It's Thursday

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

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Today is March 31st, the 90th day of 2011. There are 275 days left in the year.

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Rookie goalie leads Sabres past Rangers.

Greene's late goal gives Devils win against Isles.

Skinner powers 'Canes to win over Canadiens.

Blues blast Wings.

Ducks grab sixth with win over Flames.

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Today's birthdays: Actress/singer Shirley Jones (The Partridge Family, South Pacific) is 77; actor Christopher Walken (Wedding Crashers, Balls of Fury) is 68; actor/poker player Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back Kotter) is 66; former Vice President Al Gore is 63; actress Rhea Perlman (Cheers, Taxi) is 63; guitarist Angus Young (AC/DC) is 56; actor Josh Saviano (Arnold's best friend on The Wonder Years) is 35.


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The Gamblers' come-from-behind winners.

Q & A with Gamblers' goaltender Ryan McKay.

USHL Update - Week 26.

Musketeers rout Tri-City.

Jacks create mayhem in March.

Bigg, Grimaldi lead USA U-18's three-peat attempt.

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Today is World Backup Day.

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2011 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team Roster Announced

Team USA Looks for Third Straight Gold Medal at IIHF World Men's U18 Championship


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 22-player roster for the 2011 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that will compete at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s U18 Championship from April 14-24, in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany.
Team USA will look to win its third consecutive gold medal after capturing the world title in 2010 in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus, and in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

Highlighting the roster are two returnees from the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that captured the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Men’s U18 Championship - forwards Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.).

The U.S. will feature seven defensemen at the tournament, including Seth Jones (Plano, Texas), Barrett Kaib (Upper St. Clair, Pa.), Jake McCabe (Eau Claire, Wis.), Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio), Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn.), Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) and Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich.).
Biggs and Grimaldi highlight the group of 13 forwards, which also includes Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y.), Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.), Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.), Dan Carlson (Corcoran, Minn.), Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.), Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.), Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz.), J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio), Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.), Adam Reid (Chino Hills, Calif.) and Henrik Samuelsson (Scottsdale, Ariz.).
Backstopping Team USA will be goaltenders John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Matt McNeely (Apple Valley, Minn.).

For the complete U.S. roster, click here.

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team will play two pre-tournament games against Canada (April 9) and Finland (April 11) in Dresden, Germany, before opening tournament play on April 14 against Switzerland at Crimmitschau Arena at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EDT). Team USA's complete schedule can be found below.

Beginning with the preliminary round, all of the U.S. games will be streamed live on USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.

NOTES: The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team will be led by Ron Rolston, who is serving as head coach at his fourth IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship. He previously led the U.S. to two gold medals (2005, 2009) and one silver medal (2007). Rolston is currently in his seventh season as head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Chadd Cassidy, Tim Taylor, Joe Exter and Matt Curley, all coaches with USA Hockey's NTDP, will serve as assistant coaches for Team USA … All 22 players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey’s NTDP … The roster includes 18 players born in 1993 and four from the 1994 birth year. Defenseman Seth Jones, born Oct. 3, 1994, is Team USA’s youngest player, while forward Adam Reid, born Jan. 29, 1993, is the oldest … The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record seven consecutive medals, including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06 and 2009-10, two silver medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA’s five gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship history since the inception of the tournament in 1999. Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002 … The U.S. will be competing in Group A against Germany, Russia, Switzerland and Slovakia. Group B consists of Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway and Sweden ... More information about the 2011 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship can be found here.

Team USA 2011 IIHF World Men's Under-18 Championship Schedule
April 14-24 • Crimmitschau, Germany

Date Opponent
Time (Local/EDT)

Live Webcast
Sat., April 9 Canada (exhibition)* 4:00 p.m./10:00 a.m.
Mon., April 11 Finland (exhibition)* 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m.
Thu., April 14 Switzerland 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Fri., April 15 Slovakia 3:30 p.m./9:30 a.m. FASTHockey.com
Sun., April 17 Russia 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Tue., April 19 Germany 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Thu., April 21 Quarterfinals TBD
Sat., April 23 Semifinals TBD
Sun., April 24 Bronze-Medal Game 2:30 p.m./8:30 a.m.
Gold-Medal Game 6:30 p.m./12:30 p.m.
*Exhibition games will be played in Dresden, Germany

Seventh Annual USA Hockey National Disabled Festival
Set for This Weekend in Blaine, Minn.
Stanley Cup to Make Appearance at Opening Ceremony Friday

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The seventh annual USA Hockey National Disabled Festival is set to take place this weekend (April 1-3) at the Schwan Super Rink, part of the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn.

The Festival encompasses all four disciplines of disabled hockey, including deaf/hard of hearing, special, sled and standing/amputee hockey. A total of 41 teams will compete in the event in 10 divisions.

The event will feature youth and adult sled tournaments, including the first-ever Adult Sled Hockey National Championships; special and standing/amputee hockey competition; and deaf/hard of hearing hockey practices, games and seminars.

Highlighting the weekend will be an appearance by the Stanley Cup, which will be featured at the opening ceremony on Friday (April 1) from 7 - 9 p.m. CDT.

All events are open to the public.

NOTES: Minnesota Hockey, an affiliate of USA Hockey, in conjunction with USA Hockey's Disabled Hockey Section, is serving as host for the USA Hockey National Disabled Festival ... Last year's USA Hockey National Disabled Festival took place in Laurel, Md.

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Chas McFeely from San Francisco has a website, Hook Chas Up, to find the love of his life. And he's giving $10,000 to the person who finds her for him. Chas says: "If this helps me find a soulmate, it'll be worth bazillions. But I don't have bazillions. $10K seemed to say, 'I'm serious but not insane.'"

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Jumping ship: Argos get Jyles from Bombers.

Suber springs to life with Bombers.

2011 CFL Schedule is here.

Donate to the Tony Proudfoot Fund.

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

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Hi everybody. I'm Jimmy.



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A Georgia (Camden) fourth-grader has correctly predicted the Final Four in this year's NCAA basketball tournament. Patrick Lindsey picked the teams as part of a project in class.

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Today in Elvis History:

1966 - The movie "Frankie and Johnny," starring Elvis Presley and Donna Douglas, premiered in Baton Rouge, LA.

1977 - An Elvis Presley concert in Baton Rouge, LA, was postponed after Elvis did not return from the intermission.

1986 - Elvis Presley's "Crying In The Chapel" was certified gold by the RIAA.

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A North Carolina (Clover) woman says someone taped a Polaroid of a naked stranger to the flag on her mailbox. 

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Today in Beatles History:

1964 - The Beatles single "Can't Buy Me Love" was certified gold by the RIAA.

1969 - George Harrison and Patti Harrison, appeared in court charged with possession of cannabis. They were fined 250 pounds.

1969 - In Amsterdam John Lennon and Yoko Ono ended their "Bed-In" so they could premiere Ono's new film "Rape" in Vienna.

1972 - The Official Beatles Fan Club closed.

1984 - The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" hit #53 in the U.K.

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Since no one went home last week, 2 finalists will get the boot on tonight's results show. Fantasia will perform, as well as will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas and Jamie Foxx.

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Today in Sports History:

1906 - The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States was founded to set rules in amateur sports. The organization became the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1910.

1923 - King Clancy (Ottawa Senators) played all six positions in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He played goalie for 2 minutes while Clint Benedict served a penalty.

1931 - Knute Rockne died in a plane crash.

1968 - Seattle chose the nickname Pilots for their new AL franchise.

1972 - The Major League Baseball Players Association voted to go on strike on April 1.

1973 - Muhammad Ali wore a $10000 robe with "The Peoples Champion" inscribed on it. Ali lost the fight to Ken Norton. Elvis Presley had given the robe to Ali on January 2, 1971.

1990 - Joe Sakic became the youngest person in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. He was also the first to do so with a last-place team.

1991 - Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) recorded his 86th goal of the season. It was the third best total in NHL history.

1992 - Cotton Fitzsimmons (Phoenix Suns) became the sixth coach in NBA history to get 800 career wins.

1997 - Martina Hingis, 16 years old, became the youngest women's tennis player to reach the world number-one mark.

1998 - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks debuted in the major leagues.

1998 - Pokey Reese (Cincinnati Reds) tied a major league record when he had four errors on opening day.

2003 - Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the season opener between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

2004 - NFL owners adopted a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebrations. The penalty was added to the fines previously in place for choreographed and multiplayer celebrations. Also, if the infraction was flagrant the player would be ejected. The previous day the owners had instituted a modified instant replay system for five years.

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Tonight on American Idol: After last week's Judges' Save, the Top 11 finalists perform the songs of Elton John.

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Coming Up: 

Tonight --

NHL Hockey -- Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning 7:30pm EDT

Friday --

MLB -- Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 10:10pm EDT

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Minnesota Wild 2:00pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 4:10pm EDT

MLB -- Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Sunday --

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series -- Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, Virginia 1:00pm EDT

MLB -- Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays 1:40pm EDT

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks 7:00pm EDT

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