It's Wednesday

It's Wednesday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is December 21st, the 355th day of 2011. There are 10 days left in the year.

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Mario Lemieux skates again -- but only for fun.

Buble has 'greatest day' of his life at Canucks practice.

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

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Today is Crossword Puzzle Day.

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San Jose, CA. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the road tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

Read all about it right here.

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Forefathers Day is today.

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Team USA Drops 6-3 Decision to Russia
in First IIHF World Junior Championship Pre-Tournament Game

Miller Logs Goal, Assist in Loss

RED DEER, Alta. -- J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio/Plymouth Whalers) scored a shorthanded goal and added an assist, but a U.S. squad of candidates for the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team dropped a 6-3 decision to Russia tonight at the Enmax Centrium.

Tonight's game was the first of three pre-tournament games designed to prepare the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, which will take place Monday (Dec. 26) through Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Calgary, Alta.

"While we're disappointed with the loss, this is just a step in our evaluation process," said Dean Blais, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team. "We will continue to work to prepare for the tournament, beginning with tomorrow's exhibition game against Switzerland."

After falling behind in the game's first three minutes, 2-0, Team USA got on the scoreboard when Josh Archibald (Brainerd, Minn./University of Nebraska Omaha) beat Russian goaltender Andrey Vasilevskiy with a long shot.

Russia regained a two-goal lead midway through the second period. But Miller intercepted a pass with Team USA shorthanded in the period's final minute, sped away for a breakaway and beat Vasilevskiy to make the score 3-2 heading into the second intermission.

The U.S. could not get closer in the third period, as Russia pushed its advantage to 5-2 before Kenny Agostino (Flanders, N.J./Yale Univ.) connected on a rebound opportunity from the slot. An empty-net goal by Russia closed out the scoring.

Team USA goalie Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich./Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) made 20 saves in the loss, while Vasilevskiy stopped 34 U.S. shots in the win.

Next up for Team USA is an exhibition game tomorrow night (Dec. 21) against Switzerland in Camrose, Alta. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. MST, with full coverage at USAHockey.com.

Team USA will play its first preliminary-round game of the IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday (Dec. 26) against Finland. The game, to be televised on NHL Network U.S., will start at 8:00 p.m. EST.

NOTES: Team USA finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while Russia was 2-for-4 with the man advantage ... The U.S. National Junior Team is coming off back-to-back medals in the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time ever, having earned a bronze medal in last year's event in Buffalo, N.Y., and a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Championship in Saskatoon, Sask. ... Dean Blais, head men's ice hockey coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, is serving as head coach of the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team. He is assisted by Scott Sandelin, head men's ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota Duluth; Tom Ward, head ice hockey coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary's School's boys' prep team; and Joe Exter, assistant men's ice hockey coach at Ohio State University ... Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations, is serving as the general manager of Team USA for the third consecutive year. Tim Taylor (Guilford, Conn.), former U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team head coach and longtime Yale University men's ice hockey team head coach, is also serving his third straight year as Team USA's director of player personnel ... The U.S. National Junior Team blog will provide daily updates with game recaps, photos and multimedia content. The blog can be found here ... Use the hashtag #USAWJC to join the conversation on Twitter.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

RUS 2 - 1 - 3 - 6
USA 1 - 1 - 1 - 3

First Period - Scoring: 1, RUS, Zemchenko (Kulikov, Telegin), 2:25 (pp); 2, RUS, Antipin (Kosov), 2:54; 3, USA, Archibald (Watson, Brickley), 3:52. Penalties: USA, Trouba (elbowing), 1:35; RUS, Ozhiganov (charging), 18:57.

Second Period - Scoring: 4, RUS, Khokhlachev (Telegin, Yakupov), 9:03; 5, USA, Miller (unassisted), 19:42 (sh). Penalties: RUS, Telegin (interference), 2:12; RUS, Kosov (checking-to-the-head major, game misconduct); USA, Agostino (goaltender interference), 13:05; RUS, Yakupov (cross-checking), 17:01; USA, Clendening (holding), 18:48.

Third Period - Scoring: 6, RUS, Yakupov (Ozhiganov), 7:57 (sh); 7, RUS, Kucherov (Isangulov, Antipin), 13:54 (pp); 8, USA, Agostino (Trouba, Miller), 14:34; 9, RUS, Kucherov (Telegin), 18:21 (en). Penalties: USA, Clendening (hooking), 4:19; RUS, Naumenkov (interference), 6:40; USA, Johns (kneeing), 13:26; USA, Arnold (roughing), 18:37; RUS, Namestnikov (roughing), 18:37; RUS, Barbashev (hooking), 19:37.

Shots by Period
1 2 3 Total
RUS 12 7 7 26
USA 14 18 5 37

Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
RUS, Vasilevskiy 60:00 14-13 18-17 5-4 37-34
USA, Campbell 59:17 12-10 7-6 6-4 25-20

Power Play: RUS 2-4; USA 0-6
Penalties: RUS 7-35; USA 5-10
Attendance: 5,946

Team USA 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule
Dec. 26 - Jan. 5 • Alberta, Canada

Date Opponent Location*
Time (MST)/Result

Tues., Dec. 20 Russia^ Red Deer L, 3-6
Wed., Dec. 21 Switzerland^ Camrose 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 23 Slovakia^ Three Hills 7 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 26 Denmark Edmonton 6 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 28 Finland Edmonton 1:30 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 30 Czech Republic Edmonton 1:30 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 31 Canada Edmonton 6 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 2 Quarterfinals Calgary TBD
Tues., Jan. 3 Semifinals Calgary TBD
Thurs., Jan. 5 Bronze-Medal Game Calgary 1:30 p.m.
Gold-Medal Game Calgary 6 p.m.
*All games in Edmonton will be played at Rexall Place. All games in Calgary will be played at Scotiabank Saddledome.
^Exhibition game

2012 U.S. National Under-17 Team World U17 Challenge Roster Announced

Team USA Looks to Reclaim Tournament Title After Finishing Second in 2011

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 22-player roster for the U.S. Men's National Under-17 Team that will compete in the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Dec. 28, 2011-Jan. 4, 2012, in Windsor, Ont.

All games of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be be streamed live and available on-demand at FASTHockey.com.

Team USA finished second in last year's event after capturing the tournament title in 2010.

The U.S. lineup features eight defensemen, including Gage Ausmus (E. Grand Forks, Minn.), Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Michael Downing (Canton, Mich.), Trevor Hamilton (Grosse Pte. Farms, Mich.), Clint Lewis (Burnsville, Minn.), Steven Santini (Mahopac, N.Y.), Scott Savage (San Clemente, Calif.) and Keaton Thompson (Devils Lake, N.D.).

Twelve forwards will skate for Team USA in the tournament, including Evan Allen (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Connor Chatham (Belleville, Ill.), J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.), Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich.), Hudson Fasching (Burnsville, Minn.), John Hayden (Greenwich, Conn.), Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.), Kevin Labanc (Staten Island, N.Y.), Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.), Michael McCarron (Macomb, Mich.), Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich.), and Luke Voltin (Blaine, Minn.).

Backstopping Team USA will be goaltenders Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif.) and Hunter Miska (North Branch, Minn.).

The U.S. Men's National Under-17 Team will play one pre-tournament game against Canada's Team Atlantic (Dec. 28) in LaSalle, Ont., before opening tournament play on Dec. 29 against the Czech Republic at the Vollmer Culture and Rec Complex at 7:00 p.m. ET. Team USA's complete schedule can be found below.

NOTES: For Team USA's full roster, click here ... Defensemen Michael Downing plays for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, while goaltender Thatcher Demko competes for the Omaha Lancers, both of the United States Hockey League. The other 20 players on the roster come from the U.S. National Under-17 Team that is part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program and plays in the United States Hockey League ... The 2012 World Under-17 Challenge includes two pools of five teams. Pool A consists of teams from Canada Atlantic, Germany, Canada Quebec, Canada Ontario and Sweden. Pool B consists of teams from the Czech Republic, Canada Pacific, Russia, Canada West and the United States... The U.S. enters the tournament having captured first place three times (2001-02, 2010) and second place in 1999, 2008 and 2011 ... Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with #NTDPU17 ... For additional coverage, visit USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Facebook page ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team trains with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary new software program released on October 1, 2010 that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.

Team USA 2012 World Under-17 Challenge Schedule
Dec. 28, 2011 - Jan. 4, 2012 • Windsor, Ont.

Date Opponent Location
Time (ET)/Result

Wed., Dec. 28 Canada Atlantic* Vollmer Culture & Rec Complex 7:00 p.m.
Thurs., Dec 29 Czech Republic Vollmer Culture & Rec Complex 7:00 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 30 Russia WFCU Centre 2:00 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 1 Canada West Tecumseh Arena 7:00 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 2 Canada Pacific Tecumseh Arena 7:00 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 3 Semi-Final WFCU Centre 2:00 p.m./7:00 p.m.
Weds., Jan. 4 Bronze Medal Game WFCU Centre 2:00 p.m.
Weds., Jan. 4 Gold Medal Game WFCU Centre 7:00 p.m.
*Pre-tournament game in LaSalle, Ontario.

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Today is Humbug Day.

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Best Catches of the 2011 Season.

Riders release Luca Congi, Tamon George.

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

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This is National Homeless Persons' Remembrance Day.

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

Week 15

Thursday, December 15th

At Atlanta 41, Jacksonville 14

Saturday, December 17th

Dallas 31 at Tampa Bay 15

Sunday, December 18th

Carolina 28 at Houston 13
Washington 23 at NY Giants 10
Miami 30 at Buffalo 23
Seattle 38 at Chicago 14
New Orleans 42 at Minnesota 20
Cincinnati 20 at St. Louis 13
At Indianapolis 27, Tennessee 13
At Kansas City 19, Kansas City 14
Detroit 28 at Oakland 17
New England 41 at Denver 23M
At Philadelphia 45. NY Jets 19
At Arizona 20, Cleveland 17
At San Diego 34, Baltimore 14

Monday, December 19th

At San Francisco 20, Pittsburgh 3

Week 16

All Times Eastern

Thursday, December 22nd

Houston at Indianapolis 8:20 PM

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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Today is Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day. (Linky Link)

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Here's Jimmy, practicing football in the shirt his Uncle Barney got him.

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This is World Peace Day/Winter Solstice Day.

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Today in Elvis History:

1960 - Elvis Presley was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council.

1960 - Elvis Presley's movie "Flaming Star" premiered in Los Angeles.

1957 - The production chief of Paramount Studios petitioned the U.S. Army to defer Elvis Presley's induction by two months so he could finish filming "King Creole." The draft board agreed after Elvis made the request himself.

1970 - Elvis Presley went to the White House to volunteer his services to U.S. President Nixon on fighting the nation's drug problems. He gave Nixon a chrome-plated Colt .45 and Elvis was given a Narcotics Bureau badge.

2006 - "Writing for the King" was released. The set included two CDs and a book that included more than 140 interviews with songwriters.

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The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England, landed at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts on this date in 1620.

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Today in Beatles History:

1963 - The Beatles performed their first Christmas show at the Gaumont Theatre in Bradford, England.

1966 - The Beatles recorded the clarinets used on "When I'm Sixty-Four."

2000 - Glasses that belonged to a statue of John Lennon were stolen in Havana, Cuba. The theft was not made public until December 30, 2000.

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The first ice-skating club in America was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on this date in 1849.

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Today in Sports History:

1941 - Ray McLean (Chicago Bears) performed the last drop kick for an extra point in the NFL.

1951 - Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from major league baseball.

1959 - Tom Landry accepted the position of head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Landry led the team to 22 consecutive winning seasons in his 29 years as coach.

1969 - Vince Lombardi coached his last game. His Washington Redskins lost to the Dallas Cowboys 20-10. The Redskins ended that season at 7-5-2, which was the first winning season for the team in 14 years.

1975 - John Riggins became the first New York Jets player to gain 1,000 yards.

1975 - George Blanda, in his final regular-season game, became the first professional football player to reach 2,000 points. His total was 2,002 points over a 26-year career.

1975 - The Buffalo Sabres scored eight goals in the third period against the Washington Capitals. The Sabres won the game 14-2.

1980 - Harold Carmichael ended his NFL streak of 127 consecutive game receptions.

1981 - Cincinnati defeated Bradley 75-73 in seven overtimes. The game was the longest collegiate basketball game in the history of NCAA Division I competition.

1983 - The NBA's Indiana Pacers ended a 28 game losing streak.

1993 - Shaquille O'Neal's "I Know I Got Skillz" single was certified Gold by the RIAA.

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On this date in 1913, the "New York World" Sunday edition included a crossword puzzle as an added feature of the "Fun" supplement. It was the first crossword puzzle to be published.

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Coming up:

Tonight --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at San Jose Sharks 10:30pm EST

Thursday --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

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!