Blizzard sidelines Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche postponed Thursday night’s game against the Calgary Flames, citing fan safety amid the worst snowstorm to hit Colorado in three years.

No makeup date was set.

It follows Wednesday’s postponement of a game in Denver between the NBA’s Nuggets and Phoenix Suns for the same reason.

A college basketball game tonight between Colorado State and Boise State was also postponed, as was Air Force’s game Saturday against Northern Colorado.

The Nuggets, however, are still scheduled to play Sacramento tonight in Denver, though the team was still trying to get just-acquired guard Allen Iverson to town.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are off the market, and owner Mario Lemieux says the team will look at relocating outside the state while attempting to reach a deal for a new arena after a state panel’s rejection Wednesday of a casino company’s offer to build the team a new arena for free.

Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell suffered a foot laceration in Wednesday’s victory over Dallas and could be questionable for Saturday’s game at Phoenix. Defenseman Kent Huskins was recalled from the Ducks’ minor league affiliate in Portland, Maine.

-- Eric Stephens

WINTER SPORTS

Svindal reclaims lead from Miller

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal won a men’s giant slalom in a combined time of 2 minutes 25.63 seconds in Hinterstoder, Austria, to reclaim the overall World Cup lead from Bode Miller. Miller, who trails Svindal, 521 points to 490, was fourth in 2:26.16.

Marlies Schild of Austria won her third straight slalom in 1:46.36 in Val D’Isere, France, to take the overall lead in the women’s World Cup standings.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Clemson cornerback arrested

Clemson starting cornerback Duane Coleman, 23, was charged with simple possession of marijuana following a traffic stop in Seneca, S.C., police said.

He was held overnight and released Thursday on a personal recognizance bond.

Five Massachusetts students were expelled for their roles in a campus riot following the football team’s loss last Friday in the Division I-AA championship game in Amherst, Mass., the school said.

BASEBALL

Brewers make offer to Suppan

National League Championship Series most valuable player Jeff Suppan, 31, was offered a four-year contract by Milwaukee, Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin said.

The Cincinnati Reds acquired Jeff Conine, 40, from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league infielder Brad Key and outfielder Javon Moran.

JURISPRUDENCE

Lawyer linked to BALCO leak

A private investigator who worked for defendants in the probe of a Bay Area sports steroid ring said a defense attorney was the source of leaked federal grand jury testimony in the case, according to a published report.

Larry McCormack, former executive director of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, told the FBI that Troy Ellerman gave the confidential information to a San Francisco Chronicle reporter in 2004, Yahoo.com reported. Ellerman represented Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative.

Richard Williams, father of tennis’ Venus and Serena Williams, is liable but doesn’t have to pay damages in a suit that claimed he reneged on a deal for his daughters to play in a 2001 “Battle of the Sexes” match. A jury in West Palm Beach, Fla., cleared Venus Williams of all allegations but said Serena Williams let her father act as an agent for her. Neither sister must pay damages.

MISCELLANY

Tour de France hopefuls warned

Brian Cookson, head of British cycling’s governing body, wants riders involved in current doping probes to stay away from the July 7 start of the Tour de France in London.

Robert Yates is bringing Ricky Rudd out of a one-year retirement to keep his struggling race team afloat, signing him to drive the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007.

An annual all-star game pitting South America’s best against another continent’s top players will take place in Los Angeles starting in 2007, said Conmebol, the South America soccer federation. Details and dates were still being arranged.

Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill, the top-ranked girls’ basketball team in the nation, according to USA Today, outscored second-ranked Long Beach Poly by 20 points in the third quarter for a 75-61 victory in the title game of the Nike Tournament of Champions in Chandler, Ariz. Jasmine Dixon scored 22 for Poly.

Former Chino Don Lugo High star Diana Taurasi, who led the U.S. team to a bronze medal at the world championships last summer and averaged a WNBA-record 25.3 points for the Phoenix Mercury, was named female athlete of the year by USA Basketball.

-- Jerry Crowe