Tampa Bay Coach’s Wife, Former Player Battle Cancer

The worst season for the Tampa Bay Lightning on the ice has become a tragic off the ice.

Ex-Lightning forward John Cullen is battling a form of cancer known as non-Hodgkins lymphom and after Tampa Bay’s 4-2 victory over Vancouver Wednesday, Lightning coach Jacques Demers made an emotional announcement his wife Debbie will undergo surgery in the next 10 days for cancer.

“It’s been a long day. A difficult night,” said Demers. “I talked to Debbie between periods. It’s the first time she’s been alone. She’s an extremely strong lady.”

Mrs. Demers will undergo surgery and treatments at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

Meanwhile, pro scout Peter Mahovlich returned to work in the last week following Feb. 3 surgery for prostate cancer. Mahovlich will undergo further blood tests next week to determine his condition.

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The Canadian bank handling the sale of the NHL Edmonton Oilers said Wednesday it had accepted an offer from local investors in a move likely to thwart a competing bid to move the team to Houston.

The investor group, comprised of individuals and businesses from the Edmonton area including the Edmonton Journal newspaper, last week made a $70 million bid to keep the once-powerful team in Edmonton.

Les Alexander, owner of the NBA Houston Rockets, put an $82.5 million offer on the table in February and said his plan was to relocate the team to Houston next season. But under the team’s location agreement with various city agencies, any suitor with a $70 million offer pledging to keep the Oilers in Edmonton until 2004 would win out over Alexander.

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Detroit’s Martin Lapointe was suspended by the NHL for cross-checking Edmonton’s Rem Murray from behind on Tuesday. . . . The St. Louis Blues have signed goalies Grant Fuhr and Jamie McLennan, but general manager Larry Pleau announced that winger Brett Hull and defenseman Al MacInnis, both unrestricted free agents after this season, have rejected three-year deals. The Blues did not disclose the terms or length of the contracts.