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			 There has been a mumps outbreak throughout the NHL during the 
			past few weeks. Crosby missed practice on Thursday with an 
			unspecified illness, and the right side of his face looked swollen 
			during the Friday morning skate. After he underwent tests, doctors 
			thought it best that he sit out. 
 "There is no indication at this time that this is the mumps, but we 
			are going to hold him out as a precaution," general manager Jim 
			Rutherford said. "We'll have additional test results in a few days."
 
 The Penguins played host to the Calgary Flames on Friday night and 
			travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
 
 The two-time league most valuable player leads the Penguins with 
			nine goals and 26 assists in 27 games this season.
 
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			 A potential ownership group headed by billionaire businessman 
			William Foley and the Maloof family is hoping to generate local 
			interest in a Las Vegas NHL franchise.
 That process begins Tuesday, when Foley and his people sit down in a 
			meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's people to hammer out 
			the details of a Board-of-Governors-approved request to conduct a 
			season-ticket drive -- tentatively scheduled to begin in early 
			February.
 
 "I came up with the idea in conjunction with the commissioner to let 
			us do a ticket drive to demonstrate the viability of the market," 
			Foley said in a phone interview with The Sports Xchange. "I think 
			Vegas is a sports town. That's our job to prove it, and we need to 
			prove it with this ticket drive."
 
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 The Columbus Blue Jackets placed left winger Scott Hartnell on 
			injured reserve with a broken finger and recalled left winger Kerby 
			Rychel from Springfield of the American Hockey League.
 
 The 32-year-old Hartnell was injured during the Blue Jackets' 3-2 
			overtime win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday in Washington. 
			He is expected to be out two weeks.
 
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		 The Winnipeg Jets assigned forward Patrice Cormier to the St. 
			John's IceCaps of the AHL.
 Cormier, 24, was recalled from St. John's on Dec. 8, joining the 
			Jets on their recent two-game road trip in Dallas and Colorado. He 
			has yet to appear in a game for the Jets this season.
 
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 The Arizona Coyotes recalled forward Alex Bolduc and assigned 
			forward Jordan Martinook to Portland of the AHL.
 
 Bolduc, 29, has registered nine goals, 11 assists and 38 penalty 
			minutes in 24 games with Portland this season.
 
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 The Edmonton Oilers transferred left winger Jesse Joensuu to SC Bern 
			of the Swiss Elite League.
 
 Joensuu, 27, posted two goals, two assists and 14 penalty minutes in 
			20 games with the Oilers this season.
 
 (Editing by Gene Cherry)
 
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