*HOCKEY: Quebec police divers recovered the body of former Blackhawks star Hubert “Pit” Martin, who drowned after the snowmobile he was driving plunged into an icy lake near his home. … The Hurricanes recalled goalie Justin Peters from AHL Albany after starter Cam Ward went down with a groin injury. … Montreal players lead all six starting spots in the Eastern Conference All-Star voting, but Penguins star Sidney Crosby is closing in. (Vote totals in Scoreboard). … For just the third time in the 41-year history of the Notre Dame hockey program, the Irish are ranked No. 1 in the college hockey polls. … The Augusta (Ga.) Lynx minor league hockey team has suspended operations and relinquished its membership in the ECHL.
*BASEBALL: Relief pitcher Doug Brocail, 41, agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract to stay with the Astros. … The Casey Blake free-agent sweepstakes appears down to the Twins and Dodgers. “We’re not that far apart with either club,” agent Jim McDowell said. … The Giants are close to a deal with shortstop Edgar Renteria. … The Athletics are a serious suitor for shortstop Rafael Furcal, who met with team executives last week. … A full World Series share was worth $351,504 for the Phillies. Among first-round losers, full shares were worth $27,828 for the White Sox and $25,033 for the Cubs. (Complete breakdown in Scoreboard). … Citi Field will remain the name of the Mets’ new ballpark. After Citigroup received a government bailout two N.Y. councilmen wanted the park’s name changed to Citi/Taxpayer Field.
*SOCCER: The Fire won’t have to wait long to begin its pursuit of the Brimstone Cup, the trophy given to the winner of the annual Fire-FC Dallas series. The two teams will open the 2009 season against each other in Frisco, Texas, on March 21. It marks the 10th time in 12 years the Fire will begin the season on the road. … Fire defender Bakary Soumare will join the Generation Adidas program for its upcoming trip to England. The 16-man roster, comprised of young MLS players, will face West Ham reserves on Monday, Chelsea reserves Dec. 10 and Aston Villa reserves Dec. 11.
— Luis Arroyave
*NBA: Rockets guard Tracy McGrady says he’ll miss three weeks to rehabilitate his sore left knee. He said he came back too soon from May’s surgery.
*COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Miami guard Eddie Rios was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. … Freshman guard Natalie Novosel scored 18 points off the bench and Lindsay Schrader had 17 points and 10 rebounds as Notre Dame’s 11th-ranked women beat Eastern Michigan 83-63.
*ALSO: The Indy Racing League’s developmental Indy Lights series will have 15 races in 2009, including Aug. 29 at Joliet’s Chicagoland Speedway. … Seve Ballesteros underwent more surgery, this time to drain fluid from his brain. Ballesteros, 51, was in stable condition after a valve was implanted in his brain, La Paz hospital said. … The British government agreed to cover more than a third of a funding shortfall for the country’s Olympic sports at the 2012 London Games. … German Skurygin, a former champion race walker implicated in doping, died. He was 45. … World record-holder and three-time winner Paula Radcliffe has entered the April 26 London Marathon.
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EDITED BY LEE C. GORDON FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
