Rift Hurts Hall

Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and 16 other members of the Hockey Hall of Fame say they will leave the sport’s shrine if it allows former union head Alan Eagleson to remain, according to a published report.

A newspaper survey of 44 of the Hall’s 76 living members showed 18 said they would leave if Eagleson stayed, another 20 also wanted him out, five were non-committal and one said he should stay, the newspaper said Sunday.

“They need a cranium operation to even think he belongs there,” said Howe, the NHL’s second leading all-time scorer. “If they don’t understand the meaning of what the Hall of Fame should be, I don’t want anything to do with it.”

Eagleson, elected to the Hall in 1989 in the “builder’s” category, is serving an 18-month jail term in Ontario for defrauding Hockey Canada, the NHL, the NHL Players Association and Labatt Breweries of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Hall’s 18-member board of directors is expected to decide Eagleson’s future in Toronto on March 31.

Daze dazzles with four goals

Eric Daze scored four goals as the visiting Chicago Blackhawks beat Florida 8-4 Sunday night and sent the Panthers to their franchise-worst ninth straight defeat. It was the most goals of the year for the Blackhawks, who are fighting for a playoff berth.

Daze had two goals in a six-goal first period by Chicago. The goals were the most ever allowed in a period in Florida’s five-year history. The Blackhawks record for goals in a period is seven, most recently in 1972.

Hasek notches 10th shutout

Dominik Hasek stopped 22 shots for his 10th shutout and the Buffalo Sabres scored three times in the third period for a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Buffalo.