Galaxy 1, Crew 1 OT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Galaxy goaltender Kevin Hartman didn't get much help from his Los Angeles teammates in the first half.

They helped a little more in the second half and one of them saved the game in overtime.

Alexi Lalas cleared a shot off the goal line in overtime as the Galaxy and Columbus Crew played to a 1-1 tie Saturday.

In the 94th minute, the Crew's Eric Denton got free near the back of the penalty box and took a shot that Hartman deflected. Lalas cleared the ball just short of the goal.

``It was about time, defensively, that we did something to help Kevin,'' Lalas said.

Denton had ``acres of space,'' Hartman said, after the Galaxy's 5-foot-8 Peter Vagenas lost a jump ball in front of the goal. Denton pounced and fired a shot that Hartman deflected and Lalas cleared.

``Kevin Hartman was superb for us for the entire 100 minutes,'' Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid said.

``I think he's the premier shot stopper in the league,'' Schmid added.

The Crew dominated the first 35 minutes, scoring their first goal in the 36th minute on a header by Edson Buddle. Freddy Garcia struck a cross from the right wing that Buddle flicked past Hartman into the lower right corner of the net.

Garcia was set up off a free kick after Vagenas fouled Kyle Martino near the sideline.

At that point, the Crew had six shots on goal to the Galaxy's one. Hartman stopped four shots, two from close range, in the first 25 minutes.

``After about 20 minutes, Buddle told me I was on fire,'' Hartman said. ``I said, 'It's only the 22nd minute,' and a few minutes later he scored on me.''

The Galaxy tied it in the 64th minute. Brian Maisonneuve missed a clear and Carlos Ruiz headed it across the goal mouth into the lower right corner past a diving Jon Busch.

``Not bad for the first 100 minutes of the season,'' Crew coach Greg Andrulis said. ``We played well enough to get three points tonight.''

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)