With only a few hours to go before defending champion NCAA champion and #4-ranked Duke Blue Devils (27-3, 13-2) face the #13 UNC Tar Heels (23-6, 13-2) for the ACC regular season championship title, looking back at events of just a year ago seems fitting. Alot has taken place. Duke versus Carolina and the Battle of Tobacco Road always takes on historic billing locally, nationally, and globally.
Before you watch the Battle of Tobacco Road locally or follow it online, take some time to recap what the Raleigh Sports Examiner brought to you in March Madness coverage over the past year. Be sure to follow again this year to get all the latest updates on this this month's upcoming ACC and NCAA Championship coverage.
The trade deadline for the National Hockey League (NHL) approaches on Monday. This season's trading has resembled that of a frenzied stock market of active buyers and sellers. With approximately 20 games remaining for all teams, the race to secure a playoff spot is on. Both the Western and Eastern Conferences have no less than four teams fighting for the final and eighth spot in each respectively.
With so much trade activity that has already taken place, no one is really sure what will happen on Trade-Deadline Monday (TDM). A number of teams could use help in making successful playoff runs, be it to fill offensive or defensive voids or to fill roster spots due to injuries. For TSN in Canada and NHL Network in the US to commit a full day of coverage and analysis (8 a.m - 6 p.m) to this event may mean that some substantial deals could be in the works. For the sake of anyone who commits that much time to watch that much coverage, one would hope that something exciting will happen.
Will the hype be worth the wait? Time will tell.
For NHL fans hoping that their team makes a move to take a closer step to making the playoffs and competing for the Stanley Cup, watch the NHL market ticker (aka Twitter) on TDM to find out all the latest trade news and updates.
The sport of Blind Hockey and its future in the United States established roots in Raleigh, NC recently in order to create opportunities for more to play the game - all thanks to Mark DeMontis, founder of Courage Canada, and his vision of “bringing the blind to the ice, one stride at a time.”
In continuing to progress his efforts in promoting Blind Hockey, a sport currently played in three Canadian cities (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver), DeMontis developed a partnership with NC State University to establish The Courage Carolina Project - an initiative that seeks to raise awareness about the growth and development of the game which he is now leading into the United States.
NC State University’s Department of Textile Engineering has a team of eight senior design students who are working collaboratively with Courage Canada to create a new, improved, and adaptive hockey puck for the sport of Blind Hockey. By standardizing the puck used in all Blind Hockey competition it is DeMontis' goal to develop more Blind Hockey programs not only in his home country, but around the world.
Much concern regarding whether injured Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will make an appearance at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, NC, has resulted in a divided set of responses amongst many. Granted, the All-Star Game is the league...continued
Courage Carolina Day in Raleigh, NC - January 25, 2011
The NFL season has come to an end with the Green Bay Packers winning their first Super Bowl since 1997 and their fourth overall by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV in front of the largest crowd ever at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX on Sunday. With action on the gridiron completed, arena sports will reign supreme as both the NHL and NBA are headed into their final 30 games, give or take a few per team, as both leagues will provide for an interesting run to the playoffs heading into mid-April.
However, before that time comes, the all-encompassing and riveting set of post-season college basketball games known as March Madness will capture everyone's attention to watch who will become the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball champion.
The year has already gotten off to a great start, but in case you missed some of the action, the Triangle Sports Roundup will help bridge the gap:
With the end of the 2011 NHL All-Star Game played at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC, a look back at all the events and happenings is in order to preserve for the history of this event. The NHL, the host Carolina Hurricanes, and the city of Raleigh put on a great showing for local and visiting hockey fans. View, listen and watch content captured by the Raleigh Sports Examiner throughout the entire weekend.
Video footage (original content Raleigh Sports Examiner - Peter Koutroumpis - all rights reserved)
Patrick Sharp - Chicago Black Hawks winger and 2011 All-Star Game MVP talks about his experience and commends Carolina's players and fans on helping to put on a great weekend event.
Willie O'Ree - first black player in the NHL talks about the development of youth hockey in the United States. O'Ree is the NHL Director of Youth Hockey Development.
Alex Ovechkin - Washington Capitals star talks on the Red Carpet about having fun and allowing the "young kids" to have their shot during NHL SuperSkills.
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning), Loui Eriksson (Dallas Stars), Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks) warm-up with some soccer volleying practice before the 2011 NHL All-Star Game.
2011 NHL All-Star Game - warm-ups - P. Koutroumpis
The 2011 NHL All-Star Game is ready to get underway at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC. Team Staal took the NHL SuperSkills on Saturday by a score of 33-22 and looks to capture this year's crown in front of the hometown crowd and Carolina Hurricanes teammates Cam Ward and Jeff Skinner help Captain Staal lead the charge. Stay in touch and follow via Twitter @pksport.
Introductions are getting underway and we are ready to go. The thunder is rumbling at the RBC Center!!!
Let's go Staal, let's go Staal, let's go Staal - the chants have started
Kids out on the 'pond' picking teams by throwing sticks to select teams - all of a sudden Rod Brind 'Amour and Ron Francis come out to join the teams.
Captains Staal and Lidstrom lead their teams onto the ice for introductions.
Inspiring national anthems by the Canadian Tenors and Raleigh's Clay Aiken.
NHL All-Star Game faceoff - P. Koutroumpis
Game on!!!
First Period
Team Staal scores first - Alex Ovechkin on a tip-in from Zdeno Chara and Mike Green
Team Staal up by two - Paul Stastny tips one in from Patrick Sharp and Patrick Elias
Team Staal now makes it 3-0 - Patrick Elias from behind - Patrick Sharp and Paul Stastny
Team Staal 3-0
Team Staal - Claude Giroux makes it 4-0 - Patrick Sharp and Dave Backes with helpers; Cam Ward unbeaten so far in between the pipes
Team Staal - Skinner raps one off the post
Team Staal 4-0 - 11:13 remaining
Team Lidstrom - Anze Kopitar beats Ward top shelf with the backhand - Shea Weber with the assist
Team Staal 4-1 - 8:26 remaining
Team Lidstrom - Dustin Byfuglien from Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith
Team Staal - 4-2 - 6:30 remaining
Team Lidstrom coming on strong - Cam Ward standing tall
Team Lidstrom - Loui Eriksson from Martin Havlat
Team Lidstrom ties it - Matt Duchene on breakway - stick-side on Ward - assist to Nicklas Lidstrom
Tie game - 4-4 - 1:38 remaining
Montage to the Great Gretzky during commercial break - crowd is buzzing - getting ready for intermission
Ward with the save on the crease
St. Louis hovering around
4-4 tie - end of the first
Three Doors Down to perform during intermission
Second Period
Team Staal - Patrick Sharp nets one from Claude Giroux
Team Staal leads 5-4 - 17:12 remaining
Team Staal's Carey Price is solid in between the pipes - two saves on his pads
Team Staal Kris Letang roofs one - Daniel Sedin and Alex Ovechkin with the helpers
Team Staal 6-4 - 13:46 remaining
Team Staal all over Jonas Hiller; Team Lidstrom hits the pipe
Team Staal's Chara just misses over the net with a hard snapper
Team Lidstrom's Hiller robs Backes on an off-wing shot
Team Lidstrom' Jonathan Toews hits the post on a breakaway
Team Staal - 6-4 - 10:42 remaining
Team Lidstrom Anze Kopitar finishes tic-tac-toe with Loui Eriksson to beat Price
Team Staal still leads 6-5 - 9:25 remaining
Ovechkin with the move at the blue line, but off-side
Ovechin picks up the puck and cradles it to keep control
Team Lidstrom gets it up ice on the transition
Team Lidstrom - Steven Stamkos ties it up with assists to Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards
Team Lidstrom - Daniel Briere with the go-ahead goal
Team Lidstrom - 7-6 - 3:47 remaining
Team Staal - Jeff Skinner of the breakaway and denie with the toe save by Hiller
Team Staal sets up the offense - back and forth action
Team Lidstrom Hiller blanks Rick Nash on breakaway and Staal on two separate shots from the wing
Team Lidstrom 7-6 - 1:22 remaining
End of the period - Team Lidstrom leads 7-6
Third Period
Start of period has provided a few chances, but pretty quiet - crowd needs to have a reason to get excited
Skinner denied by Thomas on the tip-in
Team Lidstrom 7-6 - 16:34 remaining
Finally!! Team Staal - captain Staal scores on a breakaway with a shot past Tim Thomas
Corey Perry and Rick Nash get assists on the goal
Tie game - 7-7 - 15:50 remaining
Team Lidstrom breakaway - stick thrown
Matt Duchene on the penalty shot - denied by Henrik Lundqvist
Still tied - 7-7 - 13:37 remaining
Play back and forth; waiting for something to happen
Team Staal - Kris Letang scores his second of the game - assisted by Patrick Elias and Jeff Skinner
Boy Wonder Jeff Skinner gets his first NHL All-Star point
Team Staal leads 8-7 - 10:41 remaining
Team Lidstrom - Daniel Briere ties it - Henrik Sedin and Shea Weber assist
Team Lidstrom - Jonathan Toews scores with the spin move and toe-drag snapper
Assists to Loui Eriksson and Martin Havlat
Team Lidstrom leads 9-8 - 7:39 remaining
Team Lidstrom - Martin St. Louis tallies one from Brent Burns
Team Staal's Skinner tries again, but to no avail
Team Staal - Rick Nash on the toe-drag to draw Thomas down scores to narrow the gap
Corey Perry and Zdeno Chara with assists on the play
Team Lidstrom with 10-9 lead - 4:24 remaining
Team Staal's Lundqvist big save on Patrick Kane
Team Lidstrom's Thomas with the blocker save on Daniel Sedin
Team Lidstom leads 10-9 - 1:28 remaining
Team Staal pulls Lundqvist: Team Lidstrom's Loui Eriksson scores empty-netter
Team Staal scores as Staal snaps one past Thomas
Team Lidstrom leads 11-10 - 29.7 remaining
Team Staal pulls Lundqvist; a few close chance stopped by Thomas
Final Score - Team Lidstrom 11, Team Staal 10
MVP - Team Staal - Patrick Sharp (Chicago Black Hawks)
Updated Examiner.com stories - All-Star Game edition
