Goalie Burke Must Attend Domestic-Abuse Program

Vancouver Canuck goalie Sean Burke must complete an educational program on domestic abuse within six months as part of his punishment for assaulting his wife in November.

Burke also was fined $200 and sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading guilty last week to the Nov. 2 incident. He could have been sentenced to 150 days in jail.

Burke was traded to Vancouver by the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 2. The Canucks did not return phone calls to their office Tuesday.

Burke was jailed for 21 hours after his wife told sheriff’s deputies Nov. 2 that her husband assaulted her. Deputies said they found bruises on her neck and on the left side of her face.

Burke denied hitting his wife but admitted the two had argued. A simple assault charge against Leslie Burke was dropped Friday, Bryant said.

*

Ryan Smyth, the second-leading scorer on the Edmonton Oilers, injured his left knee and will be out of action at least six weeks.

Smyth was hurt when hit by Phoenix’s Rick Tocchet. Oiler officials said Smyth will undergo surgery to repair a medial collateral ligament tear.

*

Detroit Red Wing defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, recovering from serious head injuries sustained in a limousine crash seven months ago, is making impressive progress.

“I thought he was doing very well,” said Coach Scotty Bowman, who visited Konstantinov at a rehabilitation center in Florida. “He ate well, and he fed himself. He was laughing a lot.”

Red Wing trainer John Wharton, forward Doug Brown and associate coach Dave Lewis stopped by the day after Bowman’s visit.

“He was extremely excited to see his teammates, and obviously the feeling was mutual,” Wharton said. “It was so emotional for us. . . . We were told he never walked more than 25 to 30 steps, but he walked 75 feet with us. . . . And he kept smiling and looking back while he was doing it to make sure we were all watching. He was so proud.”

The Red Wings are looking into whether Konstantinov has made enough progress to travel with them Jan. 30 for a White House ceremony marking their Stanley Cup championship, Wharton said.