The mother of Washington Capitals forward Jeff Halpern was one of four people killed in a fiery crash with a fuel tanker in Davie, Fla.

Gloria Halpern, 56, of Potomac, Md., was in a car that was crushed when the fuel tanker flipped over Friday night, the Capitals said. Relatives said her brother Alan Klein, 52, his wife, Debbie Klein, 49, both of Cherry Hill, N.J., and Anita Epstein also were killed.

The driver's side of the truck flipped onto the car, and both vehicles slid along a guardrail beside the Interstate 595 ramp to Florida's Turnpike until sparks ignited the fuel, investigators and witnesses said.

Halpern had been in Coconut Creek caring for her ailing father, and the Kleins flew in Friday to relieve her.

Jeff Halpern has been playing for the Kloten Flyers in the Swiss Elite League during the NHL lockout. His mother was active in the Capitals' youth hockey program.

More hockey

Latvia scored three times in the final five minutes to rally past Belarus, 5-4, and clinch a spot in next year's Olympics. Aleksandrs Semjonovs scored the winner with 2:29 left, capping the comeback from a 4-2 deficit.

At Kloten, host Switzerland defeated Denmark, 4-2, to clinch an Olympic berth with an unbeaten record. At Klagenfurt, Austria, Andrey Samokhvalov scored to give Kazakhstan a 1-0 win against France and the final spot in Turin, Italy.

Latvia, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan will join the 12-team field that includes the United States, host Italy, defending champion Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Football

Clint Stoerner threw three touchdown passes to lead the host Dallas Desperados to a 35-31 victory against the Columbus Destroyers in the Arena Football League.

Tony Graziani was 18 of 27 for 270 yards and six touchdowns to help the Philadelphia Soul beat visiting Nashville, 59-48.

Andy Kelly threw a franchise-record eight touchdown passes and the host New Orleans VooDoo survived a last-second field-goal attempt to beat the ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats, 62-61.

Horse racing

With his most highly regarded 3-year-old back in the barn with a sore foot, trainer Bob Baffert decided to send out Fusaichi Rock Star.

Smart move.

Fusaichi Rock Star, taking over for absent stablemate Roman Ruler, scored a front-running victory in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes in Arcadia, Calif.

Fast-closing Don't Get Mad finished a length back in second, with Kirkendahl another neck behind in the 7-furlong test for 3-year-olds. Odds-on favorite Consolidator was fourth and last, 1 1/4 lengths behind Kirkendahl.

Fusaichi Rock Star is owned by Japanese businessman Fusao Sekiguchi, whose Fusaichi Pegasus won the 2000 Kentucky Derby.

Once-beaten filly Rainbow Blue edged trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong's Legacy for the Dan Patch award as harness racing's horse of the year. Rainbow Blue, a 3-year-old filly, won 20 of 21 races last year.

Auto racing

Tommy Johnson Jr. raced to his first Funny Car victory in three years, beating Phil Burkart in the final of the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. Johnson powered to a 4.741-second run at 327.59 mph to take his sixth career victory. Scott Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) also won their divisions.

Tennis

Top-seeded Andy Roddick breezed to a 6-0, 6-4 victory against unseeded Cyril Saulnier in 50 minutes to win the SAP Open in San Jose, Calif., in the fastest final on the ATP circuit this season.

Second-seeded Gaston Gaudio beat wild card Mariano Puerta, 6-4, 6-4, in an all-Argentine final at the ATP Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Dinara Safina of Russia defeated second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, to win the Open Gaz de France in Paris.

Third-seeded Joachim Johansson of Sweden beat Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, 7-5, 6-4, to win the Open 13 event in Marseille, France.