Prospal Escapes Suspension

Ottawa Senator center Vaclav Prospal escaped suspension Thursday for his ethnic slur against Montreal Canadien defenseman Patrice Brisebois, but must attend a diversity-training session.

Prospal, who called Brisebois a “frog”--punctuated by an obscenity--in a Dec. 27 game, was told to come to New York to meet with NHL-appointed diversity trainer Zach Minor for further education and discussion regarding diversity-related issues.

The league deemed Prospal’s public apology to French Canadians as sufficient.

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Atlanta Thrasher defenseman David Harlock will undergo neck surgery and will be lost for the season. . . . The Boston Bruins signed forward Jason Allison to a one-year contract extension. . . . The slumping Vancouver Canucks called up center Lubomir Vaic from their minor league system.