/ KVUE Sports

January 15, 2004

Associated Press

Thrashers lose 8th straight

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Thrashers desperately needed a victory last night.

They didn't get one.

The Thrashers are winless in eight straight after Mike Ribeiro scored in the third period to give Montreal a 2-1 triumph in Atlanta.

Ribeiro also set up Pierre Dagenais' goal as the Canadiens won for the sixth time in seven games. Jose Theodore made half of his 36 saves in the final period.

Elsewhere:

• Niklas Kronwall's first NHL goal was the eventual game-winner as Detroit downed Chicago 4-2. Jason Woolley, Ray Whitney and Nicklas Lidstrom also scored for the Red Wings, who dealt the Blackhawks their 15th consecutive road loss.
• Jaromir Jagr scored from behind the goal line with eight-tenths of a second left in regulation, giving Washington a three-all tie with Calgary. Sergei Gonchar tied the game with 60 seconds left in the third period, but Jarome Iginla put the Flames back on top 22 seconds later before Jagr forced overtime.
• Nick Schultz scored in the second period, giving Minnesota its seventh tie in eleven games 2-2 with Los Angeles. Dwayne Roloson turned back 44 shots for the Wild, who extended the Kings' winless slide to 13 games.

Roenick suspended one game

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Flyers will be without forward Jeremy Roenick when they take on Toronto tomorrow. Roenick was given a one-game suspension by the NHL for tossing a water bottle at an official during Tuesday's loss to Buffalo.

Orioles bring back Ponson

BALTIMORE – Sidney Ponson turned out to be a Baltimore boomerang. The Orioles have reached contract terms with the starting pitcher, six and a-half months after shipping him to San Francisco.

Ponson accepted a three-year, $22.5 million package from the O's, according to his agent. The deal becomes official once he passes a physical.

The right-hander was 14-6 last year before the Orioles sent him to the Giants.

Elsewhere:

• Toronto signed pitcher Ted Lilly, about two months after acquiring him from Oakland. He gets a two-year, $5 million deal after going 12-10 with a 4.34 ERA for Oakland last season.
• Anaheim greed to terms with infielder Shane Halter on a one-year pact worth $575,000.
• Colorado gave reliever Turk Wendell a minor league contract and a spring training invitation.

Austrailan Open announces seedings

MELBOURNE, Australia – Australian Open officials announced the seedings for the upcoming Grand Slam event. Andy Roddick is No. 1 on the men's side, ahead of Roger Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Women's top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne is followed by Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams.