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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sports in brief: Senators return Cowen to Chiefs

Hockey: Jared Cowen got to go home, now he is being sent home – at least to his Western Hockey League home.

The Ottawa Senators sent their first-round draft pick back to Spokane in time for the Chiefs’ home opener Saturday night against the Tri-City Americans.

The native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, played in his second NHL exhibition game Monday in nearby Regina. The Senators defeated Tampa Bay 3-1. Cowen is expected to depart Saskatoon today.

Cowen, selected ninth overall, has been in Ottawa so his progress from major knee surgery could be monitored. He was injured in January, just past the midpoint of his second WHL season.

He apparently passed all tests in his second appearance and will have no restrictions.

“We’re not sure yet,” Spokane general manager Tim Speltz said. “Our trainer, Todd Daniels, has been in constant contact with their trainer.”

Speltz was just glad to get Cowen back so soon. He had been concerned Cowen’s recovery could drag into next month or beyond.

“They said all along their plan, their No. 1 priority, was rehabilitation, get him healthy, play him a few games to evaluate him and send him back,” Speltz said.

The Chiefs have four players on their injured list – defensemen Corbin Baldwin and Jared Spurgeon, and forwards Ryan Letts and Anthony Bardaro.

Also on Tuesday, the Carolina Hurricanes assigned former Chiefs forward Drayson Bowman to Albany of the American Hockey League.

Dave Trimmer

Burress begins serving sentence

Football: Former New York Giants Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress apologized to his family and tearfully kissed his pregnant wife and young son goodbye Tuesday before he was led away to prison to begin serving a two-year sentence on a weapons charge.

Burress was at a nightclub in Manhattan last November when a gun tucked into his waistband slipped down his leg and fired, wounding him in the thigh.

With time off for good behavior, Burress will likely serve 20 months.

Associated Press

Henson is all Twittered out

Football: Now that he’s apologized for calling fans “dim wits,” Washington Redskins rookie Robert Henson is apparently done with Twitter. Anyone clicking on Henson’s Twitter account Tuesday got a message saying: “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!”

On Sunday night, Henson fired off many tweets at fans who booed the Redskins during their 9-7 win over the St. Louis Rams. Henson called the fans “dim wits” and asked how people who “work 9 to 5 at Mcdonalds” could know what’s best for the team.

Associated Press