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Ozolinsh returns 'home' after trade

All-Star defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh returned to Florida's arena for the first time since the Panthers traded him to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks three days earlier.

Ozolinsh had a bandage just above his slightly swollen right eye, covering scratches resulting from a ``household'' injury.

But the seven-time All-Star couldn't hide his bruised ego.

Despite being introduced to a loud and long ovation Sunday as a member of the Mighty Ducks, Ozolinsh started the All-Star game for the Eastern Conference and played without a team logo patch on the sleeve of his jersey.

``I was really nervous and worried and questioning the reaction that I would get here,'' Ozolinsh said, speaking with reporters for the first time since the four-player trade Thursday.

"I didn't know what to think, what to do. It's kind of weird to represent the Eastern Conference team when you're playing for the Western Conference.

``But I felt I had an obligation to play today. Now I'm going to the other team and thinking about making the playoffs.''

Weight injured

St. Louis Blues center Doug Weight left the arena on crutches after bruising his left foot in the third period on a shot by his constant Western Conference teammate Ed Jovanovski. X-rays were negative and it was unclear whether Weight would miss any time.

The Blues play tomorrow at Dallas. Weight leads the team with 55 points, with 11 goals and 44 assists.

``He's been unbelievable this season, one of our top players all year long,'' Blues teammate Al MacInnis said. ``You just have to keep your fingers crossed that it's not serious.''

The Bulin Wall

Tampa Bay goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who saved 11 of 14 shots in the first period of the All-Star game Sunday, also stopped two shots from a fan trying to win US$250,000.

Khabibulin stopped the first shot in a huge goal that had been altered into a regulation-size net using a wooden frame.

But the fan, 62-year-old Dean Swanson from Isle of Palms, South Carolina, got a second chance without the frame, leaving Khabibulin to defend the much larger goal against the bonus shot, also worth US$250,000.

Khabibulin treated the net like a soccer goalie on a penalty kick, guessing a side [left] and then lurching that way.

``I didn't try to stop him too hard,'' Khabibulin said. ``I guessed one way and I was hopeful he would shoot it the other. The shot was too hard, I couldn't get out the way fast enough.''

Swanson, a retired news anchor for WCIV-TV in Charleston, still received US$25,000 from Nextel, the sponsor.

Mascot Antics

Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound has become somewhat of a celebrity after repeatedly taunting Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish from behind the bench last month. MacTavish ripped out Harvey's foot-long red tongue.

Harvey's colleagues, other mascots from around the league, paid homage to the white dog during a timeout at the All-Star game. They lined up behind the bench -- with long, red tongues hanging from their mouths, mocking players.

Concerts on ice

Eight-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow performed three times at the All-Star game. She sang Soak Up the Sun before the game, C'mon, C'mon during the second intermission and then entertained fans at an outdoor concert after the contest.

The Goo Goo Dolls performed Sympathy after the first intermission.

Good seats available

Fans were selling tickets just about everywhere outside the Office Depot Center on Sunday, and hundreds of good seats went unused for the All-Star game. Most of the empty seats were in the more expensive, lower sections of the arena.

The upper section was seemingly filled, and the game was announced as a sellout.

The Florida Panthers have seen ticket sales drop in recent years, falling from an average of 18,501 in the 1998 season to less than 15,000 this season. They have only had seven sellouts in the last four seasons.
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