Nicastro arrested on a sexual assault charge

DETROIT — Detroit Red Wings draft pick, Mark Nicastro, has been arrested on a sexual assault charge.

Nicastro was selected in the third round (91st overall) by the Wings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Here is the story from The Associated Press.

BU hockey player arrested on sex assault charge

BOSTON (AP) — Boston University says Max Nicastro, a defenseman on its men’s hockey team, has been arrested on a sexual assault charge.

University police arrested Nicastro on Sunday on the Charles River Campus. BU Police Chief Thomas Robbins says his department and the Suffolk County district attorney’s office are investigating.

The university says a female student accused Nicastro of sexually assaulting her. Robbins says the encountered happened on campus. Few other details were released.

Nicastro, a junior from Thousand Oaks, Calif., is being held on $25,000 cash bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Brighton District Court.

Athletic director Michael Lynch says Nicastro has been suspended from the hockey team pending the outcome of the investigation.

A university spokesman says he does not know if Nicastro has a lawyer.

Wings waive Conklin

DETROIT – Joey MacDonald’s stay in Detroit just got a little longer.

The Wings waived Ty Conklin Monday afternoon and keeping MacDonald and Jimmy Howard’s backup for the rest of the season.

Conklin, 35, was 3-5-0 with a 3.50 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage. If he’s not claimed within 24 hours the Wings can assign him to Grand Rapids.

Conklin got his chance to take over as the starter after Howard fractured his finger Feb. 2. However, he lasted all of one period against the Edmonton Oilers in his first start and was pulled after giving up three goals in one period.

MacDonald took over from that point and has played every minute since.

“As a backup goalie, that’s your job, you’ve got to be ready at all times,” MacDonald said Sunday. “If it’s three or four games, whatever it is, I think I’ve proved I can play here. To start this many games in a row is huge for me. What happens down the road, nobody knows. I think I gave a pretty goof effort. When you do that you leave it all on the ice and things take care of themselves.”

“It’s great to be the guy to get thrown in there every single night, to take some of the pressure off Howie for a little bit,” MacDonald said. “Howie’s been playing a lot. He had quite a streak going. He’ll be back here the next game and just got to keep building on it and be ready for my next start.”

MacDonald made his seventh straight start on Sunday and made 31 saves in a win over San Jose to extend the Wings’ home win streak to 23 games.

Howard is expected to start Tuesday in Chicago.

Conklin leaves ice before practice begins

DETROIT — Just got to Joe Louis Arena.

When I arrived three goalies were on the ice practicing at one end of the rink. A few minutes into the practice and Ty Conklin left.

Which leads to speculation that Conklin may be waived today.

Still waiting on word from Wings GM Ken Holland on what they’ve decided to do.

More to come.