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Profiles Carolina Hurricanes hockey player Jeff O'Neill. Biographical information; Dominance he displays while as a visiting player; Statistics for his National Hockey League career; Expectations for the 2002-03 season.

Focuses on Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco. Biographical information; Praise for Turco's aggressive, high-risk style; Performance of Turco and the Stars during the 2002-03 National Hockey League season.

The name across the back of his black-and-gold sweater was the same, but when the Boston Bruins acquired right wing Glen Murray from the Los Angeles Kings in October 2001, little else suggested that he was the same player Boston had drafted in 1991 and given up on four years later. Thanks to a lightning release and a wicked slap shot, he was one of five players with 40 or more goals last season (he had a career-high 41) and through Sunday was on pace to equal that total this year. Last month Murray played in his first All-Star Game, and his style--he often darts in and out of the area between the circles--is drawing comparisons to hockey royalty. One other factor has favored Murray since his return to Boston: His development coincided with that of linemate Joe Thornton, who often dominates when he's on the ice. The ordeal ended with left wing Craig MacDonald collapsed on the ice from exhaustion and right wing Jeff O'Neill, the team's lone All-Star, lashing out.

Focuses on how Pittsburgh Pirates player Aleksey Morozov has benefited from playing on the same line as Mario Lemieux. Nervousness felt by Morozov when he first began playing with Lemieux; Performance of Morozov during the 2001-02 National Hockey League season.

Focuses on the health of Philadelphia Flyers player John LeClair. Biographical information; How a series of back injuries have limited his playing time since before the 2000-01 National Hockey League season; Expectations for the 2002-03 season, now that his back is healthy again.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Colorado Avalanche. Scouting report; Importance of Peter Forsberg to the team contending for the Stanley Cup championship.

Focuses on Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player Gary Roberts. Biographical information; Role he is playing in trying to lead the Maple Leafs through the 2002 National Hockey League playoffs; Comeback he made, after being forced to retire in 1996 when a series of collisions caused nerve and disc damage in his neck.

Reports on a victory by the Detroit Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 of the first round of the 2002 National Hockey League playoffs. Importance of the game to Detroit, which had lost the first two games; Performance of Red Wings' goaltender Dominik Hasek; Apparent relaxed play of the Vancouver players.

Discusses the impact on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tommy Salo of a long shot he allowed in the 2002 Winter Olympics to get by him that resulted in a loss for his team, Sweden, against Belarus. Questions about whether he will be able to mentally overcome the error; Harassment his family has received in Sweden, along with the treatment of Salo in the media; Outlook for the Oilers to get into the 2002 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs.

Discusses the play of the New Jersey Devils in the 2001-2002 National Hockey League (NHL) season. How coach Larry Robinson was fired because of the poor play of the team; Coaching style of Robinson's replacement, Kevin Constantine; Outlook for the team to make the playoffs.

Discusses the All-Star Game in the National Hockey League, and reasons players are not looking forward to it. View that schedules are busy due to the Winter Olympic break; Outlook for Sergei Fedorov, Dominik Hasek, and Nicklas Lidstrom to play in the game; Priorities of players for the Olympics and their teams' playoff efforts.

Discusses how Slovakia's Olympic hockey team may not be able to play its best players during qualifying matches in Salt Lake City, Utah for two open berths in the medal round. How top players Pavol Demitra, Jozef Stumpel, and Miroslav Satan may not reach the medal round because they are obligated to play for the National Hockey League (NHL); Role of the International Ice Hockey Federation, which devised the format.

Profiles Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames hockey team. How he has led the National Hockey League in goals and points; Thought of Wayne Gretzky that Iginla may be the best forward in the league; His emphasis on quickness and use of strength; Biographical information.

This article reviews sports related television programming. The omission of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony from this Sunday's NBA All-Star Game means viewers must catch the precocious pair in Friday's Rookie Challenge or not at all. ABC devotes only five Sunday afternoons to its regular-season NHL coverage, which makes it frustrating that premium broadcast time and promotional energy are expended on the All-Star Game. Yes, the match showcases elite players, but its low energy level and soft play (two years ago fans in L.A. laughed when the Flyers' Jeremy Roenick leveled the Sabres' Alexei Zhitnik with the game's only check) don't represent the genuine article and do nothing to sell the sport to potential hockey converts. Three days before Sunday's exhibition, ESPN aired a Red Wings-Avalanche game in which Detroit sniper and future Hall of Famer Brett Hull scored in OT for a 3-2 win in hockey's richest rivalry. Excerpts from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's visit with Donald Trump on NBC's The Apprentice last Thursday:.

Typically a club's complaints about the schedule outnumber its frequent-flier miles, but this season there's good reason to gripe. To conclude the Stanley Cup playoffs by June 9 at the latest, the National Hockey League has compressed the 82-game schedule to 180 days, at least 10 fewer than usual.

Reports on the number of coaches who have been fired during the 2002-03 National Hockey League season. Thoughts on the dismissal of Montreal Canadians coach Michel Therrien, the sixth coach to lose his job; How Darryl Sutter was fired by the San Jose Sharks only to be hired by the Calgary Flames four weeks later, after the Flames fired their coach Bob Hartley.

Discusses the ebst and work free-agent signing in the National Hockey League for the 2002-2003 season. Toronto goaltender Ed Belfour, Columbus center Andrew Cassels and Dallas defenseman Phillppe Boucher who were the best signings; New York Rangers center Bobby Holik and defenseman Darius Kasparitis, Phoenix right win Tony Amonte and Anaheim center Adam Oates who were the worst.

Reports on the hiring of Tony Granato as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. Inexperience of Granata, who retired from the National Hockey League following the 2000-01 season; Reasons for the decision by Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix to fire Bob Hartley and replace him with Granato; Expectations for the Avalanche in the 2002-03 NHL season.

Reports on the efforts of the National Hockey League to call more obstruction penalties, and the impact on increased penalties being called per game.

Reports on how efforts to speed up National Hockey League games are shortening games and impacting the league's television endorsements.

Questions whether former National Hockey League goaltender Mike Vernon should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Minnesota Wild. Scouting report; Need for patience in developing the third-year expansion team into a playoff contender.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Boston Bruins. Scouting report; Questions regarding how the team will fare after losing Bill Guerin and Byron Dafoe to free agency.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Carolina Hurricanes. Scouting report; Efforts of the team to prove their surprise run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002 was not a fluke.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Detroit Red Wings. Scouting report; Efforts to repeat as Stanley Cup champions despite getting a new head coach in Dave Lewis and new goalie in Curtis Joseph.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the Philadelphia Flyers. Scouting report; How a change in head coach should provide the motivation that the underachieving team needs to perform well.

Previews the 2002-03 National Hockey League season, focusing particularly on the San Jose Sharks. Scouting report; Efforts to contend for the Stanley Cup as the team's players mature and get older.

Focuses on the difficulties encountered by goalies in getting picked for professional teams in the United States National Hockey League. Reasons behind the difficulties; Attributes necessary for hockey goal keepers.

Reports on the decision of the United States National Hockey League to implement the hurry-up face-offs policy designed to decrease the length of games and pick up the flow of action. Provisions of the policy; Impact of the modified procedure on hockey games.

Lists free-agent hockey players in the United States National Hockey League. Luke Richardson; Bret Hedican; Scott Young.

Reports on the diminishing value of first-round draft choice players in the United States National Hockey League.

Reports on the play of Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman in the 2002 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs. Sore right knee of Yzerman from an injury; Effectiveness of Yzerman at critical times; Toughness of Yzerman.

Argues that the National Hockey League (NHL) should penalize players who engage in the practice of using a sweaty, smelly glove to wipe an opponent's face in order to provoke him, known as a facewash. Suggestion that players who engage in facewashes be penalized with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty; Idea that post-whistle fights would drop dramatically if facewashes were eliminated.

Argues that the National Hockey League (NHL) should assign two referees to work each playoff series in its entirety. Nature of the system in 2002, in which referees usually work no more than two games in a series, resulting in uneven officiating; Advantages of having referees work an entire series.

Discusses mistakes made by Montreal Canadiens coach Michel Therrien in Game 4 of their series against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2002 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs. Penalty called against Therrien for harassing the referees after one of his players had been assessed a penalty for cross-checking; Use of fourth-line forward Bill Lindsay to handle a critical face-off in overtime against Jeff O'Neill, who had been very successful in face-offs.

Discusses the performance of Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens and Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2002 National Hockey League playoffs after returning from long absences due to illness and injury. Recovery of Koivu from chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; Return of Forsberg after suffering a ruptured spleen and undergoing surgery on his left foot.

Discusses the matchup between Toronto Maple Leafs forward Shayne Corson, a premier checker, and New York Islanders center Alexei Yashin, an excellent scorer, in the 2002 National Hockey League playoffs. Success of Corson against Yashin in the first two games of the series.

Discusses the role goalie José Théodore has had in the success of the Montreal Canadiens during the 2001-02 National Hockey League season. Strong performance of Théodore in leading an otherwise mediocre team into playoff contention; League rank in save percentage and goals-against average.

Reports on deficiencies in the video replay system used in National Hockey League (NHL) games. Problems that prevented a goal from being counted in a game between the Phoenix Coyotes and Boston Bruins; Lack of a camera angle that prevented a goal from being counted in a game between the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks; Modifications enacted by the general managers which will be implemented in the 2002-2003 season.

Reports on a plan by the Nashville Predators to raise ticket prices in the 2002-2003 National Hockey League (NHL) season, but refund the increase if the team fails to make the playoffs. Strategy of the team to build with young players; Trades made by general manager David Poile, demonstrating the teams commitment to youth.

Discusses the outlook for the New York Rangers to make the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs in 2002. Loss of the Rangers to the Atlanta Thrashers, the worst team in the NHL; Trades made by the team to improve their chances of making the playoffs; Need for better defense.

Discusses the trade deadline of the National Hockey League. Expectation that many teams will watch the deadline go by and that trades involving high-profile players will not occur because of the bulk of unrestricted free agents playing integral roles on contending clubs; Analysis that many teams have found success by re-signing their current players and not making trades; View that teams often retain their players so as not to risk the ire of fans.

Profiles New York Islanders defenseman Adrian Aucoin. Average number of minutes played for the Islanders, which is the third most in the National Hockey League (NHL); Performance of Aucoin on special teams.

Discusses the effect that the television deal struck between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and ABC, ESPN, and AOL Time Warner will have on the National Hockey League (NHL), which is broadcast mainly on ESPN. View that the deal will have a negative impact; Optimism of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Focuses on why goaltenders Curtis Joseph, Martin Brodeur, and Ed Belfour, goalies for Team Canada, are not on the roster for the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star game. Question of whether NHL executive vice president Colin Campbell left them off the roster to rest them for the Winter Olympics; Omission of United States goaltenders Mike Richter, Mike Dunham, and Tom Barrasso.

Focuses on the play of Eric Dazé of the Chicago Blackhawks. Frustration of Dazé during his rookie season; His establishment as one of the best left wing forwards in the National Hockey League (NHL); Thoughts of coach Brian Sutter on the play of Dazé.

Focuses on reasons for a drop in goals per game scored in the National Hockey League during the 2001 season. Idea that the reduction may be from improvements in goalie equipment, coaching systems, or a dilution of talent; View of Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic that players are tired due to a demanding and compact Olympic schedule.

Previews the 2001-02 National Hockey League season, in particular the Nashville Predators. Lack of money committed to the team's players; Praise for goaltender Mike Dunham; Rankings.

Previews the 2001-02 National Hockey League season, in particular the Buffalo Sabres team. How the loss of goalie Dominik Hasek is expected to impact the team; Thoughts on the defensive tandem of Jay McKee and Rhett Warrener; Outlook.