It's Thursday

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

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Today is August 2nd, the 215th day of 2012. There are 151 days left in the year.

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Habs hope changes trigger return to playoffs.

Flyers sign Laviolette to contract extension.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Actress Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is 48; Director-actor Kevin Smith (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) is 42; Actor Sam Worthington (Avatar, Man on a Ledge) is 36.

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CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game Roster Announced Inaugural Event Features Players From High School, Junior and College Ranks COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today the 40 players who will participate in the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, which will take place Sept. 29 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The roster boasts 40 of the top American prospects eligible for the 2013 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Represented are 31 players from the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in America, including 22 from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. Additionally, at least 28 of the 40 are future NCAA Division I college players. Among the 12 defensemen invited are Seth Jones (Plano, Texas) and Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.), who helped the U.S. National Under-18 Team win a gold medal at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's Under-18 World Championship. They are joined by Dakota Mermis (Alton, Ill.), who helped guide the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers to Anderson Cup and Clark Cup titles in 2012. The 24 forwards feature J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.), Ryan Hartman (West Dundee, Ill.), Matt Lane (Rochester, N.Y.), Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.), Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo.) and Frank Vatrano (East Longmeadow, Mass.) who were also members of the U.S. team that won the 2012 IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship. Goaltenders for the event include Jared Rutledge (Chicago, Ill.), who also captured gold as a member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team at the 2012 IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship; Hunter Miska (North Branch, Minn.) from the NTDP; and Eamon McAdam (Perkasie, Pa.) and Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa), both from the USHL's Waterloo Blackhawks. For the complete roster, click here. For more information or to purchase tickets to the event, visitAllAmericanProspectsGame.com. Follow @USAHockey and @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information regarding the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game and join the conversation by using #AAPG. Notes: Players selected to compete in the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were chosen by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting ... Players selected to partcipate represent 13 different states. Minnesota leads the way with seven and Illinois and Michigan bring six apiece. Other states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin ... Four players from the USHL's Waterloo Blackhawks are among the players selected, including two goaltenders ... Of the 40 players, 31 played their most recent season in the USHL, five come from U.S. high schools, two are from the Ontario Hockey League, one comes from the Western Hockey League and one represents the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 2012 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Headed To Dallas on Oct. 15 Ceremony to be Held in the Lonestar State For First Time COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2012, which includes Lou Lamoriello(Providence, R.I.), Mike Modano (Livonia, Mich.) and Eddie Olczyk (Palos Heights, Ill.), will be formally enshrined to the Hall on Monday, Oct. 15, in Dallas, Texas, it was announced by USA Hockey today. It will mark the first time the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Dinner has taken place in the Lonestar State. "We're really pleased to bring the induction event to Dallas," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. "The Class of 2012 is extraordinary and we anticipate a record crowd for what will be a spectacular evening." The induction ceremony and dinner will be staged on the ice at the Plaza of the Americas in Dallas, with the adjacent Dallas Marriott City Center serving as the host hotel. Tickets to the event will go on sale Wednesday, Aug., 15, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Ticket information and sponsorship opportunities will be available at USHockeyHallofFame.com. Notes: The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1973. To date, there are 153 enshrined members in the Hall. For information on the members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, visit USHockeyHallofFame.com ... The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, located in Eveleth, Minn., is open daily. For hours of operation and admission prices, visit USHockeyHallMuseum.com or call  800-443-7825.

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On this date in 1776, members of the Continental Congress began adding their signatures to the Declaration of Independence.

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Devine left to sit and wait.

Documentary leads to poignant experience for Stampeder.

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

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You know how people say that men are ALWAYS objectifying women? Well, they are. And women do it too. From their lips, nips and hips to their toe tips, a gal will eyeball a woman as collection of body parts nearly as readily as a man. So says a new study published in Science Daily.

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VANSTONE: Give Durant some credit.

Visit the team's official website, http://www.riderville.com/.

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A camera orbiting the moon has captured definitive proof that flags planted by astronauts are still there. [But we just don't know who that is standing next to them.]

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Jimmy visiting with Casey at the Bat.

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Let's see, what's on the agenda for today....WMEL stuff and anything else I can think of. How 'bout you?

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Oakland, CA. -- The Rays' 4-1 win over the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon added an exclamation point to an already successful road trip.

After nine games accrued over stops in Baltimore, Anaheim, and Oakland, the Rays held their heads high with three series wins and a 6-3 trip. The three series wins on the trip was just the fourth time in team history the Rays have accomplished that feat.

Read the rest here.

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Trying to meet a man at the gym? If you're not having much luck, check your ears. Not for cleanliness -- for audio player earbuds. In a survey, guys say when a woman's blasting tunes into her ears they take it as a sign she doesn't want to be bothered. So if you want to meet your possible Mr. Right, leave the MP3 player in the locker.

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San Francisco, CA.-- Hunter Pence got a first-hand look Wednesday night at why San Francisco fans were clamoring so loudly for his acquisition, as the Giants lineup couldn't produce enough runs in a 2-1 loss to the Mets in which the Giants had their fair share of fortunate breaks.

Read the rest here.

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In Germany a couple was granted a quick divorce on the grounds of "gross infidelity" after the wife moved in with her new lover just four days after her wedding. They got married on a Monday and she moved in with her new man on Friday.

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Today in Elvis History

1956 - "Life" magazine contained an article entitled "Elvis Presley...He Can't Be...But He Is." The article reported that Elvis had grossed $6 million in record sales and that he was receiving 3,000 fan letters a week.

1957 - The Official UK Elvis Presley fan club was launched.

1958 - The Elvis Presley single "Hard-Headed Woman" hit #2 in the U.K.

1965 - Elvis Presley reported to the set of "Paradise, Hawaiian Style".

1975 - Elvis Presley's single "Today" hit #57 in the U.S.

1997 - The Elvis Presle compilation album "Platinum - A Life In Music" hit #80 in the U.S.

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Samuel Briggs and his son Samuel Briggs, Jr. received a joint patent for their nail-making machine on this date in 1791. They were the first father-son pair to receive a patent.

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Today in Beatles History:

1961 - The Beatles began their engagement as regular headliners at Liverpool's Cavern Club. They performed about 300 shows over the next two years.

1969 - Paul McCartney produced Badfinger as they recorded their song "Come and Get It."

1997 - George Harrison's record label announced that he had undergone tests for cancer.

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Despite gripes that NBC is doingeverything wrong with the Olympics, the network's formula for success continues to work. Tuesday night's coverage, which included a gold medal win for the USA women's gymnastics team, netted a whopping 38.7 million viewers. That's the best rating in any summer Olympics since 1996 and the best Tuesday night on any network since the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

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Today in Sports History:

1921 - Eight White Sox players were acquitted of throwing the 1919 World Series.

1938 - Bright yellow baseballs were used in a major league baseball game between the Dodgers and the Cardinals. It was hoped that the balls would be easier to see.

1992 - Jackie Joyner took the gold medal in the heptathlon for a second consecutive time.

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In Boston and New York City the first mailboxes were installed along streets on this date in 1858.

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Coming up:

Tonight --

MLB -- San Francisco Giants vs New York Mets 3:45pm EDT

Friday --

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

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies 8:40pm EDT

Saturday --

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

Nascar Nationwide Series -- U.S. Cellular 250 presented by the Enlist Weed Control System at Iowa Speedway 7:30pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies 8:10pm EDT

Sunday --

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway 12:00pm

Izod Indy Car Series -- The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio 1:00pm EDT

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

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies 3:10pm EDT

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