Hockey
GRIZZ SIGN A SWEDISH ELITE: Looking for some explosive offensive power, the Utah Grizzlies have signed winger Robert Nordberg from the Swedish Elite League.
Nordberg, 26, was the second leading scorer for Lulea's championship team last season. He scored 17 goals and added 14 assists for 31 points in the Swedish Elite League.
Coach Butch Goring believes Nordberg will follow in the footsteps of other Swedish stars - goaltender Tommy Salo and forwards Niklas Andersson and Andreas Johansson - who've had success with the Grizzlies in their two championship seasons.
"Robert will be a guaranteed fan favorite in Utah, he possesses some very strong offensive skills, and he is a great skater," said Grizzlies general manager/head coach Butch Goring.
Terms of the contract were not made available.
IHL EXPANSION DRAFT POSTPONED: The International Hockey League's 1996 expansion draft has been rescheduled to next summer because of extenuating circumstances caused by the lengthy collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
The expansion draft was to be held in mid-July for the Grand Rapids Griffins, who will make their IHL debut this season. The Griffins would have been able to make five selections from a pool of players from the 18 other IHL clubs. However, since the CBA talks carried on until last week, it was deemed that it would have been a disadvantage to all IHL teams because of a mandatory signing freeze that would have had to proceed.
The IHL will instead hold an expansion draft for Grand Rapids next summer.
RUSSIA DOWNS U.S.: Sergei Fedorov had two goals and an assist in his home rink in Detroit to lead Russia to a 6-4 victory over the United States Friday night in a tuneup for the hockey World Cup.
The presence of four Red Wings in the Russian lineup meant that the teams received roughly equal support from the crowd.
"We kind of expected that tonight, because some many of the Wings were out there for Russia," U.S. coach Ron Wilson said. "Once we get to the real games in New York and Philadelphia, we know the crowd will rally behind us a little more."
Two of those Red Wings teamed up to put Russia ahead 5-4 midway through the third period. Vyacheslav Kozlov's shot was stopped by Guy Hebert, but Igor Larionov scored on the rebound.
Two minutes later, Fedorov made it 6-4 with his second goal of the game.
EX-NHL PLAYER KILLED: Former NHL defenseman Jeff Batters was one of two people killed Friday in a highway accident in Canmore, Alberta, that also seriously injured two cousins of New York Rangers center Mark Messier.
Batters, 25, who played briefly for the St. Louis Blues from 1993-95, was found dead at the scene after the pickup truck he was riding in drifted off the highway and tumbled into a ditch near this Rocky Mountain community, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a release.
Gymnastics
OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Some of the world's greatest gymnasts will tumble on the lawns of the International Tennis Hall of Fame as part of the first World Outdoor Gymnastics Championships on Sept. 6-7 in Newport, R.I.
Shannon Miller, the most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, will lead the American team against male and female gymnasts from the Russian and Chinese Olympic teams.
Archery
HUISH'S RECORD ERASED: Gold-medal archer Justin Huish won a victory of another sort when a California judge erased a 3-year-old vandalism conviction from his record.
Ventura County Municipal Court Judge Art Gutierrez on Thursday granted the 21-year-old Huish's request to end probation and expunge his record.
Boxing
AUSTIN PLEADS INNOCENT: Bantamweight contender Tim Austin, who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics, pleaded innocent Friday in Cincinnati to charges of beating his ex-girlfriend and her brother.
Austin pleaded innocent in Hamilton County Municipal Court to felonious assault and domestic violence charges.
Austin is the IBF's top-ranked bantamweight challenger and is listed eighth by the WBA.
Paralympics
CLINTON A NO-CALL: Two Paralympic athletes waited for hours for a telephone call from President Clinton, but the phone never rang.
Clinton's schedule did not allow him to make the calls, White House spokeswoman Julie Green said Friday.
"The president expressed interest in calling the athletes, but nothing was ever confirmed and his schedule did not permit him an opportunity," Green said. "I know he still plans to express his pride to the athletes, either privately or in a letter."
Lee Ann Shannon, a 13-year-old who set world records in the 100-and 400-meter wheelchair races at the Paralympics, waited for 6 1/2 hours over two days for Clinton's call.
"I just wish nothing was said to Lee Ann about it," her mother, Ann Shannon, said. "It raised her hopes that he was calling and she sat here and waited and was so excited. If it was an adult, they would understand more. But you don't do that to a 13-year-old."
Cycling medalist Julia Haft also waited for a call.