AVS LOSE TO PREDATORS
DENVER (AP) – Colin Wilson had two goals and two assists, Viktor Stalberg added a goal and an assist, and the Nashville Predators beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-4 on Wednesday night.Craig Smith and Paul Gaustad also scored for the Predators, who stopped Colorado’s six-game winning streak.Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists for Colorado (12-2-0), which fell one win short of making NHL history.The Avalanche were attempting to set a franchise record and match the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators for the best 14-game start in league history.
NOT MUCH WILL CHANGE WITH BRONCOS UNDER DEL RIO
ENGLEWOOD (AP) – Jack Del Rio is following in John Fox’s footsteps in one very important way: he’s handing the Denver Broncos’ high-powered offense over to Peyton Manning and getting the heck out of the way. Del Rio is filling in with Fox out indefinitely following heart surgery in North Carolina. He’s also keeping his defensive coordinator responsibilities. So, he has a full plate – and no desire to pile on offensive game-planning duties, as well. Del Rio knows better than to mess with an offense that’s on pace to score more points than any team in NFL history.
ELWAY’S STANFORD JERSEY #7 TO BE RETIRED TONIGHT
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) – The Denver Broncos retired John Elway’s No. 7 jersey four months after he announced his playing career was over in 1999. The following year, he was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame. And the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed the quarterback in his first year of eligibility.The one honor Elway never thought would happen will take place Thursday night.Thirty years after he graduated from the university, Stanford will finally retire Elway’s celebrated No. 7 jersey at halftime of its game against second-ranked Oregon. He’ll join Jim Plunkett (No. 16) and Ernie Nevers (No. 1) as the only players whose jerseys have been enshrined by the school.
VONN FEELING GOOD, PREPARING FOR BEAVER CREEK DEBUT
COPPER MOUNTAIN (AP) – Lindsey Vonn says her surgically repaired right knee felt “really good” after her first day of downhill training. Vonn took five runs Wednesday along the two-mile track at the U.S. Ski Team’s speed center. She said she mostly cruised along the course just to get used to going that fast again. The four-time overall World Cup champion is still planning to make her return to the circuit in Beaver Creek later this month. Vonn thought about returning for the season-opening race in Austria on Oct. 26, but skipped it to give her knee more time to recover. All her training is geared toward being in the starting gate for the Sochi Olympics in three months. Vonn shredded her knee in a crash at the world championships in Schladming last February.
