27.6 million watch Olympic gold-medal game on NBC | Hockey

Hockey

Sunday's final drew the most U.S. hockey viewers in 30 years: NBC officials said Sunday's Olympic gold-medal showdown was the most-watched hockey game in 30 years, drawing an average viewership of 27.6 million and getting a 15.2 rating.

Not since the final of the Americans' 1980 Miracle On Ice run — when the United States secured gold against Finland after shocking Russia in the semifinal round — had so many viewed a hockey game on American television (that game lured 32.8 million).

Canada's 3-2 overtime victory in Vancouver, B.C., was seen by 10.5 million more viewers than in 2002, when the Canadians topped the United States for gold 5-2 at the Salt Lake City Games.

According to ESPN.com, Sunday's game was carried in Canada on nine national networks and in eight languages and was the most-watched TV broadcast in the country's history. ESPN.com reported about 80 percent of Canada's population, or 26.5 million people, watched at least part of the game.

Newsday reported that for the 17 nights of the Vancouver Olympics, "NBC averaged 24.4 million viewers and 13.8 percent of homes in prime time, roughly in line with what it told advertisers to expect."

NBC officials said 190 million people in the United States watched at least six minutes of the Olympics, according to Newsday.

NHL resumes play: In the first NHL game since Feb. 14, when the league took a two-week break for the Olympics, Detroit won 3-2 at Colorado.

Detroit is coached by Mike Babcock, who guided Canada to the Olympic gold medal.

NFL

Bears waive former All-Pro tackle Pace: The Chicago Bears waived tackle Orlando Pace after one season in which the 34-year-old played little like the All-Pro he once was with St. Louis. The Bears also waived tight end Fontel Mines, 25, and guard Tyler Reed, 27.

Brooks, Baas of 49ers are tendered contract offers: The San Francisco 49ers have tendered contract offers to linebacker Ahmad Brooks, 25, and offensive lineman David Baas, 28.

The move gives San Francisco the right to match any offer sheet the restricted free agents sign with another team or receive a second-round draft pick as compensation.

Charges dismissed against Steelers kicker Reed: A judge dismissed charges of simple assault and resisting arrest against Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, 30, who was accused of raising his fists at a Pittsburgh police officer when ordered back in his vehicle as police dealt with teammate Matt Spaeth on Oct. 18.

The misdemeanor charges dismissed were the most serious Reed faced.

Auto racing

Helton indicates NASCAR cars are about to have spoilers instead of wings: NASCAR is finally about to lose its wings.

"We're hoping within the next two or three races that we'll be able to be at a point where we say it's time to take the wings off and put the spoiler on," NASCAR president Mike Helton said at Texas Motor Speedway's media day in Fort Worth.

While Helton didn't provide a specific date for the expected removal of the wings from the cars, that timeline coincides with the March 28 Sprint Cup Series race in Martinsville, Va., that most teams have expected to be the first with the more traditional-looking rear spoilers.

Helton said there was a "pretty doggone good chance" the spoilers would be on cars when the series races at the 1 ½-mile Texas track April 18.

Spoilers were replaced with a wing on the new car model phased in three years ago.

Earnhardt donates $1 million: NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has donated $1 million to the Victory Junction camp for children with serious illnesses. The Randleman, N.C., camp honors the late driver Adam Petty.

Soccer

U.S. advances to Algarve final: With the first two-goal game of her international career, Lauren Cheney put the United States into Wednesday's final of the Algarve Cup against Germany.

Cheney entered at the start of the second half and lifted the United States over Sweden 2-0 in Ferreiras, Portugal.

U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, a former Washington Huskies standout from Richland, got her second shutout of the tournament.

Tennis

Venus Williams triumphs in exhibition event: Venus Williams defeated Kim Clijsters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to win the Billie Jean King Cup in the BNP Paribas Showdown exhibition tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York. In one-set semifinals, Williams beat Svetlana Kuznetsova and Clijsters defeated Ana Ivanovic.

Hall of Fame class: Doubles specialists Todd Woodbridge, Mark Woodforde, Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva were elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.

Also being inducted in July: Owen Davidson, a men's and mixed-doubles specialist; Brad Parks, pioneer of wheelchair tennis; and the late Derek Hardwick, former chairman of the British Lawn Tennis Association.

Golf

Caddie Rita dies: Greg Rita, caddie for Curtis Strange when he won U.S. Open titles in 1988 and 1989 and for John Daly when he won the 1995 British Open, died of brain cancer Saturday — his 54th birthday — in Jacksonville, Fla.

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