First Period

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The last time the Blast played the Kansas City Comets, its goalkeeper, Brett Phillips, had one of those memorable nights, giving up just seven points as he inspired his team to a 15-7 victory. Last night at Kemper Arena, Kansas City goalie Paolo Ceccarelli counter-punched. Ceccarelli held the Blast to one point fewer than Phillips as the Blast was forced to leave town a 17-6 loser. The loss left the Blast 12-16 for the season and 3-9 on the road. "We had mental breakdowns.

Mount St. Joseph did something last night it doesn't often do: impress the coach. The Gaels poured on the offense and never relented, defeating St. Mary's, 11-0, in a game that was stopped after two periods to claim the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference ice hockey championship at Piney Orchard Ice Rink in Odenton. "This is the best we've played by far all year," Mount St. Joseph coach Erv Terwilliger said. "We had a lot of puck movement and a lot of pretty goals.

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals sat hunched forward on the bench, leaning on the boards as the minutes slipped away in the final period of last night's 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. A study in perfect harmony, their blue gloves gripped the red railing, perfectly spaced, their eyes a single focus on their teammates on the ice. They sat watching with such intense stillness they could have been a photograph. "There's such anticipation," said Caps coach Bruce Cassidy. "They could see the tide was turning.

When Boys' Latin's Quin Revel walked up to the scorer's table yesterday, wearing a brace on his right knee, Harford Tech coach Gary Siler asked statisticians: "Who is that?" Revel, a senior and a two-time Delaware state place-winner at Indian River two years ago, had missed most of the year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. But to the surprise of the sixth-ranked Cobras, Revel, nicknamed "the Mighty Quin" by some of his friends, returned as strong as ever. Revel's 41-second pin over sixth-ranked Joe Knight at 171 pounds keyed a decisive six-bout sweep in a 41-30 victory by the fifth-ranked Lakers (6-2)

WASHINGTON - Even though they were being outskated in the third period, the Washington Capitals were hanging on because their goalie, Olie Kolzig, was knocking away puck after puck. But when overtime came, it was the New York Rangers who got the lucky bounce off a goal post that set up a rebound for defenseman Joel Bouchard, who scored the game-winner in a hard-earned, 2-1 victory. The goal ruined Kolzig's bid for his 200th career win, but the point earned in overtime stretched the Capitals' streak of games in which they've collected at least one point to a franchise-record-tying 14 straight.

WASHINGTON - The final minute of overtime was ticking away and the MCI Center crowd was voicing its impatience, as the Washington Capitals struggled to hold onto the puck for a solid shot on the game's final power play. Then Peter Bondra got off a shot and Robert Lang made a huge effort to maintain control of the slippery piece of rock-hard rubber. The New York Islanders began inching toward Lang, forgetting to cover their backs. Behind them, Jaromir Jagr was hanging around the far post, a forgotten man, until Lang sent the pass across the crease and Jagr one-timed it into the Islanders' net with 36.4 seconds left, giving the Caps a 4-3 victory.

Clearly revitalized by the calendar change and its return home, the Blast wasted little time in taking advantage of the fresh start last night against the Cleveland Force. Getting the offense out of the way early and then showing poise and smarts in protecting the lead later, the Blast came away with a 15-6 win over the Force before 6,403 at 1st Mariner Arena. Goals came from seven players, with Danny Kelly and Tarik Walker leading the Blast with one goal and two assists each. Giuliano Celenza and Billy Nelson added a goal and an assist apiece, with Craig Scheer scoring his first goal of the season.

WASHINGTON - Washington Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig propped his right elbow on the crossbar after making back-to-back toe saves in the second period last night and just stood there, his knee bent, his hip jutting out as if to make a hip-check. If a stationary pose can convey swagger, Kolzig's did. It also reflected the new-found confidence of his Caps teammates as they head into a 2 1/2 -day Christmas break after a 3-0 victory over the Southeast Division co-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals had been outscored by 14 goals in the first period going into last night's game, but against the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins, the Caps scored twice in the opening period and went on to an encouraging 5-3 victory. Peter Bondra led the offensive charge with two eye-popping goals. The first came with 7:10 gone in the first period when he scored short-handed. The second, with 4:42 left in the second, when he skipped out of the penalty box just in time to set off on a breakaway.

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals entered last night's game against the Atlanta Thrashers with everything to prove. They had lost in Atlanta five days ago to a team that was - at the time - the worst in the NHL. Then they surprised many people by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins, a playoff-caliber team, with one of their best performances of the season. Last night at MCI Center, the Capitals' Michael Nylander scored the game-winning goal in overtime for an unlikely 7-6 victory that left the team and its coach still searching for answers.