March 13th, Part II

KNEE SURGERY TO END OHLUND'S SEASON

The Vancouver Canucks will have to play out the regular season without one of their key defenceman.

Mattias Ohlund didn't accompany the team on its trip to Phoenix and has flown back to Vancouver to undergo surgery Thursday to remove bone chips in his knee.

The bone chips caused swelling and Ohlund was playing through it and was treating it with anti-inflammatory drugs.

The Canucks blue-liner experienced bone chips in the 2002-03 season when he missed a total of 22 games. He was able to return to play 13 playoff games that year, recording three goals, four assists, and a total of twelve penalty minutes.

In 52 games this season with Vancouver, Ohlund has nine goals and 15 assists while picking up 79 minutes in penalties. The Canucks sit in eighth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Nashville Predators


BISHOP SIGNS WITH BLUES

University of Maine goalie Ben Bishop signed with his hometown St. Louis Blues and will forgo his senior season.

The university said Bishop, selected by the Blues in the third round of the 2005 NHL draft, signed with St. Louis on Tuesday night. He will play with Peoria of the AHL for the rest of the season.

Bishop, of Des Peres, Mo., went 55-35-7 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage during his career with Maine.


SUSPENSION POSSIBLE FOR DUCKS PRONGER

Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger could face disciplinary action from the NHL after stomping on Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler on Wednesday night.

The incident happened in the opening minute of the second period in Anaheim's zone after a dump in from the blue line by Canucks defenceman Sami Salo.

Kesler - one of two Canuck forwards who chased down the puck behind the goal line - collided with Pronger along the boards and fell, and the Ducks captain appeared to deliberately step on him. Kesler did not suffer any injuries from after the incident.

"he stomped on me," Kesler told reporters after the game. "He got me on the calf."

There is no word yet on whether the Canucks have contacted the league or sent in video evidence from the game.

It isn't the first time the former Norris and Hart Trophy winner has been involved in such incidents.

Pronger received a one-game suspension from the NHL last may for his hit on Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom in Game 3 of the Western Conference final, and was suspended for a game in June for hitting Ottawa's Dean McAmmond in the head with his forearm during the third period of the Senators' 5-3 win in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.