The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 69

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1990 E3 -liElif SO Probert pays surprise visit to ex-mates Sabres 5, Canadiens 3 1 1 wV or 'I. i Knight-Ridder i If 1. i i 13 1 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The doctors told Dave Andreychuk to wait a game before he returned to the lineup following a knee injury. Luckily for Buffalo, it was advice he ignored.

The presence of the dangerous Andreychuk helped teammate Pierre Tur-geon score a goal and three assists as Buffalo wiped out a 3-0 deficit with five straight goals and beat Montreal Friday night. "Dave is a big player," said Turgeon, who tied the game with his 27th goal of the NHL season 1:16 into the third period. "When he's in the lineup, two guys sometimes have to go after him." Not only is the 6-3 Andreychuk hard to move out of the slot, but he also has the puckhandling and shooting skills that make him dangerous anywhere in the offensive zone. Having him in the lineup makes "a huge difference," according to Sabres coach Rick Dudley. "He makes it a little easier on Pierre because they have to concentrate on both of them." Andreychuk, who missed seven games, said he was itching to get back on the ice.

"I wanted to get back in the lineup; it's tough sitting out," said Andreychuk, who scored his 24th goal of the season and added an assist. "Besides, this was a big game for us." It was also a big game for the Canadiens, who, for the second time this month, could have tied the Sabres for second place in the Adams Division had they beaten Buffalo. The Canadiens looked strong in building up a 3-0 lead on goals by Guy Car-bonneau, Mike McPhee and Mathieu Schneider before Buffalo exploited an inexperienced defence corps that was playing without last year's Norris Trophy winner, Chris Chelios. Chelios missed the game with a knee injury and without him in the lineup, the Sabres were able to force giveaways by the Montreal defence and camp in front of Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy for easy tap-ins. With the exception of the first Buffalo goal by Doug Bodger, the Sabres scored from in close.

Turgeon's game-tying goal early in the third period came from about 15 feet DETROIT For the first time in almost a year, Bob Probert was back in the Detroit Red Wings' dressing room Friday. Probert later went to court and asked immigration officials for permission to rejoin the team while he serves the remainder of his drug sentence in a halfway house. Probert had not been with his teammates since March 2, 1989, when he was charged with bringing cocaine into the United States at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. When he arrived Friday at Joe Louis Arena, Probert introduced himself to 13 players who weren't there when he played his last game March 1. "It's real nice to be back," Probert said after the Red Wings took the ice for a midday skate.

"It was good to see the guys again." He was greeted warmly. "He looked great," captain Steve Yzerman said. "He still dresses nice," Shawn Burr said. Probert wore a silver-gray suit with a matching tie. "Of course, Probie always dressed pretty good." Probert was accompanied by his attorney, Harold Fried, who acknowledged that Probert was nervous about the visit.

Immigration officials have 60 days to consider Probert's request to rejoin the team, said Lonnie McDa-niel, deputy district director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Detroit. McDaniel would not comment specifically about Probert's case but said, "We probably grant more requests than we deny." After his court appearance Friday, Probert began serving a three-month sentence in an undisclosed halfway house for his conviction of cocaine importation. Probert previ- ously served three months at the Federal Medical Centre in Roches- ter, from which he was re- i leased Feb. 5. 5v TTWtMflMWl 5 1 jft-iitiimin AP photo Traffic jam: Montreal's Guy Carbonneau battles with Buffalo's Daren Puppa and Doug Bodger out.

Goals by Andreychuk, Dave Snugge- coach Pat Burns said. "They out-bumped The Sabres took four-point lead over rud and Benoit Hogue all came from and grinded us. We thought it was going third.place Montreal in the Adams Divi- just outside the crease. to be an easy game it was 3-0 and "All they did was come in and take we decided we're not going to skate any- sion and won the season series against the puck off our defencemen," Canadiens more." the Canadiens 4-3-1. Yzerman the top gun as Bed Wings oufshoof Flyers Red Wings 9, Flyers 6 a one-goal lead midway through the third period but Recchi, with his 23rd of the season, slipped in a rebound with the Penguins on the power play at 11:46.

John Cullen also scored for Pittsburgh, which maintained a five-game unbeaten streak despite the absence of all-star centre Mario Lemieux. Dale Hawerchuk, with his 24th of the season, and Paul Fenton scored for the Jets. overcame a two-goal deficit to earn tie against Edmonton. Lidster got his sixth goal of the season at 3:12 when his harmless-looking shot deflected into the net off the outstretched leg pad of Edmonton netmin-der Pokey Reddick. Esa Tikkanen and Vladimir Ruzicka scored for the Oilers in the first period and Greg Adams for the Canucks in the second.

(Citizen news services) Tim Kerr had two for the Flyers, who also got goals from Pelle Eklund, Rick Tocchet, Gord Murphy and Jiri Latal. Yzerman downplayed his own performance, preferring to dwell on his team's chances to salvage a disappointing season with a playoff berth. "We seem to have a lot more enthusiasm," Yzerman said. "I think everybody realizes our position and it would be shame not to take advantage of it." Rangers 2, Devils 1 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Bernie Nicholls set up power-play goals by Ulf Dahlen and John Ogrodnick as New York defeated slumping New Jersey.

The also exchanged power-play goals in the first period. Viacheslav Fetisov gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 10:59, but Dahlen tied the game at 16:45. Ogrodnick supplied the winner with his 34th goal of the season and 13th on the power play at 1:22 of the second. Jets 3, Penguins 3 (OT) WINNIPEG Mark Recchi's second goal of the night pulled Pittsburgh into a tie with Winnipeg. Fredrik Olausson had given Winnipeg DETROIT Steve Yzerman scored two goals and added four assists Friday night as Detroit extended its unbeaten streak to four games with a victory over Philadelphia.

The Red Wings, 22-30-7, moved within four points of idle Minnesota in their quest for the Norris Division's final playoff spot. Philadelphia, 23-29-8, dropped its third game in four tries. Gerard Gallant also scored twice while Steve Chiasson, Marc Habscheid, Yves Racine, Bernie Federko and Greg Adams added singles for Detroit. Oilers 2, Canucks 2 (OT) VANCOUVER Doug Lidster scored early in the third period as Vancouver Complete summaries E4 Ottawa agent turns thumbs down on Global league It seems to be run off the kitchen table and I am not sure if it will ever get off the kitchen table. Derek Holmes Ottawa-based player agent TORONTO (CP) An Ottawa businessman with extensive contacts in European hockey circles has declined an offer to align himself with the Global Hockey League because he feels the new loop is poorly organized.

"There is a lack of organization," says Derek Holmes, an agent who for more than a decade has been sending Canadian hockey players to European leagues. "It seems to be run off the kitchen table and I am not sure if it will ever get off the kitchen table." The Global league officials wanted Holmes to open doors in Europe for them. Holmes said he knows of at least four European businessmen ready to invest in a European league, but he won't introduce them to Global president Michael Gobuty or vice-president Dennis Murphy. "There is no need for that," says Holmes. "It (a European league) will work, but they don't want the Global league." Murphy said he regrets Holmes's decision, but in no way is his league disorganized or unprofessional.

"I can guarantee you the Global league was not conceived on a kitchen table and it is not on a kitchen table and it will never be on a kitchen table," to be the best ticket in town and I don't think they would be," in Scandinavia, said Nilsson. Holmes was invited to meetings in Los Angeles last weekend, but declined to go. One person who went and met with Murphy and Gobuty and then left before the session started was Jim Rutherford, director of hockey operations for Detroit's Compuware Corp. The Compuware group is actively seeking a hockey franchise but feels the Global league is ill-conceived and doomed. "We don't feel it will work, and if it gets off the ground, will not last long," Rutherford said.

Murphy said the league plans to have a limited payroll with each team allowed to sign two players at $400,000 U.S. apiece, three players at $200,000, five players at $150,000, five players at $70,000 and eight players at $50,000. Murphy said there will be a profit-sharing plan drawn up between players and owners. Murphy said there are plans for expansion into Eastern Europe and in three years, the league champion will declare itself world champion. "Then it will be up to the NHL to challenge us." Mil Murphy said in an interview from Los Angeles.

"We are a first-class league. "We will travel on first-class airlines, stay at first-class hotels and eat first-class meals." The formation of the Global league announced last weekend and potential European sites include Stockholm, Helsinki, Vienna, Bern, Milan, Rome, Paris, Geneva and Dusseldorf, West Germany. Two Canadian cities Saskatoon and Hamilton have been awarded franchises along with four sites in the United States. The Global league plans a 10-team North American division along with an eight- to 10-team European division. The Albany, N.Y., team will be promoted as the New York franchise in Europe while Providence, R.I., will be billed as New England.

The league is gearing for a November start. The proposed European division is running into stiff opposition in Sweden and Finland, where hockey officials in those Scandinavian countries have said the Global league is not welcome because they don't want North Americans controlling the teams. The Global league plans to form its European division next weekend in London, and Murphy says those fears will be addressed. "It will be more condusive to have the European owners deal with that," said Murphy. "The owners will be better suited to deal with the federations in their own countries than we are." Another person the Global league has been unsuccessful in hiring as a consultant is Ulf Nilsson, a Swede who played for the New York Rangers for four seasons before he retired in 1983.

Nilsson likes the Global league's concept but feels it should stay out of Sweden and Finland until it establishes itself in Continental Europe. "They (the Global league) would want Derek Holmes Wouldn't attend meetings rA ROUND TlrflE RINKS Wirtz also says should Minnesota move to Oakland, there is no chance the NHL would expand to San Jose, considered to be one of the prime expansion areas. Meanwhile, Stars winger Brian Bellows has made plans if the team moves to Oakland. "I'm going to live on a boat for at least a year. But if we have to move, why Oakland? Why not San Diego?" Brown inks new deal The St.

Louis Blues said Friday defence-man Jefi Brown signed a multi-year contract. Brown, who was playing out his option, was traded to the Blues last month from the Quebec Nordiques. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Brown, 23, has played in 56 games this season with 34 points. In 27 games with the Blues, Brown has 18 points.

(Citizen newt services) Lemieux on sidelines Mario Lemleux's doctor says the Pittsburgh Penguins star will not play at least until Tuesday. Lemieux was examined Thursday, one night after his bad back helped cost him a 46-game point-scoring streak. He will undergo therapy and traction for a herniated disc. If that doesn't work, he may need season-ending surgery. Stars' move on agenda The request by the Minnesota North Stars to move to Oakland, will be up for discussion when the NHL governors meet in Chicago next week and a vote will be taken at a special meeting of the governors March 19-20 in Chicago.

Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz, who is the co-chairman of a fact-finding committee looking into the Minnesota request, says he expects little opposition. "They are saying they're going and I believe them," says Wirtz. Today Hartford at Montreal Ch. 9, 8 p.m. Quebec at Los Angeles Chicago at NY Islanders N.

Jersey at Toronto Ch. 4, 5, 6, 11, 8 p.m. Detroit at St. Louis Sunday Boston at Vancouver Hartford at Buffalo NY Isles at Philadelphia Pittsburgh at Chicago Minnesota at Edmonton Monday Montreal at Detroit Ch. 28, 7:30 p.m.

N. Jersey at NY Rangers Washington at L.A. Pis Lemieux, Pgh 44 77 121 Grefcky, LA 31 80 111 Yzerman, Det 47 51 98 Messier, Edm 33 63 96 Nicholls, LA-NYR 34 56 90 Hull, StL 55 34 89 LaFontaine, NYI 47 40 87 Coffey, Pgh 23 58 81 Robitaille, LA 40 39 79 Kurri, Edm 30 48 78 Turgeon, Buf 27 51 78 Tocchet, Pha 32 43 75 Oales, StL 15 60 75 Francis, Hart 22 52 74 Richer, Mil 37 36 73 Bellows, Min 38 34 72 Neely, Bos 41 30 71 Leeman, Tor 39 32 71 Nieuwendyk, Cal 33 38 71 Sakic, Que 27 43 70 Olczyk, Tor 26 44 70 Damphousse, Tor 19 48 67 Bourque, Bos 15 51 66 N.Broten, Mm 18 47 65 Doschman gets eight games The NHL handed Winnipeg Jets forward Laurie Boschman an eight-game suspension Friday for his run-in with Tomai Sandstrom of the Lcs Angeles Kings. Boschman was ejected in the third period of the Feb. 8 game in Los Angeles after he approached Sandstrom from behind and ran his stick over the helmet shield and into the face of the Kings' right winger.

After reviewing the Incident, NHL executive vice-president Brian O'Neill said in a statement that it was clear "Boschman deliberately struck Sandstrom in the facial area out of retaliation.".