WPPA / T-102 SPORTS / Thursday

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Sidney Crosby scored on a breakaway seven
seconds after leaving the penalty box, Max Talbot scored
short-handed and the Penguins beat Vancouver in regulation for the
first time in 10 years, winning 3-1 last night. The Penguins won
for only the fourth time in their first 10 games in the new Consol
Energy Center.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The 76ers' losing streak now stands at five
following last night's 94-86 loss to Toronto in a matchup of two of
the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. Elton Brand led the
Sixers with 27 points, Jrue Holiday added 17, and rookie Evan
Turner had his second double-double with 11 points and a
career-best 12 rebounds.

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) - Antonio Pena scored 17 points and Corey
Fisher had 16 to lead Number 6 Villanova to an 82-66 victory over
Boston University in the second round of the NIT Season Tip-Off
last night. The Wildcats won their 40th straight game at The
Pavilion, and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament
Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

NEW YORK (AP) - George Beamon scored 21 points and Manhattan
scored the final 17 points of the game to defeat Pennsylvania 59-54
on Wednesday night. Manhattan trailed 54-42 with 7:48 remaining in
the game before outscoring the Quakers 17-0 behind Beamon, who
scored nine points in the run.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward cleared his
post-concussion tests and practiced in full pads with the team
yesterday. Ward's streak of catching a pass in 186 consecutive
games ended when he sustained a concussion during a 39-26 loss to
New England on Sunday, forcing him to sit out the final three
quarters.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Shaun Suisham knows there's only one way to
win over a Steelers locker room that isn't happy about the release
of longtime kicker Jeff Reed. Don't miss any field goal attempts.
Suisham's resume isn't nearly as extensive as Reed's, and he missed
important kicks last season for Washington and Dallas. But he's
confident he can get the job done as Pittsburgh's kicker.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State punter Anthony Fera is out
indefinitely after having an appendectomy yesterday. A team
spokesman said it was unknown when the redshirt freshman could
return to practice. Freshman Alex Butterworth is the backup on the
depth chart for Saturday's game against Indiana in Landover,
Maryland.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia officials say they are teaming
up with the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation on a $13 million
effort to improve five public skating rinks in the city. Mayor
Michael Nutter says three rinks will undergo renovations and
enclosure for year-round operations, and the other two will also
have significant work by this time next year.


NBA
Wednesday's Games
Miami 123, Phoenix 96
Toronto 94, Philadelphia 86
Boston 114, Washington 83
L.A. Lakers 103, Detroit 90
Minnesota 113, L.A. Clippers 111
New Orleans 99, Dallas 97
Oklahoma City 116, Houston 99
Utah 98, New Jersey 88
San Antonio 103, Chicago 94
New York 113, Sacramento 106
Thursday's Games
L.A. Clippers at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Phoenix at Orlando, 8 p.m.
Denver at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

NHL
Wednesday's Games
Tampa Bay 4, N.Y. Islanders 2
Boston 3, N.Y. Rangers 2
Pittsburgh 3, Vancouver 1
Washington 4, Buffalo 2
Carolina 7, Ottawa 1
Florida 2, Atlanta 1
Detroit 7, St. Louis 3
Minnesota 2, Anaheim 1, OT
Colorado 4, San Jose 3, OT
Phoenix 3, Calgary 1
Chicago 5, Edmonton 0
Columbus 5, Los Angeles 3
Thursday's Games
Florida at Boston, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Nashville at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
San Jose at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wednesday's Games
( 6) Villanova 82 Boston U. 66
(14) Purdue 103 Alcorn St. 48
(19) Memphis 94 Northwestern St. 79
(23) BYU 78 Utah St. 72
(24) Tennessee 60 Missouri St. 56

Thursday's Games
No. 3 Kansas State vs. Presbyterian, 8 p.m.
No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. Maryland at Madison Square Garden, 7 p.m.
No. 8 North Carolina vs. Hofstra at Coliseo de Puerto Rico, San
Juan, Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
No. 9 Florida vs. North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m.
No. 13 Illinois vs. Texas at Madison Square Garden, 9 p.m.
No. 15 Missouri vs. Western Illinois, 8 p.m.
No. 17 Baylor vs. Jackson State, 8 p.m.
No. 20 Georgetown vs. Coastal Carolina at Carolina First Arena,
Charleston, S.C., Noon

TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wednesday's Games
( 7) Ohio St. 59 LSU 55
(10) West Virginia 69 Duquesne 58
(14) North Carolina 76 Robert Morris 47
(23) TCU 87 SMU 73, 2OT
Thursday's Games
No. 4 Tennessee vs. Virginia, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Duke at Auburn, 7 p.m.
No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 15 UCLA, 7 p.m.
No. 16 Florida State vs. Colorado State, 7 p.m.
No. 21 Maryland vs. Towson, 7 p.m.
No. 23 Vanderbilt vs. Samford, 8 p.m.