VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo will miss at least the next two games after sustaining a hairline fracture in one of his ribs.
Luongo isn’t sure how long he will be out, but expects to be back much quicker than the 24 games it took him to recover from a groin injury last year.
“I am stubborn, so I don’t know,” Luongo said when asked about the possibility of an early return. “Thankfully I dealt with this a couple of years ago. It’s a day-to-day basis.”
Luongo was hurt during Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, when a puck hit him through a soft spot in his padding.
Backup Andrew Raycroft, who has allowed one goal in 52 minutes over two games, will get his first start for the Canucks tonight.
• The Washington Capitals say forward Quintin Laing has swine flu, making him the third NHL player to be diagnosed with the illness this week.
• New York Islanders captain Doug Weight is back in the lineup after a bout with swine flu.
Safina withdraws from event
DOHA, Qatar — Dinara Safina withdrew from the WTA Sony Ericsson Championships because of a back injury, handing the year-end No. 1 ranking to Serena Williams.
Safina was serving at 1-1 in the first set against Jelena Jankovic when she stopped play and walked over to her chair. She then told the umpire she could not continue.
Caroline Wozniacki edged Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
• Former champions Mikhail Youzhny and Marat Safin advanced to the second round of the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.
Youzhny, the 2004 winner, beat Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2, while Safin ousted Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (5), 6-4.
• Second-seeded Radek Stepanek stayed on course for his third ATP title this season, defeating Frederico Gil 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the BA Trophy in Vienna.
McCourt opposes wife’s role with Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt filed papers opposing his wife’s demand to be reinstated as the team’s chief executive, citing insubordination and an affair she allegedly had with her bodyguard.
The documents were submitted one day after Jamie McCourt filed divorce papers seeking to regain her $2 million-a-year job.
Footnotes.
Reigning U.S. junior figure skating champion DeeDee Leng will miss the rest of the 2009-10 season with a back injury.
• Dick Thompson, a pioneer in auto racing public relations at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, died. He was 74.
• Stanford guard Jeremy Green has been suspended indefinitely by coach Johnny Dawkins for a violation of team rules. The Associated Press
