It's Friday

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

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Today is April 18th, the 108th day of 2014. There are 257 days left in the year.

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Lightning's Palat game-time call; Bishop not close yet.

X-rays on Getzlaf negative, expected for Game 2.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Jane Leeves (Frasier, Hot in Cleveland) is 53; Conan O'Brien is 51; Kourtney Kardashian is 35; Chloe Bennet (Nashville) is 22.

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Tampa, FL. -- The Canadiens stole the Lightning’s home ice advantage by winning Game 1, 5-4, with 1:52 left in the first overtime period. The loss makes a win in Game 2 for Tampa Bay crucial, as it heads to Montreal to play at the Bell Centre for the next two games following Friday's tilt.

Read the rest here.

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American revolutionaries Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode though the towns of Massachusetts on this date in 1775, giving the warning that "the Regulars are coming out." Later, the phrase "the British are coming" was attributed to Revere.

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After topping the Minnesota Wilderness 3 games to 2, Wenatchee will now face the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the Midwest Division finals, with the series starting tonight in Fairbanks, with game time slated for 11:35pm EDT. Individual and group game tickets for all home playoff games are on sale now. Call 509.888.PUCK (7825). WILD 2.0 UPGRADE ************************************************ IN THEATERS - Heaven is for Real (PG); Bears (G); A Haunted House (R); Transcendence (PG-13) ************************************************ U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team Edged by Switzerland, 4-2, in World Championship Opener Connor, Doughtery Score Markers for Team USA LAPPEENRANTA, Finland. - Jack Dougherty (Cottage Grove, Minn.) and Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Mich.) each scored one goal, but the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team was edged by Switzerland, 4-2, here today at Lappeenranta Arena. The game served as the first test for Team USA at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's Under-18 World Championship. Dougherty gave the U.S. an early lead at 5:13 of the opening frame with a power-play tally. Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.) glided through the slot and left a drop pass for Dougherty. The defenseman took a step and launched a slapshot that found the back of the net. Brandon Fortunato (North Hills, N.Y.) also assisted on the play. Switzerland answered at 11:55 with a goal that spent a lengthy time under review. Team USA regained the lead with under five minutes to play in the period when Connor controlled a rebound and wristed a shot past Swiss goaltender Gauthier Descloux. Noah Hanifin (Norwood, Mass.) collected the lone helper. After a scoreless second stanza, Switzerland knotted the game 46 seconds into the third period. With 3:30 remaining in the contest, the Swiss batted a rebound past Alex Nedeljkovic (Parma, Ohio) to take the lead. Switzerland capped the comeback with an empty net goal 11 seconds before the final buzzer. Nedeljkovic turned aside 16 shots in the loss for the U.S., while Descloux made 31 saves for Switzerland. Team USA will return to action against the Czech Republic on Saturday (April 19). Game time is set for 8 a.m. EDT at Lappeenranta Arena. All U.S. tournament games will be streamed live on FASTHockey free of charge. 2014 IIHF Men's U18 World Championship Schedule - United States April 17-27, 2014 • Lappeenranta, Finland Date Opponent Time (Local/EDT)/Result Live Webcast Tues., April 14 Germany* W, 9-1 -- Thurs., April 17 Switzerland L, 2-4 -- Sat., April 19 Czech Republic 3:00 p.m. / 8:00 a.m. FASTHockey.com Sun., April 20 Denmark 6:30 p.m. / 11:30 a.m. FASTHockey.com Tues., April 22 Finland 6:30 p.m. / 11:30 a.m. FASTHockey.com Thurs., April 24 Quarterfinals TBD TBD Sat., April 26 Semifinals TBD TBD Sun., April 27 Bronze-Medal 3:00 p.m. / 8:00 a.m. TBD Gold-Medal 7:00 p.m. / 12:00 p.m. TBD *pre-tournament game NOTES: For a complete U.S. roster, click here ... Kyle Connor was named Team USA's best player ... Team USA out shot Switzerland, 33-19 ... The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team is led by Danton Cole, serving as head coach at his second IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship. Cole is currently in his fourth season as one of two head coaches at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... The U.S. squad seeks its eighth gold medal in the event after capturing the tournament title in four of the last five years. Team USA had won four-consecutive gold medals before having its streak snapped last year in Sochi, Russia. The silver medal in 2013 marked 10-straight top-three finishes for the U.S. ... Twenty players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey's NTDP. Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Mich.) skated this season for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League. Alex Nedeljkovic played for the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers ... The roster for the U.S. features 15 players recently listed on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of draft-eligible players. Among those players in the top twenty are forwards Alex Tuch(Baldwinsville, N.Y./12th), Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y./16th) and Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./17th). Goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic (Parma, Ohio) and Edwin Minney (Wind Gap, Pa.) were ranked fourth and seventh respectively ... Team USA's roster includes 20 players born in 1996 and two from the 1997 birth year. Forward Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.), born Sept. 17, 1997, is Team USA's youngest player, while Nedeljkovic, born Jan. 7, 1996, is the oldest ... Eleven different states are represented on the roster. New York leads the way with five skaters, while Minnesota boasts four ... The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record 10-consecutive medals, including back-to-back golds in 2005-06 and four-straight gold medals from 2009-12; three silver medals (2004, 2007, 2013); and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA's seven gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship history. The event began in 1999. Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002 ... The U.S. will play in Group B alongside the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland. Group A consists of Canada, Germany, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden ... Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with the #U18Worlds tag ... For additional coverage, visit the NTDP Facebook page and follow @USANTDP on Twitter ... The U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams train with The Hockey IntelliGym, a software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com. U.S. Developmental Sled Team Hosts Canada for Three-Game Series Games to Be Played April 17-19 in Indian Trail, N.C. Colorado Springs, Colo. -- The U.S. National Developmental Sled Hockey Team hosts the Canadian Development Team for a three-game series Thursday-Saturday (April 17-19) at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, N.C. Thursday's (April 17) series opener will start at 5:30 p.m. ET. Game two begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday (April 18). The finale will take place at 11:00 a.m. ET on Saturday (April 19). All games are free to the public. In January, the U.S. National Developmental Sled Hockey Team swept a three-game series against Canada (2-1 OT, 3-1, 2-1 SO) that was played in London, Ontario. NOTES: For the complete U.S. National Developmental Sled Team roster, click here ... Mike MacMillan(Buffalo, Minn.), USA Hockey's National Coach-in-Chief, is the head coach of the U.S. National Developmental Sled Team ... Former U.S. Paralympic Team members Kip St. Germaine (East Falmouth, Mass.) and Mike Blabac (Hamburg, N.Y.) serve as associate head coach and assistant coach, respectively ... Jeremy Kennedy(Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Hockey manager of membership and disabled hockey, is the general manager. ************************************************ The first Laundromat opened in Fort Worth, TX on this date in 1934. ************************************************

Montreal's Man: Als ink receiver Chad Johnson.

Chamblin relieved to have Durant locked-up.

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

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE - Saturday is Record Store Day.

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Tampa, FL. — This week's mailbag is, unsurprisingly, all about the upcoming draft, with specific discussions on predictions of an OT in Round 1, the QB situation and whether a WR double-dip could happen.

Read the rest here.

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Portland, Oregon flushed 38 million gallons of drinking water because a 19-year-old prankster peed in the city's reservoir. [He was charged with public urination and for leaving the lid up.]

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St. Petersburg, FL. -- Coming home didn't help the Rays' offensive funk on Thursday night, as the Yankees took a 10-2 win at Tropicana Field.

Read the rest here.

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Chelsea Clinton announced Thursday that she and husband Marc Mezvinsky are expecting the couple's first child, also a first grandchild for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Chelsea's 34 and mom Hillary said she's "really excited" about becoming a grandmother.

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San Francisco, CA. -- Pablo Sandoval's sinking offensive production might also cause him to descend in the Giants' batting order.

Read the rest here.

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On this date in 1938, Superman, the world's first super hero, appeared in the first issue of Action Comics. The cover date was June 1938.

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The parade is over. Time to go home.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as your son doing great at his first baseball practice yesterday, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1960 - Elvis Presley left Memphis for Los Angeles to being filming "G.I. Blues."

1964 - The Elvis Presley compilation album "Evlis' Golden Records, Vol. 3" hit #6 in the U.K.

1975 - Elvis Presley bought a Convair 800 jet that had been taken out of service by Delta Airlines. He named the plane "Lisa Marie."

2002 - The Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. introduced two new lines of Elvis Presley bedroom pieces at the International Home Furnishings Market.

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On this date in 1950, the first transatlantic jet passenger trip was completed.

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Today in Beatles History:

1966 - George Harrison and John Lennon went to a Lovin' Spoonful concert at the Marquee Club.

1975 - John Lennon released "Stand by Me."

  
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Kevin Dorothy wanted to perform on the comedy club stage at the Pavilion Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, he died at age 53 before he got the chance. But his friends made it happen. Monday night, Stephen Mullan took an urn of Dorothy's ashes to the stage where it sat while he read five years worth of jokes Dorothy had texted to his friends.

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Today in Sports History:

1923 - Yankee Stadium opened in the Bronx, NY. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1. John Phillip Sousa's band played the National Anthem. (Yankee Stadium I)

1938 - U.S. President Roosevelt threw out the first ball preceding the season opener between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.

1956 - Ed Rommel became the first umpire to wear glasses during a major league baseball game. The game was between the New York Yankees and the Washington Senators.

1962 - Bill Russell (Boston Celtics) scored 30 points and got 40 rebounds in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the fourth straight NBA title for the Celtics.

1966 - Bill Russell became the first player-coach for the Boston Celtics.

1977 - Eddie Murray hit his first career home run.

1982 - The Atlanta Braves set a National League record when they won their eleventh straight game from the start of the season.

1985 - Tulane University abolished its 72-year-old basketball program. The reason was charges of fixed games, drug abuse, and payments to players.

1987 - Mike Schmidt (Philadelphia Phillies) hit his 500th career home run.

1987 - The New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals, 3-2, 68 minutes and 47 seconds into overtime. It was the sixth longest game in NHL history.

1995 - Joe Montana retired from the NFL.

1999 - Wayne Gretzky (New York Rangers) played his final game in the NHL. During the game Gretzky got his 2,857th NHL point. He retired as the NHL's all-time leading scorer and holder of 61 individual records.

2002 - Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) returned to hockey in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Los Angeles Kings. Forsberg had not played since May 10, 2001, when he had his spleen removed in an emergency operation.

2005 - It was announced the NFL's "Monday Night Football" would leave ABC in 2006 for a new home with ESPN. "Monday Night Football" had been on ABC since 1970.  

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Eddie Murphy's ready, and soon the script will be, too. Beverly Hills Copy 4 should begin filming at end of summer or beginning of fall. A source says Eddie's character heads back to Detroit.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

NHL Playoffs -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens 7:00pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 7:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 10:10pm EDT

NAHL Playoffs -- Wenatchee Wild at Fairbanks Ice Dogs 11:35pm EDT

Saturday --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 7:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 8:40pm EDT

NAHL Playoffs -- Wenatchee Wild at Fairbanks Ice Dogs 11:35pm EDT

Sunday --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 1:40pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 4:10pm EDT

NHL Playoffs -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens 7:00pm EDT

NAHL Playoffs -- Wenatchee Wild at Fairbanks Ice Dogs 11:00pm EDT

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