IN BRIEF

HOCKEY

Devils gain playoff spot with overtime victory

Zach Parise deflected in Johnny Oduya's shot 29 seconds into overtime for the New Jersey Devils, who clinched an Eastern Conference playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y., on Tuesday night.

The Devils strengthened their hold on fourth place in the East and stayed alive in the race for the Atlantic Division title. Anything other than a win by New Jersey, would have given the crown to Pittsburgh.

Also: Milan Hejduk and Wojtek Wolski scored 35 seconds apart in the second period, and the Colorado Avalanche rallied to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 in Vancouver, British Columbia, to clinch a playoff spot.

Buffalo defenseman Teppo Numminen was activated from the injury-suspended list and cleared to play, more than six months after the 39-year-old had open-heart surgery.

Numminen did not play in the Sabres' 4-3 shootout victory over Toronto, but has not been ruled out from playing in either of the Sabres' final two regular-season games.

Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur is suing Montreal police and Quebec's solicitor general for $3.5 million because of the warrant issued for his arrest earlier this year.

Curtis Fraser had a goal and two assists, and Aki Seitsonen scored twice to lead the Wranglers (46-12-12) to a 5-3 road victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners in an ECHL game.

OLYMPICS

WADA able to test all Beijing athletes for HGH

The World Anti-Doping Agency will expand testing for human growth hormone and be able to test all athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

The New York Times reported on its Web Site that WADA had purchased thousands of kits to screen blood for HGH. For the first time, widespread out-of-competition testing for the hormone can be done.

Also: Fifteen House members, citing China's human rights abuses, urged President Bush to reconsider his decision to attend the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.

The letter was signed by 14 Democrats and Republican Dana Rohrabacher of California, a longtime critic of the Chinese government.

MISCELLANEOUS

Chagaev to defend title against Valuev in May

Ruslan Chagaev will defend his WBA heavyweight title against Nikolai Valuev in Oberhausen, Germany, on May 31 in a rematch of their bout last April.

Chagaev (23-0-1) pounded out a decision to take the title from the 7-foot Russian.

Valuev (48-1) earned his rematch in February with a lopsided decision against Sergei Liakhovich.

Also: Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova won't play for Russia in the Fed Cup semifinals against the United States this month as Svetlana Kuznetsova takes her turn on the team.

Kuznetsova will lead Russia in the best-of-5 semifinal series in Moscow on April 26-27.

The UNLV baseball team was routed 23-1 by UNR in Reno.

The Wolf Pack (14-12) pounded 17 hits against seven Rebels pitchers.

The defeat was the third worst ever for UNLV (12-13), behind a 25-run loss to Arizona State on May 30, 1978, and a 23-run loss to Northern Arizona on April 23, 1972.

The UNLV women's golf team tied for fourth place at the Sacramento State Preview in Sacramento, Calif.

Sophomore Natasha Krishna finished fifth to lead the Rebels, who shot 41-over 905 for the tournament.

Denver won the event, shooting 12-over 876 to finish 24 strokes ahead of Oregon.

Amy Enroth of Washington State earned medalist honors by a stroke at par 216.

The Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League announced that defensive backs coach Hunkie Cooper, a former UNLV star, has been released from his coaching responsibilities.