Detroit

Rick Zombo and Sergei Fedorov scored goals eight seconds apart in the third period as Detroit beat Minnesota, 8-6, last night, keeping the Red Wings unbeaten at home and the North Stars winless on the road. Detroit took 47 shots against goalie Kari Takko, recalled Monday from Kalamazoo (Mich.), where he was 4-0-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average.

Even though he didn't score any points, Sergei Fedorov was a plus for Detroit. Ask a teammate. "It was good to have him back," Detroit forward Vyacheslav Kozlov said after the Red Wings beat visiting Florida last night, 3-1. Fedorov ended a long contract dispute Thursday when the Red Wings matched a $38 million, six-year offer sheet from Carolina. "For a guy who hasn't played two-thirds of the season, he looked good," said forward Darren McCarty, who scored Detroit's last goal.

HOW DID IT come to this? The current debate on whether to rescue Detroit automakers reflects a deep animus toward that most American of enterprises, the auto companies. It feels almost like a nasty divorce. You know, you've either been through one, or had friends who have, and after a while, everything is exaggerated, every utterance is an assault, nothing makes sense. All that's left is hatred and distrust. Two cases in point: I was in a bar in New York City the other day when a man I just met was positive that Ford workers once upon a time sabotaged their own products as part of a labor dispute with the company.

Former Flyers defenseman Danny Markov signed a $2.5 million, 1-year contract with Detroit yesterday. Markov had 11 assists in 58 games for the Nashville Predators last season, and the Moscow native was a key player for Russia at the Turin Olympics. He missed 17 games with various injuries. The 6-1, 190-pound Markov also has played for Toronto, Phoenix and Carolina in addition to the Flyers, contributing 131 points in 472 NHL games. His best season was with the Coyotes in 2001-02, when he had career highs in goals (six)

Lomas Brown was on his way home from the funeral of Detroit teammate Eric Andolsek in June when he heard more terrible news. Another friend, Eagles All- Pro defensive tackle Jerome Brown, had been killed along with his nephew in an auto accident in Brooksville, Fla. "It's still hard to grasp," Lomas Brown said. "I mean, Eric and Jerome were there. Then suddenly, they aren't. It takes time to get over. "It was a double shock. Eric was a friend and a colleague, and so was Jerome.

ALEX AVILA'S drive sailed to deep rightfield, barely clearing both an outfielder and a wall. An exhilarating opening series at Comerica Park was finally over, and the Detroit catcher could look forward to some much-needed rest. "I'm too tired right now," Avila said. "I'm glad we have an off day [Monday]. This weekend has been crazy. " Avila's two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Tigers a stunning 13-12 victory over Boston on Sunday, leaving the Red Sox winless in three games under new manager Bobby Valentine.

10:01 tonight CHANNEL 6 A teenager is killed at the high school Lt. Mason's daughter attends, sending a chill through the precinct. A prominent defense attorney's son also is murdered in a Greek restaurant. Michael Imperioli (right) stars.

Larry Brown will return to Detroit to coach at least one more game. His defending champion Pistons made sure of it. Detroit ensured that the Eastern Conference finals will last at least six games by defeating the Miami Heat, 106-96, last night in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series. The series is knotted at 2-2 heading into Game 5 tomorrow night in Miami. Game 6 will be Saturday on Detroit's court in what could be Brown's final home game as coach of the Pistons. Brown has met with the Cleveland Cavaliers about becoming their president of basketball operations, though he insisted yesterday he would like to continue coaching the Pistons if his health allows it. Earlier yesterday, Indiana Pacers vice president David Morway announced he is no longer a candidate to become Cleveland's general manager, furthering speculation that Brown could join the Cavaliers.

The Detroit Shock claimed their third WNBA title in six seasons yesterday, beating the San Antonio Silver Stars, 76-60, in Game 3. Detroit swept the league's best regular-season team, winning the clincher at Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, a venue forced upon them because of a scheduling conflict at their regular home, The Palace. For Katie Smith, the finals MVP, the win meant a league championship less than 2 months after she and her U.S. teammates took gold in Beijing.

Coach Dave Evans didn't want to use excuses for the Wings' 17-11 Major Indoor Lacrosse League loss at Detroit Saturday night. But the fact remains that approximately two-thirds of his team didn't arrive at the Joe Louis Arena until 20 minutes before the game's scheduled 8 p.m. start (the opening faceoff eventually was moved back until 8:20). "I flew with seven players out of Philly, and the other guys left from Baltimore, since they live closer to that airport," Evans said. "We got in fine, around noon, but their flight was delayed due to mechanical problems.

Let's celebrate the start of the playoffs with a slash to the wrist, a glove to the mug and these nuggets that cropped up in our exhaustive research of the eight first-round series: Did you know? * No team has surrendered fewer goals in the expansion era than the 165 St. Louis allowed. * Alexander Ovechkin's point total has gone down each of the last four seasons, including a career-low 65 this year. His plus/minus, which was plus-45 two years ago, was minus-8 this year.

ALEX AVILA'S drive sailed to deep rightfield, barely clearing both an outfielder and a wall. An exhilarating opening series at Comerica Park was finally over, and the Detroit catcher could look forward to some much-needed rest. "I'm too tired right now," Avila said. "I'm glad we have an off day [Monday]. This weekend has been crazy. " Avila's two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Tigers a stunning 13-12 victory over Boston on Sunday, leaving the Red Sox winless in three games under new manager Bobby Valentine.

Ryan Callahan ripped in a shot off a goalpost 2 minutes, 42 seconds into overtime to lift the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers over visiting Detroit, 2-1, on Wednesday night, sending the injury-riddled Red Wings to their sixth consecutive loss. In the extra session the Rangers got the puck past Ty Conklin, who was recalled Wednesday from the minor leagues because of Detroit's injury woes. Callahan scored his 27th goal, making the New York captain a winner on his 27th birthday.

With hockey royalty watching, the Flyers withstood a late barrage - and injuries to wingers Jakub Voracek and Jaromir Jagr - and held off the Detroit Red Wings at the percolating Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night. Center Claude Giroux collected a goal and an assist, and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov continued his revival as the Flyers defeated the injury-riddled Red Wings, 3-2, and put together their first three-game winning streak since December. Mark Howe's No. 2 Flyers jersey was retired in a stirring pregame ceremony attended by several of his relatives, including his legendary father, Gordie, who dabbed at his eyes as his son received a thunderous standing ovation.

DETROIT - A judge refused yesterday to throw out a teenager's guilty plea to four slayings in a Detroit drug den, despite the confession of a hit man in prison for other murders who said that he never used the one-eyed, learning-disabled boy as an accomplice. The decision was a major setback for Davontae Sanford, who at age 14 took responsibility for the killings in his neighborhood and at age 15 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. His attorney has been trying to withdraw the plea for more than three years, especially after Vincent Smothers, an admitted hit man routinely hired by drug dealers, told police that he was the gunman on Runyon Street.

The government bailout of the U.S. auto industry was a success. Without financial help from Uncle Sam, General Motors and Chrysler likely would not exist today. The American auto industry would be a shadow of its former self. And the U.S. economic recovery would be even more drawn out and frustrating than it has been. Saving the automakers was distasteful, but necessary. Rehashing this bit of history is timely on the eve of the Republican primary in Michigan, where the economy has long been tethered to the auto industry.

DETROIT - Ilya Bryzgalov was back in the Motor City yesterday for the first time since being shelled in Detroit's first-round sweep of Phoenix in last spring's playoffs, but he didn't get a chance to exact revenge on the Red Wings. Instead, the closest Bryzgalov got to the ice was the Flyers' bench, as Sergei Bobrovsky started the third game in a row. Bryzgalov even left the cramped Joe Louis Arena bench area after the first period to sit in the locker room, according to NBC Sports Network.

Now comes the hard part. The 76ers' seven-game homestand, the longest of the season, resumes with Monday's matchup against the Orlando Magic. So, on Monday, it's Dwight Howard. Then, on Wednesday, say hello to Derrick Rose. And Friday, welcome LeBron James. What a week it should be at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers went 3-1 in what some would term the junior varsity portion of the homestand, although the Nets certainly earned their varsity letter. That 97-90 overtime loss on Wednesday to New Jersey was the only blemish on the homestand for the 14-6 Sixers, who are 10-2 this year at the Wells Fargo Center following Saturday's 95-74 win over Detroit.

DETROIT cornerback Aaron Berry found a new way to all but eliminate any chance of growing a personal fan base in the Motor City. By dissing its socio-economic status. Following the Lions' wild-card loss to New Orleans, Berry took to Twitter to vent his frustration - but directed it at the Lions' renewed and faithful supporters by posting: "Y'all can go back to being Broke & Miserable . . . now back to regular scheduled programming . . . " Berry deleted the post and a subsequent apology but not before it made the rounds and fired up half of Detroit.