It's Friday

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

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Today is December 23rd, the 357th day of 2011. There are 8 days left in the year.

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Penguins' Engelland suspended for three games.

Creativity went a long way in solving rink-build issue.

Visit the official league website, http://www.nhl.com.

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George Washington returned home to Mount Vernon on this date in 1783, after the disbanding of his army following the Revolutionary War.

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Denver, CO. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Denver tonight, to square off with the Colorado Avalanche.

Read all about it right here.

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On this date in 1788, Maryland voted to cede a 100-square-mile area for the seat of the national government. About two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia.

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USAHockey.com Home for Exclusive Content
During Three International Tournaments over Holiday Break

Fans Can Interact via Social Media, Live Game Blogs and Video Content

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo -- With the U.S. National Junior Team, the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team and the U.S. National Under-17 Team in action during the holiday break, USAHockey.com will serve as the official online source for complete coverage of all three tournaments.

More than ever before, fans can get a behind-the-scenes look at all three tournaments, as USAHockey.com will provide exclusive video content, photo galleries, blogs and feature stories. Through USA Hockey's social media platforms Facebook and Twitter, fans can engage in the conversation, get live scoring updates and have an opportunity to win Team USA prizes.

The U.S. National Junior Team begins play at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship on Monday (Dec. 26) against Denmark at 8 p.m. EST. All Team USA games will air live on NHL Network U.S., along with the quarterfinals, semifinals and bronze- and gold-medal games. A complete broadcast schedule can be found here. The official USA Hockey World Juniors blog, featuring up-to-the-minute news surrounding the team, can be found here. Exclusive, behind-the-scenes, video content will be available throughout the tournament on the USA Hockey YouTube channel World Juniors playlist. Fans can use the hashtag #USAWJC to join the conversation surrounding the tournament on Twitter.

The U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team looks to defend last year's gold-medal finish at the 2012 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship beginning on Dec. 31 against Russia. Courtney Burke (Albany, N.Y.) and Paige Savage (Carrollton, Texas) will provide readers of the U.S. Women's National Team blog with behind-the-scenes content from the tournament here. The USA Hockey YouTube channel Women's World Under-18 Championship playlist will allow viewers to gain exclusive video content from the tournament. Twitter users can participate in the conversation surrounding the tournament by using the hashtag #U18WWC.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will begin play at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Dec. 29 against the Czech Republic. Exclusive videos will be posted on the USA Hockey YouTube channel under the World Under-17 Challenge playlist. On Twitter, the hashtag #U17CHAL will be used for discussion surrounding the tournament. All games from the World Under-17 Challenge will be streamed live at FASTHockey.com.

Live scoring updates from all three tournaments can be found by following @USAHockeyScores on Twitter. A full schedule of the three tournaments can be found below.

Team USA 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule
Dec. 26 - Jan. 5 • Alberta, Canada
USA Hockey World Juniors Blog • Team USA World Juniors YouTube Channel

Date Opponent Location* Time (Local/EST) / Result
Television

Tues., Dec. 20 Russia^ Red Deer L, 3-6 None
Wed., Dec. 21 Switzerland^ Camrose W, 7-3 None
Fri., Dec. 23 Slovakia^ Three Hills 7 p.m./9 p.m. None
Mon., Dec. 26 Denmark Edmonton 6 p.m./8 p.m. NHL Network
Wed., Dec. 28 Finland Edmonton 1:30 p.m./3:30 p.m. NHL Network
Fri., Dec. 30 Czech Republic Edmonton 1:30 p.m./3:30 p.m. NHL Network
Sat., Dec. 31 Canada Edmonton 6 p.m./3:30 p.m. NHL Network
Mon., Jan. 2 Quarterfinals Calgary TBD NHL Network
Tues., Jan. 3 Semifinals Calgary TBD NHL Network
Thurs., Jan. 5 Bronze-Medal Game Calgary 1:30 p.m./3:30 p.m. NHL Network
Gold-Medal Game Calgary 6 p.m./8 p.m. NHL Network
*All games in Edmonton will be played at Rexall Place. All games in Calgary will be played at Scotiabank Saddledome.
^Pre-tournament Game

Team USA 2012 U18 Women's World Championship Schedule
Dec. 31, 2011 - Jan. 7, 2012 • Prerov and Zlin, Czech Republic
U.S. Women's National Program Blog • Team USA U18 Women's World Championship YouTube Channel

Date Opponent Time (Local/EST)
Sat., Dec. 31 Russia 5 p.m./11 a.m.
Sun., Jan. 1 Sweden 7 p.m./1 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 3 Czech Republic 7 p.m./1 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 4 Quarterfinal 1 3 p.m./9 a.m.
Quarterfinal 2 7 p.m./1 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 6 Semifinal 1 3 p.m./9 a.m.
Semifinal 2 7 p.m./1 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 7 Bronze-Medal Game 3 p.m./9 a.m.
Gold-Medal Game 7 p.m./1 p.m.
Team USA 2012 World Under-17 Challenge Schedule
Dec. 28, 2011 - Jan. 4, 2012 • Windsor, Ont.
U.S. National Team Development Program Blog • Team USA World U17 Hky Challenge YouTube Channel

Date Opponent Location Time (EST)
Live Streaming

Wed., Dec. 28 Canada Atlantic^ Vollmer Culture & Rec Complex 7 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Thurs., Dec 29 Czech Republic Vollmer Culture & Rec Complex 7 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Fri., Dec. 30 Russia WFCU Centre 2 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Sun., Jan. 1 Canada West Tecumseh Arena 7 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Mon., Jan. 2 Canada Pacific Tecumseh Arena 7 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Tues., Jan. 3 Semifinals WFCU Centre 2 p.m./7 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Wed., Jan. 4 Bronze-Medal Game WFCU Centre 2 p.m. FASTHockey.com
Gold-Medal Game WFCU Centre 7 p.m. FASTHockey.com

^Pre-tournament game

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The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" 'Twas the night before Christmas...") was published on this date in 1823.

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Cohon: Wishing you the best of the holidays.

Argos spearheading wild start to off-season.

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

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On this date in 1834, English architect Joseph Hansom patented his 'safety cab', better known as the Hansom cab.


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The 2011 NFL season is underway. Here's the week sixteen results:

Week 16

Thursday, December 22nd

At Indianapolis 19, Houston 16

Saturday, December 24th

Oakland at Kansas City 1:00 PM
Jacksonville at Tennessee 1:00 PM
Miami at New England 1:00 PM
Arizona at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
Denver at Buffalo 1:00 PM
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
NY Giants at NY Jets 1:00 PM
Minnesota at Washington 1:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Carolina 1:00 PM
Cleveland at Baltimore 1:00 PM
San Diego at Detroit 4:05 PM
Philadelphia at Dallas 4:15 PM
San Francisco at Seattle 4:15 PM

Sunday, December 25th

Chicago at Green Bay 8:20 PM

Monday, December 26th

Atlanta at New Orleans 8:30 PM

Week 17 (Final week of regular season)

All times Eastern

Sunday, January 1st

Carolina at New Orleans 1:00 PM
Buffalo at New England 1:00 PM
Chicago at Minnesota 1:00 PM
NY Jets at Miami 1:00 PM
San Francisco at St. Louis 1:00 PM
Detroit at Green Bay 1:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Atlanta 1:00 PM
Baltimore at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
Pittsburgh at Cleveland 1:00 PM
Dallas at NY Giants 1:00 PM
Washington at Philadelphia 1:00 PM
Indianapolis at Jacksonville 1:00 PM
Tennessee at Houston 1:00 PM
Seattle at Arizona 4:15 PM
Kansas City at Denver 4:15 PM
San Diego at Oakland 4:15 PM

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On this date in 1880, Thomas Edison incorporated the Edison Electric Light Company of Europe.

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Mr. Football Guy.

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The Federal Reserve Bill was signed into law by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson on this date in 1913. The act established 12 Federal Reserve Banks.

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Today in Elvis History:

1974 - Elvis Presley flew back to Memphis (from Palm Springs) through Amarillo, TX.

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The British Broadcasting Corporation began daily news broadcasts on this date in 1922.

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Today in Beatles History:

1967 - A tape of the Beatles performing "Hello Goodbye" was aired on "American Bandstand."

1972 - John Lennon's film "Imagine" premiered on national TV.

1974 - George Harrison released a holiday single, "Ding Dong, Ding Dong."

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"Hansel and Gretel," the opera, was televised on New York's WRBG on this date in 1943. It was the first complete opera to be televised.

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Today in Sports History:

1951 - A NFL championship game was televised nationally for the first time. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cleveland Browns 24-17. The DuMont Network had paid $75,000 for the rights to the game.

1972 - The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7 in an NFL playoff game on a last-second play that was dubbed the "Immaculate Reception." Pittsburgh's Franco Harris caught a deflected pass and ran it in for the winning touchdown.

1991 - Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll retired after 23 seasons. He was the only coach to win four Super Bowls.

1995 - Tonya Harding and Mike Smith were married.

1997 - Jari Kurri (Colorado Avalanche) became the 8th NHL player to score 600 goals.

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Dan Blocker made his acting debut on television in the "Restless Gun" on this date in 1957.

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Coming up:

Tonight --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Colorado Avalanche 9:00pm EST

Saturday --

NFL Football -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers 1:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by, I hope that you'll do so tomorrow too. Thanks again!