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Two weeks before he died of an overdose in 2011, the New York Rangers player Derek Boogaard was excused from his substance-abuse rehabilitation in California and returned to New York. He drove to Long Island, as he had done many times in the months before, and paid a man for illegally obtained prescription painkillers. This time, rather than cash, Boogaard paid with a personal check.

Trying to watch top sports events I find it very annoying to be subjected to: 1. World soccer cup in South Africa were being "cheered" by screaming vuvuzelas - buzzing non stop during the games. 2. NHL Stanley Cup finals. The best of the best games are being interfered with by jerks banging on the glass barriers. Very annoying. Can't the announcer at the games ask the jerks to refrain from banging on the glass as a courtesy to TV viewers who provide the revenue for the NHL? What are the jerks trying to achieve with banging? Scare the players?...

EASTERN CONFERENCE - ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS BOSTON BRUINS (1) vs DETROIT REDWINGS (4) TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (2) vs MONTREAL CANADIENS (3) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (1) vs COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (4) NEW YORK RANGERS (2) vs PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (3) ______________________________________________________WESTERN CONFERENCE - ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS COLORADO AVALANCHE (1) vs MINNESOTA WILD (4) ST. LOUIS BLUES (2) vs CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (3) ANAHEIM DUCKS (1) vs DALLAS STARS (4) SAN JOSE SHARKS (2) vs LOS ANGELES KINGS (3)

The Florida Panthers faced some high stakes Tuesday; not on the ice, but at Broward County Hall. With opposition building against the Florida Panthers' request for $86 million for free rent at the county-owned BB&T Center in Sunrise, a majority of county commissioners made it clear at a workshop meeting Tuesday that they’re in favor of a major public giveaway to the hockey team. New Florida Panthers hockey team owner Doug Cifu said he has no plans to move the team with or without the $86 million bailout he's asking from public, but that didn't stop Broward County Commissioner Marty...

...The temperature at the start of the history-making game at Dodger Stadium between the Kings and the visiting Anaheim Ducks, rivals separated by 31 miles of interstate, was 61 degrees with a slight breeze. The balmy weather notwithstanding, it was easy to get the chills during the first regular-season outdoor hockey game in California, won by the Ducks in a 3-0 shutout. ... By the time the game started, the crowd of 54,099 was in full roar, with “Go Kings Go” cries followed by chants of “Beat L.A.” ...

Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings @ Dodger Stadium - Saturday Jan. 25 @ 9:30 PM (Eastern) on NBCSN NY Rangers vs. NJ Devils @ Yankee Stadium - Sunday Jan. 26 @ 12:30 PM (Eastern) on NBC NY Rangers vs. NY Islanders @ Yankee Stadium - Wednesday Jan. 29 @ 7:30 PM (Eastern) on NBCSN

Keith Olbermann of ESPN recently named former Flyer and current Vancouver Canuck Tom Sestito the "World's Worst Person In Sports," which is a reoccurring segment on his talk show "Olbermann." Sestito jokingly thanked Olbermann for the recognition on Twitter.

Wayne Gretzky will end his four-year separation from the NHL to take part in Kings-Ducks game Jan. 25 at Dodger Stadium. Vinny will be there too. Perfect.

The Florida Panthers claim they are losing $20 million to $30 million a year while operating out of Broward County's Sunrise, Fla., based BB&T Center. In order to offset those costs, the team hopes to rework its contract with the county in order to collect $70 million in tourism tax revenue to cover the costs the Panthers are paying on their arena.

<p>WASHINGTON -- A beaming President Barack Obama saluted the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks at the White House on Monday — a rare moment for a president hungry to see more victorious teams from his hometown.</p> <p>The Blackhawks have been the only Chicago team to win championships during Obama's presidency. They also won in 2010.</p>

Recent reports surfacing about a particular NFL franchise, the Washington Redskins, created a minor stir throughout the sports world, bringing the Chicago Blackhawks in the argument as well. What unites the two teams, you might ask? It is the name, which is suggestive of a native group. Not only are the Redskins and Blackhawks involved, but another NFL franchise, the Kansas City Cheifs, and the Cleavland Indians of the MLB. Besides those four main teams, are over 150 other clubs in various sports across North America. Many activist groups for indigenous people have called out these clubs on occasion, with...

Need a few more teams to round out our Freeper league!! Anyone interested?? If so....freepmail me with your e-mail address and I will send you an invite!! Have been running a Freeper League for several years....it's been a blast!

We’ve all heard about Detroit’s bankruptcy as bleeding-heart “economists” plead for a bailout from Uncle Sam. Yet, the city of Detroit intends to move forward with its contribution to the Redwings’ new hockey arena. According to CNN, the city plans to spend $444 million of Michigan taxpayers’ money on the facility, despite hour-long police delays and shutting off 40 percent of its street lights to save money. To borrow from The Simpsons character Mr. Burns, Detroit plans to use taxpayer funds to help a billionaire build a private playground for millionaires. Team owner Mike Ilitch is only worth $2.4 billion...

For all of us hockey fans who are tired of NFL murder stories and MLB drug stories, I offer some off season hockey news. Here are some of the team rosters of the countries who look to be contending for Winter Olympic medals.

Seth Jones, the hockey-playing son of former NBA forward Ronald “Popeye” Jones, a Maverick from 1993-96 and again in 2002-03, was selected fourth overall by the Nashville Predators. Jones, ranked No. 1 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, surprised many by slipping down and going fourth to the Nashville Predators. "First of all, I’m going to worry about myself and trying to get better and try to make Nashville next year, and then second of all, I’m going to try to make -- in a good way, though -- those teams regret not taking me," Jones told TSN....

BOSTON (AP) -- An NHL-record unbeaten streak to start the lockout-shortened season. Three straight victories to clinch the title. From beginning to end, the Chicago Blackhawks skated away from the rest of the league. Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland scored 17 seconds apart in the final minutes and the Blackhawks rallied to win Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final 3-2 on Monday night to clinch their second NHL championship in four seasons. < snip >

Blackhawks defense determined to keep east coast freepers up all night ... Bruins finally score

This shows one of the very best renditions of both the Canadian and American National Anthems. At a hockey game. In Vancouver. No mangling allowed.

How bad are things going for Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby? Not only do the Penguins trail the Boston Bruins 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final, in part because Crosby’s high-octane game has been stuck in neutral, but now the young star is being openly mocked by people outside the hockey industry. The pilot of the JetBlue flight transporting members of the Boston media from Pittsburgh to Boston got into the act Tuesday, asking if “Sidney Crosby is in the back of the plane” after hearing a baby crying on the flight. The pilot’s comment was tweeted by a couple...