Whalers Agree To Penalty

The Hartford Whalers cleared a major hurdle in their move to North Carolina when a state agency agreed to let the NHL team pay a $21.7 million penalty to leave Connecticut a year early.

Eight members of the Connecticut Development Authority voted in favor of the exit agreement and one abstained. The Whalers must pay $5 million by July 1 and the rest in annual installments by 2012.

Former Calgary Flames left wing Gary Roberts is planning a comeback after a neck injury forced him to end his 10-year NHL career last June, the Calgary Herald reports. Roberts, who returned to the NHL in January 1996 after playing in only eight games over the two previous seasons, re-injured his neck last April and missed the remainder of the season.

At Helsinki, Finland, the Czech Republic beat Canada 5-3 at the World Hockey Championships in game marked by a brawl which resulted in the suspension of eight players. The fight took place with 2 minutes remaining in the game. It took 10 minutes for the play to resume as four players from each side received major fighting and game misconduct penalties.

The Boston Bruins offered Boston University coach Jack Parker their vacant coaching job and expect his decision by Monday.