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NEW YORK (AP) — NHL-HOWE
Hockey great suffers another stroke
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — The daughter of hockey great Gordie Howe says her father has suffered another stroke. Cathy Purnell says her father suffered a "significant stroke" on Monday. She said he was stable and "a little bit alert" Tuesday morning.
Howe suffered what his children called a serious stroke in late October and another in early November. He has been staying at his daughter's home in Lubbock, Texas.
The man known as "Mr. Hockey" set NHL marks with 801 goals and 1,850 points, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Report: Michigan dumps football coach
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Brady Hoke (hohk) is out after four years at Michigan as football coach. A person close to Hoke familiar with the situation confirmed the move to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school had not announced it ahead of a late afternoon news conference.
After going to the Sugar Bowl in Hoke's first season, the Wolverines slowly slipped into mediocrity and are not even among the top teams in the Big Ten.
Hoke was 11-20 as the Wolverines' coach after the team floundered to a 5-7 record this season and missed out on bowl eligibility along with Big Ten also-rans Indiana, Purdue and Northwestern.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Thunder welcome back Durant
UNDATED (AP) — Reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant returns to the court for tonight's Oklahoma City game at New Orleans. Durant played in two preseason games before complaining of an ache in his foot after a practice. He underwent surgery for a broken bone on Oct. 16 and the team said it would be about six weeks before the foot would be re-evaluated. Nearly seven weeks later, he will be back with the team this evening against the Pelicans.
Last season, Durant won his fourth scoring title in five years after averaging 32 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He had a run of 41 consecutive games with at least 25 points, the third-longest streak in NBA history. For that, he was named league MVP.
The top two clubs in the NBA's Northwest Division are squaring off tonight in Denver as the Nuggets play host to the Blazers. At the start of the play Portland tops the division and Denver by four games. Each team is red-hot these days as the Blazers have won 9 of 10 while the Nuggets have won 8 of their last 10 games.
The hottest team in the league is Golden State as the Warriors have won their last nine in a row to improve their record to 14-2. As such they lead the Pacific Division and tonight the Warriors are home to Orlando.
Two of the worst teams in the league are meeting in Detroit as the Pistons entertain the Lakers. Once two of the top franchises in the league, the Lakers enter the game 4-13 this season while the Pistons are 3-14.
The rest of tonight's schedule has the Cavaliers at home to the Bucks, Boston in Atlanta to play the Hawks, the Knicks entertaining the Nets, the Bulls home to the Mavericks, Indiana at Phoenix and Sacramento at home to the Raptors.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Hot goalie in action tonight
UNDATED (AP) — The hottest goalie in the NHL is back on the ice tonight as Nashville skates at Carolina. Pekka Rinne (PEH'-kuh RIH'-nuh) of the Predators has won his last six games and was 10-1-0 in November.
Perhaps the most improved team this season is Calgary. Last season the Flames finished 13th in the 14 team Western Conference. Entering tonight's home game against Arizona, the Flames are just three points back of first-place Anaheim in the Pacific Division.
The red-hot New York Islanders are home tonight to Ottawa. The Isles won 11 of 14 games last month and this evening's game is the first-half of a home and home series which ends Thursday in Ottawa.
Two winning teams are facing off tonight in Buffalo as the Sabres entertain the Lightning. Tampa has won four straight while the Sabres have won their last two and five of six.
The rest of tonight's busy schedule has New Jersey skating at Pittsburgh, the Capitals home to the Canucks, Dallas at Toronto, the Red Wings hosting the Panthers, Philadelphia at San Jose and the Bruins in L.A. to face the Kings.
NHL-BLUES
St. Louis lands Brodeur
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have signed 42-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur (MAHR'-tan broh-DYOOR') to a one-year contract. The NHL's career leader in games, wins and shutouts will help fill the void while Brian Elliott is out with a knee injury. Brodeur began practicing with St. Louis last week. He played 21 seasons for the New Jersey Devils, leading them to three Stanley Cups, and had been looking to resume his career since the offseason.
Elliott is out indefinitely and Brodeur likely will share duties with 24-year-old Jake Allen.
NHL-BLUE JACKETS
Surgery for Jackets' Letestu
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus Blue Jackets center Mark Letestu (luh-TEHS'-too) has undergone surgery to repair groin and abdominal injuries and is expected to be sidelined approximately six weeks. Letestu had three goals and two assists in nine games before being injured in late October.
T25 MEN'S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Two games with two ranked schools tonight
UNDATED (AP) — There are seven games tonight involving at least one ranked team from the men's AP Top-25 basketball poll. The highest ranked school in action is No. 4 Arizona as the Wildcats are home to Gardner-Webb.
There are two games featuring two ranked schools as fifth-ranked Louisville is home to No. 14 Ohio State and 24th-ranked Illinois is playing host to 15th-ranked Miami.
The remaining games feature sixth-ranked Texas against Texas-Arlington, ninth-ranked Gonzaga (gahn-ZAG'-uh) at home to Southeastern Louisiana and 17th ranked Michigan against Syracuse while 20th-ranked Iowa State tangles with Lamar.
T25 FOOTBALL-MISSISSIPPI
New deal for the coach
UNDATED (AP) — Mississippi football coach Hugh Freeze has reached an agreement with the school on a new contract. Athletics director Ross Bjork (byork) confirms the deal without disclosing any terms of the contract.
The 45-year-old Freeze has led Ole Miss to a 24-14 record, including an 11-13 mark in the Southeastern Conference, over three seasons. The 13th-ranked Rebels have a 9-3 record this season and beat No. 4 Mississippi State 31-17 on Saturday in the Egg Bowl. Freeze took over a program that had gone 2-10 in 2011 with Houston Nutt on the sidelines.
NFL-CARDINALS
Surgery for Mathieu
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu (TY'-ran MATH'-yoo) will undergo surgery on his fractured left thumb and could be sidelined until the team's regular-season finale. Mathieu will have a pin inserted in the thumb and the club says the thumb will need a couple of weeks to heal before Mathieu would be able to play with it in a cast.
NFL-PETERSON
Day 1 for Peterson ends
NEW YORK (AP) — The first day of Adrian Peterson's appeal hearing has ended after more than three hours. The Minnesota running back did not comment as he departed, while his attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, said only that the hearing will continue Thursday. The proceedings were held before longtime hearing officer Harold Henderson.
Peterson is seeking reinstatement after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL') suspended him for the rest of the season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. The former NFL MVP hasn't played for the Vikings since Week 1 after he was charged with child abuse in Texas. He was placed on paid leave while the legal process played out, and he pleaded no contest Nov. 4 to misdemeanor reckless assault for injuring his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.
NICKLAUS
Golf great to be honored
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Golfing great Jack Nicklaus will receive Congress' highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. Legislation authorizing the award for Nicklaus cleared Congress late Monday and now awaits the signature of President Barack Obama. Past recipients include Rosa Parks, Robert Frost, Joe Louis and Neil Armstrong.
Nicklaus, who received the President Medal of Freedom in 2005, won a record 18 major golf championships during his career.
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