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Veterans lead Rangers to victory

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Mark Messier scored twice in a three-minute span and Mike Richter moved to within three victories of 300, giving Bryan Trottier a victory in his first game as Rangers coach as New York beat the Hurricanes 4-1 on Wednesday.

Messier, the 41-year-old captain of the Rangers, missed 41 games last season with shoulder problems but was strong at the start of his 24th season, moving past Detroit's Steve Yzerman into seventh on the career goals list.

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Richter won No. 297 against the defending East champions, losing his shutout when Rod Brind'Amour scored with 3:41 left.

Messier scored his 659th goal nine seconds after Carolina failed to score on one of its 10 unsuccessful power plays. Messier added goal No. 660 three minutes later from the side of the net as the Rangers scored on a power play.

Petr Nedved scored New York's third goal of the period when his shot from the faceoff circle went off the stick of Carolina defenseman Bret Hedican and past Arturs Irbe.

Nedved added his second with 14:18 left.

Brian Leetch, Tom Poti and Eric Lindros had two assists.

The sellout crowd of 18,730 stood and cheered for 15 minutes before the drop of the puck as Carolina's mascot, Stormy, brought the Prince of Wales Trophy onto the ice and the scoreboard replayed highlights of the team's playoff run to the Stanley Cup final.

Owner Peter Karmanos, coach Paul Maurice, Ron Francis, Rod Brind'Amour and Glen Wesley then helped raise the Southeast and East championship banners.

Carolina appeared to get a jump from all of the emotion, going on a two-man advantage fewer than two minutes in as Messier took a holding penalty and New York was called for too many men on the ice.

But the Hurricanes didn't get a shot on goal during either power play. They had just three with seven minutes left in the period before Richter stopped Erik Cole from the slot with the Rangers on the power play then stopped a blast by Sami Kapanen as the period neared a close.

STARS 1, AVALANCHE 1: Radim Vrbata scored the tying goal in the third for host Colorado.

Dallas' Niko Kapanen scored his first career goal 4:20 into the game.

Dallas goaltender Marty Turco made 40 saves, and Colorado's Patrick Roy made 24.

Dallas center Jason Arnott was helped from the ice after injuring his right leg when he was dragged down by Vaclav Nedorost near the goal during the first period. He did not return and is scheduled to be re-evaluated today.

Dallas dominated early, building a 12-0 edge in shots before Colorado got its first shot on goal 12 minutes in.

Fans celebrated an apparent Colorado goal at 17:32 when Mike Keane looked to have poked the puck past a sprawled Turco, but it was disallowed because the whistle had blown.

Colorado got a power play out of that threat, but Turco withstood a flurry of scoring chances.

Kings retire Gretzky's jersey

LOS ANGELES -- Three years after hanging up his skates with 61 NHL records, the Kings retired Wayne Gretzky's silver-and-black No. 99 jersey in a ceremony for the player credited with making hockey a success in North America's warm weather climates.

Gretzky wiped his left eye as a soldout crowd saluted him with a prolonged standing ovation and chants of his name.

"To be remembered as an L.A. King is something special," he said.

Gretzky's arrival from Edmonton in 1988 turned hockey into a hot ticket in Los Angeles and led to the NHL adding franchises in Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix, Florida and North Carolina.

"When I was traded here in '88, people probably didn't expect this day to happen because there was a lot of people who didn't expect hockey to survive here," he said. "The fans deserve a lot of the credit for me having this night because of their support. They proved that this is not only a good sports city, but it's a good hockey city."

A bronze statue of Gretzky in a Kings uniform was unveiled outside the arena.

BLACKHAWKS: Right wing Garry Valk signed. Valk, an 11-year veteran, attended training camp as a tryout, playing in three preseason games. He replaces Theo Fleury, who was suspended indefinitely by the league Tuesday for an undisclosed violation of his substance abuse aftercare program. Terms were not disclosed.

CANUCKS: Defensemen Bryan Helmer and Nolan Baumgartner were sent to Manitoba. Vancouver also waived Mike Brown, acquired as part of the deal that sent Pavel Bure to Florida 21/2 years ago. He will be assigned to Manitoba if he clears waivers.

PENGUINS: Alexei Kovalev, one of the league's top scorers the past two seasons, and the team broke off contract extension talks until the end of the season. Kovalev will make $4.55-million this season. He will become a restricted free agent after the season and does not become an unrestricted free agent until after 2003-04.

The Penguins' final offer was believed to be about $7-million a season over three seasons with Kovalev wanting a longer deal.

SABRES: Forward Chris Gratton missed a second day of practice with a broken left foot and is questionable for tonight's season opener.

OBITUARIES: Hall of Fame goaltender Chuck Rayner, a three-time All-Star who played eight seasons for the Rangers just after World War II, died of heart failure Saturday. He was 82.

Also, Jacques Richard, who played with Quebec, Atlanta and Buffalo and later served a prison sentence for drug smuggling, died in a car crash late Tuesday. Richard, 50, lost control of his car and crashed into a culvert, according to Quebec police.

Richard retired in 1983 after a 10-year career. His best season was 1980-81 with the Nordiques, when he scored 52 goals with 51 assists.

Parrots change schedule

The St. Pete Parrots will practice from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Sunblades Ice Center (13940 Icot Blvd., Clearwater) and from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Bayfront Center. Admission is free.

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