HOCKEY

NHL SET TO CANCEL SEASON TOMORROW

With its do-or-die deadline come and gone and no deal in sight, the NHL circled tomorrow as the day it would call off what little was left of a decimated season, the Associated Press learned yesterday.

Despite a last-gasp meeting last night between the league and the players’ union, commissioner Gary Bettman still planned to cancel the remaining games, a source close to the negotiations said on condition of anonymity. The NHL announced that Bettman would speak at a news conference tomorrow in New York, but declined to give details.

More than two-thirds of the season and the All-Star game already have been lost to a lockout that started September 16. The major stumbling block to an agreement has been the league’s insistence on a salary cap.

The league initiated more talks yesterday, with only NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly and union senior director Ted Saskin present, two sources close to the negotiations told the AP on condition of anonymity.

PLANET USA WINS AHL ALL-STAR GAME

With the National Hockey League suffering an owners-imposed lockout, the 2005 AHL All-Star Classic showcased talent that otherwise would be skating in NHL arenas as Planet USA came from behind to defeat the Canadian All-Stars 5-4 in a shootout yesterday. The Hamilton Bulldogs’ Tomas Plekanec was named the game’s most valuable player.

FOOTBALL

BROWNS RELEASE QB GARCIA

Quarterback Jeff Garcia was released yesterday by the Cleveland Browns, who cut ties with the three-time Pro Bowler after one bad season.

Garcia signed a four-year, $25 million free agent contract with the Browns last March after spending five seasons in San Francisco. In 10 starts for Cleveland, Garcia completed 144 of 253 passes for 1,731 yards with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Garcia’s release – league rules prevent it from becoming official until February 22 – continues a house cleaning in the aftermath of a 4-12 season by the Browns, who last week hired Romeo Crennel, New England’s former defensive coordinator, as their coach.

FOWLER TO BECOME NFL’S FIRST BLACK OWNER

Arizona businessman Reggie Fowler agreed to buy the Minnesota Vikings in a deal that would make him the NFL’s first black owner. Fowler declined to say how much he would pay for the team, which announced the sale yesterday. Published reports and a rival bidder, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, put the price at about $625 million.

Owner Red McCombs had the team on the block since 2002.Taylor had offered about $600 million, though some of that money was contingent on a new stadium being built. If the league approves the deal, McCombs will make a huge profit – he paid $246 million for the team in 1998.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ILLINOIS UNANIMOUS NO. 1 FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

Illinois was a unanimous no. 1 in the Associated Press’s college basketball rankings for the third straight week yester day, while Charlotte moved into the Top 25 for the first time in six years.

The Fighting Illini (25-0) beat Michigan and Wisconsin last week to remain the only unbeaten team in Division I. Kansas (20-1) moved up one place to get back to no. 2, a spot it held for nine straight weeks before losing at Villanova. Charlotte (17-4) moved into the rankings at no. 23 after five wins in its last six games, the only loss at East Carolina.

NO. 17 PITT HANDS NO. 8 SYRACUSE ANOTHER HOME LOSS

Carl Krauser hit a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left and Chevon Troutman made four free throws in the final seconds to lead no. 17 Pittsburgh past no. 9 Syracuse 68-64 last night.

It was the second straight home loss after a 16-game winning streak at the Carrier Dome for Syracuse (22-4, 9-3 Big East), which was coming off its best game of the season, a 90-75 win at no. 25 Villanova. Pittsburgh (18-4, 8-3) won for the sixth time in seven games and completed a season sweep of the Orange. Troutman was 16-for-20 from the free throw line and finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

In other Top 25 action last night, Darrly Dora drained a 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds to go in double overtime to lift Texas Tech to a 80-79 win over no. 2 Kansas, and no. 15 Utah downed Wyoming, 71-62.

SAVANNAH STATE GOES 0-FOR-THE-SEASON

Savannah State became just the second NCAA Division I school in a half-century to go through an entire season without a win, losing to Florida A&M 49-44 last night to finish 0-28.

At least Savannah State didn’t go down without a fight, managing its closest loss of the season. The Tigers tied it at 41 with 1:57 remaining when Donald Carson – son of former New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson – hit two free throws. But Michael Harper put Florida A&M (9-13) ahead for good just 12 seconds later with two free throws.

“It’s unbelievable,” senior Sherard Reddick said. “It doesn’t feel like we lost 28 games this season. I guess God is testing us.”

Prairie View went 0-28 in 1991-92 – the only other Division I team in the last 50 years to endure a winless season. Savannah State won four games last season, but had to forfeit those because of an ineligible player – the son of coach Edward Daniels, no less. Officially, the school has a 55-game losing streak.

BASEBALL

TWINS LOCK UP SANTANA FOR FOUR YEARS

American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and the Minnesota Twins agreed yesterday to a $40 million, four-year contract. The 25-year-old left-hander, who had been scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing today, must past a physical before the deal can be finalized. Santana led the league with a 2.61 ERA and 265 strikeouts last season. He didn’t lose in 15 starts after the All-Star break, going 13-0 with a 1.21 ERA.

VAN POPPEL SIGNS MINOR LEAGUE DEAL WITH METS

Todd Van Poppel agreed yesterday to a minor league contract with the Mets and will join the team at spring training, which starts later this week. Van Poppel would get a $500,000, one-year contract if he is added to the major league roster. The 33-year-old right-hander, a first-round draft pick with Oakland in 1990, went 4-6 with a 6.09 ERA in 48 games with Cincinnati last year.

– Associated Press