It's Tuesday

It's Tuesday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is December 9th, the 342nd day of 2014. There are 23 days left in the year.

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Bettman: Salary-cap projection for '15-16 around $73M.

MacLean not consistent enough with young Senators.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Kirk Douglas is 98. Judi Dench is 80. John Malkovich is 61. Donny Osmond is 57. Felicity Huffman is 52. Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) is 34.

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Tampa, FL. -- No team has been better offensively than the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's team defense, however, that may be most responsible for their lofty perch in the Eastern Conference.

Read the rest here.

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On this date in 1594, Gustavus II of Sweden was born.

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North Dakota Holds No. 1 in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Hockey Poll

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine 2014-15 Men's College Hockey Poll - Regular Season #11 (First-place votes in parentheses) Rank School Last Week's Rank 2014-15 Record Weeks in Top 15 1. University of North Dakota, 502 (29) 1 12-3-2 11 2. Boston University, 449 (1) 2 10-3-1 11 3. Minnesota State University, 379 4 12-4-0 11 4. Michigan Tech University, 375 6 12-2-0 6 5. Harvard University, 360 (4) 8 9-1-2 2 6. University of Minnesota, 336 3 9-4-1 11 7. Miami University, 330 5 11-5-0 11 8. UMass Lowell, 296 7 10-3-3 9 9. University of Minnesota Duluth, 255 9 11-5-0 5 10. University of Vermont, 207 10 11-3-1 7 11. University of Denver, 152 11 9-4-0 9 12. University of Nebraska Omaha, 135 13 8-4-2 5 13. Colgate University, 119 12 9-5-1 11 14. Bowling Green State University, 93 14 11-3-2 3 15. Quinnipiac University, 29 15 10-5-1 6 Others Receiving Votes: Merrimack College, 18; Robert Morris University, 11; Providence College, 9; University of Michigan, 7; Boston College, 6; Yale University, 3; St. Cloud State University, 2. Notes: A total of 22 schools received votes in this week's poll ... The National Collegiate Hockey Conference has five ranked in this week's poll. ECAC Hockey, the Hockey East Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association each have three. The Big Ten Conference has one ... This season's previous polls can be found here. About the Poll: The 20th annual USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the six NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey. 2015 U.S. Men's National University Team Roster Named Team Will Compete in the 2015 Winter World University Games in Granada, Spain, Feb. 4-14 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 22-man roster for the U.S. Men's National University Team that will compete at the 2015 Winter World University Games. The event is scheduled to take place Feb. 4-14, in Granada, Spain. The U.S. team is comprised of players from collegiate ice hockey teams affiliated with the American Collegiate Hockey Association. The complete Team USA roster and schedule can be found here. "We're excited about the group of players we selected," said Ashley Bevan, USA Hockey's senior director of adult hockey, who will serve as team leader of the 2015 Men's National University Team. "This is a very skilled, experienced group, and it's fantastic we can take them to Spain to represent the U.S." The roster is highlighted by a record seven players returning from the 2013 U.S. Men's National University Team, including two First-Team All-Americans, goaltender Matt Cooper (Duluth, Minn./Iowa State University) and defenseman Chris Joseph (Levittown, N.Y./Stony Brook University). Also returning to the squad are defenseman Jordan Young (Cave Creek, Ariz./Arizona State University); forwards Bill Balent (Waterford, Mich./Oakland University), Sean Murphy (Cary, N.C./Arizona State University), Bobby Bodette (Garden, Mich./Adrian College) and John Olen(Hawthorn Woods, Ill./University of Illinois), who along with his brother, goaltender Joe Olen(Hawthorn Woods, Ill./University of Illinois), are the first pair of brothers to play on the U.S. Men's National University Team. Highlighting the new players on the defensive corps will be Connor Schmidt (New Boston, Mich./Arizona State University), a transfer from NCAA Division I Ferris State; Eddie McGovern(Scottsdale, Ariz./Arizona State University), a three-year starter in the United States Hockey League for the Sioux Falls Stampede; and Nicholas Zern (Auburn, Ind./Minot State University), a two-time All-American and NJCAA national champion with Williston State College. Up front, Team USA will rely on freshman Luke Hannon (Buffalo, N.Y./Liberty University), the leading scorer in ACHA Men’s Division 1 (28-28-56); Jordan Greenberg (Plano, Texas/ University of Oklahoma); Bryce Johnson (Des Moines, Iowa/ University of Oklahoma); and Ryan Belonger (Green Bay, Wisc./Arizona State University), a two-year starter from NCAA Division I Northeastern. NOTES: Men's games will be played at both the Granada Sport Palace and the Mulhacen Pavilion ... To follow Team USA at the Winter World University Games, visit the event page at USAHockey.comand follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter ... Fifteen different states are represented on the U.S. roster. Illinois and Michigan lead the way with three representatives apiece, while Arizona, New York and Texas each have two. California, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin each have one ... Arizona State University leads all schools with six representatives, while Ohio University and the University of Oklahoma each have three. The University of Illinois, Iowa State University and Stony Brook University have two apiece. Adrian College, Liberty University, Minot State University, and Oakland University have one representative each ... Scott Balboni (State College, Pa.), who guided the U.S. to a fourth-place finish at the 2013 Winter World University Games, its best ever, returns as head coach in 2015, and is making his fourth overall appearance ... Dan Phelps (Livonia, Mich), returning for his third trip as an assistant, and Sean Hogan (Athens, Ohio), head coach of the men's ice hockey team at Ohio University, will serve as assistant coaches. This is the same coaching staff from the 2013 Games ... The United States will field a men's ice hockey team in the Winter World University Games for the eighth straight time. Jon Gomez Named Manager of Communications COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today that Jon Gomez (Whippany, N.J.) has been named manager of communications. Gomez, who most recently served as an editor with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's TrueSport movement, will be the main media contact for the U.S. National Junior Team and the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. Prior to joining TrueSport, Gomez served as the media services manager for USA Team Handball, where he was the primary media contact for the organization's residency program and national teams, and also with Hill+Knowlton Strategies as an analyst in the global chairman's office. He also completed an internship with U.S. Paralympics where he contributed to communication efforts during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. A 2012 graduate of Texas A&M University, Gomez earned his bachelor's degree in English and was a member of Texas A&M's national championship track and field program. Gomez began his duties at USA Hockey officially today.

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On this date in 1914, the Edison Phonograph Works was destroyed by fire.

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Corey Mace, Calgary's unheralded Grey Cup hero.

Hufnagel & Dickenson Update Coaching Status.

Please visit the league's official website, http://www.cfl.ca.

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NEW ON DVD - Released December 9

Guardians of the Galaxy
Dolphin Tale 2
When the Game Stands Tall
Under the Dome: Season 2
Mork & Mindy: The Complete Series
Mister Ed: The Complete Series
Barney Miller: Season 6

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Tampa, FL. -- Now that the sputtering Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially been eliminated from postseason contention in the woeful NFC South, coach Lovie Smith may be ready to take another look at Mike Glennon to try to determine if the second-year pro is the team's quarterback of the future.

Read the rest here.

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American Airlines is spending $2 billion to upgrade its planes. [Two words: free breadsticks.]

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Corvallis, OR. --St. Louis punter Johnny Hekker signed a 6-year contract extension on Friday and then completed a two-point conversion pass and averaged 43.5 yards on four punts on Sunday in a 24-0 win over Washington and was top performer for Oregon State alums who played in the NFL this weekend. Here is a roundup of how all the Beavers in the NFL fared:

Read the rest here.

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Police in Australia were called about a man who was standing in the middle of the busy road directing traffic. But when they arrived the man had left the area and couldn’t be located. Witnesses say the man was directing traffic with a bag of frozen peas.

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What do we do now?

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as a drizzly Tuesday morning, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History:

1955 - In Swifton, AR, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash performed at the High School. 

1970 - Colonel Parker completed an agreement with RCA to extend his annual $100,000 consultant's fee through 1975. 

1970 - Colonel Parker wrote to Elvis about not being able to reach him on the telephone.

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TV TONIGHT: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER - This classic celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. (8p ET, CBS)

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Today in Beatles History:

1961 - The Beatles played their first show in the south of London, England. They were billed with Ivory Jay & the Jaywalkers. Though the show was billed as "Battle of the Bands - Liverpool v. London" only 18 people came to the show. 

1974 - George Harrison released his first album on his Dark Horse label, entitled "Dark Horse." 

1995 - "Free as a Bird," debuted on a six-hour ABC documentary on the Beatles. It was their first new song in 25 years. 

2010 - Paul McCartney appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. He paid tribute to the origins of "Yesterday" by performing a food-themed reinterpretation of the song with Fallon.

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Ken Weatherwax, who played Pugsley on The Addams Family TV show, died at his home Sunday in California after having a heart attack. He was 59. | Addams Family theme

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Today in Sports History:

1926 - The United States Golf Association legalized the use of steel-shafted golf clubs. 

1951 - Bob Waterfield (Los Angeles Rams) became the first professional football player to kick five field goals in one game. 

1955 - Sugar Ray Robinson knocked out Carl Olson and regained his world middleweight boxing title. 

1973 - Jim Bakken (St. Louis Cardinals) kicked six field goals against the Atlanta Falcons. 

1978 - The first game of the Women's Pro Basketball League (WBL) was played between the Chicago Hustle and the Milwaukee Does. 

1984 - Eric Dickerson (Los Angeles Rams) became only the second pro football player to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. O.J. Simpson held the previous record at 2,003. 

1984 - Walter Payton (Chicago Bears) ran six plays as quarterback. He ran the ball four times and threw two interceptions. 

1985 - Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers) began a streak of 100+ consecutive games with receptions. 

1987 - Larry Bird ended his streak of 59 consecutive free throws. 

1991 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) reached the 20 touchdown mark for an NFL record ninth season. 

2004 - NHL officials and union leaders held talks for the first time since summer. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman imposed a lockout on September 16 due to an impasse in contract negotiations.

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Carrie Underwood's Greatest Hits: Decade #1. The two disk set contains 25 songs. Carrie rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

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

Wednesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes 7:30pm EST

Friday --

NAHL Hockey -- Wenatchee Wild at Topeka Roadrunners 8:05pm EST

Saturday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals 7:00pm EST

NAHL Hockey -- Wenatchee Wild at Topeka Roadrunners 8:05pm EST

Sunday --

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

NAHL Hockey -- Wenatchee Wild at Topeka Roadrunners 7:05pm EST

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