Page 10 -- Over The Edge -- April 14, 1997 Linesmen__ Asselstine, Hodges, Stickle to retire after season National Hockey linesmen Ron Asselstine, Bob Hodges and Leon Stickle, 5,000 regular season games, ‘|will retire at the conclusion of the 1996-97 season. Flyers Lindros suspended two for incidents vs. The Philadelphia Flyers, battling the New Jersey Devils for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, will be without All-Star center Eric Lindros for two games after he was suspended by the National Hockey League last. Senators ink LW Randy Cunneyworth for 1997-98 season Captain and left winger Randy Cunneyworth, one of the primary reasons the Ottawa Senators are still in the playoff race in the final week of the season, today re-signed with the team for the 1997-98 season. Coyotes LW Keith Tkachuk named NHE Player of the Week Phoenix Coyotes left wing Keith Tkachuk, who became the first player in the league to reach the 50-goal plateau, today was named the NHL Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday. Rangers Captain Mark Messier sits out against Flyers. The New York Rangers, in a fight with the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins for playoff positions four-through-six in the Eastern Conference, kept captain Mark Messier on the sidelines for tonight’s game against the Phila- delphia Flyers. CANUCKS By Jeremy Fung Canucks fans don't give up hope, The Canucks, our favourite NHL team is not out of the play- offs just yet. For the Canucks to make the playoffs, however, 3 con- ditions must be met Condition 1: Flames must beat Chicago, Condi- tion 2, Canucks must win their final game, and lastly condition 3, Dal- las has to wipe the floor with Chi- cago, in Chicago's last game. Good luck, and for goodness sake at least try to.win. By Jeremy Fung For the first time in their history the Prince George Cougars are well on their way to the Memorial Cup. Sure, | may be dreaming a bit, but after their latest series against Spokane, they look unbeatable. The Cougars first playoff opponents of the 1996-97 season were the Portland Winter Hawks. The Cougars won the series 4 games to 2. Portland won the first game 5- 2, however, Prince George responded by taking the next three, 5-2, 4-0, and 4-2. Portland rallied to take game five 2-1, but the Cougars finished the series with a 3-2 NFL announces a win at home. Tickets for the Spokane series went on sale the next morning, within thirty minutes of the box office opening, they were sold out. The Cougars sneaked in a 5- 4 victory, in over time of the first game against the Spokane Chiefs. Prince George came out with a passion in the second game to win 4-2, Monday April 7 saw the Cougars at home in a position to sweep the favoured Chiefs. Of course they did just this in a 2-1 victory. By the end of the second period people had begun lining up for tickets to Go Cougars, Go! the next series. By 9:30 the next day tickets were sold out and scalpers had jacked the price up 300% and what’s worse is that five minutes later the scalpers were selling the tickets for $50. That's 5 times the amount the box office sold them for. The schedule for the next series is as follows: April 10 - Prince George at Seattle @ 7:05 PM April 11 - Prince George at Seattle @ 7:05 PM April 14 - Seattle at Prince George @ 7:30 PM April 15 - Seattle at Prince George @ 7:30 PM lliance to help CFL The National Football League is coming to the aid of the cash-starved Canadian Football League. The two leagues today announced a formal association in which the NFL will give a $3 million infusion of cash over five years to support the Canadian game. The NFL will provide marketing program support to the CFL and the NFL staff will spend time at the CFL’s headquarters in Toronto. “This will allow us to continue to build a strong infrastructure which will permit the CFL to grow and prosper for many years to come,” said CFL chairman John Tory. As part of the new agreement, the two leagues will explore playing an annual “World Classic Bowl” beginning in 1998, with the previous season's World League championship team facing the CFL Grey Cup champion. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said that aiding the CFL is consistent with his league’s strategy of supporting football worldwide. “We want to see football succeed wherever it is played,” Tagliabue said. “The CFL is an exciting brand of football with a rich history and a unique style of play. We believe a strong, vibrant. CFL is very important to the sport.” The Toronto Globe and Mail reported today that the the deal calls for the NFL to be responsible for marketing CFL games and merchandise. In return, the NFL would receive the freedom to sign CFL players immediately after the Canadian season ends. CFL players will then be available to play in the NFL for late November, December and January. In the past, CFL players were not free to head south until after their contracts expired in the middle of February. “We’ve had discussions of player movement,” NFL spokesman Pete Abitante told SportsTicker. “There are several options available, but nothing has been finalized.” The Globe and Mail added that the NFL will attempt to help the CFL obtain a television contract in the United States. The CFL has experienced severe financial problems after a major expansion into the United States in 1995 collapsed. Bears release WR Timpson, sign WR Proehl The Chicago Bears maneuvered with, the salary cap, exchanging gne wide receiver for the other ata; discount rate. Carolina Panthers First Round Draft Picks 1996 — Tim Biakabatuka, RB, Michigan 1995 — Kerry Collins, QB, Penn State (from Cincinnati) Tyrone Poole, DB, Fort Valley State (from Green Bay) Blake Brockermeyer, OT, Texas Jacksonville Jaguars First Round Draft Picks 1996 — Kevin Hardy, LB, Illinois 1995 — Tony Boselli, OT, Southern California James Stewart, RB, Tennessee (from Kansas City) 1997 NFL first round draft order 1. New York Jets (1-15) 2. Oakland from New Orleans (3- 13) 3. Seattle from Atlanta (3- 13) 4. GM Ron Wolf signs contract extension with Packers Ron Wolf, the architect of the Green Bay Packers’ first Super. Bowl championship team in 29 years, was rewarded today with a three-year contract extension through 2002. Cowboys re-sign. free agent S Brock Marion After nearly landing with the Baltimore Ravens, free agent safety Brock Marion re-signed with the Dallas Cowboys today. Ravens agreed to terms with free agent DE Michael McCrary Free agent defensive end Michael McCrary, who tied for the AFC lead with 13 1/2 sacks for the Seattle Seahawks last season, agreed to terms today with the Baltimore Ravens. Memorial service for Cooke scheduled for Thursday A private memorial service has been scheduled for Thursday for Jack Kent Cooke, the majority owner of the NFL’s Washington Redskins who died Sunday at age 84. Congratulations To UNBC Recreational hockey team, for their outstanding victory to win the championship!