BUFFALO, N.Y. — Washington Capitals center Mathieu Perreault was taken to a hospital after suffering what the team called an upper-body injury in Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Perreault was hurt in the third period when his stick got caught in the boards and jammed into his midsection while he was attempting to hit a Buffalo player in the corner. Perreault stayed down on the ice for a minute before skating slumped over to the bench under his own power. He was able to finish the game, but in the Washington dressing room was evaluated by medical personnel before being transported to the hospital.
• The Phoenix Coyotes have put starting goalie Mike Smith on injured reserve with a strained groin and recalled goalie Curtis McElhinney and forward Patrick O’Sullivan. Center Martin Hanzal also sat out for the Coyotes with a lower-body injury.
• Injured New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal was cleared for contact, and took a few bumps on the ice from his teammates as he continues his recovery from a concussion. Staal, who will turn 25 in January, has been out all season because of the effects of a concussion suffered in February when he was hit by his brother, Eric, of the Carolina Hurricanes.
• Blues center T.J. Oshie will miss at least the next two games because of a sore left wrist.
• A day after Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson tweeted that he had signed a new contract, general manager Brian Burke made it official. Terms were not released.
Cubs, Corpas OK deal
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs agreed to one-year contracts with right-handers Andy Sonnanstine and Manny Corpas.
The deals, which are nonguaranteed split contracts, were announced Monday. Terms were not available.
Sonnanstine, who turns 29 in March, was 28-31 with a 5.26 ERA in five seasons with Tampa Bay. He made 80 starts in 132 appearances.
The 29-year-old Corpas spent five seasons with Colorado but did not pitch in the majors last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow in September 2010. He debuted in 2006 and became the Rockies’ closer midway through the 2007 season, going 4-2 with 19 saves and a 2.08 ERA while helping them win the NL pennant. He was 12-16 with 34 saves and a 3.93 ERA with Colorado.
Former Tulane coach dies
NEW ORLEANS — Former Tulane football coach Bennie Ellender Jr., who led the Green Wave in 1973 to one of its best seasons in decades, has died at 62.
Garden of Memories funeral home confirmed Ellender’s death and says burial is planned Wednesday.
The Times-Picayune reported Ellender died on Dec. 23.
A former starting quarterback at Tulane, Ellender rose to become head coach of Arkansas State University. He led that team to victory in the Pecan bowls of 1969 and 1970. Ellender was the winningest coach in the school’s history.
Ellender coached five seasons at Tulane beginning in 1971. In 1973, he led the Green Wave to one of its best seasons in a quarter-century at 9-3, including a 14-0 regular season-ending victory over LSU. The team lost to Houston in the Bluebonnet Bowl.
Kauto Star the King of Chase
KEMPTON, England — Kauto Star won the King George VI Chase for an unprecedented fifth time, beating last year’s winner Long Run.
Ridden by jockey Ruby Walsh, the 11-year-old Kauto Star finished 1¼ lengths ahead of 6-year-old Long Run in the 3-mile steeplechase at Kempton Park on Monday.
With the win, Kauto Star moves ahead of Desert Orchid’s four victories in the prestigious race.
