Hockey
KINGS-RANGERS TRADE: The Los Angeles Kings, again unloading high-priced talent, and the New York Rangers, looking to toughen up for a Stanley Cup run, completed a seven-player trade.
The Kings sent Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley and Shane Churla to the Rangers for Ray Ferraro, Ian Laperriere, Nathan LaFayette, Mattias Norstrom and a fourth-round pick in 1997. The Kings dealt Wayne Gretzky to St. Louis two weeks ago for three players and two draft picks.
Kurri, 35, has 17 goals and 23 assists. McSorley, 32, a defenseman, has 10 goals, 21 assists and 148 penalty minutes this season. Ferraro, 31, a center, has 25 goals and 29 assists in 65 games.
CUMMINS SUSPENDED: Chicago forward Jim Cummins was suspended without pay for eight games and fined $1,000 for his "attack" on Florida's Brad Smyth.
Basketball
PAYTON SUSPENDED: Seattle guard Gary Payton has been suspended for one game without pay and fined $5,000 by the NBA for head-butting Orlando's Joe Wolf on Wednesday night.
CO-ED CHALLENGE: Student-athletes from Bountiful, Davis, Viewmont and Woods Cross high schools will compete in a co-ed basketball challenge Monday, March 18 to benefit the Special Olympics. The competition, slated for 7 p.m. at Bountiful High, will include slam dunk and 3-point shooting events. Admission is $1 per person or $5 per family.
Golf
BAY HILL INVITATIONAL: Mark O'Meara, Paul Goydos and Glen Day shot 5-under-par 67s to share the first-round lead in the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando, Fla.
Bob Lohr opened with a 68 on the Bay Hill Club course and Davis Love, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, Tom Purtzer, Steve Jones, Mike Hulbert, Mike Sullivan and Billy Mayfair shot 69s. Greg Norman, Nick Price and Nick Faldo had 72s.
Two-time defending champion Loren Roberts and tournament host Arnold Palmer were eight back after 75s.
PING-WELCH'S: Pat Bradley, Liselotte Neumann and Trish Johnson shot 4-under-par 68s in rainy conditions to share the first-round lead in the Ping-Welch's Championship in Tucson.
Defending champion Dottie Pepper was a stroke back along with Amy Fruhwirth, Kristal Parker-Gregory, Michelle McGann, Mary Beth Zimmerman, Martha Nause, Missie McGeorge, Brandie Burton and Dale Eggeling.
Tennis
NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP: Andre Agassi beat Todd Martin 7-6 (11-9), 2-6, 7-6 (7-1) to advance to the quarterfinals of the Newsweek Champions Cup in Indian Wells, Calif.
Two-time defending champion Pete Sampras had an easier time, beating Michael Joyce 6-3, 6-4.
- In the only match in the women's Evert Cup, top-seeded Steffi Graf outlasted Lindsay Davenport 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.
Football
49ERS SIGN DOLEMAN: The San Francisco 49ers filled one of their top needs by signing pass rush specialist Chris Doleman.
Doleman, 34, a seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end, agreed to a five-year, $12.5 million contract, including a $3.4 million signing bonus. He led Atlanta with nine sacks last season and is 10th on the career list with 1041/2.
- The New York Jets, looking to bolster their receivers, agreed to a multiyear contract with Jeff Graham. Graham, 27, had 82 receptions for Chicago last season.
COLTS VS. SAINTS: Indianapolis will play New Orleans in the Hall of Fame game at Canton, Ohio, on July 27, the first of 15 nationally televised games that will be used to experiment with a new version of instant replay.
Business
PHILLY FRANCHISES: Comcast Corp. has reportedly reached agreement in principle to buy controlling shares of Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers and the city's two major sports arenas in a deal worth more than $500 million.
The Philadelphia-based cable television firm would buy 60 percent of the Flyers from Ed Snider and all of the 76ers from Harold Katz, the Bucks County Courier Times reported today. WIP-AM first reported the possible deal.
Baseball
McGUIRE INJURY: Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire will have to stay off his right foot for two weeks after tearing connective tissue, team orthopedist Jerrald Goldman said. McGwire was injured Tuesday.