It's Friday

It's Friday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is March 18th, the 77th day of 2011. There are 288 days left in the year.

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Thrashers top Flyers in shootout.

Red Wings blank struggling Blue Jackets.

Canadiens top Lightning in shootout.

Senators cool off Devils.

Panthers shred Maple Leafs.

Predators top Bruins in OT.

Stars rout Black Hawks.

Flames beat Avs to move into 8th in West.

Coyotes boost playoff hopes by beating Oilers.

Blues dominate Kings in victory.

Sharks top reeling Wild.

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Today's Birthdays: Ben & Jerry's ice cream co-founder Ben Cohen is 60; TV personality Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs, Ford truck commercials) is 49; actress Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) is 48; Olympic gold medal speed skater Bonnie Blair is 47; singer/actress Queen Latifah (real name Dana Owens) is 41; actor/comedian Dane Cook (Dan in Real Life, Good Luck Chuck, Mr. Brooks) is 39.

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Youngstown Phantoms: T-minus ten games and counting.

Gamblers' Francis surging after slow start.

Carter Camper: Miami's Mr. Consistency.

Steel eliminated from playoff race with loss to Dubuque.

Prospect watch: Jamie Oleksiak.

The Departed: Alex Goligoski.

Player of the Week: Steve Silva.

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Today is Oatmeal Cookie Day.

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2012 U.S. National Junior Team Head Coach
to Be Announced Today

Announcement Streamed Live at USAHockey.com at 1:30 p.m. EDT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The head coach of the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team will be announced today (March 18) at 1:30 p.m. EDT during a press conference at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The announcement will be streamed live at USAHockey.com.

The U.S. National Junior Team will compete in the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2011-Jan. 5, 2012, in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta. Team USA will look to capture its third consecutive medal, having won the bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y., and the gold medal in 2010 in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask.

For recaps of recent performances by U.S. squads at the IIHF World Junior Championship, click here.

NOTES: The announcement will come prior to the first semifinal game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five at Xcel Energy Center ... The remaining staff for the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team will be announced at a later date.


Sold-Out Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony
to Be Streamed Live on Saturday on FASTHockey.com
14th Annual Award to Be Presented in Erie, Pa. in Conjunction with Frozen Four

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, will be handed out on Saturday (March 19) at a brunch ceremony in Erie, Pa., in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Frozen Four (March 18 & 20). The event will be streamed live beginning at 10 a.m. EDT at USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.

In its 14th year, the award is presented annually by The USA Hockey Foundation to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey.

The three finalists for the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, as previously announced on March 10, are senior forwards Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont./Mercyhurst College), Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass./Univ. of Wisconsin) and Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio/Boston College). Click here for more information on the finalists.

This year's event is sold out, with more than 400 expected attendees. The three finalists for the award, plus the teams participating in the Frozen Four - Boston College, Boston University, Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin - will be among those in attendance.

For more information on the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, including past winners, visit PattyKaz.com.

NOTES: While the ceremony is sold out, tickets are still available for the NCAA Women's Frozen Four, which will be held at Tullio Arena in Erie, Pa., on March 18 and 20. For tickets, click here ... USA Hockey and the NCAA will team up once again to put on free girls' skills clinics in conjunction with the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award and the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Both will take place on March 19, at Mercyhurst Ice Center, with an American Development Model session set for 3-4 p.m. EDT and a Try Hockey For Free clinic to take place from 4-5 p.m. For more information on how to participate, visit PattyKaz.com.


Five Associations Receive Reebok Hockey Equipment
in Conjunction with Hockey Weekend Across America
Omaha Hockey Club Wins Top Prize by Introducing Over 200 to Hockey

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Five hockey associations will receive Reebok Hockey gear as part of the Reebok Hockey "Try Hockey for Free Incentive Program." The program awarded associations or rinks that attracted the most hockey newcomers ages 4-9 to Try Hockey for Free clinics held on Feb. 19 as part of Hockey Weekend Across America.

The gear was donated by Reebok Hockey in conjunction with USA Hockey to encourage hockey associations to get more kids playing the game. The equipment is intended to be used for future Try Hockey clinics and Learn-to-Play programs.

The Omaha Hockey Club was awarded the top prize - 40 sets of Reebok Hockey gloves and helmets - after attracting over 200 first-time hockey players to the Moylan Ice Plex in Omaha, Neb.

The runners-up, who each received 20 sets of Reebok Hockey gloves and helmets, included the Suger Land Ice & Sports Center (Sugar Land, Texas); the York Ice Hockey Club (York, Pa.); Siouxland Youth Hockey (Sioux City, Iowa); Western Connecticut Youth Hockey (Danbury, Ct.).

Overall, 182 rinks in 48 states across the nation hosted Try Hockey for Free events, with over 6,000 kids participating. A map of clinics held across the country can be found here.

NOTES: The fourth annual Hockey Weekend Across America, presented by Reebok, took place Feb. 18-20. It was created by USA Hockey in 2008 to engage the hockey community in celebrating the sport of hockey at all levels and exposing the sport to new audiences.

National Team Development Program Weekly Update

U.S. National Under-18 Team Set for Final USHL Road Trip of Season;
Under-17 Team Enjoys Weekend Off Before USHL Stretch Run

U18 TEAM TRAVELS TO DES MOINES: The U.S. National Under-18 Team hits the road for the second consecutive weekend, as it travels to Waterloo (Iowa) on Friday (March 18) for a 8:05 p.m. EDT tilt at Young Arena. On Saturday (March 19), Team USA visits Dubuque (Iowa) to face the Fighting Saints at 7 p.m. EDT at the Mystique Ice Center.

U17 TEAM ENJOYS WEEKEND BREAK: The U.S. National Under-17 Team has the weekend off before facing the Chicago Steel on March 22, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube at 7 p.m. EDT.

U18's EDGE DES MOINES IN SHOOTOUT: Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.) and Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) each recorded a goal and an assist and John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stopped 36 shots, as the U.S. National Under-18 Team edged the Des Moines Buccaneers, 3-2, in a shootout on March 11 at Buccaneers Arena.

U17's SPLIT WEEKEND SERIES WITH MUSKEGON: Ryan Hartman (West Dundee, Ill.) tallied the lone goal for Team USA, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team dropped a 4-1 decision to the Muskegon Lumberjacks on March 11 at L.C. Walker Arena.

The next night, Hartman scored two goals and added an assist as the U.S. National Under-17 Team staged a comeback win against the Muskegon Lumberjacks, 3-2.

NTDP ALUMNI UPDATE: Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev./2008-10) was honored as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Year. The University of Denver forward was listed on 78 ballots after leading all first-year conference players in scoring and finishing third overall with 36 points (20-16) ... Chicago forward Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./2004-06) notched his 100th career NHL goal in a 6-3 Blackhawks win against the San Jose Sharks on Monday (March 7). Kane became the third-fastest player in Blackhawks history to accompish the feat ... Jeff Jackson, co-founder and former coach of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, was named one of three finalists for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year award. Jackson helped double his team's conference win total to 18 en route to a second-place CCHA finish ... Rookie defenseman Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich./2008-10) was among the three finalists for CCHA Rookie of the Year, Best Defensive Defenseman and Best Offensive Defenseman, for his play at the University of Michigan.

For the complete weekly update, click here.

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An Australian teenage girl had to cancel her party after her Facebook invitation went viral and 20,000 people RSVP'd.

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Glenn inks extension with Ticats.

Moffat: Als new President a great fit.

Lions add two, let two go.

2011 CFL Schedule is here.

Donate to the Tony Proudfoot Fund.

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

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Slide, Jimmy, slide.







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A dress worn by Prince William's fiancée Kate Middleton at a university fashion show in 2002 brought in $105,000 Thursday at auction.

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Today in Elvis History:

1961 - Elvis Presley's single "Surrender" was the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit.

1972 - The album "Elvis Now" hit #43 in the U.S.

1975 - Elvis Presley began a 29-show series at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas.

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Be sure to read the fine print before sliding your card at the ATM. Some banks are beginning to test $5 ATM fees. 

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Today in Beatles History:

1967 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono bought two islands off the coast of Ireland's County Mayo for 1,550 pounds.

1967 - The Beatles single "Penny Lane" hit #1 in the U.S.

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Malaysian police say they have recovered 700,000 condoms that were stolen while being shipped to Japan two months ago. They're worth around $1.5 million.

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Today in Sports History:

1892 - Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston, announced that he had purchased a trophy to be presented to the hockey champion of Canada.

1945 - Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the first National Hockey League (NHL) player to score 50 goals.

1953 - The National League owners approved the move of the Braves from Boston to Milwaukee. It was the first major league franchise shift since 1903.

1970 - The NFL selected Wilson to be the official football and scoreboard as official time.

1981 - The Buffalo Sabres set an NHL record when they scored 9 goals in one period against Toronto.

1990 - The 32-day lockout of baseball players ended.

1990 - In Tampa, FL, a little league player was killed after being hit with a pitch.

2002 - Brittanie Cecil became the first NHL fan fatality directly related to action on the ice. She had been hit by a puck during a game two days before between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames. Her death was caused by a rare injury caused when he head snapped back after being hit.

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We love Sandra Bullock even more today. She gave $1 million to the American Red Cross this week to help with relief efforts in Japan.

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Coming Up: 

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators 7:00pm EDT

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

Monday --

Nothin' Doin'

Tuesday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders 7:30pm EDT

Wednesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

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

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes 7:00pm EDT

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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