HOCKEY

SAKIC LEADS AVALANCHE OVER RANGERS Joe Sakic scored a pair of goals 19 seconds apart in the second period – the second on a penalty shot – and the Colorado Avalanche snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Rangers last night.

Colorado has won six straight against the Rangers since November 20, 2001, and is 9-1 in the past 10 meetings. Sakic broke open a scoreless game with a powerplay goal at 13:52. While that was being announced, Sakic was hooked by Martin Straka as he came in alone and was awarded his fifth career penalty shot. He streaked down the middle and squeezed a shot between Kevin Weekes’s pads to improve to 5-for-5 and push the Avalanche’s lead to 2-0 on just their 11th shot. The spurt gave the 36-year-old captain eight goals in 12 games and his second multiple-goal effort of the season.

The Rangers have dropped two straight, both at home, for the first time since November 15-17. It is the Rangers’ first losing streak of the season at Madison Square Garden. Ryan Hollweg, who fought Ian Laperriere 37 seconds after the opening faceoff, cut the Rangers’ deficit in half when he scored his second career goal with 19.4 seconds left in the second period. Hollweg took three whacks at the right post before putting a rebound of Jaromir Jagr’s shot past rookie goalie Vitaly Kolesnik. It was Jagr’s 800th assist.

Weekes stopped 15 shots in just his second appearance in nine games and first at home since beating Carolina on November 19. His four-game winning streak ended.

BASEBALL

GARCIAPARRA AGREES TO ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH DODGERS Five-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said yesterday that Garciaparra passed a physical and will be introduced today at a Dodger Stadium news conference.

Garciaparra also considered the Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Houston Astros. He spent several hours with Dodgers executives Thursday and Friday – the first day with agent Arn Tellem, the second with his wife, former soccer star Mia Hamm. Garciaparra and Hamm live in suburban Manhattan Beach.

The 32-year-old Garciaparra was considered one of baseball’s best shortstops for several years while playing with the Boston Red Sox, and won the AL batting title in 1997. But his playing time was limited during the past two years because of injuries. He hit .283 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 62 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, when he earned $8.25 million. He tore his left groin running out of the batter’s box in St. Louis on April 20 and didn’t return until August 5.

Garciaparra most likely will play first base or the outfield with the Dodgers. He played mostly third base after returning to the Cubs last August.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

HUSKIES RIP NEW HAMPSHIRE Connecticut put the squeeze on an overmatched New Hampshire squad early, and the second-ranked and unbeaten Huskies cruised to another lopsided win. Rudy Gay had 22 points and three steals and Ed Nelson dominated down low with 11 rebounds in UConn’s 86-44 victory yesterday.

Marcus Johnson, making his first start for an injured Denham Brown (bruised knee),had a career-high 20 points for the Huskies (8-0). Blagoj Janev led the Wildcats (2-8) with 24 points. His back-to-back baskets with 13:49 left in the game were the Wildcats’ first consecutive scores.

– Associated Press