Penguins lose Gonchar for 4-6 weeks

The Capitals assigned center Michael Nylander to Grand Rapids of the AHL for a conditioning stint, giving the expensive bench-sitting veteran a chance to get back on the ice. Nylander hasn’t played all season and the Capitals have found it difficult to trade the 37-year-old forward because of his $5.5 million salary . . . The Canadiens suspended forward Sergei Kostitsyn after he left the team’s AHL affiliate in Hamilton, the second time he has been suspended this season. The 22-year-old Kostitsyn, whose older brother Andrei plays for the Canadiens, demanded to be traded after being sent down to the minors during training camp. Kostitsyn held out for nearly a week and was suspended before agreeing to report . . . Fifteen years after Mark Messier and Mike Richter led the New York Rangers to an elusive Stanley Cup title, they were honored with the Lester Patrick Award, recognizing contributions of outstanding service to hockey in the United States. The former Rangers were joined by Jim Devellano, who has spent more than four decades in hockey - largely with the Detroit Red Wings - in this year’s class.

US Open champ Lucas Glover briefly gave up the lead to British Open champion Stewart Cink until running off three straight birdies around the turn at Port Royal Golf Course and closing with a 5-under-par 66 for a five-shot victory in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Southampton, Bermuda. Masters champion Angel Cabrera also had a 66 and finished second after Cink bogeyed the last hole for a 70. PGA champion Y.E. Yang shot 70 to finish last among the four major champions. Glover finished at 11-under 131 and earned $600,000, pushing his total for the year over $4 million.

Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik called off a title defense against Paul Williams set for Dec. 5 because of an infected left hand. Pavlik and Williams were supposed to fight this month, but the bout was postponed at the last minute because of the hand injury. Williams’s promoter, Dan Goossen, said he won’t wait for Pavlik again and will look for a different opponent.

The Trail Blazers have agreed in principle to a contract extension with forward LaMarcus Aldridge, ESPN.com reported. The extension is for five years and $65 million, the website reported . . . Former Celtics star and Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale will join NBA TV for the network’s “Fan Night’’ program on Tuesday nights. McHale was fired in June after 15 years in Minnesota, as general manager and coach . . . Magic reserve center Adonal Foyle had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be out indefinitely . . . The Suns waived former Celtic guard Dan Dickau.

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin, who helped launch a pair of multimillion-dollar renovations to campus facilities and brought in Rich Rodriguez to coach the football team and John Beilein to lead the men’s basketball program, will retire in September 2010. Martin, 69, has held the job since 2000 . . . Top-seeded Robin Soderling breezed past Giovanni Lapentti, 6-3, 6-0, and second-seeded Tommy Haas defeated Florent Serra, 6-3, 6-4, in first-round play at the Stockholm Open, but third-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero didn’t get out of the opening round, losing to Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 6-2 . . . Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko and third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland were upset in the first round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Davydenko lost to former No. 1 Marat Safin, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Radwanska was ousted by Maria Kirilenko, 6-3, 6-3 . . . Elli Ochowicz is off to a good start in her bid to qualify for a third Olympics, winning the women’s 500 meters at the US speedskating trials in Milwaukee. Ochowicz won both heats to easily beat Heather Richardson and two-time Olympic medalist Jennifer Rodriguez. Tucker Fredricks won the men’s 500, easily beating Brent Aussprung and Olympic champion Shani Davis took third.