Ovechkin joked about injury

NHL

Ovechkin joked about injury

Alex Ovechkin said he was joking when he told a reporter over the weekend that he could be out more than a month. The Washington Capitals star practiced lightly yesterday and said he would actually miss about a week.

He hasn't played since leaving a Nov. 1 game against Columbus after he was hurt in a scrum. The Capitals said last week that Ovechkin, whose 14 goals and 23 points lead the team, was week to week with what they called an upper-body problem.

Ovechkin, who was quoted by Yahoo! on Saturday night as saying he could miss four or five weeks, insisted his left shoulder was not affected by the still unspecified injury.

Hurricanes sign Legace

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes are turning to veteran goalie Manny Legace to help replace the injured Cam Ward. The Hurricanes signed Legace to a one-year contract that will pay him $500,000 at the NHL level or $105,000 if he is sent to the minors. The 36-year-old has a career NHL record of 177-92-36.

• Minnesota Wild right wing Petr Sykora has a concussion and is out indefinitely. Sykora took a hit to the head in Saturday's win over the Dallas Stars.

• Calgary forward Curtis Glencross was suspended three games by the NHL because of a high hit he put on Chris Drury of the New York Rangers. Glencross caught Drury with a shoulder to the head in the first minute of Calgary's 3-1 win Saturday night.

• The Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2009 received its rings. Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille, Brian Leetch, Brett Hull and New Jersey Devils executive Lou Lamoriello picked up their jewelry during a morning ceremony at the hall. Induction speeches were made last night.

BASEBALL

Matsui, Damon become free agents

NEW YORK - World Series MVP Hideki Matsui became a free agent along with New York Yankees teammates Johnny Damon, Eric Hinske, Jose Molina and Xavier Nady.

Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz also filed as did teammates Matt Stairs, Chan Ho Park and Paul Bako. Also among the 31 players filing were Minnesota shortstop Orlando Cabrera, Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield and Colorado pitcher Jose Contreras and Brewers center fielder Mike Cameron.

Boston prevented Victor Martinez from filing by exercising a $7.7 million option on the catcher-first baseman. The Red Sox declined a $6 million option on shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who gets a $500,000 buyout and immediately filed.

Boston also declined a $5 million option on captain Jason Varitek, and the catcher now must decide whether to exercise a $3 million player option. Rather than exercise its $4 million option on Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleballer.

AROUND THE STATE

McGurn among honored golfers

Whitney Neuhauser of Barboursville, Boodie McGurn of Richmond and Amanda Steinhagen of Oak Hill have been named the Virginia State Golf Association Women's Division players of the year. Neuhauser, a senior at the University of Virginia, was named the golfer of the year. She won the Women's State Amateur, reached the round of 16 at the U.S. Women's Public Links and the round of 32 at the U.S. Women's Amateur. McGurn, the State Senior Women's Amateur champion, earned top senior honors for the second year in a row. She advanced to match play in the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur as the No. 6 seed. Steinhagen, a senior at Oakton High, recently won the VHSL Girls Open tournament by 11 strokes. She had top 10 finishes in the Women's Stroke Play and State Junior Girls.

UR women's forward out for season

Richmond forward Sam Bilney will be sidelined for the entire women's basketball season after suffering a significant injury to her right knee, Spiders coach Michael Shafer said. University officials said they will seek a medical redshirt for Bilney, a sophomore who missed the last 12 games of the 2008-09 season after injuring her left knee in a game against Duquesne.

• The Virginia Tech women's soccer team will travel to Dayton, Ohio, to face Murray State on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament. Virginia will play St. John's at State College, Pa., also on Friday.

• Washington and Lee will be host for firstand second-round matches in the Division III women's soccer tourament Saturday and Sunday. The ODAC champion Generals will face USA South champ Christopher Newport on Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by the Catholic-Lynchburg match at 1:30 p.m. Winners will play Sunday at 1 p.m. In another tournament match, Mary Washington will travel to Maryville, Tenn., for first-round play. Virginia Wesleyan also received a bid and will go to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to face Eastern University on Friday.

• In the Division III men's soccer tournament, Christopher Newport will host firstand second-round play. The Captains will face Cabrini, and Lynchburg will take on Catholic. Virginia Wesleyan received a bid will go to Salisbury, Md., to face the host Sea Gulls on Saturday at 11 a.m.

• ODAC champion Lynchburg will be host for a first-round match against Juniata College (Pa.) in the Division III field hockey tournament tomorrow at 5 p.m. Christopher Newport also will be at home tomorrow against Cabrini at 6 p.m.

The Christopher Newport women's volleyball team will meet Stevens Tech on Thursday at 6 p.m. in NCAA regional play in New York City. - From Staff and Wire Reports