Sports briefs for June 25, 2004

Friday, June 25, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

Bertuzzi charged for on-ice attack

Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi was charged Thursday with assault for a sucker-punch that broke Steve Moore's neck, an attack that prompted an outcry about hockey violence.

The charges were announced by the criminal justice branch of the ministry of the attorney general after an investigation of more than three months.

Bertuzzi was ordered to appear in court July 9. If convicted, Bertuzzi, 29, could face a penalty ranging from jail time to a guilty decision with no criminal record.

Moore was hospitalized after the March 8 attack with three fractured vertebrae, facial cuts, post-concussion symptoms and amnesia. Nerves in the neck area were stretched.

The National Hockey League suspended Bertuzzi for the final 13 games of the regular season and Vancouver's seven playoff games.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman plans a hearing with Bertuzzi.

In 2000, Marty McSorley was charged with hitting Vancouver's Donald Brashear with his stick. McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon but received an 18-month conditional discharge, meaning no jail time and no criminal record after probation.

England gets the boot

David Beckham sent his shot into the crowd, and Portugal went on to beat England 6-5 in sudden-death penalty kicks following a 2-2 tie, advancing the hosts to the semifinals of the European Championship at Lisbon. Beckham, who failed to convert a penalty kick in England's opening 2-1 loss to France, missed badly on the first penalty kick that followed 30 minutes of overtime, appearing to slip and sending the ball well over the crossbar and into the seats.

Saiki leads by one

Winless in 13 years on the LPGA tour, Las Vegas resident Kim Saiki shot a bogey-free 66 to take the first-round lead in the Rochester Classic. Candie Kung was one shot back and Juli Inkster two behind going into today's second round. Another Las Vegas resident, Stephenie Louden, was in a group at 3-under-par 69.

Robic still leads

Slovenia's Jure Robic lost his lead briefly overnight to Michael Trevino but reclaimed a 54-minute advantage at the front of the Insight Race Across America. Both riders had checked in this morning at the time station in Jefferson City, Mo., about halfway through the 2,958-mile race, which began Sunday in San Diego and will conclude on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.

Times opts out of BCS

Calling it a conflict of interest, New York Times administrators have pulled the newspaper's computer rankings out of the formula used by the Bowl Championship Series to determine which teams play for the national title.

K times 12

Luis Martinez, a right-hander with the Baltimore Orioles' Class A affiliate in Aberdeen, Md., struck out a minor-league record 12 consecutive batters Wednesday against Jamestown.

Knight staying put

Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight issued a statement saying that his alma mater, Ohio State, won't consider him for its coaching vacancy.