OILERS POSTPONE FRIDAY NEWS CONFERENCE TO TUESDAY

The Edmonton Oilers have postponed a Friday news conference at which team owner Peter Pocklington was likely to update the situation regarding the expected sale of his team. The team said the conference will take place Tuesday, Nov. 4, at noon ET at Edmonton Coliseum. Pocklington and Les Alexander, the owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, will be in attendance. The Oilers reportedly will be sold to Alexander, and will remain in Alberta for at least the next three years.

TAMPA BAY FIRES CRISP; NAMES PATERSON INTERIM COACH

After a 2-7-2 start, the Tampa Bay Lightning fired Terry Crisp, Sunday morning. Assistant coach Dave MacQueen was also relieved of his duties and Rick Paterson, hired as an assistant prior to this season, has been named interim coach. "This is not a happy day in Tampa Bay Lightning history," said Lightning general manager Phil Esposito. "Terry has been a friend of mine from the beginning." The Lightning lost at home to the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1, Sunday night. The firing of Crisp leaves Scotty Bowman of the Detroit Red Wings and Jacques Lemaire of the New Jersey Devils as the longest-tenured coaches in the NHL. Both have coached their respective teams since the start of the 1993-94 season. Crisp, the only coach in the history of the Lightning franchise, was hired prior to the 1992-93 season. In five-plus seasons with the Lightning, Crisp compiled a record of 142-204-45.

SABRES SIGN PECA

Buffalo Sabres center Mike Peca, who won the Selke Trophy honoring the league's top defensive forward last season, came to terms on a three-year, $4.5 million contract Monday night that will end his nearly month-long holdout. Peca, who led the Sabres with a plus-26 and topped the NHL with six short-handed goals last season, has sat out Buffalo's first 11 games. The Sabres have gone 3-6-2 over that span and allowed 37 goals. Last season, Peca set career highs with 20 goals and 29 assists in 79 games last season. He helped Buffalo win the Northeast Division with a record of 40-30-12. The Sabres lost to the Flyers in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

NOLAN NOT IN RUNNING FOR LIGHTNING HEAD COACHING JOB

Ted Nolan, the NHL's 1996-97 coach of the year, has taken himself out of the running for the job vacated by the firing of Tampa Bay Lightning coach Terry Crisp. Crisp was fired Sunday and was replaced on an interim basis by Rick Paterson. Nolan's agent, Robin Burns, said Monday on WZTM Radio in St. Petersburg, Fla., that Nolan asked to have his name removed from the candidacy list as a full-time replacement. Nolan was not rehired by the Buffalo Sabres despite leading them to their first division title in 16 years in 1996-97. He was given the Jack Adams Award, which the league presents to its top coach.

CAPITALS TO RETIRE ROD LANGWAY'S NUMBER

The Washington Capitals will honor long-time defenseman Rod Langway by retiring his jersey number before the club's last home game in Landover, Maryland on November 26th.

Langway, an NHL veteran from 1978-93, played 11 seasons for the Capitals and appeared in 726 games, wearing number 5.

Washington acquired Langway from the Montreal Canadiens in 1982 in one of the biggest trades in franchise history. He was named team captain during the 1982-83 season and held that title for the remainder of his career.

During his first season as captain, Langway led the Capitals to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and captured the first of two consecutive Norris Trophies, awarded to the league's best defenseman. He also was named an all-star a team-record five times.

Langway's number will join Yvon Labre's 7 as the only two retired in team history.

October 30, 1997

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