Loan Helps Penguins Meet Payroll

A judge approved an emergency loan from Pittsburgh Penguin co-owner Roger Marino to the team so it could pay its players.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Bernard Markovitz approved the $2.5-million loan so players could be paid on Friday. It will be repaid to Marino at 8% interest. Marino earlier had loaned the team another $2.5 million and will be repaid before other creditors.

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Right wing Andreas Dackell of the Ottawa Senators will be sidelined 10-14 days after suffering a concussion and severe lacerations to his forehead Thursday following a crushing check by Eric Lindros of the Philadelphia Flyers. . . . After a successful inaugural run last season, the NHL will again match its North American stars against the best players from the rest of the world in the 1999 All-Star game. The second All-Star Game International Showdown will be played Jan. 24 at Tampa, Fla. Voting for the starting teams starts Sunday at NHL arenas and on the Internet.