Dwyer Suspended 23 Games by NHL

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Gordie Dwyer was suspended for 23 games by the NHL on Thursday for manhandling two officials in attempts to fight opponents during an exhibition game.

Dwyer was assessed three automatic suspensions--10 games for physical abuse of officials, 10 games for leaving the penalty box, and three games for three game misconduct penalties--for his actions during the Lightning’s Sept. 19 game against Washington.

The NHL said Dwyer applied physical force to linesman David Brisebois during an altercation with Washington’s Joe Murphy and Joe Reekie. After leaving the penalty box, Dwyer then pulled referee Mark Faucette to the ice in an attempt to fight Reekie.

Dwyer was given minor penalties for charging and roughing, a 10-minute misconduct penalty, and the three-game misconduct penalties.

Dwyer, who has served two games of the suspension, will miss the first 21 games of the regular season, costing him $39,511 in pay. He will be eligible to return Nov. 27 against the New York Islanders.

Dwyer, 22, had one assist and 135 penalty minutes in 24 games last season as a rookie.

Pro basketball

Paul Pierce, his eye swollen and forehead bandaged, walked out of a Boston-area hospital three days after being stabbed nearly a dozen times, hoping for a quick return to the Boston Celtics.

Before a few dozen cheering onlookers, Pierce was accompanied by his mother and two brothers as he left New England Medical Center.

Pierce, speaking from a podium, wore sunglasses over a swollen right eye and a black Celtics cap that nearly covered a bandage on his forehead. He thanked his family, the hospital and fans before leaving in a white stretch limo.

Tony Hurston, 31, and Trevor Watson, 34, two of the three men police believe attacked Pierce, pleaded innocent to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and were ordered held on $15,000 cash bail. Hurston had posted bail. The other suspect, William Ragland, 28, remains at large.

Two weeks after being released by the Indiana Pacers, forward Chris Mullin is heading back to the Golden State Warriors after signing with the team he played for during his first 12 NBA seasons. The 15-year veteran and five-time All-Star returns to the Warriors as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played with 787 and steals with 1,344. . . . The Chicago Bulls acquired guard Bryce Drew from the Houston Rockets for future draft picks. Drew averaged 5.1 points and 2.0 assists in two seasons with Houston.

Tennis

Anna Kournikova advanced at the Seat Open in Luxembourg, losing the first set but reaching the quarterfinals when her opponent quit in the third set with a thigh injury.

Kournikova, seeded second in the $170,000 tournament, was overwhelmed by the backhands and overheads of Nadeja Petrova in the opening set.

Kournikova then rallied against her Russian compatriot, winning, 1-6, 7-5, 4-1 when Petrova retired.

Kournikova, ranked 13th in the world, will face defending champion Kim Clijsters of Belgium in the quarterfinals. Clijsters, seeded fifth, defeated Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg, 6-2, 6-4.

No. 3 Jennifer Capriati downed Spain’s Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, 6-2, 7-5, and will face France’s Anne-Gaelle Sidot in the quarterfinals.

In another second-round matches, No. 7 Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria downed Martina Sucha of Slovakia, 6-3, 6-4.

Top-seeded Mariano Puerta quit during his second-round match at Palermo, Sicily, because of an injured wrist and withdrew from the $375,000 ATP tournament.

Puerta, his left wrist ailing from tendinitis, withdrew at the start of the second set. He lost the first set 6-2 to David Sanchez of Spain. Sanchez was one of four Spaniards to advance to the quarterfinals.

Sergi Bruguera, recovering from shoulder and knee injuries that have slowed him for nearly two years, downed No. 7 Albert Portas 7-6 (3), 7-5.