Entries from March 2004 ↓

The Knicks today decided to offer a contract to Vin Baker, the former all-star, who had been released by the Celtics due to his problems with alcholism.   Looking for a chance to prove himself, Baker agreed to terms set by the league stating that the contract is only good for the remainder of the season and playoffs.

For the whole story, check out ESPN

Arsenal were drawn against Chelski in today’s draw for the Champions League Quarter Finals.

The match schedule will be released in about an hour.

The draw in full:

QF1 - v

FC Porto v Olypique Lyonnais

QF2 - v

Real Madrid v AS Monaco

QF3 - v

Chelski v Arsenal

QF4 - v

AC Milan v Deportivo La Coruna

The semifinal draw looks like this:

SF 1 - Real Madrid or Monaco v Chelski or Arsenal
SF2 - Porto or Lyon v AC Milan or Deportivo La Coruna

The final draw looks like this:

Winner of SF1 v Winner of SF2

So, Arsenal will start away at Chelski. If they get through all the way, they would be the home side in the semis, and the away side at the final.

Schedule:

March 24 - 2:45 PM ET Chelski v Arsenal
April 6 - 2:45 PM ET Arsenal v Chelski

Two first half goals by Thierry Henry sent the Gunners on their way to the Champions League Quarter-Finals for the first time in three years. The 2-0 win over Celta de Vigo at Highbury this afternoon gave Arsenal a 5-2 aggregate victory over the Spanish side.Also going through to the Quarter-Finals are:

AC Milan (Current Holders)

Chelski

Deportivo La Coruna

Olympique Lyon

AS Monaco

Real Madrid

FC Porto

The draw will take place on Friday, and the first of Quarter-Final matches will take place on March 23/24, with the return match taking place two weeks later on April 6/7.

Here’s the word on this afternoon’s match from the BBC:

2 - 0

(Arsenal win 5-2 on agg)

Two first-half goals from Thierry Henry eased Arsenal past Celta Vigo and into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2001.

The French striker seized upon a superb through-ball from Dennis Bergkamp to fire the hosts ahead on 14 minutes.

And Henry doubled Arsenal’s lead with a predator’s finish, when he latched onto Freddie Ljungberg’s deflected cross.

Celta Vigo were well beaten long before substitute Pablo Contreras was sent off for a 74th-minute foul on Jose Reyes.

The teams had endured contrasting fates at the weekend, with Arsenal mauling Portsmouth 5-1 and Celta Vigo losing by the same margin to Espanyol.

And they carried their respective confidence levels into the Highbury encounter.

The Spanish side squandered their early half-chances, while Arsenal scored from their first real attack.

Restored up front, Bergkamp swivelled on the edge of the area and fed Henry with a sweet outside-foot pass.

Arsenal’s top scorer applied a cool finish from a tight angle as he charged into the penalty area.

After Jose Ignacio and Mauricio Pinilla had fired wide for the visitors, Bergkamp laid on the next gilt-edged opportunity, freeing Ashley Cole, who was off target.

But the hosts put the tie beyond reasonable doubt moments later.

A quality move started by Robert Pires ended with a tantalising Ljungberg cross and a poacher’s finish from Henry for his 29th goal of the season.

Arsenal did not have the first half all their own way, but keeper Jens Lehmann was only tested by ambitious long-range strikes, which he dealt with comfortably.

And Henry missed a golden chance for his hat-trick just before the interval, when Pires unselfishly laid the ball on for his French team-mate, only for Celta keeper Pablo Cavallero to block his shot.

Pires should have scored himself soon after the restart, but a heavy touch presented the ball to Cavallero.

By then, Arsenal were playing exhibition football and only a high tackle by Cavallero robbed Bergkamp of a goal to cap his fine performance.

Spaniard Reyes was given a run-out against his compatriots for the last 20 minutes.

And he had an immediate impact when Celta Vigo Contreras saw fit to bodycheck him and was sent off for a second yellow card.

By then though, the tie had been won.

Arsenal join Chelsea as England’s representatives in the Champions League last eight.

This monkey’s gone to seven

From ESPN.com

NEW YORK — Winger Matthew Barnaby was traded by the New York Rangers on Monday night, along with a third-round pick in this year’s draft, to the Colorado Avalanche for defensemen Chris McAllister and David Liffiton.

New York, the busiest team leading up to Tuesday’s NHL trade deadline, also acquired a second-round choice in the 2004 draft the Avalanche previously acquired from Florida.

Barnaby scored twice Sunday in his final game with the Rangers, a 7-4 loss to Pittsburgh. With four deals made earlier last week, Barnaby figured his time in New York was coming to an end.

“It has obviously crept into my mind,” Barnaby said Sunday after scoring his 100th NHL goal. “It is a tough game to play when the people have been so good to you here and you know it is probably the last time you are going to play in a Ranger uniform.

“We know what they’re doing here. It’s just part of the job. You wait, and your time is coming, but you just get ready for it.”

Barnaby takes to the Avalanche an irritating game and a surprising scoring touch that has produced 12 goals, 32 points and 120 penalty minutes this season.

He has spent 2,220 minutes in the penalty box during his 12 seasons in the NHL.

New York general manager Glen Sather made two trades Monday. Earlier in the day, he sent defenseman Vladimir Malakhov to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward prospect Rick Kozak and a second-round selection in the 2005 draft.

Malakhov and Barnaby, who can be unrestricted free agents after the season, join Brian Leetch, Alexei Kovalev, Petr Nedved, Jussi Markkanen and Chris Simon as veterans dealt in a seven-day span by the Rangers.

New York has the NHL’s highest payroll but is on the verge of missing the playoffs for a seventh straight season.

The Rangers continue to stockpile younger players and draft choices as they totally break down the disappointing team.

In the seven deals, New York has acquired one first-round pick and five second-round choices in the next two drafts.

McAllister has no points and 62 penalty minutes in 34 games this season with the Avalanche. The 6-foot-8 defenseman has 20 points and 622 penalty minutes in 289 NHL games over seven seasons with Vancouver, Toronto, Philadelphia and Colorado.

Liffiton, Colorado’s second-round pick in the 2003 draft, is unsigned. He is in his third season with Plymouth of the Ontario Hockey League.

Yankee right-fielder Gary Sheffield jammed his thumb during Saturday’s spring training game against Toronto.

The injury has proved to be worse than the bruise it was first deemed to be. In the worst case scenario, the thumb may actually be fractured, which would then require some sort of surgery. If so, Sheffield could miss as many as three months worth of action.

UPDATE 3/9 13:20
Latest from New York is that Sheffield will not require surgery on his injured thumb. We expect further updates later today.

Malakov to Flyers, Simon to Flames

Both articles are from ESPN.com:

The New York Rangers continued to overhaul their lineup, sending defenseman Vladimir Malakhov to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.

The Rangers have acquired prospect Rick Kozak of the Kamloops Blazers and a second-round draft pick in exchange for Malakhov, who has three goals and 15 assists in 18 games for the Rangers this season.

In an unrelated move, the Flyers send defenseman Chris Therien to the Dallas Stars in exchange for two draft picks, the Stars announced Monday.

The Flyers will receive Phoenix’s eighth round pick in the 2004 draft and Dallas’ third round pick in the ‘05 draft. Dallas had received the ‘04 pick from the Coyotes in exchange for the Stars’ ninth-round selection in the ‘03 draft.

Therien, 32, is in his 10th NHL season and has spent his entire career in Philadelphia. The 6-5, 235-pound defenseman has appeared in 56 games for the Flyers this season, scoring 1-9-10 points with 50 penalty minutes.

“Chris Therien is a veteran player who will add depth, size and experience to our defensive corps,” Stars’ general manager Doub Armstrong said in a statement. “We’re excited to add a player of Chris’ caliber to our team as we head into the playoffs.”

Therien is expected to join the Stars in Philadelphia for practice on Wednesday.

Drafted by the Islanders in the 10th round, the 35-year-old Malakhov was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens in the 1994-95 season and played there for five years. The Devils then acquired him for their run at the 2000 Stanley Cup.

Malakhov contributed one goal and four assists in 23 games with the Devils before signing with the Rangers the following summer as an unrestricted free agent.

In his 11-year career, Malakhov has totaled 82 goals and 254 assists for 336 points in 667 games.

and on Saturday…

CALGARY, Alberta — The Calgary Flames added size and toughness, acquiring left wing Chris Simon from the New York Rangers on Saturday.

It was the latest in a flurry of trades by the Rangers, who received backup goaltender Jamie McLennan, center Blair Betts and minor league right wing Greg Moore from Calgary and also sent the Flames a seventh-round pick in 2004.

Simon, 32, had 14 goals, nine assists and an impressive plus-minus rating of plus-14 in 65 games for the Rangers this season.

But 6-3, 232-pound Simon is known best as one of the NHL’s most feared fighters. He is second in the league with 225 penalty minutes. His value went up recently as he scored five goals in six games.

“We have been interested in Chris for some time,” Flames general manager and coach Darryl Sutter said. “He is a big strong player who will also provide us with an offensive contribution and is having a good season.”

A 12-year veteran, Simon signed a one-year contract with the Rangers in July. He has 122 goals, 258 points and 1,571 penalty minutes in 592 games.

Trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 1996-97, the Flames are the seventh seed in the Western Conference with 74 points, one ahead of Los Angeles and five in front of St. Louis.

The Rangers likely will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight year, prompting president and general manager Glen Sather to clean house.

Over the last five days, Sather has traded star defenseman Brian Leetch, Alexei Kovalev, Petr Nedved, Jussi Markkanen and Simon. The trade deadline is Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

McLennan, 32, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July, served as Calgary’s backup goalie and will play the same role for the Rangers. He was 12-9-3 with a 2.20 goals-against average and .910 save percentage for the Flames.

With McLennan gone, Calgary probably will keep goaltender Roman Turek, who cleared waivers Saturday. Calgary hoped a team would pick him up, but Turek is due to make $5 million next season.

Betts, 24, has been sidelined since undergoing shoulder surgery two months ago. He had one goal and two assists in 20 games this season.

Moore, 19, was a fifth-round pick of the Flames in last year’s draft.

The Rangers also claimed forward Josh Green off waivers from the Flames. Green had two goals and four assists in 36 games with Calgary this season. He played four games with New York last season before being waived.