The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 42

SnnHnv October 11. ce THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER lite. J-? BILL KOSTROUN Associated Press The Flyers' John LeClair (10) gets tanglecf up with the Rangers' Peter Popovic during the season opener at MadjSoh Square Garden. Mighty Ducks at Flyers 7 o'clock, First Union Center. TVradio: Comcast SportsNet; WIP-AM (610).

Records: Ducks, 0-1-0; Flyers, 1-0-0. Injuries: For the Ducks, Guy Hebert (shoulder separation). For the Flyers, Chris Therien (bruised right collarbone). Ducks preview: Craig Hartsburg has replaced Pierre Page behind the bench this season. The big story for the Ducks is the return of Paul Kariya, who missed the final 28 games last season because of a severe concussion.

Former Flyer Dominic Roussel should be in the nets tonight. Flyers update: John Vanbiesbrouck had a 20-save shutout Friday in New York as the Flyers defeated the Rangers, 1-0. It was the first time the Rangers were blanked in a home opener since 1988. In the absence of Therien, and in his NHL debut, Dimitri Tertyshny will be paired at left defense with Eric Desjardins. Rookie Mike Maneluk, who had an assist against the Rangers, will make his home-ice debut.

Tim Panaccio Flyers play it smart by not retaliating (f I PETER LENNIHAN Associated Press Villanova quarterback Chris Boden (18) is wrapped up by Northeastem's Chris Boyd during the second-quarter at Parsons Field. Boden, who was sacked twice, passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Miscues cloud Villanova loss to Northeastern in A-10 game Interceptions, blown opportunities and defensive breakdowns contributed to a second straight defeat. ers did anything to hurt the Flyers' chances to win by retaliating immediately. H6 says this team knows when to pick its spots.

not going to be telling the players to go onf and get Samuels-son," Neilson said yesterday at practice. "I think players remember. At some point, there will be payback. For someone to fly at Samuelsson in a 1-0 game would have been crazy." Last season, the only player who defended Eric Lindros against cheap shots was Daniel Lacroix, and he was traded last week. "Even if Frenchy were here, he understood there is a time and place," Lindros said.

"That rule never changes. But with the score in mind Friday night, we handled it properly. "Petr knows the situation in a tight game. There are 81 more games to go. Petr has a long memory." Lindros finished off a couple of hard checks on Samuelsson later in the game to send a message himself.

Neilson fined. Neilson 's remarks in the preseason about "the stinking referees" cost him $7,500. However, new league disciplinarian Colin Campbell struck a deal with Neilson. The fine goes on the books, but the NHL won't collect unless there is a repeat offense from a member of the Flyers' coaching staff or management this season. "I don't mind the fine except if I'm paying it," Neilson said.

Injury report. Defenseman Chris Therien will miss tonight's game against Anaheim with a bruised Petr Svoboda was sucker-punched in Friday night's game. Payback will come later. By Tim Panaccio INQUIRER STAFF WRITER When it comes to defending your own, the Flyers either couldn't or wouldn't do the right Uing under former coach Terry Murray. Wayne Cashman replaced Murray and promised that such a lack of camaraderie wouldn't continue, but as last season progressed, the idea of standing up for your teammates didn't take root under him, either.

Current coach Roger Neilson says he expects his players to watch out for one another on the ice and to administer justice for cheap shots when the time is right. TThe time wasn't right Friday night at Madison Square Garden when Rangers defenseman Ulf Sa-muelsson sucker-punched an unsuspecting Petr Svoboda after the whistle when gloves and sticks were down. Svoboda suffered cuts and scratches under his left eye, evidence that Samuelsson gouged him in the face while also landing some punches. "One of these days, it'll be his turn," Svoboda said after the game. Samuelsson's turn couldn't come Friday night because it was a scoreless game at the time and turned Jnto a 1-0 Flyers victory.

Neilson said after the game that he was pleased that none of his play tion to his turnovers, the junior from California made some critical errors in the second half that prevented Villanova from regaining some momentum. Perhaps his most critical mistake came in the third quarter. Coming off their dreadful second quarter, the Wildcats got a marvelous diving interception by DeLonne Kelly on the Huskies' second play of the second half. However, on third and 1 at the Northeastern 37, they were called for delay of game. The next play, Boden's ill-advised pass over the middle was picked off by Zach Falconer.

"The official was holding the ball because of the rain, and I thought he hadn't spotted it yet," Boden said of the penalty. "When I got to the line, I figured I had plenty of time." Villanova drove 93 yards on its next possession, finishing up with Boden's 6-yard TD pass to Murle Sango to make it 28-17. But the Cats met with ill fortune on their next possession. From his 21, Boden rolled right and threw the ball away to his own sideline. The referee, after a few seconds of self-debate, threw the flag and called intentional grounding, sending the ball back to the 5.

On the next play, Boden fumbled the snap from Ryan Knight, who had been idle for two weeks because of a sprained ankle and hadn't practiced all week, and Falconer pounced on it. Villanova mounted a goal-line stand, stopping L.J. McKanas on fourth and goal from the 1. In fact, the Wildcats halted the Huskies three times on fourth down in the fourth quarter. But even that accomplishment didn't go without a sour taste.

Northeastern twice went for deep fourth-down passes to Klemic that were intercepted, the first by Bra-heem Powell, the second by Hezeki-ah Lewis. Nice catches, yes, but they cost Oil the NHL By Tim Panaccio By Joe Juliano INQUIRER STAFF WRITER BROO KLINE, Mass. Villanova's chances of a return visit to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs might have drowned Villanova 17 yesterday in one N'eastern 28 of the puddles that dotted the ar tificial turf at Parsons Field. On a dreary New England day, the Wildcats played like strangers on offense for the second straight week and dropped a 28-17 decision to Northeastern in an Atlantic Ten football conference contest before several hundred umbrella-wielding spectators. Villanova (3-3 overall, 3-2 A-10) turned the football over five times.

Chris Boden, a preseason all-conference selection, threw three interceptions in the pouring rain and lost a fumbled snap. For the second straight week, the defense gave up four touchdowns in one quarter. The fatal period was the second, highlighted (or low-lighted) by Dave Klemic, a fleet graduate of Mainland Regional High School, who caught touchdown passes of 23, 72 and 33 yards. Although the Huskies (4-2, 2-2) were limited to 118 yards and zero points in the second half, the Wildcats blew several opportunities to come back, leaving coach Andy Tal-ley disgusted. "We're not a playoff team right now the way we're playing, it's as simple as that," Talley said.

"To talk of the playoffs right now is ludicrous. We're playing for our football program." The Wildcats, who lost back-to-back games for the first time since late in the 1995 season, have been to the playoffs the last two years. Talley said yesterday's loss means "we're not a factor in the playoff picture." Boden was sacked only twice yesterday, well down from 11 sacks the week before at Maine. But in addi Penn holds Another game of Flyers hardball? right collarbone. Neilson said there was no serious damage to the shoulder.

Rookie Dimitri Tertyshny will replace him in the lineup. Klatt reacts. Trent Klatt, who was waived by the Flyers on Friday and won't know until Tuesday whether he will be picked up by another club, said he was surprised to find out he was exposed. "Roger told me after the game that I was on waivers, and obviously, I knew it was someone, but I had no idea it was me," Klatt said. "I was quite surprised.

It happened two years ago." The waiver period is 48 hours, but Sunday is a nonbusiness day and Monday is a holiday, so the clock stops ticking and then resumes Tuesday. Klatt's $900,000 salary this season, less than the league average of $1.1 million, makes him an attractive, affordable commodity as a checking winger. "If I was attractive for another club to take me, then why would I not be attractive here?" Klatt asked. take what they're offering." Asked if he were bullying Sheehy, Clarke replied with a grimace, "Not at all." Incidentally, the Flyers' payroll heading into Friday's season opener against the Rangers was $42,565,725. Last season's $45,353,352 was the highest in the NHL.

Where's the sushi? Sounds as if the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks have a few problems in their two-game series in Tokyo. For starters, the humidity in the Yoyogi Arena is so bad, the ice is watery. Theoren Fleury fell during a workout. "Jet lag, Theo?" someone hollered. "No, it's the bloody ice!" he replied.

"I almost broke my ankle." There is also a problem with the players showering after the games. The shower room is not connected to the dressing room, forcing players to wear towels and parade through corridors lined with journalists, many of them young women. "This is a little embarrassing," Marty Mclnnis said after one such run. Extended hours. One of the complaints at the First Union Center over the past two seasons has been the lack of food and drink available after games.

Starting tonight, the Red Bell Brewery Pub will remain open at least two hours after games and will be serving Buffalo wings, chicken, and roast beef sandwiches with the usual supply of mi-crobrewery beers and mixed drinks. This is no small deal. Ottawa has one of the most successful postgame environments in the NHL with the Hard Rock Cafe and Marshy's. Both places are jammed after games and into the wee hours of the morning. "We found many of our fans wanted a place to go after the game where they can get something to eat and socialize with other hockey fans," said Peter Luukko, CEO of the First Union Complex.

This arrangement will remain in effect for all events at the arena, including concerts and even Sixers games, if there's an NBA season. Villanova a total of 30 yards of field position versus if they had just patted the ball away. "Our team still has some things to learn about playing football, little things that mst creep into the game, mistakes that are hurting us," ley said. 1 The loss took away from another productive day by Brian Westbrook, who caught a career-high 15 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown a short pass from Boden he turned into a 27-yard score. The Wildcats have next week -off; They need it.

With the A-10 having one of the best seasons of any Division I-AA conference, they have gone to the rear of the line for postseason invitations. "I told our guys, this is a football program, it isn't one game," Talley said. "It's a tough league. We're not going to let the wheels fall off get crazy. But we're hurting right now." Villanova Northeastern 10 28 Or-17 021 Second quarter ii NE McKanas 2 run (kick tailed), 14:17.

NE Klemic 23 pass Quinlan (Klemic pass from Quinlan), 12:07. 1 NE Klemic 72 pass from Vallett (Connolly kick), 3:13. Vill Westbrook 27 pass from Boden (Hannoh kick), 1:57. NE Klemic 33 pass from Vallett (Connolly kick), 1:07. Vill FG Hannon 41, :19.

Third quarter i Vill Sango 6 pass from Boden (Hannon kick), 3:55. A 2,270. Vill NE First downs 21 Rushes-yards 26-96 16 44-201 12--25-3 -V4-38 '8-15 12-25-3 2-11 -5-84 -0-0 Passing oa Comp-Att-Int 29-57-3 Punt Returns 0-00 Kickoff Returns 5-136 Interceptions Ret. 3-00 Comp-Att-Int 29-57-3 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-4 Punts 6-36 Fumbles-Lost 6-2 Penalties-Yards 4-26 Time of Possession 28:43 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: Villanova, Boden 13-31, Harriott 5-27, Westbrook 7-16, Augustin 1-2. Northeastern, McKanas 27-111, Vallett 9-67, Cornelia 6-16, Quinlan 1-(minus-4), Klemic Passing: Villanova, Boden 29-57-3-289.

Northeastern, Vallett 9-20-2-148, Quinlan Receiving: Villanova, Westbrook 15-178, IWard 4-57, Augustin 4-11, Sango 3-27, Harriott 3-16. Northeastern, Klemic 6-153, Cornelia '2-16, Johnson 1-16, Arienta 1-5, McKanas 1-4, Sofrah 1-4. Rushes-yards 40-215 Passing 265 Comp-Att-Int 20-29-0 Return Yards 34 Punts-Avg. 4-33 Fumbles-Lost 3-1 Penalties-Yards 9-90 Time of Possession 29:13 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 34-73 333 "2 I'. 4-36 v'5-45 30:47 Rushine: Penn.

Finn 29-195, McGee 7-43, Wer ner 3-(minus 9), Mebs 1-(minus 14). Fordharfi, Cardona 5-30, Shaw 17-17, Flood 3-15, Carroll 7-13, O'Hare 2-(minus 2). I Passing: Penn, Rader 19-25-0-256, Werner 1-4- 0- 9, Mebs 0-0-OO. Fordham, O'Hare 23-37-0-323, Madine 1-1-0-10. i' Receiving: Penn, Da.O'Neil 4-98, Do.O'Neil 4-30, Rogers 3-43, Finn 2-22, Clay 2-19, Battung 2-7, McGee 1-24, Carson 1-12, Burhorn 78, Shaw2-17, Flood 1-16.

Cardona 1- 12. Your online video source for news clips, music and car reviews 5) Philadelphia online www.phillynew8.com i off Fordham for win Matt Rader threw three TD passes and Jim Finn ran for two TDs as the Quakers won, 34-31. If Maneluk does well, Clarke could end up losing a heck of a player for nothing. Sheehy said he gave Clarke three proposals last week. "Each proposal had different risk levels," Sheehy said.

"All I'm asking is that they share the risk." In the first proposal, Sheehy said, he asked that the organization continue the present two-way NHL-AHL contract but add incentive and performance bonuses with an immediate increase in salary. The second proposal would change the existing deal to a one-way NHL contract at the present salary of $275,000. The third would add a year to the present contract with a substantial increase in salary both years, but no bonuses. "Do any of these proposals sound unreasonable? I don't think so," Sheehy said. Said Clarke, "I told him no to the proposals." Sheehy points to Mark Eaton's deal and wonders how the Flyers can pay the Phantoms' newest defenseman $1.25 million in guaranteed money evan if Eaton never plays a single NHL game.

Eaton fs a promising young player Clarke pried loose from Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin this summer. He got a signing bonus of $450,000 and a three-year contract. Eaton is making more in bonus money to play In the minors than Maneluk is making to play on Lindros' line. "I think Clarkie tries to use contracts to send a message to a player he's doing the deal with and to other players on the club," said Steve" Mountain, who represents Hextall. "His position creates a lot of weight, ft can determine a career.

Clarkie is not afraid to use his position as leverage, and that's his job." Clarke says fie can wait 20 games and see whether Maneluk is really going to be an impact player, and maybe that will leave both parties with a better understanding of where they are headed in the negotiations. "I don't want Clarke to look bad," Sheehy said, "but at the same time, I don't want myself or Mike to look bad. That's what would happen if I 1 To Flyers fans, general manager Bob Clarke will always be the lovable hero of two Stanley Cups. To those inside hockey, he's Clarkie, the tough businessman who uses His pen as if it were a stick un-taped. 1 This summer, for example, Clarke wanted goalie Ron Hextall to take a pay cut, since he wasn't going to be the starter anymore.

And this was before the club signed John Van- biesbrouck. i Clarke played the tough guy again when he publicly ripped Eric Lindros, although you won't find many 'arguments that those criticisms justified. u' And now Clarke apparently is taking a similar stance with Mike Man- i eluk's agent, Neil Sheehy. 1 Clarke has made "veiled threats," Sheehy says, to send Maneluk back 'to the Phantoms if he doesn't grant the club a one-year extension of his contract. Maneluk helped the Phantoms win a lot of playoff money with his 1 play last spring, and he so far has earned a spot on the Flyers' top line.

What sort of message would it send the team to try to bully this guy? When asked Friday whether he had threatened to send Maneluk "down, Clarke said, "I can't tell what I'm talking to him about." Clarke signed Maneluk to a one-year deal over the summer for on the assumption that the 25-year-old forward might make the club. No one knew Maneluk would make the roster and also on Eric Lindros' line with John LeClair. Look at the bucks on that line, left to right: $3.7 million, $8.5 million, $275,000. TX7rt liovon't rnmnlninoH a limit Mike's salary," Sheehy said. "(Clarke's asking to renegotiate the not us." Said Clarke, "I told him we would i if tViio cnange inings 101 ucai cm uuo mnrlo mii Hut ho UTflTlt! tfiO mucu.

Maneluk will be a Group VI player after this season. That's a rare breed in the NHL guys who are 25 and haven't played three seasons in the rr.i Hf n1.no Stn league, unless ncuicmn games this season which is doubtful he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. at 11:43 of the fourth. Brian Col-sant's 25-yard field goal with 6:52 remaining brought the Rams to within three. O'Hare threw four touchdown passes, three to McDermott, who caught nine passes for 125 yards.

Fordham actually had more first downs in the game, 25-23, but Penn rolled up a huge rushing margin, j.o-o. aidaUll vvds me yudA- ers' second leading rusher with 43 yards on seven carries. Pennsylvania Fordham 7 20 0 14 7 034 7 1031 First quarter Penn Do.O'Neil 8 pass from Rader (Feinberg kick), 6:27 Second quarter Ford McDermott 17 pass from O'Hare (Col-sant kick), 11:03 Penn Finn 69 run (Feinberg kick), 10:43 Penn Finn 1 run (Feinberg kick), 5:08 Ford McDermott 2 pass from O'Hare (Colsant kick), :48 Penn Da.O'Neil 39 pass from Rader (kick failed), :04 Third quarter Penn Burhorn 10 pass from Rader (Feinberg kick), 9:30 Ford McDermott 3 pass from O'Hare (Colsant kick). 5:25 Fourth quarter Ford Auterio 24 pass from O'Hare (Colsant kick), 11:43 Ford FG Colsant 25, 6:52 A 3,424. Penn Ford First downs ,23 25 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Matt Rader, a Pennsbury graduate, threw three touchdown passes, including a 39-yarder, and finished 19 for 25 for 256 yards as Penn held off Fordham, 34-31, in a nonleague game yesterday.

Penn's Jim Finn rushed for two touchdowns, including one for 69 yards, and ran for 195 total yards. iuuwi iu-yalu luuciiuuWii puSS tG Clint Burhorn gave the Quakers (3-1) a 34-14 lead at 9 minutes, 30 seconds of the third quarter. Later in the period, Rader suffered a serious injury to his throwing arm and had to leave the game. The senior cut his right biceps on an opponent's helmet and needed 40 stitches to close the wound. His status for Saturday's game against Columbia is undetermined.

Rader is to be evaluated by Penn's medical staff tomorrow. Freshman Reed Werner finished the game, completing 1 of 4 attempts for 9 yards and rushing three times for minus-9. Fordham (2-3) scored the final 17 points. Rams quarterback Steve O'Hare threw touchdowns of 3 yards to Gerry McDermott at 5:25 of the third and 24 yards to Chris.