Utica

UTICA, N.Y. -- The Utica Devils ended the Baltimore Skipjacks' year on a sour note with a 5-3 victory at the Utica Memorial Auditorium last night.Utica's Doug Brown broke a 3-3 tie at 13:42 and Troy Mallette got an empty-netter at 19:59.Utica is unbeaten in four games (2-0-2), although it's still stuck in fifth place in the Southern Division, two points behind Baltimore.Baltimore has lost three of its past four games, including 7-4 to Utica last Sunday.Steve Konowalchuk had a goal and an assist and John Slaney two assists for Baltimore.

Top school official hired by Mich. district A top Baltimore County school administrator has been chosen to be the next superintendent of a school district in suburban Detroit. Christine M. Johns, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said she will formally take the helm of the Utica Community Schools Aug. 1 but will spend transition time in both school districts before then. Johns, 40, described the job as a "professional opportunity." "I have enjoyed serving the children of Baltimore County schools," she said.

Jason Miller and Claude Vilgrain scored two goals each to lead the Utica Devils to a 10-8 victory over the Skipjacks Friday night before 4,456 at the Arena.The Skipjacks had stormed back from a 9-4 deficit to make it 9- with 3 1/2 minutes remaining, but could not close the gap. Vilgrain scored the game's final goal with one second left."I guess it was encouraging," Skipjacks assistant coach Paul Gardner said, referring to his team's four straight goals in the third period, "but it's extremely disappointing to give up 10 goals in your own rink.

UTICA, Ill. - Dust and soot lined Mary Paulak's face in thick streaks yesterday, but she didn't notice as she wearily wandered through her decimated hometown. When a tornado tore through this village of 1,000 people Tuesday evening, eight residents who had run to their favorite tavern for safety were crushed to death when the century-old building collapsed. At least 10 people had to be taken to hospitals for injuries. Businesses along the town's two-block main street were destroyed, and the streets were covered ankle-deep with crumbled brick and shredded tree branches.

Jason Miller scored two goals to lead the Utica Devils to a 10-8 victory over the Skipjacks last night before 4,456 at the Arena.The Skipjacks stormed back from a 9-4 deficit to make it 9-8 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining, but could not close the gap. Claude Vilgrain scored the game's final goal with one second left.The loss left the Skipjacks with a 3-2-2 record. It was Utica's second win in six games.Miller scored his third and fourth goals of the season, the first to open the game and the second at the end of the second period.

UTICA, N.Y. -- John Byce scored the only goal of the third period as the Skipjacks tied the Utica Devils, 3-3, in overtime in an American Hockey League game last night before a snowy-night crowd of 1,699 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.Byce took a pass from Jeff Nelson and lifted a high shot into the net with 3:31 remaining in regulation."Nelson kept it in at the blue line. He threw it in, and it went in off my stick," Byce said.The Devils argued that the Skipjacks were offside on the tying goal and that there was a man in the crease.

Two third-period goals by the Utica Devils handed the Baltimore Skipjacks their first loss of the season, 4-3, at the Baltimore Arena last night.The victory boosted the Devils (4-3) into first place in the Southern Division of the American Hockey League. Baltimore (3-1) dropped to third behind the Binghamton Rangers, who defeated the Cape Breton Oilers, 5-4.The Skipjacks held a 3-2 lead entering the third period, but Jeff Madill tied the score at 11 minutes, 47 seconds, and Kevin Todd's fifth goal of the season at 16:07 gave Utica its fourth straight victory.

UTICA, N.Y. -- Utica Devils goaltender Doug Dadswell didn't let his counterpart, the Baltimore Skipjacks' Olaf Kolzig, steal the show.He didn't let the first-place Skipjacks steal away with a victory, either.Baltimore did steal a point, the Skipjacks rallying for a 3-3 American Hockey League tie last night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.Dadswell, though, worked overtime to preserve the tie. He finished with 29 saves, 17 of them in the final 25 minutes as the Devils held on.Baltimore's John Purves scored the tying goal with 7:27 remaining in regulation, but it was Kolzig's 36-save performance that helped keep the Skipjacks (18-14-4)

Two teams that are going downhill in the AHL Southern Division race met last night before 4,857 at the Baltimore Arena, and something had to give.The Utica Devils came into the game 0-5-2 in the past seven games, and the Baltimore Skipjacks had gone 2-4-1 in their past seven.Utica, scoring two goals in the third period, pulled away from a 2-2 tie and defeated the Skipjacks, 4-3."Utica's defense played very well, and they made us pay in front of the goal," said Skipjacks coach Rob Laird. "The main reason we lost was our power play was unproductive [0-for-9]

VS. HERSHEY BEARS* WHEN: Tonight, 7:30.* WHERE: The Arena.VS. UTICA DEVILS* WHEN: Tomorrow, 7:30.* WHERE: Utica Memorial Auditorium.* RADIO: WLIF-AM 1300.* OUTLOOK: The Jacks (18-14-1), still in first place by one point, have lost three of their last five and are expected to play tonight without defenseman Chris Felix, who was recalled by Washington and played in St. Louis last night. Kent Paynter and Tyler Larter could return tonight from ankle injuries, but Jim Mathieson (shoulder) and Mark Ferner (leg)

Uncle Big Guy and Mrs. Uncle Big Guy drove down to Bel Air from their home in the Adirondacks over the holidays. After dinner one evening, we sat around the living room enjoying the fruits of a day trip to the Fiore vineyards in nearby Pylesville. As I suspected it would, the reminiscing turned eventually to Big Moose Lake. Up in the deep north woods near Old Forge, N.Y., Big Moose is not just a lake -- it's an attitude. Maybe it's a testosterone thing, but there is something about a moose, especially a big moose, that captures the imagination in a way that no otter or skunk or beaver ever could.

NEWARK, N.J. -- The newest American citizen from Kosovo, a 7 1/2-pound boy, was born on Thursday in Mount Holly, N.J., to two of the first Kosovar refugees brought here because of war in Yugoslavia. His father named him America.The couple wants to return to Kosovo when their homeland and their village is safe. But the mother, Lebibe Karaliju, also told refugee officials in Macedonia that she was only seven months pregnant. That wasn't true, but she knew she would not be allowed on the plane if they knew her due date was May 6. She went into labor before the plane landed, and the baby was exactly on time.

In today's Travel section, an article on covered bridges in Maryland does not mention Foxcatcher Farms Covered Bridge in Cecil County. Unlike the other bridges mentioned, Foxcatcher Farms Bridge, located in the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area, is not open to vehicles. Open from dawn to dusk daily, it can be walked or bicycled through.Also, the location given for Jericho Covered Bridge is incorrect. It is found north of Kingsville in Gunpowder Falls State Park.The Sun regrets the errors.

Martin Marietta Corp. eliminated 170 jobs yesterday at two plants in upstate New York and said it would cut another 630 positions there by year-end.The layoffs aren't a surprise. Bethesda-based Martin announced several weeks ago that it was studying how to reduce overhead costs at the factories, in Salina and Utica, N.Y.The plants make radar and other sensing systems for ships and planes. The company said the plants' order backlog has been declining recently along with U.S. military spending.

LITCHFIELD, N.Y. -- Two weeks ago Sara Ann Wood set out on a short bike ride, a mile-long trip between her home and the church here where her father, Robert, is lay pastor. She never got there.Police found her pink-and-white mountain bike in a ditch, and some papers that she was carrying spread nearby. For five and a half days, New York state troopers and volunteer firefighters searched the woods and cornfields around this town about six miles from Utica, N.Y.Though that search was suspended, law-enforcement officials and townspeople have not relaxed other efforts to find out what happened.

The Skipjacks' playoff celebration, if there is to be one, was put off for at least 24 hours.The Skipjacks could have clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the AHL's Southern Division by beating the Utica Devils, if the Hershey Bears had lost to the Binghamton Rangers.But the Skipjacks bowed to the Devils, 6-3, last night before 4,012 at the Baltimore Arena, while Hershey tied the Rangers, 5-5, in Binghamton. Jason Miller scored the winning goal for Utica, breaking a 3-3 tie early in the third period.

Skipjacks goaltender Byron Dafoe is doubtful for tomorrow night's game at Hershey because of a sprained left ankle.Dafoe was injured during Friday's home game against Utica and missed games at Utica and at New Haven the next two nights. Duane Derksen filled in at Utica (win) and at New Haven (tie).Dafoe also is questionable for Saturday's game against Cape Breton at the Baltimore Arena. "He could be ready then or he could be out two or three weeks," Skipjacks coach Barry Trotz said. "It's one of those ankle injuries that's day to day."

UTICA, N.Y. -- The fast and furious, first-period pace of last night's AHL showdown seemed to favor the Utica Devils.The second-period playing conditions at the Utica Memorial Auditorium did not.Although trailing Baltimore, 2-1, Utica was outshooting the Skipjacks, 16-9, after one period.Then the auditorium's ice-making machine broke down, Baltimore's Trevor Halverson scored the only goal of a ragged second period on a low shot that skipped off the uneven playing surface, and the Skipjacks wound up cruising to a 5-1 victory before 2,941.

UTICA, N.Y. -- The NHL All-Star Game must have rubbed off on the Utica Devils and Baltimore Skipjacks last night.The two teams combined for 10 goals and 62 shots on goal before settling for a 5-5 overtime tie. The wild American Hockey League game was played before 2,882 fans at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.Jon Morris had a pair of goals and Dean Malkoc two assists for Utica, third in the Southern Division. Bill Armstrong and Jim Dowd each had a goal and an assist.Armstrong was called back from Cincinnati one day after getting re-assigned there.

UTICA, N.Y. -- John Byce scored the only goal of the third period as the Skipjacks tied the Utica Devils, 3-3, in overtime in an American Hockey League game last night before a snowy-night crowd of 1,699 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.Byce took a pass from Jeff Nelson and lifted a high shot into the net with 3:31 remaining in regulation."Nelson kept it in at the blue line. He threw it in, and it went in off my stick," Byce said.The Devils argued that the Skipjacks were offside on the tying goal and that there was a man in the crease.