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Friday, March 18, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were 11 games in the National Hockey League last night… three Canadian teams were in action…

Atlanta 6 Ottawa 3
The Sens have lost four straight and seven of eight since the Olympic break. The Thrashers are now just three points out of the final playoff spot in the East.

Toronto 2 New Jersey 1 (SO)
Nikolai Kulemin scored the shootout winner as the Leafs won their fifth in six outings.

Vancouver 3 San Jose 2
Former Moose Ryan Kesler and Alexander Edler each had a goal and an assist.

Pittsburgh 3 Boston 0
Marc-Andre Fleury had to make only 17 saves to get the win and Pittsburgh moved past New Jersey into first in the Atlantic Division.

Nashville 5 Minnesota 0
Winnipeg’s Colin Wilson had a goal and an assist while Jordin Tootoo and Dustin Boyd each had assists as Nashville won its fourth straight and remained in seventh in the West.

Chicago 3 Los Angeles 0
Winnipeg’s Jonathan Toews dished out his 36th assist on the eventual winner while Antti Niemi had to make only 17 saves to get the win.

St. Louis 4 NY Rangers 3
Paul Kariya’s 400th career goal was the winner. Marian Gaborik had a goal and two assists for the Rangers. Winnipeg’s Alexander Steen picked up his 19th assist.

Carolina 4 Washington 3 (OT)
Ray Whitney scored the winner at 4:02 of overtime.

Buffalo 6 Tampa 2
Jason Pominville had the hat-trick for Buffalo

Philadelphia 3 Dallas 2
On the day the Flyers got the news that No. 1 goalie Michael Leighton was out eight weeks with a high ankle sprain, Brian Boucher comes in, stops 27 shots and gets the win.

Phoenix 4 Florida 3 (SO)
Florida had a 3-0 lead in the second period and blew it. Phoenix has won seven in a row.

The Moose are back in action tonight and Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre. Sunday afternoon is Family Day. The opposition is the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The world women’s curling championship starts tomorrow in Swift Current, Sask. Canada will be represented by Winnipeg’s own Jennifer Jones

And OK poolies, on Day 1 at the NCAA men’s basketball championship, the winners were Kentucky, Kansas, Kansas State, Butler, Villanova, New Mexico, Tennessee, Ohio University, BYU, Baylor, Murray State, Old Dominion, St. Mary’s of California, Washington, Wake Forest and Northern Iowa. Today’s action starts this morning at 11:15 and goes all day and all evening on CBS.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Although he has not completely made up his mind, it appears that after 18 seasons, former Winnipeg Jets captain Keith Tkachuk is nearing the end of his brilliant career.

Saying his future is now, Tkachuk wouldn’t say whether or not he was retiring at the end of the season, but he did say, “I often think about this being the end.” The Hall of Fame awaits.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Marcos di Palma is the biggest name in Argentinian stock car racing. This week, he was like an eight-year-old kid in a candy store after a 10,000-mile trip to Bristol Motor Speedway to watch NASCAR in person for the first time.

The 37-year-old di Palma has always been hooked on NASCAR and although he’s a champion in Argenitina, he hopes there might be a chance that he’ll get a shot in the USA before his career ends.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Calling it “a retaliatory hit to the head,” the National Hockey League suspended Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski for eight games without pay for that terrible hit to the face and head of Brent Seabrook on Wednesday night.

Wisniewski definitely cheap-shotted Seabrook, but an eight-game suspension after giving Alexander Ovechkin only two? The NHL justice department is completely senseless.

Thursday, March 17, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were only three games in the National Hockey League last night…

Calgary 3 Colorado 2
Steinbach’s Ian White assisted Rene Bourque’s eventual winning goal. It was Bourque’s second goal of the game.

Anaheim 4 Chicago 2
Bobby Ryan scored a pair to lead Randy Carlyle’s Ducks.

New Jersey 5 Pittsburgh 2
Travis Zajac dished out his 38th assist as Jersey moved past the Penguins into first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Moose are back in action tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre. Sunday afternoon is Family Day. The opposition is the Grand Rapids Griffins.

In NFL news, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson signed a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals yesterday while the owners will vote next week on a change to the league’s playoff overtime format, which would allow both teams to have the football if the team that wins the toss can only kick a field goal in its first possession.

And it’s time for March Madness, the NCAA men’s basketball championship, starts this morning at 11:15 and goes all day and all evening on CBS.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Remember when the San Jose Sharks had a very comfortable 12-point lead in the Pacific Division? Well, not anymore. That’s because the Phoenix Coyotes have won six straight and have moved to within five points of the heavily favored and quite talented division leaders.

The 43-22-5 Coyotes have all but assured themselves of a spot in the post-season for the first time since 2002. Now, however, they are closing in on home ice advantage in the West. This should be a great finish.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

As the Sprint Cup boys prepare for this week’s race at Bristol, the first of two weeks at the tiny ½-mile bumper car tracks, all the talk seems to be about crashes and retaliation for crashes.
And that doesn’t sit well with driver David Reutimann.

What’s been lost, Reutimann told USA Today is how great the racing has been over the first four races. And it’s true, the amount of competitive side-by-side racing has been sensational. Of course, that will also result in the occasional crash. Crash, by the way, should be the nickname of the Bristol Motor Speedway.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

The Toronto Argonauts made a very interesting move yesterday. Considering they didn’t have a single quarterback in February, the Argos now have four ready to head to camp including yesterday’s signing, former Miami Dolphins starter Cleo Lemon.

From the moment he played his first game in the NFL, Lemon looked like a CFL quarterback. With his speed, mobility and arm, he could make the Argos a playoff contender in the East. Nice move by Jim Barker.

Wednesday, March 16, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone….

There were 11 games in the National Hockey League last night… five Canadian teams in action…

Toronto 4 Ottawa 1
The Leafs have now won four of their last five.

Montreal 3 NY Rangers 1
The Habs have won six straight and moved ahead of Philadelphia into sixth place in the East.

Minnesota 4 Edmonton 2
The Wild won its third straight and kept its very slim playoff hopes alive.

NY Islanders 5 Vancouver 2
John Tavares led the Isles with two goals and three assists.

Colorado 5 St. Louis 3
Despite the loss, Winnipeg’s Alexander Steen scored his 20th goal of the season.

Boston 5 Carolina 2
The Bruins hold on to eighth place in the East.

Atlanta 4 Buffalo 3
The Sabres Ryan Miller was pulled from the game after allowing three goals in the first six minutes. Buffalo has lost three straight.

Phoenix 2 Tampa 1
The once-lowly Coyotes now have 91 points and have won six straight.

Washington 7 Florida 3
No Ovechkin, no problem for the red-hot Capitals. Winkler’s Eric Fehr scored his 19th of the year.

Nashville 4 Philadelphia 3 (SO)
Martin Erat scored the shootout winner as Barry Trotz’s Preds won their third straight.

Dallas 8 San Jose 2
Dallas scored the last four goals of the game in the third period to break it open. Brad Richards had a goal and three assists.

The Moose have a few days off before they return to action to face the Grand Rapids Griffins this coming Friday night and Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre. Sunday afternoon is Family Day.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice will formally announce his 2010 coaching staff today.

March Madness, the NCAA men’s basketball championship, starts tomorrow morning and goes all day and all evening on CBS.

And finally, as we reported last week and again yesterday, Tiger Woods has confirmed it. He’ll return for The Masters. April 8, at Augusta National.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

The Montreal Canadiens have had some pretty good stretches this season. They’ve even had a pair of four-game winning streaks. But not until the Olympic break, have the Habs put together so many outstanding games in succession. In fact, with six straight wins Montreal has moved into the playoff driver’s seat.

After Tuesday night’s game, a 3-1 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the Habs moved past Philly and into sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are eighth with 74 points. With only 12 to play, the red-hot Habs are in control

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

It was quite a show and it wasn’t even a race. In fact, speeds exceeded 320 kilometres an hour during NASCAR’s spoiler test at Talladega Superspeedway on Tuesday.

NASCAR plans to switch from a rear wing to a traditional spoiler, perhaps as early as next week’s race at Martinsville Speedway, and Tuesday’s test was the first time a large group of cars have been on track with the spoiler. 320 kph. A new era in racing could be upon us.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

So Tiger Woods has officially decided to return to the PGA Tour at the Masters and good for him. It’s been suggested he’s working with former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on repairing his image and obviously Fleischer was smart enough to tell him to go back to doing what he does best.

In fact, if he returns to the game and plays well, people will eventually stop talking about the last stripper and/or porn star he did.

Tuesday, March 15, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were three games in the National Hockey League yesterday… two Canadian teams in action…

Detroit 2 Calgary 1
Tomas Holmstrom scored the winner with 1:39 left in regulation as Detroit won its third-straight and pulled three points ahead of Calgary in the battle for the last playoff spot in the West.

Columbus 5 Edmonton 3
Winkler’s Dustin Penner scored his 26th of the year for the Oilers.

New Jersey 3 Boston 2
Canadian Olympian Marty Brodeur made 34 saves to get the win.

In other NHL news, The National Hockey League has suspended Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin for two games for his hit on Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell on Sunday afternoon.
The Moose have a few days off before they return to action to face the Grand Rapids Griffins this coming Friday night and Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre. Sunday afternoon is Family Day.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers added a pair of newcomers yesterday, import wide receiver Will Franklin and import linebacker SaMario Houston.

March Madness, the NCAA men’s basketball championship, starts Thursday, but the play-in game between Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Winthrop goes tonight on The Score at 7 p.m.

And it appears to have been confirmed yesterday. Tiger Woods will return for The Masters. April 8, at Augusta National.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Had a nice chat with Steinbach’s Ian White a week ago after his new team, the Calgary Flames, drilled the Minnesota Wild 5-2. It’s amazing that this guy, a guy who had always wanted to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has completely moved to Calgary and abandoned any thought of the Leafs altogether. In such a short time.

He said he had no idea what they were thinking in Toronto and had already moved his entire family to Calgary. He’s a Flame now and all those dreams of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs have died.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

The Carl Edwards feud with Brad Keselowski is starting to affect other drivers. In fact, Denny Hamlin doesn’t think much of Keselowski.

Hamlin wrote on his Twitter account that he was dining out on Thursday night and, by coincidence, was seated two tables away from Keselowski, whom he referred to as “Brad Crashalotski.” Ouch. The boys are in Bristol this Sunday.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

There is nothing more thrilling, more gut-wrenching or more excruciating that tournament college basketball. Whether it’s a conference final, the play-in game for the Madness of March or the NCAA championship game itself, it’s about as exciting a sporting experience as it ever gets. And if you’re in an office pool, it’s even more fun.

And that’s why it drives me crazy when the officiating is lousy. And believe me, with all the TV technology these days, it’s lousy a lot more often that it’s good. In fact, there were times this past weekend when it just sucked out loud. Maybe it will be better in the tournament this week. Let’s hope.

Monday, March 14, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were 10 games in the National Hockey League yesterday… three Canadian teams in action…

NY Islanders 4 Toronto 1
The Islanders put a halt to Toronto’s season high three-game winning streak.

Vancouver 3 Calgary 1
A weird one. The Canucks had 20 shots on goal in the first period and none in the third, but are still 6-1-1 in their last eight.

Washington 4 Chicago 3 (OT)
Alex Ovechkin was kicked out in the first period, but it didn’t matter. Chicago had a 3-0 lead five minutes into the third period at home and blew it. Winnipeg’s Jonathan Toews had a pair of goals, his 21st and 22nd of the year for the Hawks, while Winkler’s Eric Fehr scored his 18th for Washington. Nicklas Backstrom’s second of the game was the winner in overtime. The Caps havewon four straight and now have 101 points.

NY Rangers 3 Philadelphia 1
Sean Avery scored twice and was the game’s first star as the Rangers moved to within a point of Boston in the race for eighth in the East.

Nashville 3 Los Angeles 2
Winnipeg’s Colin Wilson scored his sixth of the year for Barry Trotz’s Preds who remain three points ahead of Detroit in the race for seventh in the West.

In the battle of the next Winnipeg Jets…
Phoenix 3 Atlanta 2 (SO)
Adrian Aucoin scored the winner in the shootout as Phoenix won its fifth straight game.

Colorado 5 Dallas 3
Craig Anderson made 48 saves to get the win while Paul Stastny scored twice.

Minnesota 4 St. Louis 2
Winnipeg’s Cam Barker had an assist and was plus-2.

Pittsburgh 2 Tampa Bay 1
Seven players in that game were first or second overall selections in the NHL draft.

Anaheim 4 San Jose 2
Former Jet Teemu Selanne had a goal and an assist and now has 599 career goals.

After splitting a two-game series with the Rockford Ice Hogs on the weekend, the Moose have a few days off before they face the Grand Rapids Griffins this coming Friday night and Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre.

In curling, Kevin Koe of Alberta upset Glenn Howard of Ontario 6-5 in 11 ends in the final to win the Brier in his first try.

In NFL news, the Cleveland Browns signed veteran free-agent quarterback Jake Delhomme and then traded Brady Quinn to Denver. Meanwhile, it looks as if veteran runningback LaDainian Tomlinson ihas signed a two-year deal with the New York Jets.

In golf, Ernie Els finished at 18-under to win the CA Championship at the TPC Blue Monster at Doral in Miami.

And the stage has been set for March Madness 2010. The best 64 teams in U.S. College basketball. The top four seeds in the NCAA men’s basketball championship are, not surprisingly, Kansas, Syracuse, Duke and Kentucky. The tournament starts on Thursday.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Perhaps no one has noticed, but Winnipeg’s Travis Zajac is having a season to remember. Zajac, the 24-year-old rightwinger out of the University of North Dakota has moved into the Top 30 in NHL scoring with 21 goals and 37 assists.

Perhaps more importantly, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, is a terrific plus-18. By the time the next Olympics roll around, he’ll be one of the best players in the game. If he isn’t already.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup boys in Bristol preparing for the Food City 500 next Sunday, all the talk remains focused on Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. Remember, they had that altercation in Atlanta two weeks ago and it’s still lingering now that Edwards has been placed on probation for the next three races.

Keselowski said at Bristol last weekend that he won’t change his style and that he’s ready t mix up with racing’s best. That should make this week’s bumper car race at Bristol even more fun.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

By now, it has to be official. There is no better coach in the NHL than Dauphin’s Barry Trotz. Trotz, the only coach the Nashville Predators have ever had, has the no-name, star-less Predators in seventh place three points ahead up on eight-place Detroit.

That shouldn’t happen. The Preds just don’t have the personnel. But Trotz has made them a playoff contender – they beat L.A. on the road yesterday — and that says more about his brilliance than anything else.

A couple of weeks ago Winnipeg Free Press columnist Paul Wiecek took a nasty swipe at my colleague Cosmo and this radio station for allowing Winnipeggers to talk about the NHL rumours they’d heard. He suggested that all Winnipeggers who believed that Gary Bettman had been in Winnipeg, or that David Thomson was buying the Atlanta Thrashers, or that the Phoenix Coyotes might be the team or that Bettman had talked to Mark Chipman in Vancouver, etc., etc. were “idiots.”

Wow! Based on his column in Saturday’s Free Press, it appears Wiecek has now punched his ticket on board the rumour train. It’s an amazing world we live in, isn’t it?

For almost six weeks, every single day, somebody in Winnipeg would come up with a new rumour.

“David Thomson has purchased the Atlanta Thrashers and they’re on their way to Winnipeg.”

“There will be a press conference on March 4 to announce the return of the Jets.”

“The deal is done. The Thrashers are coming and the Moose are moving to Saskatoon.”

“It’s not the Thrashers. It’s the Coyotes.”

“Ice Edge Isn’t Buying the Coyotes. Bettman is moving them to Winnipeg.”

“There are engineers and architects nosing around the MTS Centre, looking to make improvements to the building.” (Actually, that one is still out there today).

“Gary Bettman was spotted having dinner at The Lobby last night.”

“Gary Bettman was at MTS Centre last night.”

A week ago last Friday, the rumours appeared to end. At least, for the time being. Although, to be frank, I received 53 e-mails from Winnipeggers that Friday afternoon, all-day Saturday and part of Sunday, still wondering if the Thrashers or Coyotes were coming to Winnipeg. No matter what the newspapers told us, no matter what the Manitoba Moose rightsholder claimed and no matter what the Moose communications department said, Winnipeggers still want an NHL team so badly that they’d rather believe the rumours than those who either are or believe they are, close to the truth.

These, I’m afraid, are the rumours that will not die and they will never die until Mark Chipman, governor of the Manitoba Moose and chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment stands up in front of everyone in the city and says, “Despite our best efforts, the NHL is never coming back to Winnipeg.”

However, as long as Chipman continues to tell people he’s quietly negotiating with commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHL’s board of governors (and that’s not wrong, by the way), people are going to believe anything that even remotely suggests the NHL might return.

In fact, during the past two months, it seemed that just about everyone wanted to believe the rumours. I got a call three weeks ago from Mayor Sam Katz who said he’d heard through his sources in Toronto that people were talking about David Thomson’s purchase of the Thrashers. Since then, Sam heard what we all heard about the rumours, and yet the rumours wouldn’t die.

“We know there are many Winnipeggers and hockey fans who would love to see the NHL come back to our great city, and maybe in time that will happen. But I can tell you that from the sources I have, these rumours have absolutely no foundation and no truth to them,” Katz told Russ Romaniuk of the Winnipeg Sun. “And it’s extremely unfortunate that the hopes of those who want to see the NHL will be raised to a phenomenal level and then could be let down again. That’s just not fair.”

Katz told the Sun that he didn’t “have a clue” where the rumours had started, but suggested that whoever was behind them should stop.

For me, that was a call to action. Where did those rumours start?

After looking into it almost every day since the newspapers first debunked the rumours more than four weeks ago, it became clear to me that every single rumour was started inside MTS Centre. Although we couldn’t determine who Rumour-Monger Zero was, it was clear that every story that was floating around town had been floated from employees of True North Sports and Entertainment. It was a simple matter of friends telling friends that their jobs were going to change because this or that was going to happen.

Because the rumours started inside MTS Centre, they had a validity they wouldn’t have had had they been started by anyone else, including the mainstream media. And it’s why nobody could make them go away.

And it’s apparent that the only way they’ll ever stop — the only way they will not re-ignite as they did this week — is if Chipman admits that the NHL is NOT coming to Winnipeg.

As I wrote at www.92citifm.ca last week, I for one just can’t get my head around the financials of operating an NHL franchise in a city of 700,000 on the Canadian prairie. But that’s just me. What is even more important to consider is this question: Why would the Chipman family want to give up a money-making machine like the Moose in favour of a team that will lose a small fortune every year that it operates? That doesn’t make any sense.

But that question won’t stop the rumours either. Fact is, until Chipman officially says yes or no, the rumours will never, ever cease.

Just check Saturday’s Free Press. The same guy who ridiculed Winnipeggers for believing the rumours, now thinks Phoenix might be coming to the ‘Peg. Who’d have thought?

By the way, I have seat for Paul on the rumour train, right beside me.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were 10 games in the National Hockey League last night… five Canadian teams were in action…

Toronto 4 Tampa 3 (OT)
The Leafs have won two straight in extra time. U.S. Olympian Phil Kessel scored the overtime winner. Steven Stamkos scored his 42nd of the year for Tampa and extended his points streak to 18 games.

Montreal 5 Edmonton 4 (SO)
Montreal has won four straight. Andrei Kostitsyn scored the shootout winner.

Calgary 2 Ottawa 0
Mikka Kiprusoff made 33 saves to record his fourth shutout of the year.

Columbus 2 Atlanta 1
Not normally an important game, but it was last night. With Atlanta’s loss, the Washington Capitals, with 99 points, clinched the Southeast Division title and became the first team in the NHL to wrap up a playoff berth. Yes, it’s only March 12.

San Jose 8 Nashville 5
San Jose trailed 4-2 heading into the third and scored six times. Canadian Olympian Patrick Marleau scored his 40th of the year.

Detroit 5 Minnesota 1
Swedish Olympians Johan Franzen scored twice and Henrik Zetterberg had a goal and two assists.

Boston 5 Philadelphia 1
Canadian Olympian Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists for the Bruins. Two good players, Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, were each minus-three for Philly.

Carolina 4 Pittsburgh 3 (OT)
The Hurricanes are now 9-1-1 in their last 11.

St. Louis 2 NY Islanders 1 (SO)
T.J. Oshie scored the shootout winner while Winnipeg’s Alexander Steen picked up his 17th assist of the season.

Colorado 3 Florida 0
Craig Anderson made 27 saves to record his career-high seventh shutout of the year.

The Moose return to action tonight and tomorrow night at MTS Centre against the Rockford Ice Hogs.

It’s all over for Jeff Stoughton at the Broer in Halifax. Stoughton’s Manitoba champions won twice yesterday and finished the round-robin at 7-4. But that wasn’t good enough to reach the playoffs.

In NFL news, veteran free agent runningback Ladainian Tomlinson met with the Minnesota Vikings yesterday. He’ll meet with the New York Jets today.

And finally, two sources have confirmed to me that Tiger Woods is not expected to return to the PGA Tour in two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Fla., as was suggested yesterday, but will be back for the Masters in April.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Canadian Olympian Patrick Marleau is having back-to-back career years.

One season after scoring a career-best 38 goals, Marleau has already surpassed that total. He entered the weekend with 40 goals, the first 40-goal year of his career. Now, to be fair, a 40-goal season won’t be enough to win the Rocket Richard Trophy, but it’s still pretty damn good. Only eight players reached the 40-goal mark last season, and only 10 scored 40 in 2007-08.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Here is why NASCAR insiders believe Carl Edwards should have been suspended for purposely wrecking Brad Keselowski at Atlanta two Sundays ago: The belief around the tracks is that an owner, unscrupulous or not, might decide to hire a start-and-parker to intentionally wreck the points leader at a critical point in the season.

Then again, who’s to say an owner wouldn’t do it anyway, suspension or not.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Has anyone noticed that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have lost both of their defensive halfbacks. Jonathan Hefney signed with the NFL while Lenny Walls was traded to Montreal. The Bombers still need a middle linebacker and the team has lost two young receivers to the NFL. The quarterback was a backup in Saskatchewan who has one career start, has thrown only 152 CFL passes and was unwanted in Edmonton.

Are the 7-11 Bombers a better team yet?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were five games in the National Hockey League last night… only one Canadian team in action…

Phoenix 4 Vancouver 3 (SO)
Despite the loss, Vancouver finished its 14-game Olympic road trip with a record of 8-5-1. Pretty good.

Chicago 3 Los Angeles 2 (OT)
Winnipeg-born Patrick Sharp’s second goal of the game and 21st of the year won it for the Hawks in OT.

Washington 4 Carolina 3 (OT)
Tomas Fleischmann scored the overtime winner while Alexander Ovechkin had two assists and now leads the NHL in scoring with 44 goals and 50 assists.

New Jersey 6 NY Rangers 3
Brandon’s Bryce Salvador scored his fourth of the year while Winnipeg’s Travis Zajac scored his 21st and added an assist.

Buffalo 5 Dallas 3
6-foot-8, 220-pound Texan, Tyler Myers had a goal and three assists to lead Buffalo.

The Moose return to action tomorrow night and Saturday night at MTS Centre against the Rockford Ice Hogs. Yesterday was an eventful day at the downtown rink. The Moose loaned veteran centre Marty Murray to the Milwaukee Admirals and got leftwinger Peter Olvecky in return and then the AHL suspended Moose forward Sergei Shirokov for tomorrow night’s game, for kneeing Grand Rapids defenceman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen last Saturday night.

It was a bad day for Jeff Stoughton’s Manitoba champions at the Brier in Halifax yesterday. They lost twice, to Newfoundland and Ontario, have fallen into fifth place and at 5-4 are in real danger of missing the playoffs. Stoughton plays twice today, at 8:30 a.m. against Nova Scotia and at 1 p.m. against Saskatchewan.

Finally, in CFL news, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed quarterback Derian Durant to a contract extension and gave runningback Wes Cates a brand new deal.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Vancouver Canucks hockey-playing twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin have donated $1.5 million to help build a new BC Children’s Hospital.

The two Swedes, who’ve played for the Canucks for a decade, made their gift to support the hospital’s Campaign for BC Children and specifically to the intensive care unit and diagnostics and imaging area in the new hospital. No matter how you want to regard this humanitarian support, it’s still a pretty spectacular gesture.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

As the Sprint Cup boys head to Bristol for next weekend’s Food City 500, NASCAR executives have spent the week talking about Brad Keselowski’s airborne car last Sunday in Atlanta.

But unlike the hockey GMs who are trying to find ways to stop hits to the head, NASCAR executives will admit that the natural violence of the sport makes it unlikely that there will ever be a solution to cars that get bumped and then head for the sky.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

At age 48, Chris Chelios is headed back to the National Hockey League.

Yesterday, the Atlanta Thrashers called up Chelios from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and will play tonight in Columbus. Not bad for a guy who has already played 1,644 NHL games and won the Norris Trophy three times.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were nine games in the National Hockey League last night… all six Canadian teams were in action… five of them won.

Calgary 4 Detroit 2
The Flames scored three unanswered in the third as the Rene Bourque-Matt Stajan-Jarome Iginla line was great again. Iginla and Bourque each had a goal and an assist and the Flames moved past the Wings into eighth in the West.

Ottawa 4 Edmonton 1
The Sens went into Edmonton and put a halt to a three-game losing streak.

Montreal 5 Tampa Bay 3
Scott Gomez had a goal and two assists for the Habs.

Vancouver 6 Colorado 4
The Canucks came back from a 4-1 deficit and are now 8-5 on their franchise-record 14-game road swing.

Toronto 4 Boston 3 (OT)
Nikolai Kulemin scored the overtime winner with 50 seconds left.

Florida 3 Minnesota 2 (SO)
The Wild blew a 2-0 lead. Cory Stillman scored the shootout winner. Winnipeg’s Cam Barker had an assist for the Wild.

Nashville 2 Atlanta 1
Winnipeg’s Colin Wilson scored the winning goal as Barry Trotz’s Preds solidified their hold on seventh in the East, two points ahead of eighth-place Calgary.

Philadelphia 3 NY Islanders 2
The Islanders blew a 2-0 lead as Simon Gagne scored the winner.

Columbus 5 Anaheim 2
Nice bounce-back for the Blue Jackets who lost 6-0 in Los Angeles on Monday night.

The Moose return to action this Friday and Saturday at MTS Centre against the Rockford Ice Hogs. Saturday night, the Moose will salute the military.

Jeff Stoughton’s Manitoba champions split a pair of games at the Brier in Halifax yesterday. They beat the Territories 10-3 and then lost 7-2 to Alberta. Manitoba is now tied with Alberta and Quebec for third. Stoughton plays twice today, at 2 p.m. against 6-1 Newfoundland and at 6:30 against unbeaten Ontario. Stoughton will join Tom & Joe later this morning.

In NFL news, veteran runningback LaDainian Tom,linson will meet with the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow fueling speculation that if Tomlinson signs in Minnesota, Brett Favre will soon announce his return.

Finally, in CFL news, the Saskatchewan Roughriders traded quarterback Dalton Bell to the Toronto Argonauts for a fith-round draft pick while the B.C. Lions gave oft-injured quarterback Buck Pierce, the Lions leading passer last year, his outright release.

7:15 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

This weekend while I was in St. Paul, a number of hockey experts watched the newly formed Jarome Iginla-Matt Stajan-Rene Bourque line and wondered aloud which line was the best in the game today.

A couple suggested Alexander Ovechkin-Alexander Semin and anyone on the right side, but the consensus seemed to be that the best line in the NHL was New Jersey’s No. 1 line of Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner and Winnipeg’s own Travis Zajac. If nothing else, it’s one of the few lines in the NHL that has been together for most of the season.

8:15 NASCAR REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM NASCAR REPORT. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Yesterday, NASCAR president Mike Helton announced that popular Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards has been placed on probation for the next three Sprint Cup races as a result of Edwards intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Edwards’ will be under probation for the March 21 and March 28 races at Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway, both half-mile short tracks, and the April 10 event at Phoenix International Raceway, a 1-mile oval that NASCAR still considers a short track. Edwards is lucky. The penalty could have been harsher.

FOR THURSDAY

This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup boy head to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 on that nasty ½ mile bumper car track that has been a highlight of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season since 1961.

Kyle Busch is clearly the favourite. He’s won the last two races at Bristol and three times in his career. Of course, his older brother has won five times at Bristol. It’s Busch time.

5:15 PM COACH’S COMMENTARY

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Afternoon Coach’s Commentary. Brought to you by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 38 years of auto body supply service.

Why would anyone want to own a National Hockey League franchise? In fact, if there was one way in which a billionaire could become a millionaire without working up a sweat, it’s simply by buying an NHL franchise.

Yesterday, we heard that the NHL has decided to sue former Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes because, and get this, he lost too much money on that dog of a franchise and the NHL wouldn’t let him sell it. Check out my blog at 92citifm.ca. This guy lost $300 million and then got sued by the people who helped him lose the money. As a business, the NHL is a mess.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Why would anyone want to own a National Hockey League franchise? If there was one way in which a billionaire could become a millionaire without working up a sweat, it’s simply by buying an NHL franchise.

For instance, Steven Gluckstern, the extremely wealthy man (along with his partner Richard Burke) who bought the Winnipeg Jets from Barry Shenkarow, owned the Phoenix Coyotes and then, owned the New York Islanders, nearly lost his entire personal fortune just by owning two NHL franchises. Len Barrie and Oren Koules were lucky enough to escape the Tampa Bay Lightning before they both went completely broke and now we hear that the NHL has decided to sue former Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes because, and get this, he lost too much money on that dog of a franchise and the NHL wouldn’t let him sell it.

Officially, at least according to the Arizona Republic, the NHL has filed a breach-of-contract suit against Moyes and his family, saying that Moyes “violated a number of league agreements.”

The NHL is still pissed at Moyes because he tried to sell the team to Jim Balsillie, who unlike so many of the owners Gary Bettman finds for struggling NHL teams, he is not a soon-to-be-convicted felon.

In the new suit, which of course was filed in New York City – a place that has no freaking idea what the hockey climate is in Phoenix, Ariz. — the NHL claims that Moyes had agreed not to sell the team to anyone who would move the Coyotes out of Phoenix. Which means the only people to which he could sell the team would be the NHL because they were the only people stupid enough to operate a hockey team in a desert. The league went on to claim that Moyes’ bankruptcy filing was a scheme to sell the team to Balsillie.

Really? Seriously? Really? The fact that Moyes lost $300 million on the franchise didn’t have anything to do with a bankruptcy filing? Really? Seriously?

According to the Associated Press, “The suit seeks at least US$61 million, including money the NHL spent on legal fees in association with the bankruptcy case, another $20 million it expects to lose this season while operating the Coyotes, and $8 million that the league says is owed to former team coach Wayne Gretzky.”

Moyes lawyer, Peter Sorrensen, nearly crapped a cactus. He angrily said, “this suit has no basis in law or fact.” Probably isn’t grounded in reality either.

Here’s the deal: A Phoenix businessman buys a town’s pro hockey franchise in order to save it for his home community. The people in his community tell him they don’t want it and over three short years, he loses $300 million. He tries to sell it but the NHL stops the sale. Then the NHL sues him.

The last thing I would ever want to do in my life is get involved with the bandits who run the NHL. Wonder if Mark Chipman understands what he could get himself into?