College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Although the chances of making the playoffs for the Toronto Maple Leafs are slim to none, a win tonight equates provincial bragging rights until the next season. The Leafs are on the road tonight as they travel down the 401 to take on the Ottawa Senators. It’s the sixth and final meeting between these two rivals. Ottawa took the first two games and Toronto has answered back with three wins in a row. Before their loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon the Leafs put together a three-game winning streak. Since trading away several veterans the Leafs are the second youngest team in the league and have turned the last half of the season into a dress rehearsal for next season. Over it’s last four game games Toronto has scored 15 goals and the average age of the scorer is 24.1 years old. Most impressive has been the top-line of 22 year old Phil Kessel, 21 year old Tyler Bozak and the veteran of the group 23 year old Nikolai Kuleman. The trio has combined for eight goals and nine assists in their last four games. Ottawa returns home coming off a three game road trip to Western Canada. Things started off well with a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, but the good times ended there. Two nights later the Sens were blanked by the Calgary Flames 2-0 and then on Saturday night the Vancouver Canucks blasted them 5-1. Unlike their provincial rivals, Ottawa is in the middle of the playoff hunt. They’re fifth in the East with 79 points, three ahead of the sixth seeded Philadelphia Flyers and three points behind the division leading Buffalo Sabres. A win tonight for Ottawa would not only even its series with Toronto, but help towards its post season push.

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

If the Detroit Red Wings played in the East they would be the sixth seed with their sights set on the Ottawa Senators – who are only one game ahead of them. Unfortunately for them, that is not the case. They play in the West where 78 points is only good enough for eighth and if things don’t go their way tonight they’ll be in ninth. The Red Wings are on the road tonight in Calgary to take on a Flames team that only trails them by a single point. The good news for Detroit is they’ve been able to string together back-to-back Ws and have won five of their last seven games. On Saturday night the Red Wings needed overtime to secure a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Special teams has been one of the reasons for Detroit’s recent success. The Red Wings have scored a power-play goal in nine straight games including Brian Rafalski’s OT winner in their last game. Calgary had won four in a row before losing 3-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Included in that winning streak was a 4-2 win over the Red Wings in Detroit. So you can be sure the Red Wings are looking to return the favour tonight.

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Who would of thought that a game between the two hottest teams in the East would include one with the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina has spent most of the season battling for the bottom of the conference with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but over their last ten game the Canes are 8-1-1 and only eight points out of a playoff spot. Carolina is at home tonight as they welcome the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins into RBC Centre. Pittsburgh has won four straight games including a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. There’s been no one better for the Pens then their captain Sidney Crosby. The Kid has 10 points over his last six games and is tied for the league lead in goals with 44. This is the third meeting this season between these two clubs and the winner tonight holds the edge in the season series.

For anyone still interested in the Leafs, they’re at home tonight. Toronto got a big 4-3 overtime win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday and tonight they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning.

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

All four teams jockeying for the final three playoff spots in the East were in action last night and this morning things are that much closer as the home stretch for the postseason kicks into over-drive. Currently in sixth place is the Toronto Raptors, but there is only a one and a half game difference between them and the ninth place Chicago Bulls. Toronto watched Kobe Bryant drain a last second shot to lead his LA Lakers to a 109-107 win over the Raptors. Chicago started the night in eighth, but they got pummeled 132-108 at the hands of the Utah Jazz. The seventh seeded Miami Heat were in action last night against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats got the 83-78 win and leap-frogged the Bulls into a tie with the Heat for seventh in the East. Confused – don’t be positions will continue changing up until the very last day of the season. Three of the four teams are back at it again tonight. Charlotte is in the City of Brotherly Love to battle the Philadelphia 76ers. Miami returns home as they welcome the LA Clippers to South Beach. Both these squads are dealing with a little change. Yesterday LA dropped coach Mike Dunleavy, while Miami is moving on without guard Rafer Alston. Alston dumped his team via text message. The Raptors continue there West coast swing as they’re in Sac-town to take on the Kings. Both teams have dropped seven of their last ten and are looking to end losing streaks. Back on February seventh these two went at it in the ACC with the Raps coming out with a 115-104 win. Chris Bosh had 36 points and Toronto had its third straight over Sacramento. Bosh will need to be just as good if the Raptors want to push the streak to four.

Date: March 9, 2010

Rink: ACC (Toronto)

Puck Drop: 7:00PM ET

Radio: AM 640

TV: Rogers Sportsnet

The kids return from an entertaining and reasonably productive 3-game road trip.  They looked much better than they did against the Caines on March 2nd.  Let’s see what they can do against the Savardless Bruins…..Kessel is certainly due against his old mates.

Tonight’s Notables:

Luca “Truman” Caputi makes his ACC debut….should be a fun night for the Toronto born winger that was recently acquired from the Pens for Pony.  Jeff Finger is on a streak….this will be his 3rd straight game!!  Exelby sits.  Mikhail “Put Up Your Dukes” Grabovski is back from injury….Let’s see if he steps in for Orr if Lucic gets out of hand tonight.  Rosehill is back out of the line-up for Grabbo.  With the alternating games strategy, look for Gustavsson to get the start.

Forwards
Caputi Bozak Kessel
Stalberg Grabovski Kulemin
Wallin Hanson Lundmark
Mitchell Primeau Orr

Defence
Phaneuf Beauchemin
Kaberle Schenn
Finger Gunnarsson

Goalie
Gustavsson (start)
Giguere

Scratch: Exelby

Injured: Komisarek, Sjostrom, Van Ryn

LT

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

There are only 21 games left in the Toronto Raptors’ season and at a time that his team should be gearing up for a post season run, the Raps are fighting for the playoff lives. Toronto sits in the sixth seed in the East with the seventh and eighth place teams trailing them by a game and a game and a half. The Raptors have lost five of their last six games andlong with their focus. Even the return of Chris Bosh to the line up on Sunday afternoon couldn’t get things going in the right direction. Bosh was held to 12 points and the Philadelphia 76ers schooled Toronto en route to a 114-101 victory. Toronto’s next four games are on the road – a place this team has struggled. This season the Raptors are 10-19 away from the ACC and this time they’re only playing Western Conference opponents. Toronto is 2-8 on the road against the West. Here’s even worse news – tonight they play the defending World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. You have to believe the Lakers have had this game on their minds since losing 106-105 to the Raptors back in TO on January 24th. Added to this is the fact that LA has lost three straight and Kobe Bryant hates losing. Bryant has done well against the Raptors in LA. Over the last five games, Bryant is averaging whopping 43.4 point per game. (I’m sure no one can forget the 81 he dropped on the Dino’s back on Jan. 22, 2006).

Here’s your bikini of the day from GetABikini.com

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- Grapeline with Don Cherry & Brian Williams at 4:45
- Bob McCown’s co-host from 5:00 to 7:00 is
- Open Calls 4-5
- Canada Basketball CEO Wayne Parrish

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.:

- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NFL free agency

- Dave Nonis, Senior VP of the Toronto Maple Leafs

- hockey insiders Darren Dreger & Ray Ferraro at 6:10

Curious thoughts as the news that Jeff Jackson has moved on from the Maple Leafs. Jackson it has been reported wanted the opportunity to move up in the organization and obviously felt that things are crowded in Burke’s world. This is strange however isn’t it? Am I nuts or do I not remember someone already asking for permission to interview Nonis last season only to be denied? Hasn’t Brian Burke said that he almost expects Nonis to get the calls again this summer? I am pretty sure that when Poulin was hired one of the reasons given was that Burke was thinking that Nonis like Joe N. would get plucked sooner rather than later?

So, if one assumes that Nonis isn’t long for the world wouldn’t that allow Jackson to move up the ladder?????????

Hmmmmmm……

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

The Washington Capitals look to win their fourteenth straight at home when they welcome the Dallas Stars to the Verizon Centre. The Caps made two big moves at the trade deadline last Wednesday and they’ve already begun to pay off. Washington traded to get Scott Walker from the Carolina Hurricanes and Eric Belanger from the Minnesota Wild. Walker scored twice in his Capitals’ debut, while Belanger added a little insurance on Saturday night as the Capitals beat the New York Rangers 2-0 on Saturday night. The addition of these character guys gives Washington a great core ready for the postseason. Washington has won four straight and is the number one team in the league with 96 points. The Capitals are 12 points up on the second best in the East and three points ahead of the West-leading San Jose Sharks. Dallas on the other hand are eleventh in the West and six points out of a play off spot. The Stars have lost three straight including a 6-3 drubbing at the hands on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday afternoon. So Dallas had to deal with Sidney Crosby over the weekend and Monday kicks in with a game against Alexander Ovechkin. Alex the Great hasn’t scored in six straight games and is due for a break out game…be afraid Dallas….be very afraid.

In the Association there’s a big game going down tonight between a Western conference contender and an Eastern conference powerhouse. Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs are in Cleveland to take on LeBron James and the Cavaliers. The Spurs are on a four game winning streak, sit in the seventh spot in the West and hope to take advantage on a Shaq-less Cavaliers team. King James got the night off on Saturday night resulting in a 92-85 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. LBJ is well rested and ready to get his NBA-leading team back to it’s winning ways.

Larry Brooks has a very good column this Sunday. No, not just because it’s the first one where he doesn’t rip the Toronto Maple Leafs. He talks about a couple of issues, one I had no previous knowledge of.

“folks around the NHL sure would be interested in learning even one of No. 87’s reasons for rejecting David Letterman’s invitation to host his Top Ten while the Golden Boy was in New York this week.”

So, according to Brooks, Sidney Crosby elected not to appear on Letterman. This isn’t the first time Brooks ducked out of a major US appearance, allegedly having declined to appear on the Today show after the Stanley Cup Victory.

Brooks does mention that he can’t imagine the demands on Sid’s personal time. However, not knowing the reasons why these two major appearances were shot down one can only wonder. For all we know these types of appearances were requested at the last minute and Crosby was booked up. It’s not like the rest of us who would dump many of things for that type of request.

It does raise the question as to what type of obligations come with being the poster boy of the NHL. Should he have to drop everything whenever one of the big boys comes a calling? Is it fair to judge him for not wanting to be on Letterman? Would he also deny the chance of hosting Saturday Night Live if he were to be asked?

The thing that I would have loved for Brooks to suggest in his column is that perhaps the NHLPA should be pressing Sidney to appear at these gigs as they could help grow the game from an economic standpoint (I am saying that largely tongue in cheek).

Anyways, Brooks’s column raises a question as to what our the obligations of the star players in the NHL like Sidney Crosby.

Thoughts?