Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 23

roor 23 MONDAY, MAY 4, 1992 IB Jremis start fast with win s' i' j5 OcBAMPlONSHlpf Iffl By Tom McMillan Post-Gazette Sports Writer NEW YORK This is a novel approach. The Penguins, a team used to fighting from behind in the playoffs digging and clawing and scratching took a 1-0 lead in the Patrick Division finals by whipping the New York Rangers, 4-2, last night at Madison Square Garden. It marked the first time in six playoff series that they had won the opening game. "Usually we're fighting for our lives to get back in the series but this gives a great chance to go up, 2-0," Kevin Stevens said. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be piayed here tomorrow.

The teams will head to Pittsburgh for Games 3 and 4 Thursday and Saturday. The Penguins played another solid, patient game last night mirroring the style that enabled them to rally from a 3-1 deficit against Washington in the opening round. Although they allowed 36 shots, they limited the Rangers to just eight shots in the third period. Four players scored goals with Stevens getting the game-winner in the second period and goalie Tom Barrasso was a fortress, making 34 saves before a stunned crowd of 17,744. "This is the kind of game we want to play in the playoffs," Stevens said.

"It the only way to play, the only way Last night's games Wales Conference Patrick Division Penguins 4 New York 2 (Penguins lead series, 1-0) Adams Division Boston 6 Montreal 4 (Bruins lead series, 1-0) Campbell Conference Smythe Division Edmonton 4 Vancouver 3 OT (Oilers lead series, 1-0) Tonight's games Campbell Conference Norris Division Chicago at Detroit (Blackhawks lead series, 1-0) Smythe Division Edmonton at Vancouver John BealePost-Gazette Dr. Freddie Fu has some trouble getting the winner's medal over the laurel-wrapped head of Jorge Gonzalez during the marathon's award ceremony at Point State Park yesterday. "A slow and easy race to win. And it comes down to execution." Troy Loney, Larry Murphy and Ron Francis were the other goal-scorers or the Penguins, who took a 2- SEE PENGUINS, PAGE 24 Gonzalez wins men's division Galliamova best in women's field Patrick enjoys Garden now that he owns a Cup il. "I 1 "I J.

Urn. I NEW YORK Craig Patrick came back to Madison Square Garden last night. This time, though, it was different. Because this night was a playoff night against the Rangers. And because he didn't come back alone.

"I enjoy it now," Patrick said, quietly, almost shyly, the way he says just about everything. Little did you know that what would come next from his lips would have such a devilish twist. "I like coming back here because of the Cup. I like being able to walk into the building knowing I've been a part of one, that I've won one since I left here." Patrick smiled. He is too much of a gentleman to come right out and say it, to taunt the Rangers and their annoying fans.

I've got one and you don't. But wouldn't that be fun? Patrick was fired as the Rangers' general manager in 1986 because he couldn't win the Stanley Cup. No Rangers general manager has won a Cup since his grandfather, Lester. That was a long time ago, 52 years. That's why the Rangers aren't just Slaying the Penguins in what should a throbbing playoff series despite the Penguins' relatively easy 4-2 victory in Game 1.

They also are trying to shed their inglorious past. It is a By Shelly Anderson Post-Gazette Sports Writer If Mario Trujillo was the rabbit, then Albina Galliamova was the magician. Galliamova, of Russia, began accelerating about eight miles into the course yesterday and easily pulled off the win in the Pittsburgh Marathon women's division. Her time of two hours, 32 minutes, two seconds was just the fifth-fastest in the race's eight years. Her winning margin of 6:45 over Kathlene Bowman, of San Dimas, was by far the largest.

Galliamova and Bowman (2:38:47) each ran her best time, but when the Russian made her move, Bowman said, "I wasn't going to go with her. I know what I'm capable of, and I wasn't going to touch that with a 10-foot pole." "I was just kind of fighting time," Galliamova said through interpreter Irina Nieder-berger. "I was trying to keep my pace, so I really wasn't looking around." If she had, she wouldn't have seen any other women after about 11 miles of the race. Galliamova, who turns 28 next Sunday, and Bowman, 30, ran together about the first eight miles of the 26.2-mile event, as Trujillo jumped out to a large lead ahead of them. Galliamova then left Bowman behind and passed Trujillo a little more than 10 miles into the race.

"I don't think my start was fast," said Trujillo, 32, of Salinas, who wound up third in 2:41:45, well off her personal record of 2:28:53. Galliamova and Bowman thought otherwise. "I think she started too quick," said Galliamova. "I believe she should have known the course is quite difficult later on." "It seemed like Maria went out a little fast," said Bowman. Bowman worked her way past Trujillo about halfway through the race.

SEE WOMEN, PAGE 28 By Steve Halvonik Post-Gazette Sports Writer Jorge Gonzalez was standing on the winners' platform in Point State Park yesterday morning when someone tried to put a laurel wreath, symbolic of victory, on top of his head. The wreath was too big, however, and it slipped down over Gonzalez's eyes. It wasn't the only time Gonzalez had vision problems yesterday. The 39-year-old runner from Utuadoado, Puerto Rico, had trouble seeing the competition. He ran away with the eighth Pittsburgh Marathon, winning the men's 26.2-mile race in 2 hours 17 minutes and 33 seconds.

Jose Chuela, 30, of Placentia, was second Ravil Kashapov, a 35-year-old Russian now running out of Tampa, was third Gonzalez's winning margin of 1 minute 27 seconds over Chuela was the second-biggest in Marathon history. Malcolm East of Butler won in 1988 by 4 minutes 38 seconds, a record set when the men's race took a back seat to the women's U.S. Olympic Trials here. Gonzalez's time was the third-slowest ever for a winner. It also was considerably off the 2:13:07 he ran in 1985 when he finished second to Ken Martin in one of the tighest finishes in Pittsburgh Marathon history.

But Gonzalez wasn't complaining. "It's always better when you win," said Gonzalez, who also ran here in 1986, and '90. The prize money for men and women was identical through the first 10 places. First place was worth $20,000, with $13,000 for second, $10,000 for third and $7,000 for fourth. Weather conditions and the 1992 Summer Olympics combined to make for slow times in both the men's and women's races.

The Summer Games was by far the bigger factor. Many of the top runners from around the world are gearing up for the '92 Games in Barcelona. Hence, they are unable to compete SEE MEN, PAGE 28 RON COOK heavy yoke. "It's a joke," Rangers winger Adam Graves has said. "The players who are now Rangers were not involved with thoselosses.

So you can throw all that junk out." Were it only so easy for the Rangers, poor fellows. They get reminded of the team's playoff failures everywhere. You'll probably be chanting "1940, 1940" the last time the Rangers won the Cup at them at the Civic Arena Thursday night. New York Islanders' fans do that with particular gusto, maybe because their team has been in the National Hockey League since 1972 and won four Cups. SEE COOK, PAGE 24 1 v- a Pirates lose, l-O, on 8th-inning HR W.H Campbell Jr Post-Gazette Jorge Gonzalez has Liberty Avenue almost all to himself as he speeds toward the finish line.

Derby could learn from Marathon, and vice versa Tonight "1 Bucs left-hander Zane Smith (4-1) makes the 200th start of his career at 7:35 tonight at Three Rivers Stadium against Cincinnati. Left-handed pitcher Tom Browning (3-1) takes the mound for the Reds. By Paul Meyer Post-Gazette Sports Writer HOUSTON Steve Finley's two-out home run in the eighth inning last night lifted Houston to a 1-0 victory over the punchless Pirates, who finished their longest trip of the season 7-5. Finley's second home run came on a 2-and-2 pitch from loser Roger Mason and ended a super pitching duel between Doug Drabek and Astros rookie left-hander Butch Henry. Pirates were shut out for the first time this year.

Drabek went seven innings, allowing six hits and no walks. Henry, 23, worked seven-plus innings, allowing four hits and no walks. "He was impressive," Manager Jim Leyland said after the Pirates lost their first series of the season. "But we didn't hit, either. When you see a guy for the first time, for whatever reason, a lot of times it works out that way." Henry, who came from the Cincinnati organization in the Bill Doran trade two years ago, left the game after Steve Bucchele opened the Pirates' eighth with a double into right-center field.

Right-hander Joe Boever relieved, and Don Slaught sacrificed pinch-runner Gary Varsho to third base. spent the weekend road-testing the new couch in the family room. For exercise, I turned on the TV and watched horses and people run. The Kentucky Derby and the Pittsburgh Marathon, both carried live and in color and available to anyone with the price of a used 19-inch Sony Trinitron and a set of rabbit ears. Is this a great country or what? They are both fine events in their own right.

The Derby appeals to millions of Americans who would not know Secretariat if he galloped into the room and whinnied at them. It is the only horse race they watch all year. And regardless of what you may have heard, the Pittsburgh Marathon remains the largest and most prestigious marathon conducted in the city of Pittsburgh. After viewing both races from start to finish, I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal each could learn from the other. I'm not sure if horsemen and marathon promoters scout each other, but they should.

What the Marathon could learn from the Derby: Get it over with. If a viewer can watch the start of a race, wander over to HBO, view "Every Which Way But Loose" in its entirety and still get back in time to see the winner cross the finish line, the race is too long. Lil E. Tee did his thing Saturday in 2 minutes and 4 seconds flat. Even that time is four seconds longer than the There is nothing that perks up a flagging runner like a whip.

I'd station a civil-service worker with a crop at Walnut Street in Shady-side and have him flog the competitors as they went by. Charge each entrant a $200,000 supplemental fee. This keeps out the riffraff and would do wonders for the city's treasury, it seems to me. Use an auxiliary starting gate, if necessary, to accommodate all the competitors. You didn see Casual Lies lined up half a block behind Pistols and Roses when the Derby began.

A race isn't a race without parimutuel wagering. What was the Morning Line on Jorge Gonzales yesterday? If you can't bet on a sporting event, it doesn't exist. Think how much more fun the Marathon would have been if you'd been holding a $2 exacta ticket on Gonzales and Jose Chuela. Think what the 25 percent rakeoff would have done for the city's tax base. Invite Hammer.

If the race turns out to be dull, you can hold a rap concert. Don't let the local municipal authorities take over the event. If the city of Louisville ran the Kentucky Derby, it would be a $5000 claiming race. Don't schedule a race to start at 8:30 on a Sunday morning. Most people I know wouldn't get up at that hour for a romantic liaison, much less to watch a race.

Saturday during the cock- SEE KEIDAN, PAGE 28 That brought up Jose Lind, who had forces working for and against him. On the one hand, he was 7-for-13 lifetime off Boever. On the other, he was 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position this season. Lind fought Boever to a full count, then bounced to third baseman Casey Candacle, which kept Varsho at third. "Chico hits almost .600 off that guy," Leyland said.

"If somebody had told me he wouldn't get him in, I'd have told him he was nuts." Leyland sent up switch-hitting Orlando Merced to bat for Drabek, and Houston Manager Art Howe brought in left-hander Al Osuna. That forced Merced to bat right-handed, his weaker side. Merced bounced to second for BRUCE ICE I DAN average American adult male's attention span. A mile and a quarter is plenty long enough. If Arazi has trouble running that far, mere human beings should not attempt to go more than 20 times that distance unless it is in a motorized conveyance of some sort.

Don't pay the athletes directly. It goes to their head. If Lil E. Tee knew how much money he made Saturday, he would be out pricing a new Mercedes and demanding time off to go to Hawaii next week. Get a theme song.

It is impossible to hear "My Old Kentucky Home" without thinking of the Derby. The Marathon should identify itself with some equally stirring and regionally appropriate music. I would suggest, "Here We Go, Stillcrs, Here We Go." SEE BUCS, PAGE 27.