Canadian Justice?

Oh, Canada. Shame on you.

Again.

First, Canada lost to the United States in the 1996 World Cup. Then a junior hockey coach is convicted - and sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison - for sexually abusing two of his players.

A year later, a Toronto man fell to his death after his complaint led to an investigation that uncovered a child sex-abuse scandal at Maple Leaf Gardens.

They like to say hockey is a religion in Canada. If that’s true, it’s destined for purgatory.

Some folks north of the border are saying convicted felon Alan Eagleson, former executive director of the NHL Players Association, is being treated like a celebrity after pleading guilty Wednesday to mail fraud and accepting an 18-month jail sentence.

Published reports in Canada said Eagleson, 64, could be out in three months.

The Toronto Sun reported Eagleson has been given a cleaning job, one of the most coveted in the Mimico Correctional Center. His dormitory is part of a unit that leads to a room with a television, four phones, lounge chairs and card tables.

“It’s a great deal for Eagleson,” Maple Leafs Hall of Fame defenseman Carl Brewer told the Sun. “He has negotiated a marvelous deal for himself. In three months, he’ll be out, he’ll be off to London, spending his $50 million.”

Al Strachan of the Sun wrote: “That wasn’t a trial, it was a testimonial dinner without the food. What we laughingly call a justice system in Canada was in the spotlight (Wednesday), taking more than two hours to announce a plea bargain and to demonstrate that in Canada the farce runs so deep that it is expected, anticipated and accepted in every aspect of our life.”

Things weren’t as good in America for Eagleson, who was fined $697,810 for skimming pension funds and disability payments when he was head of the players union.

David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant

Tie one for The Gipper

If you can’t beat them, tie them. That says a lot about this season.

Going into Saturday night, there had been 100 ties, a record-tying four of them scoreless. The league is on pace to break the record of 165 set in 1980-81, when there were no overtime periods in the regular season.

Leading the way are the Avalanche (14 ties) and Rangers (12). The ‘69-70 Flyers hold the record (24).

There have been several theories about the parity, including goaltending and a greater focus on team defense. Sabres GM Darcy Regier says players making more money these days are less motivated early in the season.

“I don’t think we have as much passion,” Regier said.

On the ice

Igor Larionov and Vycacheslav Kozlov scored third-period goals and goalie Chris Osgood stopped 15 shots for his third shutout of the season as the Detroit Red Wings defeated Washington 2-0 Sunday in Detroit.

At Tampa, Fla., Trent Klatt had two power-play goals and an assist to lead the Philadelphia Flyers over the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2.

At Anaheim, Calif., Joe Sacco scored with 1:22 left in overtime as the Mighty Ducks rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1.

Ed Belfour, trying for his leagueleading eighth shutout and third in a row against Anaheim, surrendered a fluke goal by Jeff Nielsen with 5:08 left in the third period. Mike Modano scored for Dallas.