Deadline to Keep Oilers Is Met

A group of local investors took a major step Friday toward keeping the Edmonton Oilers from moving to the United States, submitting a bid to buy the team from owner Peter Pocklington only hours before a midnight deadline.

Under a previous agreement between Pocklington and the city of Edmonton, any local offer of at least $70 million would take precedence over an $82-million offer from Houston Rocket owner Les Alexander, who planned to move the team to the United States.

As part of the approval process, potential owners have to prove to NHL officials that they have enough working capital to cover rising player salaries and other costs that have killed NHL franchises in Winnipeg and Quebec City.

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The Dallas Stars, already badly hit by injuries, learned that leading scorer Mike Modano is out for at least the rest of the regular season because of a severely separated right shoulder.

The center said he felt his shoulder pop out when defenseman Gerald Diduck hit him during the second period of a 5-4 loss in Phoenix on Thursday night.

In addition to Modano, two other Stars were hurt Thursday. Bob Errey suffered a concussion in the first period and did not return, and defenseman Richard Matvichuk reaggravated a knee injury that had forced him to miss eight games.

To fill out the roster, Dallas recalled forwards Peter Douris and Chris Tancill from its International Hockey League affiliate in Michigan.

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Phoenix Coyote captain Keith Tkachuk will be sidelined two weeks because of a broken rib, dimming his chances for a third straight 50-goal season.

Tkachuk was hurt late in the first period of Thursday night’s game against Dallas, and was put on the injured list, retroactive to March 12.

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Detroit defenseman Larry Murphy, who could have become a free agent at the end of the season, signed a two-year contract extension through 1999-2000 with an option for a third season. Murphy, 36, ranks third in scoring by defensemen with 1,095 points.