It's Thursday

It's Thursday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is February 10th, the 41st day of 2011. There are 324 days left in the year.

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Bruins outscore, outfight Canadiens.

Sharks rally to beat Blue Jackets.

Preds chase Howard, clip Wings.

Wild slip past Avalanche.

Coyotes stop Stars in OT.

Flames beat Senators.

Hawks drub Oilers, win sixth straight at Edmonton.

Ducks snap Canucks' streak.

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Today's Birthdays: Actor Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) is 81; Olympic gold medal swimmer Mark Spitz is 61; TV personality Jim Cramer is 56; golfer Greg Norman, 56; TV host George Stephanopoulos, 50; actress Elizabeth Banks (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) is 37.

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USHL Alumni Voices: Matt Donovan.

Musketeers snag first OT win of season.

Storm outlast Phantoms.

Belonger and Loney each score twice as Phantoms beat Chicago.

USHL Update: Week #19.

Inside the Des Moines Buccaneers.

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Today is National Have a Brownie Day and Umbrella Day.

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National Team Development Program Weekly Update

U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams Shift Focus to International Competition

TEAM USA HEADS OVERSEAS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team begins play in the 2011 Under-18 Five Nations tournament today (Feb. 9) against Sweden at 12:30 p.m. ET, in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. The U.S. will then face off against Russia on Thursday (Feb. 10) and the Czech Republic on Friday (Feb. 11). The round-robin tournament concludes on Sunday (Feb. 13) with a tilt against Finland.

Meanwhile, the U.S. National Under-17 Team will compete in the 2011 Vlad Dzurilla tournament, held in Piestany, Slovakia. The action begins when the U.S. faces Switzerland on Friday (Feb. 11) at 9:15 a.m. ET. Team USA will then compete against Germany (Feb. 12) and Slovakia (Feb. 13).

USA Hockey coverage of the tournaments, including schedules and game recaps, can be found at USAHockey.com. Live scoring updates will also be available by following @USAHockeyScores on Twitter.

U18 TEAM TOPS TRI-CITY STORM: Four Team USA players recorded multiple point nights, as the Under-18 Team topped the Tri-City Storm, 6-1, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube last weekend. For a full game recap, click the link below.

U17 TEAM SINKS CHICAGO IN SHOOTOUT: Connor Carrick (Orland Park, Ill.) scored during the shootout, as the Under-17 Team defeated the Chicago Steel, 2-1, in United States Hockey League action at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Ill. For a full game recap, click the link below.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: Milwaukee Admirals forward and 2010 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner, Blake Geoffrion (Brentwood, Tenn./2004-06) is currently on a four-game point streak, with five goals and eight assists for 13 points, with a plus-8 rating during that span. Last week, Geoffrion was again selected as the American Hockey League Player of the Week, becoming the first player in 16 years to receive the honor two weeks in a row ... Manitoba Moose forward Bill Sweatt (Elburn, Ill./2004-06) is currently on a three-game point streak, scoring two goals and adding three assists during that span. Sweatt has 34 points (13-21) in 49 games which places him tied for third in points by a rookie in the AHL ... Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich./2007-09) and Colorado Avalanche D-man Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y./2005-07) are currently ranked first and second in rookie defensemen points in the National Hockey League. Fowler has 28 points (6-22) in 48 games and Shattenkirk is just two points behind with 26 (7-19).

For the complete weekly update, click here.

U.S. National Under-18 Team Opens Five Nations Tournament with Convincing 6-2 Win Over Sweden

Grimaldi Nets Hat Trick and Adds Assist; Boucher Records Three Assists

HRADEC KRALOVE, Czech Republic - Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) netted three goals and added an assist and Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) recorded three assists as the U.S. National Under-18 Team opened the Five Nations tournament with a convincing 6-2 win over Sweden at Novy Bydzov Arena.

"Everyone contributed to this win and it was a complete team effort," said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. "It was an excellent start to a very difficult tournament."

Team USA jumped out to a quick lead when Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) fired a wrist shot just under the crossbar at 2:39 of the opening frame. Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y.) earned an assist on the play. Adam Reid (Chino Hills, Calif.) added to the U.S. lead when he scored off a feed from Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

Up 2-0 heading into the second period, the U.S. gave up two goals to Sweden. With the score tied, team USA struck back when J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) scored from the slot. Miller was set up by Grimaldi, who worked from behind the Swedish net to find his open teammate. Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.) also collected an assist. Grimaldi put the U.S. back up by two goals with a shot from the middle of the face-off circle. The score, a five-on-three tally, was assisted by Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) and Boucher.

The U.S. continued to pressure the opposition and it resulted in a breakaway tally by Grimaldi, his second goal of the game. Boucher and Russo were again credited with assists on the play. Grimaldi would put the game away when he netted his third goal for the hat trick. Jake McCabe (Eau Claire, Wis.) collected an assist and Boucher registered his third as the U.S. won 6-2.

John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) earned the victory for Team USA, while Oscar Dansk was in goal for Sweden in the loss.

Team USA next faces Russia tomorrow (Feb. 10) at 9:00 a.m. ET. The game will be held at the Hradec Kralove Arena.

NOTES: Rocco Grimaldi was named Team USA's player of the game ... The U.S. National Under-18 Team is part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, along with the U.S. National Under-17 Team ... Find USA Hockey on Facebook at Facebook.com/USAHockey ... Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with #NTDPU18

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 2 - 2 - 2 - 6
SWE 0 - 2 - 0 - 2

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Pietila (Bardreau), 2:39; 2, USA, Reid (Larraza), 10:53. Penalties: USA, Grimaldi (tripping), 5:27; SWE, Nermark (goaltender-interference), 6:48; USA, McCabe (roughing), 11:46; SWE, Nermark (roughing), 11:46; USA, Biggs (tripping), 12:17; USA, Van Voorhis (interference), 18:38.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, SWE, Brodin (Arvidsson, Aberg), 0:53; 4, SWE, Boyce-Rotevall (Brodin, Rask), 4:12, (pp); 5, USA, Miller (Grimaldi, Kerdiles), 8:44; 6, USA, Grimaldi (Russo, Boucher), 11:15, (5-on-3). Penalties: USA, Murphy (hooking), 3:07; USA, Grimaldi (interference), 4:58; USA, Paliotta (cross-checking), 5:31; SWE, Johansson (roughing), 10:35; SWE, Marklund (slashing), 11:07; USA, Carlson (boarding), 15:34; SWE, Arvidsson (misconduct), 17:34; SWE, Brodin (tripping), 18:09; USA, Russo (interference), 19:28; USA, Biggs (tripping), 20:00.

Third Period - Scoring: 7, USA, Grimaldi (Boucher, Russo), 9:26, (pp); 8, USA, Grimaldi (McCabe, Boucher), 15:45. Penalties: USA, Pietila (slashing), 2:18.

Team USA 2011 Five Nations Tournament Schedule
Feb. 9 - Feb. 13, 2011 • Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

Date Event Location Time (ET)/Result

Wed., Feb. 9 USA vs. Sweden Novy Bydzov W, 6-2
Thurs., Feb. 10 Russia vs. USA Hradec Kralove 9:00 a.m.
Fri., Feb. 11 Czech Republic vs. USA Hradec Kralove 12:00 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 13 USA vs. Finland Hradec Kralove 7:30 a.m.

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The average US consumer will shell out $116.21 on traditional Valentine's Day merchandise this year, up 11% from last year's $103. Total holiday spending is expected to reach $15.7 billion, also up 11% from $14.1 billion last year.
 
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Brown back in Blue and Gold.

Rempel re-signs with Argonauts.

Donate to the Tony Proudfoot Fund.

Visit the league's official website, cfl.ca.

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A new study suggests some people are literally in love with their favorite possessions, giving more time, money and affection to them than they do to other people.

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Let's play ball Daddy.

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The Hollywood round begins tonight on American Idol. Hopefuls chosen from around the nation endure grueling rehearsals and pressure-packed auditions as they vie for a spot among the Top 20.

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Today in Elvis History:

1943 - Ral Donner was born. His first hit was a cover of Elvis Presley's "The Girl of My Best Friend" and he narrated the documentary "This Is Elvis."

1964 - Elvis Presley sent a telegram of congratulations to the Beatles after their successful first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

1968 - Elvis Presley's soundtrack "Clambake" hit #40 in the U.S.

1976 - Elvis Presley was made a captain in the Memphis Police Reserve.

2004 - The DVD "Frank Sinatra Show - Welcome Home Elvis" was released.

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Last year Davenport, Iowa, leaders got rid of city parking meters to make doing business there more inviting. Now the city's trying to unload 500 parking meters and hopes to make $22,500 off of them.

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Today in Beatles History:

1968 - The Beatles turned all of their business affairs over to the newly formed Apple record company.

1968 - The Beatles closed their American fan club, Beatles U.S.A.

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A Louisiana couple was having problems in the kitchen Sunday night when things must have escalated. The boyfriend called police and when they arrived the right side of the man's face was bleeding. Turns out the girlfriend had hit the boyfriend in the face with a frozen steak.

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Today in Sports History:

1920 - Major league baseball representatives outlawed pitches that involved tampering with the ball.

1946 - Jackie Robinson and Rachel Isum were married.

1961 - The American Football League's Los Angeles franchise was transferred to San Diego.

1971 - Bill White (New York Yankees) became the first black baseball announcer.

1962 - Jim Beatty became the first American to break the four minute barrier for the indoor mile.

1992 - Mike Tyson was convicted in Indianapolis of raping Desiree Washington, Miss Black American contestant.

2003 - Brett Hull (Detroit Red Wings) became the 6th player in NHL history to score at least 700 career goals.

2005 - The NHL and the players' association broke off talks after two days. The previous day commissioner Gary Bettman had said that a deal would need to be ready by the weekend to save the season.

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Lindsay Lohan has been charged with felony grand theft of a $2,500 necklace. (This the biggest theft in Hollywood since Angelina Jolie nabbed Brad Pitt.)

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

SEJHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Florida Eels 5:15pm EST

MJHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Junior Blades 6:00pm EST

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes 7:30pm EST

Sunday --

SEJHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 10:30am EST

MJHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Florida Junior Blades 12:15pm EST

Monday --

Nothin' Doin'

Tuesday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Philadelphia Flyers 7:30pm EST

Wednesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings 7:30pm EST

Friday --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers 7:30pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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That's all for today. See you again tomorrow.