Lemieux Doubts Penguins Will Stay

Penguin owner-captain Mario Lemieux says he is doubtful that the team will remain in Pittsburgh after its Mellon Arena lease expires in 2007, citing a lack of progress on a new arena.

The Penguins are projecting a $7-million loss this season, a figure that assumes the team will draw near-capacity crowds and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

“I think we’re really running out of time,” Lemieux said Saturday. “We probably ran out of time already. It’s been unfortunate that the city and the county haven’t been willing to work with us over the last two or three years.”

Lemieux has said for several years that the Penguins would not be able to survive in Pittsburgh without a new arena. Mellon Arena is the oldest and smallest arena in the National Hockey League.

The lease allows the team to solicit offers for the franchise beginning in June 2006. Kansas City is among the cities that have expressed interest in the team.

“We’ll sit down with everybody and understand what’s at stake for our investment and what’s best for the franchise” when the board of directors is scheduled to meet this week, Lemieux said.

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In Sunday’s games:

Phoenix 2, Boston 1 -- Mike Johnson scored the Coyotes’ only goal in regulation -- his fifth in three games -- and Ladislav Nagy took the puck the length of the ice for the winner in overtime in a victory over the Bruins at Boston.

Chicago 5, Atlanta 4 -- Pavel Vorobiev had two goals in regulation and another in the shootout to lead the Blackhawks at Atlanta. Michael Holmqvist beat goaltender Michael Garnett for the Blackhawks’ deciding score in the five-round shootout.

Columbus 3, New Jersey 2 -- Bryan Berard scored off a pass from Sergei Fedorov with 13.6 seconds left in overtime to lift the Blue Jackets at Columbus, Ohio.

Buffalo 3, Minnesota 2 -- Mike Grier ended a tie with 3:32 left at St. Paul, Minn., and goalie Martin Biron set a team record by winning his 10th straight start.