Lafontaine

LaFontaine's goal boosts U.S. over Finland, 4-3CHICAGO -- Pat LaFontaine's goal with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining gave the United States a 4-3 victory over Finland last night and second place in the round-robin portion of the Canada Cup.The Americans finished 4-1-0 for eight points, their best showing ever in the six-team tournament. Canada, which tied the Soviet Union, 3-3, last night to finish 3-0-2 for eight points, finished first because it beat the United States, 6-3, in their head-to-head meeting.

Dave Chambers paid the price for the Quebec Nordiques' continuing struggles yesterday when he was fired as coach and replaced by general manager Pierre Page, the man who had hired him.Page met with Chambers for 90 minutes before yesterday's practice, then announced that he will take over behind the bench of one of the NHL's weakest teams.The Nordiques have finished last in the overall standings in each of the past three seasons. They're off to a 3-14-1 start, have lost 10 of their past 12 games and are tied with the expansion San Jose Sharks for the fewest points in the NHL."

BaseballAngels: Optioned P Jason Dickson to Triple-A Vancouver.Pirates: Recalled INF Freddy Garcia and OF Adrian Brown from Triple-A Nashville.Reds: Purchased contract of P Jason Bere from Triple-A Indianapolis.Reds: Placed P Stan Belinda on 15-day disabled list (spinal cord); activated C Brook Fordyce.Royals: Recalled OF Jermaine Dye from Triple-A Omaha.FootballBroncos: Placed LB Steve Russ on injured reserve with a broken right leg.Dolphins: Waived QB John Dutton.Jaguars: Waived WR Kevin Lee.Lions: Waived punter Travis Colquitt.

We're less than 15 months from the end of the millennium, and the National Hockey League still isn't the sport of the year, the decade, the century or even the moment.Despite glowing predictions, glowing hopes for a marketing bounce from the Winter Olympics and even glowing pucks, the NHL remains fourth among the major team spectator sports played in North America.Nothing that happened this summer is likely to change that anytime soon, but it doesn't mean the off-season was all bad. Along with a few other odds and ends, here's a look at some of what's happened off the ice since the Detroit Red Wings skated off with their second consecutive Stanley Cup five months ago:Cashing in: Despite its puny and declining Nielsen ratings, the NHL capitalized on the grudge match between Disney and Fox with a five-year, $600-million television-rights deal that will put games on ABC beginning next season.

As key components in the final phase of the long-planned Glen Burnie Town Center near completion, some additional ambitious plans for the center are beginning to take shape.The 56,000-square-foot shopping center at the heart of the 5.5-acre town center site is nearly fully leased, with a grand opening set in February and a Food Lion grocery store as the anchor. The 54-unit adjacent apartment complex is under construction, and the county plans to break ground on a skating rink this week.Meanwhile, the committee overseeing Glen Burnie's downtown revitalization is studying two other major projects: a proposed national drugstore chain with a drive-through pharmacy, construction of an upscale hotel conference center at the LaFontaine Bleu banquet hall site and expansion of the town center boundaries.

Auto racingFormula One -- Point leader Michael Schumacher ended speculation about his future by saying he will stay with Benetton.Basketball5) Chicago Bulls -- Signed G Ron Harper.Colleges7+ Nicholls State -- Named Mike Knight AD.FootballNew York Jets -- Waived WR Kenny Shedd. Signed LB Tuineau Alipate from the practice squad.Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) -- Signed DE Marcus Cotton, DE Jason Simmons and DE Herman Smith to the practice roster. Released OL Pat Mahon and LB Jeff Nichol.HockeyBoston Bruins -- Assigned F Daniel Marois, F Tim Tookey, F Brett Harkins, F Alex Nikolic, F Sandy Moger, F John Pratt, F Mike Bodnarcuk, F Darren Stolk, D Bill Armstrong, D Jeff Wells, D Claude Fillion, G Rob Tallas and G John Blue to AHL Providence.

From rock and roll, to wrestling to boxing.That is the entertainment picture envisioned by Steeltown director Larry Milburn, who is planning to stage his first fight card at the North Point Boulevard sports bar Aug. 27.Steeltown hopes to become a suitable replacement for small fight shows in Baltimore after the loss of Painters Mill Theater, which was gutted by a set fire in March."

PARIS -- The "third way," which serves to describe the programs of the Clinton administration and the Blair government in England, is not an ideology, but an explanation.Third way politicians say they're committed to the social and egalitarian goals of an older left, but are making necessary accommodations to a market capitalism that has proved a more efficient generator of wealth than did the planned economy dear to the old Left.The new German government of Gerhard Schroeder, having shed its original economics minister, Oskar Lafontaine, claims now to practice the third way, calming the spirits of German industrialists who, under Mr. Lafontaine, had threatened emigration, taking their industries' jobs with them.

The season of gift-giving is upon us, and the hardest part of the season can be finding a gift for the fisherman, especially the angler who has a good idea of what he wants and where he wants to fish.While the easiest thing to do might be to slip off to a local store and buy a pair of waders or a rod and reel and a stocking full of lures, such purchases may involve an element of risk.If you buy the wrong thing -- say a pair of nylon composite hip waders instead of neoprene chest waders -- you have missed the mark, and at some point down the road, the angler is likely to buy what he wanted, anyway.

Networking fair to be held today at BWI Marriott The seventh BWI Business Networking Fair, sponsored by Maryland Aviation Administration, will feature 40 business exhibitors. The theme of the free event, to be held from 5 p.m. from 8 p.m. today at the BWI Marriott on West Nursery Road in Linthicum, is "Changing Environment, New Opportunities." Aviation administration sets book fair for today The Maryland Aviation Administration's book fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at 991 Corporate Blvd.