Canada Claims World Hockey Title

Canada is the world hockey champion again, capturing the title Wednesday at Helsinki, Finland, with a 2-1 victory over Sweden to complete a stirring comeback.

With goaltender Sean Burke stopping 31 shots and Owen Nolan scoring the winning goal, Canada won the championship for the second time in four years after dropping Sunday’s opener of the best-of-3 series.

It was Canada’s 21st world title.

Nolan assisted on Dean Evason’s score for the go-ahead goal late in the first period and then scored 1:56 into the second to give Canada a 2-0 lead.

John Muckler, the Buffalo Sabres general manager, was dismissed after two seasons of bickering with coach Ted Nolan and several arguments with members of the front office.

Muckler’s most heated battles came with Nolan, a finalist for NHL coach of the year and one of the most popular sports figures in Buffalo. The two barely spoke to each other this season unless they were arguing.

The Los Angeles Kings signed an affiliation agreement with the Canadiens, allowing some of their prospects to play with Montreal’s American Hockey League affiliate.

Under the agreement, seven of the Kings’ top prospects will be loaned to the Fredericton Canadiens for the 1997-98 season. The Kings’ affiliation agreement with the International Hockey League’s Phoenix Roadrunners expired last month. The Roadrunners ceased operations April 29 after one season of competing with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.

Colorado Avalanche forward Keith Jones underwent successful surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.