HOCKEY

RANGERS SNAP DEVILS’ 9-GAME WINNING STREAK Petr Prucha broke New York’s power-play slump, and fellow rookie Henrik Lundqvist out dueled Olympic goalie counterpart Martin Brodeur to lift the Rangers to a 3-1 victory last night that ended the Devils’ nine-game winning streak.

Prucha staked the Rangers to the lead in the first period with his 24th goal and Michael Nylander doubled it in the second. Lundqvist did the rest, stopping 31 shots and slowing the Devils’ power play in the process. Dominic Moore sealed it with an empty-netter on New York’s 33rd and final shot.

The Rangers improved to 4-1-1 against New Jersey this season with two games left. They won the series from their area rivals for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

KHABIBULIN OUT SIX WEEKS WITH SPRAINED KNEE Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin will be sidelined up to six weeks because of a sprained knee. He had been expected to start in goal for Russia at the Turin Olympics. Khabibulin signed a four-year, $27 million contract with the Blackhawks in the off-season.

BASEBALL

RED SOX CLOSE TO DEALS WITH CRISP, GONZALEZ The Boston Red Sox have agreed in principle on a trade that will bring outfielder Coco Crisp from Cleveland to Fenway Park for third baseman Andy Marte and righthander Guillermo Mota, according to a report yesterday in the Boston Herald.

The newspaper reported the deal was agreed to a few days ago under a condition that the Indians were able to acquire another outfielder to replace Crisp – presumably the Phillies’ Jason Michaels. It was reported that the Indians were going to send either lefthander Arthur Rhodes or righthander Rafael Betancourt to the Phillies for the outfielder.

The Herald also reported that Boston is about to sign free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez, 28, who has hit .245 with 81 homers and 375 RBI in eight seasons with the Florida Marlins.

Crisp, a 26-year-old switch-hitter who can fill voids in centerfield and the leadoff slot, batted .300 with 42 doubles, 16 homers, and 69 RBI in 145 games in 2005.Marte,whom Boston acquired from Atlanta for Edgar Renteria, averaged .280, 32 doubles, and 20 homers in four full seasons in the minors.

FOOTBALL

MULARKEY HIRED TO LEAD DOLPHINS’ OFFENSE Former Buffalo Bills coach Mike Mularkey agreed yesterday to become offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, barely a week after quitting as coach of the Bills. The 44-year-old Mularkey will replace Scott Linehan, who departed Thursday to become head coach of the St. Louis Rams. Mularkey unexpectedly resigned in Buffalo after the Bills fired five assistant coaches and hired Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy as general manager. In his two seasons in Buffalo, the team went 9-7 and 5-11.

SOURCE: JAURON TO BECOME BILLS COACH Former Chicago Bears coach Dick Jauron was in Buffalo and preparing to become the Bills head coach yesterday, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Jauron went 35-46 in five seasons with the Bears and was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2001. He spent the past two years as the Lions defensive coordinator and finished last season as the team’s interim coach after Steve Mariucci was fired in late November.

KUBIAK TO TAKE OVER TEXANS The Houston Texans will hire Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak to take over the worst team in the league and help decide what to do with the first pick in the draft. This will be the first head coaching job for Kubiak at any level. He spent the last 11 years with Mike Shanahan in Denver.

GOLF

DIMARCO HOLDS ON AT ABU DHABI CHAMPIONSHIP American Chris DiMarco won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship yesterday by one stroke to earn his biggest paycheck on the European Tour. DiMarco, who won $332,900, carded a closing 5-under 67 for a 20-under 268. He finished one shot ahead of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and two in front of Spain’s Sergio Garcia. Overnight leader Stenson birdied the final hole to finish with 69 and pull ahead of Garcia, who closed with a bogey-free 66.

– Associated Press