Grier Target of Racial Slur

The game between the Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers on Saturday ended with racial remarks being made and players from both teams shouting at one another. The officials separated the teams before any punches were thrown, but Oiler Coach Ron Low was furious long after the ice was cleared.

Low said Capital wing Chris Simon, a Native American of the Ojibwa tribe, shouted a derogatory insult at Oiler wing Mike Grier, who is African American.

“I definitely heard a racial slur from Mr. Simon. I thought with his race and proud background that he wouldn’t do that,” Low said. “I would imagine there would be a suspension from the league.”

Bryan Lewis, NHL vice president of officiating, confirmed Low’s story.

“Yes, there were racial remarks made on the ice. It was from Simon, who apparently made some racial slurs,” Lewis said. “It was heard by more than one official on the ice, and we will file a report to the league.”

Grier refused to comment, but his teammates were outraged.

“It’s ridiculous. Mike is a class guy and I’m embarrassed for him,” Oiler center Doug Weight said.

“Right now I don’t have a comment on this until I speak to the league officials,” Simon said.

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Jacques Demers, who coached the Montreal Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup championship, emerged as the likely choice to head the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Reports circulating in both Tampa and Montreal said the Lightning apparently had tapped Demers, 53, to succeed the fired Terry Crisp.

Demers told associates in Montreal he expected to be hired, perhaps today or Monday.

The team was in San Jose for a game against the Sharks. Telephone calls by the Associated Press to the Tampa headquarters were not returned.

Demers, reached at his South Florida home Friday, told the Tampa Tribune: “All I can say is that I’ve talked with [Lightning General Manager Phil Esposito] and I am very, very confident.”

Esposito met with Demers earlier in the week for more than five hours and conducted a second interview by phone Friday.

It was during the second interview Demers reportedly was told by Esposito, “You are my man,” the Tribune said it learned from unnamed sources.

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The Penguins lost Jaromir Jagr and defenseman Darius Kasparaitis to injuries during their 2-2 tie with Buffalo at Pittsburgh. Jagr didn’t play again after he was hip-checked by the Sabres’ Alexei Zhitnik in the third period. The Penguins had no report on his condition.

Kasparaitis hobbled off the ice in the second after he crashed into the boards while racing Buffalo’s Erik Rasmussen for a loose puck. Kasparaitis was held out of the third as a precaution.