Mcnall Begins Prison Term

Around the NHL

Former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall went to prison Monday to begin a nearly six-year term for his role in a scheme to bilk banks, a securities firm and the NHL team of more than $236 million.

McNall went directly to the Federal Prison Camp at Lompoc, said prison officials.

The camp is a low-security satellite facility to the U.S. Penitentiary at Lompoc and houses white-collar and non-violent offenders, said Jack Stone, central inmate monitoring coordinator for the western region.

At the camp on the Santa Barbara County coast, inmates perform such duties as roadside cleanup, Stone said.

When McNall, 46, finishes serving his 70-month sentence, he will owe $5 million restitution to his victims, including Bank of America, European American Bank, Union Bank of California and about half a dozen other institutions.

The sentence marked the last phase of McNall’s dramatic fall from owner of the Stanley Cup finalist Los Angeles Kings to bankruptcy.

McNall pleaded guilty in January 1994 two counts of bank fraud and single counts of conspiracy and wire fraud. He had been free on bond.

Since McNall’s guilty pleas, the Kings landed in bankruptcy proceedings and were eventually sold; superstar Wayne Gretzky was traded; McNall’s marriage disintegrated; and the Kings haven’t made the playoffs since they reached the 1993 Stanley Cup final.

Panthers lose Skrudland

Florida Panthers center Brian Skrudland will undergo right-knee surgery, leaving the slumping team without its captain for the remainder of the season.

Skrudland, the seventh Panthers’ player to be sidelined with a knee injury this season, suffered a sprain of his medial collateral ligament and a partial sprain of his anterior cruciate ligament in Friday’s loss to Calgary.

Flyers back Lindros’ alibi

The Flyers had ample motivation to sue a local radio station over a talk show host’s allegation that Eric Lindros missed a practice last month because he was hung over.

Although indignation is the key reason - the Flyers and Lindros say he had a back problem and have evidence to prove his whereabouts - the Flyers also know their effort may influence him to think more kindly of them when they get into contract talks this summer. If they support him vigorously, he may be more inclined to remain with the organization.

Lindros was upset but he maintained a sense of humor. Asked what he had done one night last week, he told the Philadelphia Daily News, “I went to see (the movie) ‘Donnie Brasco,’ and I took two alibi witnesses.”