Devils’ Brodeur to be out until at least February

The New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur, a four-time Vezina Trophy winner who is on the verge of becoming the NHL’s all-time winningest goaltender, will be sidelined until at least February after suffering a biceps tear in his left elbow last weekend.

Brodeur, 36, will undergo surgery Thursday. He was injured Saturday against Atlanta making a second-period glove save on a shot that was going wide of the net.

Brodeur has won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender four times, including last season when he posted a 44-27 record and a 2.17 goals-against average. His seven seasons with 40 or more wins are an NHL record, and his 2.20 career goals-against average is the lowest in the NHL’s modern era. He set a single-season record for wins with 48 in 2006-07, breaking Bernie Parent’s old mark of 47.

Brodeur has 544 career wins, eight shy of breaking Patrick Roy’s NHL record of 551. Brodeur is five shutouts from tying Terry Sawchuk’s NHL record of 103.

PRO FOOTBALL

Roethlisberger’s status uncertain

With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s status for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts uncertain because of an injured right shoulder, the Pittsburgh Steelers may give Byron Leftwich his first start since last Nov. 18 with Atlanta.

Roethlisberger underwent an MRI exam Tuesday, but the Steelers did not immediately release the results. He reinjured his separated right shoulder on a quarterback sneak near the end of the second quarter Monday night.

Leftwich took over and set up a touchdown with a long completion on his first throw, threw for a score and led another touchdown drive during a 23-6 victory over the Washington Redskins.

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Quarterback Daunte Culpepper passed his physical, signed with the Detroit Lions and could be ready to play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Lions starter Dan Orlovsky has a thumb injury that might keep him out of the game.

SOCCER

Maradona takes over in Argentina

Diego Maradona officially took over as the new coach of Argentina, asking his skeptical countrymen to “give me a chance.”

He has a contract to the end of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, if Argentina qualifies. Argentina stood third in the South American race. Many fans wonder whether Maradona can translate his technical skills into coaching expertise, and are wary of his past, which includes near-death battles with drugs and obesity.

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Chelsea slumped to a 3-1 loss at AS Roma in the Champions League, and Inter Milan and Liverpool needed late tying goals to avoid embarrassing defeats.

While Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon became the first teams to secure a place in the next round, Liverpool needed a penalty kick by Steven Gerrard in the fifth minute of injury time to draw, 1-1, with visiting Atletico Madrid. Inter avoided a defeat when Julio Cruz scored in the 80th minute to salvage a 3-3 draw at Anorthosis Famagusta.

TENNIS

Venus, Jankovic win at Doha

Top-ranked Jelena Jankovic defeated Ana Ivanovic, 6-3, 6-4, in round-robin play at the WTA’s season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships at Doha, Qatar.

Venus Williams defeated No. 2 Dinara Safina, 7-5, 6-3, and No. 9 Vera Zvonareva defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-3.

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Rafael Nadal has tendinitis in his right knee and his status is uncertain for Spain’s Davis Cup final against Argentina later this month.

ETC.

Giambi, Pavano are free agents

The New York Yankees cut ties with designated hitter-first baseman Jason Giambi and pitcher Carl Pavano, declining contract options on both players and allowing them to become free agents. . . . Limping slightly and saying he’s tired, depressed and nearly bankrupt, former slugger Jose Canseco pleaded guilty in federal court to a misdemeanor offense of trying to bring a fertility drug across the border from Mexico and was sentenced to 12 months’ unsupervised probation. . . . Jeff Overton, who played a golf tournament 10 days after an appendectomy to try to secure his job on the PGA Tour, took a painkiller banned by the tour while his request for a waiver was pending. PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said the tour was awaiting Overton’s discharge papers from the hospital before processing the exemption. . . . Florida cornerback Jacques Rickerson was kicked off the team after he was arrested and accused of slapping his girlfriend, choking her and then covering her face with a pillow. Rickerson played in eight games this season for the fourth-ranked Gators, recording 10 tackles and an interception. . . . Five-time Olympic shooter John McNally accepted a six-month suspension after testing positive for two banned substances.