League Suspends Capitals’ Simon

The NHL on Friday suspended forward Chris Simon of the Washington Capitals for one game of his team’s playoff series against the Penguins at Pittsburgh.

Simon will sit out today’s Game 2 after being penalized for delivering a cross-check to the neck of Penguin defenseman Peter Popovic in Game 1 of the series. Simon was assessed a minor penalty at the time.

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Peter Forsberg hopes to play today in Game 2 of the Colorado-Phoenix playoff series.

The Avalanche forward, who has been sidelined since separating his right shoulder a week ago, took part in contact drills Thursday and Friday with good results, but Colorado remains cautious about rushing him.

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The Calgary Flames, plagued by financial losses and a dwindling season-ticket base, have given the team’s fans an ultimatum. Step up to the ticket window by June 30 or watch the team go elsewhere.

“We were at 17,000 [season tickets] for years and years,” Flame owner Harley Hotchkiss said. “We need to get back from 9,000 approximately up to 14,000.

“If we can’t . . . we have no alternative but to sell the Flames.”

Hotchkiss said the team will lose between $58 million and $72 million over the next four years if the status quo persists.

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Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin cannot play at the world championships in his native Russia this month because he is under suspension by the Senators until his contract runs out June 30, an NHL spokesman said.