Ken Klee

The Washington Capitals introduced nine rookies to the NHL last season, but yesterday they took care of two of their players who are much closer to the end of their careers than to the beginning.The Capitals re-signed team captain Dale Hunter and forward Mike Eagles to two-year contracts. Hunter turns 35 in July and has been with Washington since 1987. Eagles, 32, is entering his 12th NHL season and second with the Caps. Goaltender Olie Kolzig, one of the nine rookies, was signed to a one-year contract.

LANDOVER -- Washington right wing Peter Bondra had been eager for the Capitals SuperSkills Competition, but yesterday, after winning the fastest skater and hardest-shot competition with the second-best numbers recorded so far in the Eastern Conference, Bondra was subdued."

PITTSBURGH -- The opportunistic Pittsburgh Penguins sent the Washington Capitals home last night to contemplate why so much went wrong after they had forged a 3-1 lead in this best-of-seven conference quarterfinal series.The Penguins advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring two first-period goals and adding a late one in the third period for a 3-0 victory.The Capitals regained their equilibrium in the second period, with a strong defensive effort that included the killing of a five-minute major penalty and fine goaltending from rookie Jim Carey.

BaseballBoston Red Sox -- Re-signed P Greg Harris to a one-year contract with a club option for 1995.Florida Marlins -- Waived OF Greg Briley for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.New York Yankees -- Recalled OF Mike Humphreys from Triple-A Columbus.San Diego Padres -- Activated P Wally Whitehurst from the 15-day DL.CollegesMichigan -- The school's Board of Regents approved the recommendation that Joseph Roberson be appointed director of athletics.Navy -- Named Sherri Nowatzki women's assistant basketball coach.

BaseballChicago White Sox -- Signed 1B-OF James Wambach from Sioux City of the independent Northern League.New York Yankees -- Agreed to terms with P Guillermo Hernandez on a minor-league contract.Texas Rangers -- Released C Craig Colbert from his contract with Triple-A Oklahoma City.BasketballNBA -- Named Orlando Magic C Shaquille O'Neal Player of the Week.Cleveland Cavaliers -- Signed F Fred Roberts to a second 10-day contract.Miami Heat -- Placed G Khalid Reeves on the injured list with a sprained left ankle.

Capitals defenseman Jim Johnson will be playing left wing beside center Dale Hunter and right wing Kelly Miller tonight against the Quebec Nordiques.Is this any way to go into a showdown with the Nordiques, the team with the best winning percentage in the NHL?"

The Skipjacks and Utica Devils can't seem to decide whether they want to play offense or defense.After a 10-8 shootout Friday night, the teams battled to a 2-2 tie last night at the Baltimore Arena. The Skipjacks took a staggering 48 shots; Utica goaltender Chad Erickson had 46 saves.Forty-two seconds into the third period, Reggie Savage knotted the score at 2. For Savage, who was sent down by the parent Washington Capitals last week, it was his first goal of the season.Baltimore coach Barry Trotz held a one-hour meeting yesterday morning to discuss Friday night's high-scoring affair and study film.

Their offense depleted by two midweek call-ups, the Skipjacks answered emphatically with defense last night.They used goals from three defensemen and a 34-save performance from goalie Byron Dafoe to beat the defending AHL champion Adirondack Red Wings, 5-3, before 2,394 at the Baltimore Arena.The game ended with a brawl on the ice after Adirondack's Darren McCarthy drew a game misconduct."We checked [Vyacheslav] Kozlov and [Chris] Tancill and we did lTC it very well," said Skipjacks coach Barry Trotz.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence Civic Center is quickly becoming a tough place for visiting American Hockey League teams to play.The Skipjacks found this out last night, as they were beaten, 4-1, by the Providence Bruins, who are 4-1 in their first five home games since relocating from Portland, Maine.With 6,127 looking on, Providence scored twice in each of the final two periods and Baltimore was held to a season-low one goal."I had heard Providence wasn't strong in their own end," said Baltimore coach Barry Trotz.

WASHINGTON - The night before, the Washington Capitals watched the New York Islanders claw back from an early three-goal deficit to gain a home draw. Last night, on their MCI Center ice against the Buffalo Sabres, the Caps found themselves in a similar predicatment, without the same result. They surrendered two early goals, contributed a second-period gift, and were unable to find a response in falling, 5-2, in front of 15,474. It was a night on which right wing Peter Bondra moved alongside former Capitals great Mike Gartner as the franchise's all-time leader in goals with 397, but it was Bondra's giveaway at his blue line in the second period, just before the record-tying goal, that set up a short-handed score by Miroslav Satan that proved to be the game-winner.