Suspended McSorley Signs With British Team

Suspended NHL defenseman Marty McSorley has signed with the London Knights of the British league, but there is no guarantee he’ll play.

McSorley hopes to join his brother, Chris, who is the Knights’ general manager and coach.

First, McSorley must obtain a transfer card from the International Ice Hockey Federation, the Swiss governing body. The IIHF disciplinary committee was not scheduled to rule on McSorley’s case until March 5 in Zurich, Switzerland.

However, Knight spokeswoman Paula George said Wednesday the club was exercising its right under IIHF rules for a hearing in the next 14 days.

IIHF spokesman Kimmo Leinonen said the world body, which does not have to honor the NHL suspension and could have issued the transfer immediately, had asked for “documentation and video evidence” from the NHL.

The NHL said it had no objection to whatever action the IIHF took.

“The IIHF is under no obligation to honor any suspension imposed by the NHL,” NHL spokesman Frank Brown said. “A player under suspension by the NHL is under suspension only as far as the NHL is concerned.”

McSorley’s one-year suspension for attacking Donald Brashear on the side of the head with his stick expires Feb. 21. He would be free to be picked up by an NHL club after that.

*

Washington 3, Colorado 1--Craig Billington, playing for only the third time since Nov. 26, made 31 saves against his former team to lead the Capitals at Denver.

Richard Zednik and Jeff Halpern scored third-period goals to help the Capitals end Colorado’s 8-0-1 home unbeaten streak. Washington also won at Denver for the first time in five games since the Avalanche moved from Quebec in 1995.

Pittsburgh 9, Philadelphia 4--Alexei Kovalev had three goals in the first five-point game of his career and Jaromir Jagr scored two goals to lead the Penguins at Pittsburgh.

Florida 2, Minnesota 1--Mike Sillinger’s third-period goal at Sunrise, Fla., extended the Panthers’ home unbeaten streak to five games.

Buffalo 2, New York Islanders 1--Maxim Afinogenov scored 42 seconds into overtime at Buffalo, N.Y.

Dallas 3, Edmonton 2--Derian Hatcher scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play with 8:20 to play at Dallas.

Carolina 2, Phoenix 1--Jeff O’Neill scored his team-leading 28th goal 25 seconds into overtime at Phoenix.

Toronto 7, Atlanta 1--Gary Roberts scored two goals to lead the Maple Leafs at Toronto.

Around the League

The Vancouver Canucks acquired goaltender Dan Cloutier from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Adrian Aucoin and a second-round draft pick. . . . Forward Raffi Torres, selected fifth overall in the NHL draft last summer, signed a three-year contract with the New York Islanders. . . . Center Kent Manderville of the Philadelphia Flyers ended a 122-game streak without a goal when he scored in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Manderville’s last previous goal came on Oct. 2, 1999, for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Boston Bruins.