Quebec Nordiques

BASEBALLAmerican League* Orioles -- Agreed to terms with Dave Johnson (pitcher) on a one-year contract.* Cleveland Indians -- Agreed to terms with Carlos Martinez (first baseman-outfielder) on a minor league contract.* Milwaukee Brewers -- Agreed to terms with Gary Sheffield (third baseman), Jaime Navarro and Julio Machado (pitchers) on one-year contracts.* New York Yankees -- Agreed to terms with Steve Adkins (pitcher) on a one-year contract. Named Ron Hansen major league scout.HOCKEY (NHL)

MIAMI -- The signs were there throughout the playoffs. The familiar swagger, the wink, the wisecracks, the impish smile. Patrick Roy, Colorado's unflappable goaltender, had it all going. But he most definitely saved the best for last.He wrapped up the third Stanley Cup championship of his 11-year career with a perfect performance Monday night, making 63 saves in a 1-0 triple-overtime victory over the Florida Panthers that completed a four-game sweep and gave the Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques)

VS. QUEBEC NORDIQUES* WHEN: Tonight, 7:35.* WHERE: Capital Centre.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.* OUTLOOK: The Capitals (31-33-6) failed to take advantage of a chance to move within a point of second-place Philadelphia (31-31-9) by losing to Hartford Tuesday night. Since then, New Jersey (29-30-12) has defeated Toronto, pushing the Caps back into fifth place in the crammed Patrick Division race. Tonight the Caps draw the worst team in the NHL in Quebec (14-45-12), which appears to have a lock on the Eric Lindros stakes.

The Washington Capitals finally will get to use the ice at USAir Arena for their home opener tonight, and three games into this abbreviated 1995 NHL season, the Caps could use a little home cooking.They are winless after a three-game road trip on which they made a lot of noise but wound up being the most polite of guests in the home openers of the Hartford Whalers (a 1-1 tie), the Quebec Nordiques (a 5-1 loss) and the Montreal Canadiens (a 2-0 loss)."It's good to be coming home," said Capitals coach Jim Schoenfeld.

Baseball California Angels -- Placed 2B Damion Easley on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 19. Recalled IF Rod Correia from Triple-A Vancouver.Chicago White Sox -- Placed C Ron Karkovice on the 15-day DL. Recalled C Mike LaValliere from Single-A Sarasota. Recalled C Rick Wrona from Triple-A Nashville. Sent P Johnny Ruffcorn to Double-A Birmingham.Cincinnati Reds -- Activated P Kevin Wickander. Sent P Scott Service to Triple-A Indianapolis.Montreal Expos -- Granted 1B Jack Clark his unconditional release.

BASEBALL American League * Kansas City Royals -- Waived Jeffrey Leonard (outfielder).* Milwaukee Brewers -- Named Fred Stanley director of player development. Reassigned Dick Hackett (vice president of marketing) to the position of vice president of governmental affairs.* New York Yankees -- Waived Pat Sheridan (outfielder) for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.* Texas Rangers -- Announced Mario Diaz and Gary Green (infielders) and Mark Parent (catcher) have rejected outright assignment to Oklahoma City of the American Association and become free agents.

Reggie Savage said last week that he has felt like he's been on a roller coaster this season because he has been up and down between the Washington Capitals and the Skipjacks.Yesterday, he probably felt more like a yo-yo. After being with the Capitals for just six days, Savage learned he was going to Baltimore for the third time.Defenseman Jason Woolley also was reassigned to the Skipjacks.The move of Savage, a right wing, comes as a surprise given Capitals coach Terry Murray's comment Saturday that Savage had earned an extended look with the parent team.

BASEBALLAmerican League * California Angels -- Released Johnny Ray (second baseman).* Chicago White Sox -- Signed Charlie Hough (pitcher) to a one-year contract.* Detroit Tigers -- Announced they will not offer a contract to Lance McCullers (pitcher).* Milwaukee Brewers -- Acquired Darren Holmes (pitcher) from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Bert Heffernan (catcher). Announced they will not offer a contract to Tom Edens (pitcher).* Toronto Blue Jays -- Announced they will not offer a contract to John Cerutti (pitcher)

It didn't take Washington Capitals general manager David Poile long to understand what had happened to his team, then to look to the future with anticipation and optimism."

Penguins name Bowman interim coachWaiting until just three days before their season opener to appoint a temporary replacement for the seriously ill Bob Johnson, the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins named Scotty Bowman as interim coach yesterday.The Penguins waited as long as possible out of respect to Johnson, who learned in late August he has two brain tumors. Johnson is undergoing treatment at his Colorado home, but has vowed to coach again.Bowman, who was entering his second season as director of player development and recruitment for the Penguins, has 736 career NHL victories and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last week.

QUEBEC -- No one in the slot. No one at the far post. No one home in front of the net.The Capitals lost to the Quebec Nordiques last night, not so much because goalie Olie Kolzig, a last-minute entry in the net, wasn't up to the test, but because Washington couldn't change the flow of the game.When Quebec scored, the Caps had no answer and lost, 5-1, despite outshooting Quebec 30-17."We could be deceived by the shot clock," said Caps coach Jim Schoenfeld. "We did outshoot them, but we gave them great chances, two breakaway goals, two-on-one chances.

LANDOVER -- In the minutes before the Washington Capitals' first turn in the NHL draft, general manager David Poile conferred animatedly with the officials of other teams.Clearly, something was up.Something was. In a swirl of dealing on the floor of the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center last night, the Capitals traded their No. 16 choice and Mike Ridley to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Leafs' No. 10 (acquired from the Quebec Nordiques) and Rob Pearson. It was an intricate three-way deal that also included an exchange of players by Toronto and Quebec.

Baseball California Angels -- Placed 2B Damion Easley on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 19. Recalled IF Rod Correia from Triple-A Vancouver.Chicago White Sox -- Placed C Ron Karkovice on the 15-day DL. Recalled C Mike LaValliere from Single-A Sarasota. Recalled C Rick Wrona from Triple-A Nashville. Sent P Johnny Ruffcorn to Double-A Birmingham.Cincinnati Reds -- Activated P Kevin Wickander. Sent P Scott Service to Triple-A Indianapolis.Montreal Expos -- Granted 1B Jack Clark his unconditional release.

Mario Lemieux and Pat LaFontaine aren't the only poin producers in the NHL this season. With 23 days left and with teams having as many as 13 games to play, the NHL could have up to 24 scorers with 100 points or more.The league's previous high was 16 in 1985. Already, 11 men have reached the plateau.So what gives? Are the eyes suddenly sharper? The skills more adroit? The defenses less defensive?Maybe. Maybe not.Certainly, Lemieux seems sharper, LaFontaine skillful and some defenses, such as Washington's, as much interested in the offensive end. But when looking for the reasons for the Buffalo Sabres' Alex Mogilny making a 30-point jump, the Vancouver Canucks' Pavel Bure heading to a 40-point increase and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Ron Francis needing 13 points for the second 100-point season of his 12-year career, there must be more to it.And, of course, there is.* Four more games on every team's schedule now that the league plays 84.* Two expansion teams, the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning, and a 1-year-old still adjusting, the San Jose Sharks, who have given up 342, 284 and 367 goals, respectively.

Reggie Savage said last week that he has felt like he's been on a roller coaster this season because he has been up and down between the Washington Capitals and the Skipjacks.Yesterday, he probably felt more like a yo-yo. After being with the Capitals for just six days, Savage learned he was going to Baltimore for the third time.Defenseman Jason Woolley also was reassigned to the Skipjacks.The move of Savage, a right wing, comes as a surprise given Capitals coach Terry Murray's comment Saturday that Savage had earned an extended look with the parent team.

QUEBEC -- Wanted (desperately): One mad-dog forward, interested in long and potentially lucrative hockey career, to play with established NHL franchise. No need to apply. Just show up at Le Colisee with two sticks, some fire in belly and report to visiting dressing room. Note: Anyone with a facsimile of Bobby Schmautz's snarl awarded preferential placement.That's not exactly the approach the Boston Bruins had taken here for last night's game against the Quebec Nordiques, but they hope they have the man to fit the classified ad. Boston University's Clark Donatelli, last seen as captain of the U.S. Olympic team, was to have made his Bruins debut against the improving Nordiques.

LANDOVER -- In the minutes before the Washington Capitals' first turn in the NHL draft, general manager David Poile conferred animatedly with the officials of other teams.Clearly, something was up.Something was. In a swirl of dealing on the floor of the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center last night, the Capitals traded their No. 16 choice and Mike Ridley to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Leafs' No. 10 (acquired from the Quebec Nordiques) and Rob Pearson. It was an intricate three-way deal that also included an exchange of players by Toronto and Quebec.

MIAMI -- The signs were there throughout the playoffs. The familiar swagger, the wink, the wisecracks, the impish smile. Patrick Roy, Colorado's unflappable goaltender, had it all going. But he most definitely saved the best for last.He wrapped up the third Stanley Cup championship of his 11-year career with a perfect performance Monday night, making 63 saves in a 1-0 triple-overtime victory over the Florida Panthers that completed a four-game sweep and gave the Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques)

BASEBALL American League * Kansas City Royals -- Waived Jeffrey Leonard (outfielder).* Milwaukee Brewers -- Named Fred Stanley director of player development. Reassigned Dick Hackett (vice president of marketing) to the position of vice president of governmental affairs.* New York Yankees -- Waived Pat Sheridan (outfielder) for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.* Texas Rangers -- Announced Mario Diaz and Gary Green (infielders) and Mark Parent (catcher) have rejected outright assignment to Oklahoma City of the American Association and become free agents.

Penguins name Bowman interim coachWaiting until just three days before their season opener to appoint a temporary replacement for the seriously ill Bob Johnson, the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins named Scotty Bowman as interim coach yesterday.The Penguins waited as long as possible out of respect to Johnson, who learned in late August he has two brain tumors. Johnson is undergoing treatment at his Colorado home, but has vowed to coach again.Bowman, who was entering his second season as director of player development and recruitment for the Penguins, has 736 career NHL victories and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last week.