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Yzerman
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Steve Yzerman was nervous before making his NHL debut.
He quickly found out he had nothing to worry about.
In his first game, in 1983 at Winnipeg, Yzerman had a goal and an assist for the Detroit Red Wings.
“I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect and my dad was in town,” Yzerman said before being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame tonight. “Then, I remember being comfortable with how I was doing with the pace.
“It was a pleasant surprise.”
It was for Detroit, too.
“We considered sending him to Peterborough because we thought he might need another year of junior hockey to get stronger physically,” said Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano, who drafted Yzerman fourth overall. “It didn’t take us long to see this skinny, 18-year-old kid was our best player. That tells you something about him, and our team at the time.”
Yzerman finished his rookie season with 87 points and retired with 1,755 in 2006, when no active player had more points. He turned around Detroit’s franchise, hoisting three Stanley Cups and helped Canada win men’s hockey Olympic gold in 2002 for the first time in 50 years.
Yzerman’s career will be celebrated during enshrinement ceremonies in Toronto, where he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with former teammates Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, Brian Leetch and New Jersey Devils president Lou Lamoriello.
Phillies part ways with third baseman
The Philadelphia Phillies have declined their $5.5 million 2010 option on third baseman Pedro Feliz. Feliz hit .266 with 12 home runs and 82 RBI in 158 games for the National League champion Phillies this season. He’ll receive a $500,000 buyout.
Purdue women cruise in exhibition
Brittany Rayburn’s game-high 21 points led the Purdue women’s basketball team to a 74-39 exhibition win over Lindsey Wilson College at Makey Arena. FahKara Malone added 17, and Jodi Howell chipped in 13 in the Boilermakers’ only exhibition game. Purdue opens the season at 1 p.m. Sunday when it plays host to Western Illinois.
California RB Best out of hospital
California star tailback Jahvid Best has been released from the hospital and will miss at least one game after sustaining a concussion on a terrifying fall in the end zone Saturday. Best spent the night for observation and tests after landing on the back of his head in the end zone and being briefly knocked unconscious. The school said results from a CT scan and X-rays came back normal.
Woods arrives in Australia
Tiger Woods landed in Australia on his private plane, days ahead of his first appearance in an Australian tournament in 11 years. Woods will receive $3 million in appearance fees to play in the Australian Masters that starts Thursday at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath.
Hurricanes goalie stays in hospital
Carolina goaltender Cam Ward remained in an Ohio hospital after his leg was cut by a skate, and general manager Jim Rutherford says he could miss up to four weeks. Also, the Hurricanes have sent forward Zach Boychuk to the team’s AHL team in Albany.
Atlanta rallies to end home skid
Defensemen Tobias Enstrom and Ron Hainsey forced overtime with third-period goals, and Rich Peverley and Slava Kozlov scored in a shootout to give host Atlanta a 3-2 victory over St. Louis. Marty Reasoner set up both third-period goals to help Atlanta (7-6-1) snap a four-game home losing streak and two-game slide overall.
Americans get wins in Berlin
Tucker Fredricks upset the favored South Koreans to win the 500-meter race for his sixth career speedskating World Cup victory in Berlin. Fredericks clocked 35.06 seconds. There was another American victory when Shani Davis set a course record in winning the 1,500 meters in 1 minute, 44.47 seconds.
Roundup
Top-ranked Roger Federer lost his hometown tournament, falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Novak Djokovic in the Swiss Indoors final in Basel. … Andy Murray won his sixth title of the season in his first tournament back from a wrist injury, beating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-3, 6-2 in the Valencia Open final in Spain.
