Two years after Jason Arnott took the Stanley Cup out of Dallas, the Stars hope he’ll help them bring it back.

Arnott, who scored the Cup-clinching goal for New Jersey in Game 6 of the 2000 finals against Dallas, was traded to the Stars on Tuesday along with Randy McKay and a first-round pick for forwards Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner.

It was the biggest of 17 deals, involving 35 players, completed Tuesday before the NHL’s 2 p.m. trading deadline.

The Devils returned to the finals last year, but lost in seven games to Colorado. This season has been a struggle for them and the Stars, who won the Cup in 1999.

“All those nostalgic things go through your mind, but you’re just trying to do something for your team,” Devils president Lou Lamoriello said of the Eastern Conference’s seventh-place team. “We needed to make a change.”

That’s what Boston did as well, making three trades Tuesday.

The Bruins acquired defenseman Jeff Norton from Florida for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft; defenseman Sean Brown from Edmonton for defenseman Bobby Allen; and center Darryl Laplante from Minnesota for left wing Greg Crozier.

Florida also traded defenseman Darren Van Impe to the New York Islanders for a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.

The Islanders made another move with Anaheim to acquire center Dave Roche for right wing Ben Guite and the rights to right wing Bjorn Melin.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

UW-Green Bay coach fired

Green Bay, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay fired men’s basketball coach Mike Heideman on Tuesday. Heideman, 110-95 in seven seasons with the Phoenix, had three straight losing seasons, including a 9-21 record this season. Heideman led the Phoenix to one NCAA Tournament, in his first season after replacing Dick Bennett, who left to become head coach of Wisconsin.

South Alabama coach resigns

Mobile, Ala. South Alabama basketball coach Bob Weltlich resigned Tuesday following a 7-21 season, the worst in school history. Athletic director Joe Gottfried said Weltlich and the university “mutually agreed” he should step down. Weltlich, who was 81-65 at South Alabama, had three years left on the contract he signed in July. He will receive $197,500 and use of a car for six months as part of his buyout. Weltlich led the Jaguars to three regular-season Sun Belt Conference titles in five years.

NFL

Riley suspended one game

Kansas City, Mo. Free agent tackle Victor Riley has been suspended for one game for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. NFL vice president Joe Browne confirmed the suspension Tuesday at the NFL meetings.

Last May in suburban Overland Park, Kan., Riley, then with the Kansas City Chiefs, was accused of ramming his vehicle several times into a vehicle occupied by his wife and infant daughter. Riley was charged in Johnson County District Court with felony counts of aggravated assault and criminal damage to property, and misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident.

He entered a diversion program, and Riley said Monday he has complied with it. But the NFL’s personal-conduct policy states a player entering a diversion program is still subject to league discipline.

Riley is an unrestricted free agent. The Chiefs have kept open a dialogue with his agent, Pat Dye Jr., but have made no contract offer.

The Chiefs on Tuesday would not say how the suspension might alter plans to negotiate with Riley.

Denver to add Dalton

Denver The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Lional Dalton on a seven-year, $22 million contract, The Denver Post reported on its Web site Tuesday. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus, The Post said. Dalton, 27, is an unrestricted free agent. He spent four years with the Ravens, mostly as a backup.

‘Tuck rule’ on hold

Orlando, Fla. The co-chairmen of the NFL’s competition committee disagree on the “tuck rule” when a ball knocked free from a quarterback becomes a fumble instead of an incomplete pass. So it was no surprise Wednesday when the NFL tabled any changes in the rule to give all 32 teams a chance to study tapes of a variety of plays involving balls being knocked loose from quarterbacks. It could be discussed during the league’s meeting in May, but it seems unlikely to be changed soon.

“As we discussed it, it didn’t get clearer, it got murkier,” said one of the chairmen, Tampa Bay general manager Rich McKay, who doesn’t want any changes.

The other, Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, agreed, even though he would like a modification.

“You can’t approach this thing in a knee-jerk fashion because of the effect it has on the game,” he said. “This has a big, big effect on the game.”

The competition committee, which has eight members, could reach no consensus during 22 hours of discussion about modifying the rule.

Broncos, Moore agree

Denver The Denver Broncos have reached a one-year, $775,000 contract agreement with wide receiver Rob Moore, who missed most of the past two seasons in Arizona with injuries. Moore, a 10-year veteran, would fill the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey. Moore’s deal with the Broncos includes a $750,000 base salary and a $25,000 signing bonus, but will count only $450,000 against Denver’s salary cap under the new NFL rule that allows teams to sign veterans to minimum-salary contracts.

BASEBALL

Ex-pitcher Gromek dies

Cleveland Steve Gromek, a right-handed pitcher who won 123 games in a 17-year major league career and helped the Cleveland Indians win the 1948 World Series, has died. He was 82. Gromek, who suffered from complications from diabetes, a stroke and pneumonia, died March 12, according to his wife, Jeanette. Gromek won the fourth game of the ’48 World Series, beating the Boston Braves and ace Johnny Sain. The victory gave Cleveland a 3-1 lead in the Series, which the Indians won in six games.

Spiezio, Klesko to appeal

New York San Diego outfielder Ryan Klesko and Anaheim infielder Scott Spiezio will appeal their suspensions imposed after a pair of bench-clearng brawls in a spring training game. Padres first baseman Phil Nevin also will appeal his fine, players’ union lawyer Bob Lenaghan said Tuesday. Spiezio was penalized for six games and Klesko for five. The suspensions were to take affect on opening day.

OLYMPICS

Romney to run for governor

Boston Acting Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift dropped out of the governor’s race Tuesday rather than battle Mitt Romney, the organizer of the Salt Lake City Olympics, for the Republican nomination. A few hours later, Romney formally entered the race as had been anticipated for weeks. Until now, Romney’s only political experience was an unsuccessful challenge to Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy in 1994. Romney, 55, has been riding a wave of popularity since successfully leading last month’s Winter Olympics.

BOXING

Memphis may be fight site

Memphis emerged as a favorite Tuesday to land the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis heavyweight title fight, following a two-day visit by promoters that left the city’s mayor excited about the possible June 8 bout.

Tyson manager Shelly Finkel said meetings with arena officials, local politicians and casino executives convinced him the fight could be held in Tennessee.

“It’s been good,” Finkel said. “There have been no negatives.”

Finkel, though, said Washington, D.C., is still in the running, and that Detroit has an outside chance of landing the fight. He said the site would be announced by the end of the week.

On Tuesday, Matt Resch, spokesman for Michigan Gov. John Engler, said the governor’s office was informed by the Department of Consumer and Industry Services that Tyson’s license had been renewed through August 2002.

Finkel and Gary Shaw, head of Main Events, Lewis’ New Jersey-based promoter, spent Monday and Tuesday in Memphis after abandoning an earlier meeting in Washington, D.C., on that city’s bid for the fight.