Monday Morning Meissnervations

It's Monday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is January 6th, the 6th day of 2014. There are 359 days left in the year.

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Hwangbo turns ambassador after North Korea escape.

Ristolainen's OT winner gives Finland WJC gold.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz is 77; Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) is 59; TV chef Nigella Lawson is 54; Sportscaster Howie Long is 54; TV host Julie Chen (The Talk, Big Brother) is 44.

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Edmonton, AB. -- Despite rallying from a two-goal deficit with two markers in the second period, the Edmonton Oilers added two more in the third to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-3, at Rexall Place Sunday night.

Read the rest here.

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England's Prince William will attend Cambridge this spring for a course in agricultural management, but his critics say that he shouldn't be allowed to attend the prestigious university because his grades were too low.

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U.S. Men's National Under-17 Team Blanks Pacific, 4-0, to Claim World U17 Hockey Challenge Title Team USA Captures Tournament Title for Fourth Time SYDNEY, Nova Scotia - Luke Kirwan (Dewitt, N.Y.) scored two goals, including the eventual game-winning tally, and Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.) registered three assists, as the U.S. Men's National Under-17 Team blanked Canada's Team Pacific, 4-0, here tonight at Centre 200 in the title game of the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Team USA has now captured the tournament title four times. "This is a fun group of kids to work with," said Don Granato, head coach of the U.S. Men's National Under-17 Team. "We never lost focus throughout the tournament and continued to get better each game." Team USA opened the scoring 13:27 into the first frame when Kirwan beat Pacific netminder Zach Sawchenko. Bracco earned an assist on the marker. Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill.) tallied a goal to double the U.S. lead 39 seconds before the period expired. Brendan Warren(Carleton, Mich.) connected with Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) who sent the puck toward Fischer. Fischer one-timed the pass into the far corner of the net. Colin White (Hanover, Mass.) scored just 33 seconds into the middle frame. After a quick breakout, Bracco skated the puck deep into the Pacific zone. White came streaking down into the slot and slammed a pass from Bracco past Sawchenko. Pacific appeared to have notched its first of the game with 6:12 remaining in the period, but the goal was waved off after it was ruled a Pacific player kicked the puck across the goal line. Team USA took a 3-0 lead into second intermission. Kirwan secured a 4-0 victory for Team USA at 11:34 of the final period. White and Bracco exchanged passes during a three-on-two rush before finding Kirwan in the high slot. Kirwan received the pass and shot it in one motion to send the puck under Sawchenko's pads. Michael Lackey (Washington, D.C.) stopped 12 shots for Team USA in the shutout win, while Sawchenko made 48 saves in the loss for Pacific. NOTES: For a complete box score, click here ... Jeremy Bracco was named Team USA's player of the game ... Colin White, Noah Hanifin and Michael Lackey were named to the tournament's all-star team ... For Team USA's full roster, click here ... All 22 players on the roster came from the U.S. National Under-17 Team that is part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... The U.S. has now captured first place four times (2001-02, 2010, 2014) ... Team USA also has four second-place finishes (1999, 2008, 2011-12) ... The U.S. has placed in the top three for eight consecutive years (2006, 2008-14). No tournament was held in 2007 ... For additional coverage, visit the NTDP Facebook page and follow @USANTDP on Twitter ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team trains with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visitUSAHockeyIntelliGym.com Team USA 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge ScheduleDec. 28, 2013 - Jan. 4, 2014 • Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Date Opponent Location Result Sat., Dec. 28 Quebec* Richmond Arena W, 6-2 Sun., Dec 29 Russia Civic Centre W, 5-1 Mon., Dec. 30 Germany Emera Centre North W, 14-1 Tues., Dec. 31 Atlantic Centre 200 W, 9-1 Thurs., Jan. 2 Ontario Centre 200 W, 6-2 Fri., Jan. 3 Quebec - Semifinal Centre 200 W, 9-1 Sat., Jan. 4 Pacific - Title Game Centre 200 W, 4-0 *Pre-tournament game ABOUT THE NTDP: In 1996, USA Hockey launched a new initiative called the National Team Development Program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Celebrating its 17th season of play in 2013-14, the goal of this full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

************************************************ If your new year's resolution is to lose weight but you're finding it hard to give up your love of junk food, you're in luck. Iowa science teacher John Cisna ate nothing but McDonald's for three months -- and lost 37 pounds. His cholesterol level also dropped significantly. Cisna enlisted his students to help him plan out a 2,000-calorie daily diet plan consisting only of food sold by the fast food giant. He also walked 45 minutes a day. ************************************************ Wenatchee, WA. – The Fairbanks Ice Dogs broke open a tie game with two third period goals Saturday night, skating to a 5-3 win over the Wenatchee Wild before 3,321 fans at the Town Toyota Center. Nicholas Rivera (Pacific Palisades, California) picked up a rebound and gunned one home from in tight, off assists from Mike Coyne (Kenmore, New York) and Christian Salvato (LaVerne, California) at 2:49, for a 1-0 first period Wild lead. Lonnie Clary would score for Fairbanks in similar fashion just over three minutes later. The goal, at 6:01, was assisted by Willie Brooks and Yannick Vedel, tying the game 1-1. Coyne would force a turnover behind the net halfway through the period and fed Tanner Barnes (Burnsville, Minnesota) in front of the net for a one-timer goal. That score, at 10:30, gave Wenatchee a 2-1 lead. The Ice Dogs tied the game in the opening minute of the second period. Brett Gervais scored a rebound goal from Doug Rose at 43 seconds, tying the contest 2-2. Fairbanks would take their first lead of the game at the 13:44 mark, as Tayler Munson tapped home a pass from the right corner. Hans Gorowsky and Viktor Liljegren drew assists, giving the Ice Dogs a 3-2 lead. Rivera tied the game for the Wild a couple of minutes later, as he shoveled home a redirect of a point shot on the power play. Coyne and Salvato assisted at 16:10 and the game was tied 3-3. Gorowsky got the lead back for Fairbanks with a low wrister from the left side. Wyatt Ege and Munson assisted at 7:27, making it 4-3 Ice Dogs. Wenatchee would continue to battle, but couldn’t get the equalizer, surrendering a Colton Wolter empty net goal, assisted by Rose at 19:59, which gave Fairbanks the 5-3 win. “I think we were satisfied with the win last night” said Wenatchee Wild Head Coach Bliss Littler. “Tonight, we were a little short of the effort that we needed to take a big step forward. I thought we were satisfied with ourselves.” On the play of Coyne and Rivera, Littler said “I thought they were our two best players, I thought they grew a lot this weekend. Their compete level should have been an example as to how hard you can play and when you play that hard, good things happen for you.” Littler continued, saying “Fairbanks showed why they’re in first place. They didn’t make many mistakes tonight.” The Ice Dogs outshot the Wild 30-22. Chase Perry (Andover, Minnesota) made 25 saves for Wenatchee; Kevin Aldridge had 19 saves for Fairbanks. The Wild was 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-of-4 on the penalty kill. The Wild is now 16-14-3; Fairbanks is 24-11-0. Wenatchee now hits the road for three games in Kenai River January 9th, 10th and 11th, then three games in Fairbanks on January 16th, 17th and 18th, before returning home to face Bismarck on January 24th and 25th. Individual and group game tickets for all home games are on sale now. Call 509.888.PUCK (7825). WILD 2.0 UPGRADE ************************************************ A source claims Apple will likely launch the next iPhone in May and it will sport a larger screen. ************************************************

2014 Free Agent Tracker.

Tim Horton's Field Virtual Venue.

Please visit the league's official website, cfl.ca.

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If you're a guy in need of a morning kick and coffee isn't your thing, Stan Andes has come up with a caffeinated shaving cream to give you an energy boost. Ades worked together with a chemist to infuse caffeine in his shaving cream, which is absorbed into the skin when in use. He has also stated that caffeine will help "reduce redness and keep the skin feeling healthy." The energy boost also comes five minutes after the product is applied.

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Tampa, FL. — Monday might end up being one of the most significant days in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Read the rest here.

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In New York City, Genero Placenia needed a ride over the weekend and apparently decided it would be easier to steal a car. But, darn-it, they were all covered in snow. So Placenia found a 19-year-old trying to dig out his car from the snow on a street in Queens. He decided to help the man. Once the car was freed, Placenia asked for a ride. After the ride, he pulled a gun on the driver and took his phone, $60, and the car. Placenia and the car were found a short time later.

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Jimmy loves the holidays..

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as taking your car in for service AGAIN, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1957 - Elvis Presley made the last of his three appearances on the "Ed Sullivan Show." He performed "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Peace in the Valley," "Too Much," and "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again."

2004 - The Elvis Presley DVD and CD "200 Cadillacs" were released. 

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Frozen is showing no signs of cooling down at the box office. The Disney animated film, featuring the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, iced the competition and earned $20.7 million the first weekend of 2014. Since its release on November 22, Frozen has grossed nearly $640 million worldwide.

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Today in Beatles History:

2001 -  The Beatles album "Magical Mystery Tour" hit #1 in the U.S.

2004 - The family of George Harrison filed a lawsuit that stated Harrison's oncologist had forced him to autograph a guitar for his teenage son two weeks before he died of cancer.

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Richard Widmark made his debut on radio in "The Home of the Brave" on this date in 1941.

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Today in Sports History:

1896 - The first American women’s six-day bicycle race was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1941 - Alice Marble made her professional tennis debut when she defeated Ruth Hardwick of Great Britain at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1942 - The National Collegiate Football Rules Committee abolished the Y formation.

1951 - The Indianapolis Olympians beat the Rochester Royals 75-73 in a game that took six overtimes.

1976 - Ted Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves for $12 million dollars.

1988 - A seven-fight deal was signed between Mike Tyson and HBO.

1997 - Peter O'Malley announced that the Los Angeles Dodgers were for sale. The team had been owned by his family for 47 years.

1998 - Barry Switzer resigned as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

1998 - The Dallas Cowboys signed lineman Larry Allen to a 6-year deal worth more than $3.5 million a year.

1999 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) and its players agreed to a tentative labor agreement to end a six-month lockout.

2002 - Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys) became the first running back in the NFL to run gain 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons.

2010 - NBA commissioner David Stern indefinitely suspended Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas without pay. Arenas has admitted to bringing guns into the Verizon Center locker room and was under investigation by local and federal authorities.

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"Peanuts" debuted in Sunday papers across the United States on this date in 1952.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Tuesday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Winnipeg Jets 8:00pm EST

Wednesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals 7:30pm EST

Friday --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers 1:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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