Rangers

In theory, things shouldn't get harder for the New York Rangers now. In practice, they almost certainly will.Having knocked off the top-seeded team in the conference in the first round of the playoffs, the Rangers would figure to face less formidable opponents at least until the Stanley Cup Finals -- starting with the Philadelphia Flyers, whom they face in the second round beginning Sunday afternoon.Don't count on it.If the Rangers proved anything by dispatching the 30-13-5, first-in-the-East Quebec Nordiques in the six games that ended with Tuesday night's clincher at the Garden, it is what so many of them had been insisting before the playoffs started.

Bedard dazzles After his previous start, in which he tied a season high by giving up six runs and four walks and set a career high by surrendering three home runs, Erik Bedard said he was going through a "dead arm" period that was causing him to exert himself more than usual to reach his normal velocity. But there was no reason to fret, Bedard added. It happens once or twice a season. Bedard then went out last night and alleviated any concerns, shutting down the Rangers in perhaps the finest performance of his career.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- To beat the Binghamton Rangers, you must limit their time on the power play. Plain and simple.The Bandits allowed the American Hockey League's top power-play unit to have seven man advantages last night at the sold-out Broome County Arena, and fell 5-0 to the Rangers before 4,643 fans.Baltimore was successful killing penalties in its first six meetings with Binghamton, limiting the Rangers to six goals on 36 chances. But the Southern Division-leading Rangers scored twice on the man advantage and just missed on numerous other opportunities to claim a 4-3 lead in their 12-game series with the Bandits.

It should have been a fairly entertaining afternoon at Camden Yards yesterday. The sellout crowd of 46,469 got to see the first inside-the-park home run ever at the nearly new ballpark, and witnessed a couple of the outside-the-park variety, too.The trouble was, none of the highlights came from the home team. The Orioles wilted under a major offensive assault by the Texas Rangers and lost, 11-4, to slip 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. The loss ended a modest three-game winning streak and broke a string of nine straight home victories.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals are no longer winless in the month of May.The Capitals are no longer winless in their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the New York Rangers.And the Rangers are no longer undefeated in the Stanley Cup playoffs.All of this unexpected news was brought about last night by a rousing Washington performance that resulted in a 4-2 victory over the Rangers, who could have clinched this series with a win."It keeps us alive," said Washington goalie Don Beaupre, who made 25 saves, while giving up a goal to Adam Graves 33 seconds into the first period and a power-play goal to Brian Noonan with 2:44 left in the game.

Terry Murray is not a greedy man.But the Washington Capitals coach was hoping to milk one more win out of a streak that had reached six entering Saturday night's game against the New York Rangers at USAir Arena in Landover."

The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers battled to a 2-2 overtime tie in the opening National Hockey League exhibition game for both before a small turnout of 3,354 at the Baltimore Arena last night.Ray Sheppard and Lindy Ruff gave New York a 2-0 lead with early goals, and the Capitals rallied on goals by Mike Ridley and Steve Maltais to gain the tie.The Capitals tied the game at 10 minutes, 19 seconds of the third period on Maltais' unassisted goal. Maltais stole the puck from a defenseman, skated in on goalie John Vanbiesbrouck and shot.

The Skipjacks' AHL playoff series with the Rangers is going back to Binghamton after all.It started there, and the Skipjacks won the opener. But they lost the next two, including Friday night by a five-goal margin, creating the notion the Rangers would win four straight and wrap up the series in Game 5 tomorrow night at the Baltimore Arena.Not so fast. Barely resembling the team that lost the night before, the Skipjacks stunned the Rangers, 3-1, last night before 1,458 at the Arena.With the best-of-seven series tied at two wins apiece, the teams will continue in Binghamton on Wednesday after tomorrow night's game.

The Orioles haven't found a manager, but they did lose a front-office official yesterday. Doug Melvin took that long-coveted step from general manager prospect to GM of the Texas Rangers yesterday when he was named to replace Tom Grieve.Melvin, 42, an assistant general manager in charge of the minor-league department for the Orioles, leaves the organization for which he has worked since 1986.During his years with the Orioles, Melvin became a close understudy of Orioles GM Roland Hemond, the man Melvin went out of his way to praise yesterday at a news conference in Arlington, Texas.

NEW YORK -- He is a skating testimony to perseverance, consistency and durability.While many of his contemporaries have retired or are on the downside of their careers, New York Rangers right wing Mike Gartner has shown no signs of age or slowing down. If hockey is a young man's game, Gartner has become a noted exception. His birth certificate may say 31, but his legs and body go at a pace of a player a decade younger."He's that kind of a guy who takes care of himself," said teammate Jan Erixon.