First Period

• The Leafs won most of the play and came out with a 1-2 lead. Considering it was 3-1 in PPs in Leafs advantage, the Lightning are lucky.

Second Period

• St Louis scores early. 1-1 tie.
• Graham is playing well.
• Both PPs have been ineffective.
• The Leafs have controlled the play with Graham being the tie-maker with a have dozen great saves.
• Colaiacovo has played well, except for a penalty call.
• Slashing the stick out of the hands of the person who has the puck doesn't seem like a proper call. Steen's in the box anyway.
• Lightning won the PP advantage this period; 4-2.

Third Period

• It seems pushing a player who has the puck is a penalty called holding. Awesome, Leafs are on the PP.
• Kubina scores on a Lecavalier screen. 2-1 Lightning.
• Joe Thornton was just traded to the Sharks.
• Lightning win 2-1. Graham was the difference.

Today is the last day of voting for round 1 of the Canadian Blog Awards. I have one blog up for nomination in the category of Best Sports Blog. Please take the time to vote for me today thanks. Step-by-step instructions follow.

1. Go to http://cba.myblahg.com/
2. Click on Best Sports Blog header
3. Select Game Certainty radio button
4. Click Submit Vote button

Thank you very much!

It seems every year, the NHL stresses a new set of rules and simply abandons others. For instance, you can't interfere with a forward skating into the offensive zone right now, but you can skate over the goalie any time you want. Case in point tonight, Thornton bulled over Brodeur while a puck was on the way. Brodeur had no chance. Thornton was lying on top of Brodeur while the referee was pointing in the net. Goal!

First Period

• Played even with both goalies playing perfect.

Second Period

• Panthers dominated the early part of the period.
• Tucker scored from O'Neill and Lindros. Leafs 1-0.
• The goal changed the momentum and the Leafs are taking it to them now.
• The Panthers' team should be fined for the ice conditions. Players are catching ruts all over the place and the puck might as well be a superball.
• Weiss scores on PP near the end of the second. Tied 1-1.
• Leafs challenged the Panthers momentarily before a couple penalties in-a-row put the Leafs back on the defensive.
• Great game for Belfour!

Third Period

• Panthers controlled the early part of the period, but the Leafs are coming on.
• On the last shift, the Panthers put 2 or 3 hooks on the Leafs when in scoring position. No call!
• Luongo is standing on his head. Two great saves off back-to-back faceoffs.
• Panthers down 2-men, McCabe drills one past Luongo. 2-1 Leafs.
• This is the best game between the pipes I've seen this season. Belfour and Luongo should be 1st and 2nd star.
• At the end of the game, Panthers were allowed to make a line change on an icing. Luongo had been pulled and was allowed to return to the net. Didn't matter, Sundin, Lindros and Tucker held the puck in the Panther zone for the remaining seconds.

Lines

• Sundin, Steen, Wellwood (EV)
• Lindros, O'Neill, Tucker (EV)
• Antropov, Poniko (SH), Allison (EV)
• Stajan, Kilger, Domi (EV)
• Steen, Stajan (SH)
• Sundin, Steen, O'Neil (PP)
• Allison, Tucker, Lindros (PP)

D

• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, PP, SH)
• Klee, Khavanov (EV, PP, SH)
• Berg, Colaiacovo (EV)

Game Certainty was nominated as Best Sports Blog in the Canadian Blog Awards. If you have a chance, then please stop by and give me your vote. Then, tell all your friends. Then, vote again tomorrow, because you can vote once per day. Thanks!

http://cba.myblahg.com/

CNN: For conduct proven to be a "destructive and continuing threat" to his team, an arbitrator ruled Wednesday that the Eagles were justified in suspending their All-Pro receiver for four games -- and are within their rights to deactivate him for the rest of the year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/nfl/11/23/bc.fbn.apnewsalert.ap/index.html

Randy: Finally, a league that is prepared to say NO to spoiled athletes.

First Period

• Murray scores early on a bad very legit (stupid) penalty by Kilger.
• BTW, the NHL is a changing, back to how it use to be. Slashing the stick out of a players hand, which was an automatic call early this year, is now allowed, or at least according to Kowal and McCreary.
• Oh geez, McCreary is reffing. It's gonna be a long day for the Leafs. Just watch.
• Bruins have dominated the first few minutes.
• Patrice Bergeron has been the best player on the ice, he's flying, 3 shots and an assist.
• Murray scores again on the PP. 2-0 Bruins.
• The Bruins quickly realized that the refs will not call hooking against them and are hooking the Leafs at every opportunity. 2-3 scoring ops were spoiled by hooks and non-calls.
• Finally, McCreary calls one. He looks upset at the Bruins, who forced his hand, by embarrassing him.
• Horrible period by the Leafs who were absolutely destroyed.
• Bruins 3. Leafs 1. PPs, not goals. 3-2 Bruins. A weak call. Nice to get a weak one with McCreary holding the whistle.

Second Period

• Another Belfour miss queue with the stick. 3-0 Bruins. The Leafs had dominated the second to that point. His stick handling has been horrible this year.
• 4-0 Bruins on a missed pinch by Berg.

Third Period

• Here we go!
• Tucker from Wellwood. 4-1.
• Leafs are coming on.
• 5-1 Bruins.

Toronto Sun:  Karel Pilar finally got some good news. The young defenceman received medical clearance in Montreal Thursday to participate in full practices. [cut] In August, Pilar had a second bout of viral myopathy in his heart.

Randy: Pilar meet Fischer. Consider the $million insurance policy.

AP: Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer collapsed on the Detroit bench late in the first period of Monday night's game against the Nashville Predators and was hospitalized in stable condition. The team announced that Fischer had a seizure and was doing fine. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock later said Fischer's heart had stopped and was restarted at the arena. [cut] Fischer was diagnosed with a heart abnormality in September 2002, causing him to miss two days of practice.

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/11/244400.html

The game that was marked on the calendar last month when Boulton ran Lindros. Belak was put in the lineup and was matched up shift-by-shift with Boulton. They faught on their second shift and the game settled down after that. The Leafs dominated the first 30 minutes of the game to a 5-1 lead and sat back the final 30 minutes and nursed the lead with a little help from Belfour shut the door on any comeback. Poniko was the star of the game with 3 points.

Lines

• Sundin, Steen, O'Neill (EV, PP)
• Lindros, Tucker, Domi (EV)
• Poniko, Antropov (SH), Allison (EV)
• Stajan, Wellwood, Belak (EV)
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker (PP)
• Steen, Stajan (SH)

D

• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, PP, SH)
• Klee, Khavanov  (EV, PP, SH)
• Berg, Kronvall

Mark Cuban: .5 seconds on the clock. Mavs up 81 to 80. Darrell Armstrong at the foul line to shoot 2. He makes the first. Does he try to make the 2nd free thro or intentionally miss it?

http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000320068420/

1st Period

• Klee took an early skate in the face and hasn't returned. I don't think it's serious, but will require stiches.
• Tellqvist is starting tonight and looks good to date. The last two games have been much more defensive oriented and the refs are starting to let a lot of fringe penalties go.
• Tellqvist made a lot of average to low quality shots to keep the Leafs in the game.

2nd Period

• Klee is back for the start of the 2nd.
• After a game full of saves by Tellqvist, Antropov rewards his goalie with a goal on a great pass from Allison.
• Steen just made a gorgeous rush (2 on 1) and missed. Penalty on the play.
• Berg just got a penalty for having his stick near a player legs when he dove. Stupid ref.
• Isbister scored on the PP. A deflection right in front of Tellqvist. No chance. Lindros was playing weak ass trying to clear the puck and couldn't get it out.

3rd Period

• The new NHL allows cross-checks while short-handed.
• Lindros on a nice pass from Domi and Kilger. 2-1 Leafs. That was a simply amazing pass from Domi.
• Sundin tipped it in from Kaberle on the PP. 3-1 Leafs.
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker on the PP. 4-1 Leafs. Fans are leaving.

Lines

• Lindros, Kilger (SH), Tucker (EV)
• Sundin, Steen (SH), O'Neill  (EV, PP)
• Poniko, Antropov  (SH), Allison (EV)
• Stajan, Domi, Wellwood (EV)
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker (PP)

D

• Klee, Khavanov  (EV, PP)
• McCabe, Kaberle  (EV, PP, SH)
• Berg, Kronvall (EV)
• Berg, Khavanov (SH)

I finally found current SportsML boxscores for NBA, MLB and NFL.

http://www.erikberg.com/xmlstats/

1st Period

• The Leafs dominated the first, but failed to capitalize on a couple chances and lead only 1-0.
• I don't remember Belfour making any difficult saves.
• Another great PP shot from McCabe, up two men.

2nd Period

• Berg just gotta a penalty for being in the vicinity of someone who fell.
• Khavanov somehow lost Jagr who found himself alone in front of the net. That's called a goal. 1-1.
• The Rangers could have been penalized a half dozen times already for diving. If you touch Jagr, he falls to the ice and jumps right back up. Everytime.
• Other than the one goal by Jagr, Belfour must be bored out-of-his-mind. Then he made a couple good saves. That's the Belfour I remember.
• I've notice that in the new NHL, you can slide into the goalie after you make a shot on net.
• This game is a defensive gem. It's the old NHL. The saves have not been very difficult, at least compared to most games I've watched this season. And both goalies have played extremely well.

3rd Period

• McCabe drills another on the PP. 2-1 Leafs.
• That's the first mis-call of the goalie triangle rule. Weekes touched the puck in the no-no zone. No call.
• It's seems the new holding rules don't apply to Jagr. He just grabbed onto 2-3 Leafs in one shift.
• After several non-calls on the Rangers, McCabe gets an elbowing penalty for softly riding his player in the boards.
• This is Belfour's best game. No bad goals and he's there when we need him.
• The Leafs had about 10 good shots with 5 minutes left in the 3rd and missed the net on most. The 10 good shots came immediately after Jagr setup Straka on a break and hit the post.
• Late in the 3rd, the play continues to be in the Rangers end.
• A third no-call by the refs in the 3rd. Sundin would have had a partial break and his stick was held. In the last minute.
• Belfour has been solid.

Lines

• Lindros, Kilger (SH), Tucker (EV)
• Sundin, Steen (SH), O'Neill (EV, PP)
• Antropov, Poniko (SH), Allison (EV)
• Wellwood, Stajan, Domi (EV)
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker (PP)

D

• Klee, Khavanov (EV, SH, PP)
• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, SH, PP)
• Berg, Kronvall (EV)

I listened to the 1st period and a half on the radio. Sounded like the Canadians dominated the play, but the Leafs were winning 2-0.

2nd Period

• It's amazing how many phantom calls are made and obvious calls missed. I'm not too upset today, because it seems to be going both way, with maybe an edge to the Leafs. Still, the refs still haven't adapted to the rules they are made to call.
• After standing on his head in the first, Belfour let in two long shots in the second. The first may have been deflected, but couldn't see any angles where that was obvious.
• Wellwood made a great rush, give-and-go on the end to give the Leafs the 3-2 lead.

Intermission

• My brother and I were talking about how teams don't play in every rink every year. They also discussed on HNIC. Can you believe some fans won't see Ovechkin? Some won't see Crosby? This has to be fixed.

3rd Period

• The Canadians came out and dominated the Leafs. Now lead 4-3 for the Canadians.
• It seems the refs have stopped calling penalties. The new NHL, is slowly looking like the old NHL. I've seen 2-3 hooks and slashes in the last minute. No call.
• A lucky bounce and it's tied 4-4. The puck deflected over the back of the net, hit Theodore in the back and fell in the net. You have to see it, to believe it.
• The Leafs are extra-ordinarily lucky to get a point here and will. A little bit of help from the refs, the bounces and a great first period by Belfour. The Leafs were big-time playing for the regular tie after the tying goal.

Overtime

• The refs are letting them play. Less than 20 games into the NHL season. I've seen a dozen hooks, holds, slashes in the overtime and late 3rd. No calls. The new NHL. Ya right!
• Jeff O'Neill wired it. 5-4 win! 2 points. They looked awful. That's the biggest 2 undeserved points I've seen in a long while.

Lines

• Sundin, Steen, O'Neill (EV, PP)
• Allison, Wellwood, Poniko (EV)
• Lindros, Antropov, Tucker (EV)
• Stajan, Kilger, Domi (EV)
• Kilger, Lindros (SH)
• Antropov, Poniko (SH)
• Sundin, Steen (SH)
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker (PP)

D

• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, SH)
• Klee, Khavanov (EV, SH)
• Berg, Kronvall (EV)

First Period

• Sabres got the first (weak) penalty (Allison).
• Lindros back-checked and saved scoring chance.
• The Leafs has won the play to date. Several scoring chances to the Leafs, no shots for the Sabres.
• First shot, from well out on Belfour, goes right thru him. 1-0 Sabres.
• Another goal saving hook escapes the refs. He had the puck. So, if you are about to score (Wellwood) and get dumped, that's not a penalty, but touching a player with your stick (Kalinin) is a penalty. Whatever!
• The Leafs killed the Sabres. Biron killed Belfour.

Second Period

• Great pass by Sundin to Steen. 1-1. This was a long power play zone advantage. The puck remained in the Sabres side of center for almost two minutes.
• The Leafs have pretty much dominated the game to date. Biron has kept the Sabres in the game, even though he was quite responsible for the Leaf goal.
• That's twice that Wellwood was hooked going to the net without a call. The rules are a changing.
• Of course, after all those non-calls against the Sabres, 2 hookings against the Leafs and it's 2-1 Sabres.
• Lindros from Kilger 2-2. Biron had no chance. The puck was wide left and Lindros tipped it in from behind. No D.
• McCabe just got a penalty for bumbing the person who dumped the puck past him. That's a new one.
• Considering it's 6-2 in penalties in the favor of the Sabres, after numerous non-calls on the Leafs end, it's pretty good that the Leafs are tied and lead in shots by 5.

Intermission

• Hodge hit it on the nose. If Ferguson gets us into the playoffs, considering our pre-lockout salary position, then he is cannot be blamed for anything.

Third Period

• A complete ref job. Basically, the Leafs played in the Sabres zone 2/3 of the game. 4 times, Leafs were in on the net hooked to the ice and no call. Yet, the Leafs had twice as many penalties. Can you say McCreary!
• OK, these refs are simply stupid. Anybody watching and doesn't agree is an idiot. Sabres just scored and it was called back because of a Leaf (another weak) penalty.
• Belfour looked awful. The Leafs dominated the Sabre powerplays and the even strength. Belfour had very little action.

Lines

• Lindros, Antropov, Tucker (EV)
• Sundin, O'Neill, Steen (EV, PP)
• Allison, Poniko, Wellwood (EV)
• Kilger, Stajan, Domi (EV)
• Allison, Lindros, Tucker (PP)
• Sundin, (Poniko, Steen, Antropov, O'Neil) (SH)
• Kilger, Lindros (SH)
• Steen, Stajan (SH)

D

• Klee, Khavanov (EV, PP, SH)
• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, PP, SH)
• Berg, Kronvall (EV)

The difference between Sunday's game against the Capitals and Tuesday game against the Capitals can be summarized as "Belfour stopped letting in bad goals after the 1st period." In both games, the Capitals had a lot of low quality shots on goal that evaded Tellqvist all game.

The reffing was somewhat better except that they continue to call it hooking when a players stick lightly touches another player. If you wanna create a new rule banning touching other players with your stick. Calling it hooking, when the stick isn't impeding the player at all, is kinda dumb.

Lines

• Sundin, Steen, O'Neill (EV, PP)
• Lindros, Antropov, Tucker (EV)
• Allison, Wellwood, Poniko (EV)
• Stajan, Kilger, Domi (EV)
• Tucker, Allison, Lindros (PP)
• Steen, Stajan (SH)
• Sundin, Lindros (SH)

D

• McCabe, Kaberle (EV, PP, SH)
• Klee, Khavanov (EV, PP, SH)
• Colaiacovo, Kronvall (EV)

Collection of Vince Carter leaving orbit.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=uJ8Zkh09VnA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=ua2x1c7Gb78

Washington Post: Owens was suspended indefinitely Saturday by Eagles Coach Andy Reid for conduct detrimental to the organization. [In] an interview with ESPN that aired Thursday night [cut] he was critical of quarterback Donovan McNabb and complained that the team had not publicized the 100th scoring reception of his 10-year career. [cut] Eagles sources confirmed before the game that [Hugh] Douglas [cut] exchanged words with Owens in the training room Wednesday and that both men threw several punches, none of which landed, before they were separated by several other players. Owens reportedly went into the locker room afterward and challenged anyone who was talking behind his back to take him on.

Randy: The Eagles only have themselves to blame. Not publicly recognizing a players 100th TD seems pretty stupid. Signing this problem to a seven year contract was beyond stupid.

You can point your finger at two players who won this game for the Capitals; Tellqvist and McCabe. McCabe has turned into the best scoring defenseman in the game, unfortunately they are only counting the goals he's scoring on the oppositions net. He scored the winning goal tonight on a shot by Ovechkin, a beautiful 100% intentional tip that left Tellqvist helpless. Mind you, had McCabe not deflected the puck, then the 60-ft shot may have evaded Tellqvist anyways, who let a few softies get past him tonight.

• Nathan Perrott was traded to the Stars.
• The reffing as usual was simply awful.

Lines

• Lindros, Kilger, Tucker (EV)
• Steen, Stajan (SH), Allison
• Sundin, Poniko (SH), O'Neill
• Wilm, Lindros (SH)
• Wellwood, Domi, Wilm
• Lindros, Allison, Tucker (PP)
• O'Neil, Sundin, Steen (PP)

D

• Berg, Klee (EV, SH)
• McCabe, Kaberle (SH, EV, PP)
• Khavanov, Kronvall
• Klee, Khavanov, Kronvall (SH, PP)

Sundin returned to the lineup and led the Leafs to a 5-3 victory over the Lightning. I didn't watch or listen to the game, I was visiting friends. It looks like the Leafs played the first two periods to a 4-1 lead and tried to nurse the lead in the 3rd, allowing 17 shots. What was up with Sydor?

Lines

• Sundin, Poniko (SH), O'Neill (EV)
• Lindros, Kilger (SH), Tucker (EV)
• Steen, Stajan (SH), Allison (EV)
• Belak, Domi, Wellwood (EV - 5 shifts)
• Tucker Allison (SH)
• (Tucker or Stajan), Allison, Lindros (PP)
• Steen, Sundin, O'Neill (PP)

D

• McCabe, Kaberle (EV, SH, PP)
• Berg, Klee (EV, SH)
• Khavanov, Kronvall (EV)
• Khavanov, Klee (PP)

First Period

• The Leafs dominated the play earlier. Poniko was sent in half alone by O'Neil, then Stajan tipped one past Cam Ward on a shot by Klee, fed by Steen. Leafs 1-0.
• Seven of the Leafs 13 games have been against the top 3 teams in the Eastern conference. The schedule will get easier starting this weekend (two in-a-row against the Capitals).
• The Leafs were called for two penalties on the same play. They'll be down 2-men for an entire 2-minutes. Wilm was great and killed off the penalty playing forward on both the front-end and back-end of the penalty. Lindros was the forward in the middle part.
• Belfour has been solid.
• Kaberle, McCabe played the entire first powerplay.
• Belak's had 2 good shots on net and played very well at forward.
• McCabe turned it over again at his own blue line. He did this regularly 2 yrs ago against the Flyers and again these last 3 games. Belfour is making his job look easy.
• Lindros has played a great 1st period.
• An interesting call at the end of the period by Kerry Fraser. 2-minutes to Steen for pushing Cole to the ice and 2-minutes for Cole getting pushed to the ice by Steen. WTF?

Intermission Notes

• Thinking long-term, we have 3 great centermen (Lindros, Sundin, Allison) and 3 great shots (Lindros, Sundin, O'Neill). This means that Allison and O'Neill have to play together with Sundin and Lindros centering the other 2 top-lines. I like Lindros with Poniko, Antropov, Sundin with Steen and Stajan and Allison with O'Neill and Tucker. Wilm, Domi and Belak (and 7th D) on the 4th-line. This leave Wellwood on the outside looking in, which is very nice and he'll likely play most games subbing for injuries.

2nd Period

• Kaberle lets Staal go on a break-away and he scores. McCabe should've backed up his linemate.
• Already on the PP, Wellwood went to the net, got hooked. 2-man advantage.
• Kilger is playing for a position on the team tonight. Either he or Perrott will be gone when Sundin returns. Both have looked like average AHL players this season.
• Poniko is really looking good. At the start of the season, I could have classified him with Kilger and Perrott.
• I've seen this call many times this year. The defensive players shoots the puck off the offensive player and the faceoff is inside the blueline.
• Twice tonight the Leafs have been down for 2-minutes and nearly 2-minutes on really soft calls. Whitney scores 2-1 Hurricanes.
• Steen and Stajan short-handed looked like Lemieux and Gretzky. Steen scores 2-2.

Intermission Notes

• Steen, Stajan, Wellwood and Antropov are the only Leafs with in the plus.
• All of Colaiacovo, Wozniewski and Kronvall have played with the Leafs in October. My understanding is that this is a complete salary cap waste.

3rd Period

• Big setup by Allison, Steen scores his second. 3-2 Leafs.
• Kilger may have just signed his papers to the minors. He picked off the puck in the slot and fired it off the glass. I don't know how many times this guy has been alone on the goalie and missed the entire net.
• Staal scored on the PP. Lindros and Berg didn't look too brilliant on the SH. 3-3.
• Belfour stoned Staal.
• Klee just got a penalty for holding while he was playing his man really soft. You could have given him a penalty for not playing his man tight enough. There was clearly no hold. Kerry Fraser is on drugs tonight.
• Send Kilger to a couch. He looks like a peewee playing with adults.
• Cole a Leaf killer, does it again. 4-3 Hurricanes.
• Leafs pull the goalie and Staal scored the hat-trick, BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.... Diving on Hurricanes. Idiot! Great call by Fraser and Cole is an idiot. He had an easy goal, had he not dived.
• Lindros killed Aaron Ward and will get a penalty. Worth it!

Lines

• Poniko, Lindros, O'Neil (EV)
• Steen, Stajan, Allison (EV)
• Tucker, Domi, Wellwood (EV)
• Kilger, Wilm, Belak (EV)
• Steen, Lindros, O'Neil (PP1)
• Tucker, Allison, Wellwood (PP2)

D

• Kaberle, McCabe (EV, SH, PP)
• Berg, Klee (EV, SH)
• Khavanov, Kronvall (EV)
• Klee, Khavanov (PP)

Hilarious pics of the families of famous NBA players.