Sean Avery is in trouble with the NHL again, this time for thinly veiled comments about a foe dating his former girlfriend.

Commissioner Gary Bettman suspended Avery indefinitely yesterday hours after the Stars pest made "inappropriate public comments, not pertaining to the game." Avery will meet with Bettman before his punishment is settled.

Avery's inflammatory comments came after a morning skate in Calgary, where the Stars were playing the Flames last night.

Avery approached a group of reporters, asked if a camera was present, then said he wanted to say one thing: "I'm really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada," he said. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my (former girlfriends)."

He used a crude term to refer to ex-girlfriends now dating other people.

"I completely support the league's decision to suspend Sean Avery," Stars owner Tom Hicks said in a statement. "Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."

• Panthers 5, Capitals 3: Radek Dvorak, Ville Peltonen and Gregory Campbell had a goal and an assist each, and the Panthers won at Washington. Washington lost in regulation at home for the first time this season (9-1-1), and was 15-0-1 in its past 16 games in the nation's capital. San Jose is the only remaining NHL team that is perfect at home this season in regulation.

• Flyers 4, Lightning 3: Mike Richards scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, and the Flyers sent the visiting Lightning to its fifth consecutive loss. Richards took a pass from Kimmo Timonen high in the slot and put a slap shot past Mike Smith. The Lightning missed an opportunity to win with 16.3 seconds left in regulation when Ryan Malone was awarded a penalty shot, but he pushed the attempt wide of the net.

• Canadiens 5, Thrashers 4: Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens who held off the visiting Thrashers. Former Penguins forward Robert Lang contributed a goal and an assist for Montreal.

• Police divers recovered the body of Hubert "Pit" Martin, a four-time NHL All-Star in the 1960s and '70s, who drowned after the snowmobile he was driving plunged into an icy lake near his home. Divers found Martin's body yesterday afternoon, Quebec provincial police said. Martin was driving the vehicle on Lake Kanasuta in northwestern Quebec Sunday when the ice cracked and he plunged into the freezing water. Martin played for the Red Wings, Bruins, Blackhawks and Canucks. He also spent parts of three seasons with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL.