Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 1, 1993

The Dodgers and Angels never play each other for real and the Rams and Raiders have met only four times during the regular season since 1982, but an honest-to-goodness L.A.-Orange County rivalry finally is upon us. . . .

Nine weeks into the NHL schedule, the Kings and Mighty Ducks will meet for the first time Thursday at the Forum. . . .

Will the Mighty Ducks be overconfident? . . .

One of the surprises in hockey is that the first-year team has been performing better than the Stanley Cup runner-up lately and little separates them in the Pacific Division standings. . . .

“I’m very happy with our progress,” Anaheim General Manager Jack Ferreira said. “From the get go, we wanted to instill a work ethic. The coaches have done a great job with that.” . . .

At this rate, both the 8-15-2 Ducks and the 8-13-3 Florida Panthers will break the record of 25 victories for first-year NHL franchises that weren’t established in 1967, when the league doubled in size, or didn’t emerge from the World Hockey Assn. . . .

The Ducks might also set some kind of mark for one-goal losses, nine of their defeats having come that way. . . .

Much of the credit for their competitiveness belongs to Ferreira, who also got the San Jose Sharks started two years ago. . . .

“What I learned from San Jose is the importance of size and speed,” said the 49-year-old Ferreira, who was an All-American goaltender at Boston University. “You’re not going to get the highly skilled players, but you can get people’s attention with size. Fortunately, some big people were available in the expansion draft.”. . . .

He is particularly happy with the play of forward Anatoli Semenov--”our best player, game in and game out”-- defensemen Bobby Dollas and Mark Ferner, and goaltenders Ron Tugnutt and Guy Hebert. . . .

Ferreira is also bullish about the 17,174-seat Anaheim Arena and the fans who have been coming at an average of 16,500. . . .

“This building helps us a lot,” he said. “Right from the start, it was major league. San Jose and Tampa Bay didn’t get to play in a facility like this their first year. When the players walked in here, they saw how the dressing room looked and then they were greeted by a great fan reaction.”. . . .

“The fans are knowledgeable,” Ferreira said. “They became educated by watching the Kings on TV and in person over the years.”. . . . However, the general manager hopes his team isn’t taught a lesson Thursday at the Forum. . . .

*

The Dodgers ought to think more seriously about dealing for Mark Langston, the left-handed starter who would give them one of the best rotations in baseball. . . .

Another possibility is the signing of free-agent third baseman Chris Sabo. . . .

Greg Olson, who was released by the Atlanta Braves, would make a nice pickup for somebody in need of catching help, such as the Angels. . . .

The cliche about a deal that should help both clubs fits the one that sent reliever Xavier Hernandez from Houston to the New York Yankees for pitching prospect Domingo Jean and infielder Andy Stankiewicz, son of fight trainer Al Stankie. . . .

The Mike Scioscia Celebrity Golf Classic, a benefit for the wheelchair sports and recreation program at Casa Colina Hospital in Pomona, will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Industry Hills Sheraton Resort. Among those expected to play are former Scioscia batterymates Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela. . . . None of the top four rushers in NFL games Sunday scored a touchdown or played on a team that won. . . .

Frank Gifford couldn’t have been serious when he said, “I’ve never seen anyone who threw a football like Jeff George.” . . .

Former San Diego Charger tight end Kellen Winslow is on the search committee that will help to select a new football coach at Missouri. . . .

Five-time world kickboxing champion Benny (The Jet) Urquidez will fight for the last time Saturday against Yoshihisa Tagami of Japan at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas on a card that will benefit Cities In Schools, Inc. . . .

ACC blues: Virginia’s 41-point loss at home to Connecticut perhaps was even more surprising than North Carolina’s overtime loss to Massachusetts at Madison Square Garden. . . .

Think how scary Kentucky would be if Jamal Mashburn had stayed in school and Charles O’Bannon had enrolled there. . . .

Glen Rice, who nearly was traded with Willie Burton from Miami to the Clippers for Danny Manning, was named NBA player of the week after averaging 25.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in four games. . . .

Thumbs up to Pepperdine University athletes, coaches and administrators who have been active in cleanup efforts after the Malibu fires.