Monday Morning Meissnervations

It's Monday. Here's what's happening.

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Today is February 21st, the 52nd day of 2011. There are 313 days left in the year.

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Johansson's goal leads Caps past Sabres.

Flyers go panalty-free in win over Rangers.

Wings beat Wild in Bertuzzi's 1,000th game.

Blackhawks edge Pens in shootout.

Borque, Kiprosoff lead Flames to 'Classic' win.

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Today's birthdays: Actor Alan Rickman (Harry Potter movies, Die Hard) is 65; actress Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey, Judging Amy) is 65; actor William Petersen (CSI) is 58; actor Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Cheers, X-Men: The Last Stand) is 56; astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly are 47; actress Jennifer Love Hewitt (Party of Five, Ghost Whisperer) is 32; singer Charlotte Church is 25; actress Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen in the Twilight films) is 24.

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Y'town playoff hopes take hit.

USHL all-stars lead Fargo to win.

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Today is Presidents' Day and Love your Pet Day.

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National Team Development Program Weekly Update

U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams Sweep International Competition;
U17s Return to USHL Action This Weekend

U18 TEAM ENJOYS WEEKEND OFF: Coming off a successful Five Nations tournament last week, the U.S. National Under-18 Team enjoys a weekend off. Next up for the U18's is the University of Alabama-Huntsville on Feb. 25 and 26.

U17 TEAM RETURNS TO USHL ACTION: Also fresh off an international tournament title, the Under-17 Team jumps right back into action when it faces two United States Hockey League foes. On Friday (Feb. 18) Team USA takes on rival Muskegon and the following night (Feb. 19) Chicago visits for a game against the U.S. Both games take place at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube at 7 p.m. ET during USA Hockey's Hockey Weekend Across America celebration, which takes place Feb. 18-20.

U18 TEAM CLAIMS FIVE NATIONS TITLE: The U18s took top honors at the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic last week. Team USA finished with a perfect 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

The U18s opened the tournament with a 6-2 win over Sweden on Feb. 9 as Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) tallied four points, including three goals, and Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) recorded three assists to pace Team USA. Against Russia (Feb. 10), the U.S. squad recorded a 10-4 victory. Grimaldi, Boucher, Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y.) scored two goals apiece while Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) and Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) added single tallies to pace the USA offense. Boucher, Pietila and Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.) each tallied a goal in a 3-1 win over host Czech Republic on Feb. 11.

In the final game of the tournament, the U.S. squad posted a 7-4 win over Finland. Boucher recorded a hat trick and Pietila scored a pair of goals. Bardreau and Adam Reid (Chino Hills, Calif.) each had a single tally to pace the U.S. offense.

U17 TEAM VICTORIOUS IN VLAD DZURILLA TOURNEY: The U17s captured the 2011 Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia, with a perfect 3-0-0-0 mark. In its opening game (Feb. 11), the U17s posted a 5-1 win over Switzerland as Matthew Lane (Rochester, N.Y.), Cameron Darcy (South Boston, Mass.), Stefan Matteau (Chicago), Ryan Hartman (West Dundee, Ill.) and Riley Barber (Livonia, Mich.) scored for Team USA. Darcy added a pair of goals in a 5-1 win over Germany in Team USA's second contest. Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Hartman and Frankie Vatrano (East Longmeadow, Mass.) also registered goals in the win.

In its final game of the tournament, the U17s posted a 2-1 win over host Slovakia on Feb. 13. Darcy opened the scoring for Team USA at 8:03 of the middle stanza before Hartman tallied the eventual game-winner just 2:34 later. Jared Rutledge (Skokie, Ill.) earned the win, stopping 24 shots.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: After notching a goal against the Anaheim Ducks last Wednesday (Feb. 9), Ryan Kesler (Livonia, Mich./2000-02) tied Sidney Crosby for second place in scoring in the National Hockey League. The Vancouver Canucks forward has 32 tallies in 57 games played to date ... Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis./2003-05) finished with two goals for the Maple Leafs on Tuesday (Feb. 15) night as Toronto rallied for a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins ... University of Michigan forward Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas/2007-09) scored the eventual game-winning goal against Ohio State University in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action on Monday (Feb. 14) ... University of Denver freshman Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./2008-10) contributed two goals and three points in a weekend series against Colorado College and was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Rookie of the Week for Feb. 8 ... Merrimack University goaltender Joe Cannata (Wakefield, Mass./2007-08) was named one of the 15 semifinalists for the Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.

For the complete weekly update, click here.

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The guest list for Prince William's wedding has been finalized, and his uncle's often embarrassing ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is not invited. (They were afraid she'd arrive inside a giant egg.)


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2011 CFL Schedule is here.

Donate to the Tony Proudfoot Fund.

Visit the leagues' official website, http://www.cfl.ca/.

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I think I'll carry this rocking chair around the yard.


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An Egyptian man has named his newborn daughter Facebook, a tribute to the role the social networks played in helping organize the demonstrations leading to Hosni Mubarak resigning from the presidency.

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Today in Elvis History:

1957 - Elvis Presley's parents paid a visit to Elvis on the set of "Loving You." The made a cameo appearance in the audience in the scene Elvis performed "Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do."

1967 - Elvis Presley began recording the songs for the soundtrack to "Clambake."

1981 - Elvis Presley's updated version of "Guitar Man" hit #43 in the U.K.

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Unknown was the box office winner, with $21.8 million in ticket sales.

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Today in Beatles History:

1968 - McGraw-Hill, Inc. outbids eight other American publishers for the U.S. rights to Hunter Davies' authorized biography of the Beatles. They paid $150,000 for the rights..

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It's Presidents' Day. Did you know Richard Nixon was the first president to visit all 50 states?

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Today in Sports History:

1904 - The National Ski Association was formed in Ishpeming, MI.

1931 - The Chicago White Sox and the New York Giants became the first major league teams to play in a night game.

1968 - An agreement between baseball players and club owners increased the minimum salary for major league players to $10,000 a year.

1970 - Bobby Hull (Chicago Blackhawks) scored his 500th career point.

1971 - Ruth Jensen won $60,000 in the Sears Women's World Classic.

1973 - The Chicago Blackhawks played their 262nd game without being shut out.

1974 - Tom Seaver signed a contract with the New York Mets worth $172,000 a year.

1985 - A NBA attendance record was set when 44,970 people watched a game between Atlanta and Detroit.

1986 - Rollie Fingers refused to shave off his mustache to comply with the policy of the Cincinnati Reds.

1986 - Jimmy Connors was fined $20,000 and was suspended from tennis for ten weeks after he threw a fit while playing against Ivan Lendl.

1996 - The Philadelphia 76ers had their worst offensive performance in over 40 years. They only managed to score 57 points against Miami.

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The residents of Nova Scotia have likely set a new snow angel-making record. More than 22,000 of them laid down and flapped their wings in 130 separate locations.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The planets aligned. Heck, the heavens stood still. And Trevor Bayne recaptured the magic of David Pearson in the Wood Brothers throwback No. 21 Ford, winning Sunday's 53rd running of the Daytona 500.

On the second attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag finish at Daytona International Speedway, Bayne crossed the finish line .118 seconds ahead of Carl Edwards, returning the Wood Brothers to Victory Lane for the first time since 2001.

Read the rest here.

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California Governor Jerry Brown is telling state employees to stop buying trinkets like promotional key chains, hats and coffee mugs. The state spends millions each year on stuff like that.


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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Tuesday--

Nothin' Doin'

Wednesday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Phoenix Coyotes 7:30pm EST

Thursday --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs New Jersey Devils 7:30pm

Saturday --

Nothin' Doin'

Sunday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers 1:00pm EST

MJHL Playoff Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Hampton Roads Junior Whalers 8:00pm

Monday --

MJHL Playoff Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Hampton Roads Junior Whalers 9:15am (Followed immediately by deciding mini-game, if necessary)

Tuesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Wednesday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at New Hersey Devils 7:00pm EST

Thursday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins 7:00pm EST

Friday --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens 7:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow.