Randy Burridge

Defenseman Al Iafrate sat in front of his locker Saturday, pondering the Washington Capitals' second loss in two days to a Patrick Division rival.The season is three games old, but with a 1-2 record, it's not too soon to be irritated by a two-game losing streak on home ice."Losing streaks, whether they're 10 games or two, aren't good," Iafrate said. "And you should never lose two in a row, especially not at home."These are the games we've got to win," he continued. "It's no joke that we came in second in the league last year, but we've got a lot to prove.

Washington Capitals general manager David Poile closes his eyes and sees the Stanley Cup."It's the only goal we have every year," Poile said before the Caps left for tonight's season opener in Toronto. "Hopefully, this year, we'll get it."Poile has seen the vision before. He has seen it almost every year for a decade. Last season, when the Caps had the Pittsburgh Penguins down three games to one in the first round of the playoffs, he said, he believed he was about to touch it. Now, he winces just a little at the memory.

LANDOVER -- Not even the absence of left wing Kelly Miller and No. 1 goaltender Don Beaupre could ruin opening night for the Washington Capitals last night.Miller and Beaupre are out in contract disputes, but the Capitals had more than enough scoring and goaltending to turn back the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2, before 17,113 at the Capital Centre.There was a little magic from Dino Ciccarelli, who scored the third and deciding goal, two goals by Peter Bondra, three assists by Dale Hunter and 24 saves by goaltender Mike Liut.

BaseballCommissioner's Office -- Suspended Atlanta Braves OF Otis Nixon for 60 days for violating the terms of his drug-abuse after-care program.NL -- Suspended Cincinnati Reds P Norm Charlton for 7 days and fined him for throwing at Los Angeles Dodgers C Mike Scioscia in a Sept. 9 game.BasketballLos Angeles Clippers -- Signed F Ed Horton. forward.CollegesNorthern Kentucky -- Named Steve Blake (executive director of the Tiger Club at Towson State; Cumberland native) executive director of the Gold Club, the university's athletic fund-raising organization.

BaseballBoston Red Sox -- Extended the working agreement with the city of Winter Haven as their spring training site through 1992.Chicago White Sox -- Recalled P Wayne Edwards from Class AAA Vancouver. Optioned OF Warren Newson to Vancouver.Cincinnati Reds -- Placed P Jose Rijo (chipped bone in right ankle) on the 15-day DL. Recalled P Tim Layana (3-1, 2.59 ERA at Class AAA Nashville).Seattle Mariners -- Signed P Sean Rees and assigned him to Class A San Bernardino.Texas Rangers -- Signed OF Billy Moore and assigned him to Class AAA Oklahoma City.

The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Shawn Chambers and left wing Randy Burridge in separate deals yesterday.The Capitals got Chambers, 25, from the Minnesota North Stars for left wing Steve Maltais, 22, and center Trent Klatt, 20.Chambers, 6 feet 2, 200 pounds, played in only 29 games last season because of a cracked kneecap. He had four points in the regular season and seven in the playoffs. His best offensive season was 1988-89, when he had five goals and 19 assists.Maltais led the AHL Baltimore Skipjacks with 36 goals and had 43 assists.