NHL Takes Over Sabres; Theodore Named MVP

The NHL is taking over operation of the financially troubled Buffalo Sabres.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday that owner John Rigas had agreed to the move. Although Rigas technically remains the Sabres’ owner, the move helps clear the way for the potential sale of the franchise.

Buffalo businessman Mark Hamister is trying to form a group of investors to purchase the Sabres.

Bettman said the NHL will not pick up any of the team’s debts, which amount to $157 million owed to Adelphia Communications.

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Jose Theodore of the Montreal Canadiens was honored as the NHL’s most valuable player and top goaltender during the league’s awards presentation.

Theodore won the Hart Trophy as MVP and the Vezina Trophy as best goalie. He’s the first goaltender to be named as the league’s top player since Buffalo’s Dominik Hasek in 1998.

Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom repeated as the league’s top defenseman and Atlanta’s Dany Heatley was the top rookie.

Tennis

Lleyton Hewitt edged Mikhail Youzhny, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4), in the rain-delayed third round of the Ordina Open at Den Bosch, Netherlands. The tournament lost its top women’s seed earlier in the afternoon as unseeded Slovakian Tina Pisnik upset Belgian Kim Clijsters in their quarterfinal, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Track and Field

Shelia Burrell (6,299 points) won her second national title in the heptathlon and Tom Pappas (8,398 points) captured the decathlon title at the U.S. Championships in Berkeley.

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The NCAA, faced with three deaths in pole vault competition this season, has proposed rule changes that would expand the landing pad but not require the use of helmets.

Miscellany

Bowl championship series computer operators must remove margin of victory from their college football rankings systems as a condition of remaining in next year’s BCS formula, according to a letter BCS coordinator Michael Tranghese sent to operators this week.

Four of the eight rankings systems used in the BCS formula consider margin of victory: David Rothman, Scripps-Howard, Peter Wolfe and Jeff Sagarin. Rothman said he would not alter his system. Sagarin and Wolfe said they will adjust their systems for the BCS and Scripps-Howard is still considering its options.

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Hayley Peirsol won the women’s 800-meter freestyle on the opening day of the TYR Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo. Peirsol, a senior at Newport Harbor High swimming for the Irvine Novaquatics swim club, finished in 8 minutes 43.16 seconds.

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Tangela Smith had a season-high 20 points as the Sacramento Monarchs (2-6) earned a 72-64 WNBA victory over the Seattle Storm (4-6) before 7,259 at Seattle....Nikki McCray scored 30 points as the Indiana Fever ended a three-game losing streak with an 81-72 victory over the Portland Fire before 6,465 at Portland, Ore.