 Johnson 75 27.1 206-475 .434 1-24 118-140 .843 531 7.1 24 Paxson 72 17.8 191-422 .453 5-20 73-90 .811 460 6.4 18 Gamble 71 13.9 137-301 .455 3-18 85-107 .794 362 6.1 18 Bagley 54 20.3 100-218 .459 1-18 29-39 .744 230 4.3 14 C. Smith 60 8.7 59-133 .444 0-7 53-76 .697 171 2.9 12 Don Baylor Jr. has 10 hits in 28 at-bats for a .357 average with Choate (6-1).

He is the leadoff batter and has scored eight runs. Celtics backcourt peaking Continued from Page Dl prep school post-grads, and he has been playing organized baseball only four years. "You could see the father never pushed the child," said Gary Turber-ville, athletic coordinator at Austin High. "(Don Jr.) played because he wanted to play. He was very young, but we felt he'd develop into a quality athlete." Baylor, 5-foot-ll, 180 pounds, bats first and plays center or left field for Choate.

He's not a power hitter like his father, but more of an offensive catalyst After a slow start, he's hitting .357 (10-for-28), with a triple and eight runs scored for the Judges (6-1). "It's hard to say if he's a prospect," Choate coach Tom Yankus said. "He's got so many physical tools. He's got that big upper body, and he runs like the wind." He also has a great throwing arm something his father lost to injury early in his career. Don Jr.

helped save a 5-4 victory over Kent April 18 with a perfect throw from the warning track in left to the shortstop, who student. A typical reaction. "He was sort of pushed aside, the poor kid," Yankus said. "I was trying to bring him out more, get him to talk. I'd like to see him have more fun." Likewise, his teammates were at first fascinated with the name.

"At first, we all wanted to see what he was like; the expectations were high," junior catcher Jay Waller said. "He's the hardest worker on the team. He gives 100 percent always in everything he does." Said Bartlett: "Maybe he's not as great a player as his father, but he's still a great player. And a great guy" The comparisons, the expectations, always will be with Don Jr. At Austin, where the Baylor name is so big.

it was probably tougher than in Connecticut It's a style that doesn't leave him vulnerable to a direct hit very often. But in his three seasons at Georgia, Hampton never played an entire season as the Bulldogs' main back. He has had arthroscopic surgery on both knees and missed spring practice in 1988 and '89 because of knee problems. He split time with first Tate and then Tim Worley as a freshman and sophomore. A shoulder injury hampered him toward the end of the 1988 season and be missed one game with a sprained ankle and parts of two others with the knee Continued from Page Dl Perhaps they said their piece over the last three games, romps over Orlando (doesn't count), Chicago (with Michael Jordan) and Philadelphia (without Charles Barkley).

Those contests had impact on neither final standings nor playoff pairings. But with Bird and DJ out with injuries, Rodgers reached deep down his bench and tested his charges, especially his backcourt combinations. Bagley said, "I don't think we were trying to prove anything to anyone." Yet he, Paxson and Smith combined for 51 points and 34 assists in the last two cakewalks over Chicago and Philadelphia. Smith called it "a definite boost" heading into the playoffs. "I don't think there's any problem with our guards," Smith said.

"I think we've played well the whole season. The last couple of weeks have really built up the confidence, and we're ready for the playoffs." Paxson, who has beard a lot of criticism this season, agrees. "There's one writer that (recently wrote we didn't have any guys that could come in and do anything," Paxson said. "Well, we sure did get some effort from a lot of different guys in the last three games. I think when players get put in certain situations when they're asked to perform because other guys are out Giants bypassed defenders to take Continued from Page Dl former record-setting tailback for the Bulldogs, said Hampton could have been the best all-around back in school history and was more versatile than Herscbel Walker.

Early in his freshman season, Hampton rushed for 227 yards against Mississippi when Lars Tate was sidelined with a knee injury. His 290 yards of total offense against Old Miss is a school record. Even though Georgia became more of a passing team last season 3.