To Play Or Not Issue For Pilon

Rich Pilon will probably know early this afternoon whether he will be allowed to play against the Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden. And as far as Islanders coach and general manager Mike Milbury is concerned, Milbury will definitely be behind the bench for the game.

Pilon and Milbury both have telephone dates today with Brian Burke, the NHL’s senior vice president and director of hockey operations. Pilon was suspended indefinitely by Burke until the hearing could be held for the two-handed backhand swing Pilon took at Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux Friday night in Pittsburgh.

Like Pilon, Milbury was ejected from Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Penguins. Milbury’s ejection was for something he said. Milbury had been assessed two bench-minor penalties - one during the first period, one at period’s end - for arguing with referee Don Koharski.

Witnesses from the ESPN2 cable network said Milbury was then ejected beneath the stands during the first intermission after he told Koharski, “Have another doughnut, Koho.” Milbury was echoing the famous insult former Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld leveled at Koharski after a 1988 playoff game.

Nine cities bid for franchise

Nine cities seeking an NHL expansion franchise will make presentations to the league’s owners this week.

The NHL Board of Governors will listen to the presentations today and Tuesday. The league is expected to add two teams during the next round of expansion, and another two by 2002, although no exact timetable has been set.

Atlanta and Houston are considered the front-runners. Other applicants are Nashville, Tenn.; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Oklahoma City; Columbus, Ohio; Hamilton, Ontario; Hampton Roads, Va.; and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

Rangers shut out Devils

In New York, Wayne Gretzky set up a pair of third-period goals to break open a close game and goaltender Mike Richter made 33 saves Sunday night to lead the New York Rangers to a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils.