Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. ó One day after the New Jersey Devils learned Martin Brodeur will be sidelined for months, backup Kevin Weekes gave the team the kind of goaltending it will need to get by without him.
After allowing a shootout goal to Vincent Lecavalier, Weekes stopped Jussi Jokinen and Vaclav Prospal to give the Devils a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner scored in the tiebreaker for New Jersey, which won for the second time in six games. The Devils also got goals from David Clarkson, Elias and Jay Pandolfo in regulation.
Jokinen scored twice for Tampa Bay and Martin St. Louis tied it late in the third period, but the Lightning’s three-game winning streak ended.
Blue Jackets 5, Oilers 4
COLUMBUS, Ohio ó Manny Malhotra tipped in a rebound with 1:09 left, making a winner of prized goalie prospect Steve Mason in his NHL debut and leading Columbus over Edmonton.
NFL
One of the storylines for Carolina’s visit to Oakland was squashed when the Raiders waived cornerback DeAngelo Hall on Wednesday.
In Week 3 last season, Hall, then playing for Atlanta, lost his cool while covering Panthers receiver Steve Smith. Hall was called for 63 yards worth of penalties ó including two personal fouls ó while jawing with Smith on the Panthers’ game-changing touchdown drive.
Hall then got into a heated argument with Falcons coach Bobby Petrino on the sideline.
Hall signed a $70 million contract with the Raiders, but was in the middle of a disappointing season when the Raiders cut ties.
– Tony Romo was back under center at practice Wednesday, once again zipping passes to Terrell Owens.
Romo’s return from a broken pinkie on his throwing hand is coming along as expected. The clunky cast he wore the last three weeks has been replaced by a small splint covering only the pinkie.
Romo was hurt during a loss to Arizona on Oct. 12. He practiced a little that week and tried to play in the following game, but realized during warmups that his bulky bandage prevented him from properly controlling the ball and sat out ever since.
Dallas went 1-2 without Romo, scoring no more than 14 points with Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger running the offense.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Kansas State coach Ron Prince was unable to rebuild the Wildcats into the Big 12 contender they were under his predecessor.
Now after 2 1/2 seasons in Manhattan, Prince is on his way out and K-State is in the market for another coach who can do what Bill Snyder did in the Little Apple.
Kansas State athletic director Bill Krause fired Prince, effective at the end of the season, on Wednesday, just three months after signing the coach to a five-year contract.
Prince took over for Snyder in 2006, his first head coaching job after 14 years at six different schools. He never lived up to the standard Snyder set, going 16-18, including 4-5 this year.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK ó Carlos Delgado’s $12 million option for next year was exercised Friday by the New York Mets.
Following a terrible start, the 36-year-old first baseman hit .308 with 27 homers and 80 RBIs in 84 games from June 27 on. That left him with a final average of .271 with 38 homers and 115 RBIs.
– DANA POINT, Calif. ó Brad Penny’s $9.25 million option was declined Wednesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers, making the 30-year-old right-hander eligible to become a free agent.
TENNIS
SHANGHAI, China ó Defending champion Roger Federer will face Andy Roddick and Andy Murray in group play at the season-ending Masters Cup next week.