High school hockey player paralyzed after hit into boards

Less than a period after scoring his team's first goal on Friday, a Minnesota high school hockey player was tragically paralyzed in a holiday tournament hockey game.

As first reported by MnHockeyHub.com and the Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High boys hockey site, and later confirmed by the Associated Press, Red Knights junior varsity star Jack Jablonski was paralyzed when he was accidentally checked from behind into the end boards during a Holiday Hockey Classic Tournament game against Wayzata (Minn.) High on Friday night. The 16-year-old sophomore reportedly collapsed motionless on the ice immediately after the hit, and was carted off the ice and immediately sent to a nearby hospital.

Benilde-St. Margaret's junior varsity hockey coach Chris McGowan said that Jablonski has been unable to move his legs and has experienced only slight movement in his hands and fingers since the on-ice injury.

According to MnHockeyHub, the forward spent the first day of 2012 at Hennepin County Medical Center, where his recovery from two broken bones in his lower neck -- and what doctors expect is a bruised spinal cord -- is currently progressing at an unknown pace. Jablonski's CaringBridge.org charity page said that he was put in a Halo apparatus to stabilize his head and spinal cord, with MnHockeyHub noting that doctors refuse to speculate on his potential recovery until after swelling in his injuries has reduced. Still, while the setback could be completely devastating for any athlete, McGowan reported that the sophomore was surprisingly upbeat and aware in his hospital room on Sunday afternoon, with surgery to repair his broken vertebrae likely to move ahead as soon as the swelling subsides. "His spirits were really quite good. He's talking. He knows who everybody is. He's laughing," McGowan told MnHockeyHub.com.

That's a touching sentiment for all hockey fans, with hope now centered on a full recovery for the budding high school hockey and tennis player.

High school hockey player paralyzed after hit into boards

Less than a period after scoring his team's first goal on Friday, a Minnesota high school hockey player was tragically paralyzed in a holiday tournament hockey game.

As first reported by MnHockeyHub.com and the Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High boys hockey site, and later confirmed by the Associated Press, Red Knights junior varsity star Jack Jablonski was paralyzed when he was accidentally checked from behind into the end boards during a Holiday Hockey Classic Tournament game against Wayzata (Minn.) High on Friday night. The 16-year-old sophomore reportedly collapsed motionless on the ice immediately after the hit, and was carted off the ice and immediately sent to a nearby hospital.

Benilde-St. Margaret's junior varsity hockey coach Chris McGowan said that Jablonski has been unable to move his legs and has experienced only slight movement in his hands and fingers since the on-ice injury.

According to MnHockeyHub, the forward spent the first day of 2012 at Hennepin County Medical Center, where his recovery from two broken bones in his lower neck -- and what doctors expect is a bruised spinal cord -- is currently progressing at an unknown pace. Jablonski's CaringBridge.org charity page said that he was put in a Halo apparatus to stabilize his head and spinal cord, with MnHockeyHub noting that doctors refuse to speculate on his potential recovery until after swelling in his injuries has reduced. Still, while the setback could be completely devastating for any athlete, McGowan reported that the sophomore was surprisingly upbeat and aware in his hospital room on Sunday afternoon, with surgery to repair his broken vertebrae likely to move ahead as soon as the swelling subsides. "His spirits were really quite good. He's talking. He knows who everybody is. He's laughing," McGowan told MnHockeyHub.com.

That's a touching sentiment for all hockey fans, with hope now centered on a full recovery for the budding high school hockey and tennis player.

High school hockey player paralyzed after hit into boards

Less than a period after scoring his team's first goal on Friday, a Minnesota high school hockey player was tragically paralyzed in a holiday tournament hockey game.

As first reported by MnHockeyHub.com and the Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High boys hockey site, and later confirmed by the Associated Press, Red Knights junior varsity star Jack Jablonski was paralyzed when he was accidentally checked from behind into the end boards during a Holiday Hockey Classic Tournament game against Wayzata (Minn.) High on Friday night. The 16-year-old sophomore reportedly collapsed motionless on the ice immediately after the hit, and was carted off the ice and immediately sent to a nearby hospital.

Benilde-St. Margaret's junior varsity hockey coach Chris McGowan said that Jablonski has been unable to move his legs and has experienced only slight movement in his hands and fingers since the on-ice injury.

According to MnHockeyHub, the forward spent the first day of 2012 at Hennepin County Medical Center, where his recovery from two broken bones in his lower neck -- and what doctors expect is a bruised spinal cord -- is currently progressing at an unknown pace. Jablonski's CaringBridge.org charity page said that he was put in a Halo apparatus to stabilize his head and spinal cord, with MnHockeyHub noting that doctors refuse to speculate on his potential recovery until after swelling in his injuries has reduced. Still, while the setback could be completely devastating for any athlete, McGowan reported that the sophomore was surprisingly upbeat and aware in his hospital room on Sunday afternoon, with surgery to repair his broken vertebrae likely to move ahead as soon as the swelling subsides. "His spirits were really quite good. He's talking. He knows who everybody is. He's laughing," McGowan told MnHockeyHub.com.

That's a touching sentiment for all hockey fans, with hope now centered on a full recovery for the budding high school hockey and tennis player.

Packers linebacker says he tackled fan

Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones didn't want to do the job of security on Sunday when a 15-year-old ran onto Lambeau Field but, the way he saw it, he didn't have much choice."Really, I was just cold," he told reporters. The sober teenager did a reverse Lambeau Leap in the fourth quarter and ran with his hands raised for 50 yards before Jones stepped in and brought him down. Not that the kid cared."I think he was still laughing," Jones said. "I think I could still hear him.In the picture above, it does look like the 15-year-old is smiling. Not only that, Jones seems to be enjoying himself too. That's how magical it is in Titletown U.S.A., even interlopers and their rogue tacklers have a twinkle in their eye.Jones says his takedown has been a popular subject this week. He estimates he's asked about it every five minutes.

The Appleton Post-Crescent reports the fan was charged with unlawful conduct at a public event and was released on an $870 bond. He is not welcome back at Lambeau Field.

Packers linebacker says he tackled fan

Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones didn't want to do the job of security on Sunday when a 15-year-old ran onto Lambeau Field but, the way he saw it, he didn't have much choice."Really, I was just cold," he told reporters. The sober teenager did a reverse Lambeau Leap in the fourth quarter and ran with his hands raised for 50 yards before Jones stepped in and brought him down. Not that the kid cared."I think he was still laughing," Jones said. "I think I could still hear him.In the picture above, it does look like the 15-year-old is smiling. Not only that, Jones seems to be enjoying himself too. That's how magical it is in Titletown U.S.A., even interlopers and their rogue tacklers have a twinkle in their eye.Jones says his takedown has been a popular subject this week. He estimates he's asked about it every five minutes.

The Appleton Post-Crescent reports the fan was charged with unlawful conduct at a public event and was released on an $870 bond. He is not welcome back at Lambeau Field.

Packers linebacker says he tackled fan

Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones didn't want to do the job of security on Sunday when a 15-year-old ran onto Lambeau Field but, the way he saw it, he didn't have much choice."Really, I was just cold," he told reporters. The sober teenager did a reverse Lambeau Leap in the fourth quarter and ran with his hands raised for 50 yards before Jones stepped in and brought him down. Not that the kid cared."I think he was still laughing," Jones said. "I think I could still hear him.In the picture above, it does look like the 15-year-old is smiling. Not only that, Jones seems to be enjoying himself too. That's how magical it is in Titletown U.S.A., even interlopers and their rogue tacklers have a twinkle in their eye.Jones says his takedown has been a popular subject this week. He estimates he's asked about it every five minutes.

The Appleton Post-Crescent reports the fan was charged with unlawful conduct at a public event and was released on an $870 bond. He is not welcome back at Lambeau Field.

Think About Baseball? Michigan Kicker Brendan

Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes get all the glory. At least they do now in Ann Arbor.In Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl, Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons delivered the winning kick in overtime to defeat Virginia Tech, 23-20. His clutch 37-yard field goal followed a 37-yard miss by the Hokies -- who are known for great special teams play. Gibbons' boot was a huge moment for Michigan fans, who have watched Wolverine kickers fail in big pressure situations for years.

"Every time we were struggling in kicking," Gibbons told the media, "coach always tells me to think about girls on a beach or brunette girls. So that's what we did."Coach Brady Hoke clearly did a great job helping his kicker win one for the team and helping oft-overlooked women get some love. So ladies, next time you reach for the bleach.

Think About Baseball? Michigan Kicker Brendan

Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes get all the glory. At least they do now in Ann Arbor.In Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl, Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons delivered the winning kick in overtime to defeat Virginia Tech, 23-20. His clutch 37-yard field goal followed a 37-yard miss by the Hokies -- who are known for great special teams play. Gibbons' boot was a huge moment for Michigan fans, who have watched Wolverine kickers fail in big pressure situations for years.

"Every time we were struggling in kicking," Gibbons told the media, "coach always tells me to think about girls on a beach or brunette girls. So that's what we did."Coach Brady Hoke clearly did a great job helping his kicker win one for the team and helping oft-overlooked women get some love. So ladies, next time you reach for the bleach.

Think About Baseball? Michigan Kicker Brendan

Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes get all the glory. At least they do now in Ann Arbor.In Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl, Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons delivered the winning kick in overtime to defeat Virginia Tech, 23-20. His clutch 37-yard field goal followed a 37-yard miss by the Hokies -- who are known for great special teams play. Gibbons' boot was a huge moment for Michigan fans, who have watched Wolverine kickers fail in big pressure situations for years.

"Every time we were struggling in kicking," Gibbons told the media, "coach always tells me to think about girls on a beach or brunette girls. So that's what we did."Coach Brady Hoke clearly did a great job helping his kicker win one for the team and helping oft-overlooked women get some love. So ladies, next time you reach for the bleach.

World’s oldest twins celebrate 102nd birthdays

The world's oldest twins celebrated their 102^nd birthday together on Wednesday. Born on January 4, 1910, Ena Pugh and Lily Millward have spent each of their birthdays together. They were presented with copies of the Guinness World Records book, which includes their entry. More from the Daily Mail:

Lily's proud daughter Dianne Powell, 65, told Wales News Service: 'My mum's recovering in hospital after she slipped and fell just before Christmas. But she's in good spirits and enjoying the attention of being one of the world's oldest twins.'Ena pops in to see her in hospital when she can - they are very close. And despite the terrible weather she made a special effort to get together on their birthday.'

The English twins were born before the beginning of World War I, and they still meet up for weekly shopping trips and talk on the phone nearly every day. Lily Millward said "laughter and having a joke with each other" has been the secret to their longevity.

"We used to work on the farm all day, but we would enjoy ourselves,' Millward said. 'It was a lot of fun and sociable. We've been very lucky and we have always had good health." And the twins manage to get by without some modern technological innovations, including central heating. "Until my mum's accident, they would jump on a bus on their own every Friday so they can go shopping together and have a chat over a cup of tea," Powell said. "And they ring each other almost every evening although they are both very hard of hearing--they can't really always know what the other is saying but just enjoy talking to each other."

World’s oldest twins celebrate 102nd birthdays

The world's oldest twins celebrated their 102^nd birthday together on Wednesday. Born on January 4, 1910, Ena Pugh and Lily Millward have spent each of their birthdays together. They were presented with copies of the Guinness World Records book, which includes their entry. More from the Daily Mail:

Lily's proud daughter Dianne Powell, 65, told Wales News Service: 'My mum's recovering in hospital after she slipped and fell just before Christmas. But she's in good spirits and enjoying the attention of being one of the world's oldest twins.'Ena pops in to see her in hospital when she can - they are very close. And despite the terrible weather she made a special effort to get together on their birthday.'

The English twins were born before the beginning of World War I, and they still meet up for weekly shopping trips and talk on the phone nearly every day. Lily Millward said "laughter and having a joke with each other" has been the secret to their longevity.

"We used to work on the farm all day, but we would enjoy ourselves,' Millward said. 'It was a lot of fun and sociable. We've been very lucky and we have always had good health." And the twins manage to get by without some modern technological innovations, including central heating. "Until my mum's accident, they would jump on a bus on their own every Friday so they can go shopping together and have a chat over a cup of tea," Powell said. "And they ring each other almost every evening although they are both very hard of hearing--they can't really always know what the other is saying but just enjoy talking to each other."

World’s oldest twins celebrate 102nd birthdays

The world's oldest twins celebrated their 102^nd birthday together on Wednesday. Born on January 4, 1910, Ena Pugh and Lily Millward have spent each of their birthdays together. They were presented with copies of the Guinness World Records book, which includes their entry. More from the Daily Mail:

Lily's proud daughter Dianne Powell, 65, told Wales News Service: 'My mum's recovering in hospital after she slipped and fell just before Christmas. But she's in good spirits and enjoying the attention of being one of the world's oldest twins.'Ena pops in to see her in hospital when she can - they are very close. And despite the terrible weather she made a special effort to get together on their birthday.'

The English twins were born before the beginning of World War I, and they still meet up for weekly shopping trips and talk on the phone nearly every day. Lily Millward said "laughter and having a joke with each other" has been the secret to their longevity.

"We used to work on the farm all day, but we would enjoy ourselves,' Millward said. 'It was a lot of fun and sociable. We've been very lucky and we have always had good health." And the twins manage to get by without some modern technological innovations, including central heating. "Until my mum's accident, they would jump on a bus on their own every Friday so they can go shopping together and have a chat over a cup of tea," Powell said. "And they ring each other almost every evening although they are both very hard of hearing--they can't really always know what the other is saying but just enjoy talking to each other."

Denver Playoff Game

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark will not play in Pittsburgh's playoff game against Denver this weekend, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday. Clark carries the sickle cell trait, which becomes especially dangerous in high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions, which the Steelers will be experiencing Sunday afternoon in Denver. The last time Clark played in Denver, it cost him his spleen, his gallbladder, 30 pounds and the rest of the season. Since that 2007 game, the Steelers have played in Denver twice, and Clark was held out of both of those games, too.Here's Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin:

"I met with him and informed him I am not going to allow him to play in the game," Tomlin said. "It was an easy decision for us. When looking at all of our data we came to the determination he is at more risk so we are not going to play him. It's that simple."

Admittedly, I'm an outsider who knows nothing about any of this, but holding Clark out of the game seems like the responsible decision to make. An easy one, too. If one game was that harmful to him, you don't let him put himself in that situation again. There's football, and there's life. Like Tomlin said, it's that simple. A lot of people with sickle cell can lead perfectly normal lives with treatment. Clark is proof of that, having made himself a world-class athlete despite the condition. In a small number of patients, though, physical exertion at high altitudes can be really dangerous.

Sickle cell works by preventing red blood cells from traveling through the body, depriving vital organs of oxygen. At high altitudes, getting enough oxygen is hard enough. That's what happened to his spleen in the 2007 game. Oxygen deprivation damaged it to the point it had to be taken out with emergency surgery. Later, his gallbladder had to come out, too.

Denver Playoff Game

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark will not play in Pittsburgh's playoff game against Denver this weekend, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday. Clark carries the sickle cell trait, which becomes especially dangerous in high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions, which the Steelers will be experiencing Sunday afternoon in Denver. The last time Clark played in Denver, it cost him his spleen, his gallbladder, 30 pounds and the rest of the season. Since that 2007 game, the Steelers have played in Denver twice, and Clark was held out of both of those games, too.Here's Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin:

"I met with him and informed him I am not going to allow him to play in the game," Tomlin said. "It was an easy decision for us. When looking at all of our data we came to the determination he is at more risk so we are not going to play him. It's that simple."

Admittedly, I'm an outsider who knows nothing about any of this, but holding Clark out of the game seems like the responsible decision to make. An easy one, too. If one game was that harmful to him, you don't let him put himself in that situation again. There's football, and there's life. Like Tomlin said, it's that simple. A lot of people with sickle cell can lead perfectly normal lives with treatment. Clark is proof of that, having made himself a world-class athlete despite the condition. In a small number of patients, though, physical exertion at high altitudes can be really dangerous.

Sickle cell works by preventing red blood cells from traveling through the body, depriving vital organs of oxygen. At high altitudes, getting enough oxygen is hard enough. That's what happened to his spleen in the 2007 game. Oxygen deprivation damaged it to the point it had to be taken out with emergency surgery. Later, his gallbladder had to come out, too.

Denver Playoff Game

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark will not play in Pittsburgh's playoff game against Denver this weekend, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday. Clark carries the sickle cell trait, which becomes especially dangerous in high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions, which the Steelers will be experiencing Sunday afternoon in Denver. The last time Clark played in Denver, it cost him his spleen, his gallbladder, 30 pounds and the rest of the season. Since that 2007 game, the Steelers have played in Denver twice, and Clark was held out of both of those games, too.Here's Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin:

"I met with him and informed him I am not going to allow him to play in the game," Tomlin said. "It was an easy decision for us. When looking at all of our data we came to the determination he is at more risk so we are not going to play him. It's that simple."

Admittedly, I'm an outsider who knows nothing about any of this, but holding Clark out of the game seems like the responsible decision to make. An easy one, too. If one game was that harmful to him, you don't let him put himself in that situation again. There's football, and there's life. Like Tomlin said, it's that simple. A lot of people with sickle cell can lead perfectly normal lives with treatment. Clark is proof of that, having made himself a world-class athlete despite the condition. In a small number of patients, though, physical exertion at high altitudes can be really dangerous.

Sickle cell works by preventing red blood cells from traveling through the body, depriving vital organs of oxygen. At high altitudes, getting enough oxygen is hard enough. That's what happened to his spleen in the 2007 game. Oxygen deprivation damaged it to the point it had to be taken out with emergency surgery. Later, his gallbladder had to come out, too.

Prep dunker soars over 6-foot-11 teammate to win contest

Prep Rally first introduced you to Johnson in July, when summer highlight reels of his exploits were gaining attention and pushing the Auburn commitment's stock into the realm of national significance. Well, somehow Johnson appears to have gained even more vertical lift since then, as the Milton (Ga.) High small forward proved in the dunk contest of the 2011 Myrtle Beach Beach Ball Classic, a prestigious event which has been won by the likes of Kobe Bryant in the past.

Yet, it's questionable whether even the likes of Bryant could pull off what Johnson did in the clip above: He dunked above a 6-foot-11 teammate. Six-foot-11!!!

What's even more impressive about the dunk is how easy Johnson made it look. The explosive forward took off from near the free-throw line in classic, Air Jordan fashion, then soared to the hoop directly over his teammate's head, without so much as touching a hair on the head of teammate Jahlil Okafor (yes, he is a relative -- a cousin to be exact -- of onetime NBA rookie of the year Emeka Okafor).

That's just crazy. Of course, Johnson wasn't done there, either. He followed that dunk up with a nasty reverse windmill, then topped his evening off with a ridiculous 360 dunk (you can see that at the 4:10 mark of the video above) and then repeated his 6-foot-11 exploits just to prove the first slam wasn't a fluke.

Whether or not Johnson turns out to be a star for the Tigers, someone should just sign him up for the annual collegiate slam dunk contest now. In fact, he might even be worth penciling in for a win. He's that ridiculous, and given his steady improvement, who knows what he might pull off next.

Prep dunker soars over 6-foot-11 teammate to win contest

Prep Rally first introduced you to Johnson in July, when summer highlight reels of his exploits were gaining attention and pushing the Auburn commitment's stock into the realm of national significance. Well, somehow Johnson appears to have gained even more vertical lift since then, as the Milton (Ga.) High small forward proved in the dunk contest of the 2011 Myrtle Beach Beach Ball Classic, a prestigious event which has been won by the likes of Kobe Bryant in the past.

Yet, it's questionable whether even the likes of Bryant could pull off what Johnson did in the clip above: He dunked above a 6-foot-11 teammate. Six-foot-11!!!

What's even more impressive about the dunk is how easy Johnson made it look. The explosive forward took off from near the free-throw line in classic, Air Jordan fashion, then soared to the hoop directly over his teammate's head, without so much as touching a hair on the head of teammate Jahlil Okafor (yes, he is a relative -- a cousin to be exact -- of onetime NBA rookie of the year Emeka Okafor).

That's just crazy. Of course, Johnson wasn't done there, either. He followed that dunk up with a nasty reverse windmill, then topped his evening off with a ridiculous 360 dunk (you can see that at the 4:10 mark of the video above) and then repeated his 6-foot-11 exploits just to prove the first slam wasn't a fluke.

Whether or not Johnson turns out to be a star for the Tigers, someone should just sign him up for the annual collegiate slam dunk contest now. In fact, he might even be worth penciling in for a win. He's that ridiculous, and given his steady improvement, who knows what he might pull off next.

Prep dunker soars over 6-foot-11 teammate to win contest

Prep Rally first introduced you to Johnson in July, when summer highlight reels of his exploits were gaining attention and pushing the Auburn commitment's stock into the realm of national significance. Well, somehow Johnson appears to have gained even more vertical lift since then, as the Milton (Ga.) High small forward proved in the dunk contest of the 2011 Myrtle Beach Beach Ball Classic, a prestigious event which has been won by the likes of Kobe Bryant in the past.

Yet, it's questionable whether even the likes of Bryant could pull off what Johnson did in the clip above: He dunked above a 6-foot-11 teammate. Six-foot-11!!!

What's even more impressive about the dunk is how easy Johnson made it look. The explosive forward took off from near the free-throw line in classic, Air Jordan fashion, then soared to the hoop directly over his teammate's head, without so much as touching a hair on the head of teammate Jahlil Okafor (yes, he is a relative -- a cousin to be exact -- of onetime NBA rookie of the year Emeka Okafor).

That's just crazy. Of course, Johnson wasn't done there, either. He followed that dunk up with a nasty reverse windmill, then topped his evening off with a ridiculous 360 dunk (you can see that at the 4:10 mark of the video above) and then repeated his 6-foot-11 exploits just to prove the first slam wasn't a fluke.

Whether or not Johnson turns out to be a star for the Tigers, someone should just sign him up for the annual collegiate slam dunk contest now. In fact, he might even be worth penciling in for a win. He's that ridiculous, and given his steady improvement, who knows what he might pull off next.

Ddisallowed Three Preserves Michigan State Win

It took a controversial reversed call by referees to enable 10th-ranked Michigan State to finally break its decade-long Kohl curse.With the Spartans protecting a 63-60 lead and just a few seconds remaining in overtime, Wisconsin forward Ryan Evans rebounded an errant Jordan Taylor three and banked in a right-wing desperation heave that appeared to force a second overtime period. Referees initially ruled that Evans' shot counted, but they ran into an unusual dilemma when they reviewed the play on a courtside monitor.The clock on the ribbon board at the Kohl Center indicated Evans released the shot with a few tenths of a second left. The one above the basket synced to the red light behind the backboard read zeroes while the ball was still in Evans' hand. Lead referee Pat Driscoll told a pool reporter in Madison that left him no choice but to disallow the basket and declare Michigan State a 63-60 winner since it's the second clock that is official.

"In the rulebook, it's Rule 5 under, 'Scoring and Timing Regulation, Section 7, Beginning and End of the Period,'" Driscoll said. "In games with a tenth of a second, game clock display where an official courtside monitor is used -- which we had tonight -- the reading of zeroes on the clock is to be used to determine whether a field goal (is good) before or after the expiration of time and the period."In the process, by rule, we go to the courtside monitor. Any shot near the expiration of time for the first or second half, we review. Upon our review, we determined that the ball remained in the hand of the Wisconsin player at the reading of zeroes. [...] By rule, we have to go by the clock that is on the backboard."

The ruling by the referees left Michigan State jubilant, Wisconsin perplexed and the Kohl Center crowd enraged. The Badgers rallied from a five-point deficit at the end of regulation and appeared to storm back from six points down in the final 15 seconds in overtime, but instead fell to 1-2 in Big Ten play.Said Spartans coach Tom Izzo: "I don't know what happened at the end, nor do I care. I thought we played well enough and earned the win."Said Badgers coach Bo Ryan: "What are you going to do? Violence is out of the question."

Ddisallowed Three Preserves Michigan State Win

It took a controversial reversed call by referees to enable 10th-ranked Michigan State to finally break its decade-long Kohl curse.With the Spartans protecting a 63-60 lead and just a few seconds remaining in overtime, Wisconsin forward Ryan Evans rebounded an errant Jordan Taylor three and banked in a right-wing desperation heave that appeared to force a second overtime period. Referees initially ruled that Evans' shot counted, but they ran into an unusual dilemma when they reviewed the play on a courtside monitor.The clock on the ribbon board at the Kohl Center indicated Evans released the shot with a few tenths of a second left. The one above the basket synced to the red light behind the backboard read zeroes while the ball was still in Evans' hand. Lead referee Pat Driscoll told a pool reporter in Madison that left him no choice but to disallow the basket and declare Michigan State a 63-60 winner since it's the second clock that is official.

"In the rulebook, it's Rule 5 under, 'Scoring and Timing Regulation, Section 7, Beginning and End of the Period,'" Driscoll said. "In games with a tenth of a second, game clock display where an official courtside monitor is used -- which we had tonight -- the reading of zeroes on the clock is to be used to determine whether a field goal (is good) before or after the expiration of time and the period."In the process, by rule, we go to the courtside monitor. Any shot near the expiration of time for the first or second half, we review. Upon our review, we determined that the ball remained in the hand of the Wisconsin player at the reading of zeroes. [...] By rule, we have to go by the clock that is on the backboard."

The ruling by the referees left Michigan State jubilant, Wisconsin perplexed and the Kohl Center crowd enraged. The Badgers rallied from a five-point deficit at the end of regulation and appeared to storm back from six points down in the final 15 seconds in overtime, but instead fell to 1-2 in Big Ten play.Said Spartans coach Tom Izzo: "I don't know what happened at the end, nor do I care. I thought we played well enough and earned the win."Said Badgers coach Bo Ryan: "What are you going to do? Violence is out of the question."

Ddisallowed Three Preserves Michigan State Win

It took a controversial reversed call by referees to enable 10th-ranked Michigan State to finally break its decade-long Kohl curse.With the Spartans protecting a 63-60 lead and just a few seconds remaining in overtime, Wisconsin forward Ryan Evans rebounded an errant Jordan Taylor three and banked in a right-wing desperation heave that appeared to force a second overtime period. Referees initially ruled that Evans' shot counted, but they ran into an unusual dilemma when they reviewed the play on a courtside monitor.The clock on the ribbon board at the Kohl Center indicated Evans released the shot with a few tenths of a second left. The one above the basket synced to the red light behind the backboard read zeroes while the ball was still in Evans' hand. Lead referee Pat Driscoll told a pool reporter in Madison that left him no choice but to disallow the basket and declare Michigan State a 63-60 winner since it's the second clock that is official.

"In the rulebook, it's Rule 5 under, 'Scoring and Timing Regulation, Section 7, Beginning and End of the Period,'" Driscoll said. "In games with a tenth of a second, game clock display where an official courtside monitor is used -- which we had tonight -- the reading of zeroes on the clock is to be used to determine whether a field goal (is good) before or after the expiration of time and the period."In the process, by rule, we go to the courtside monitor. Any shot near the expiration of time for the first or second half, we review. Upon our review, we determined that the ball remained in the hand of the Wisconsin player at the reading of zeroes. [...] By rule, we have to go by the clock that is on the backboard."

The ruling by the referees left Michigan State jubilant, Wisconsin perplexed and the Kohl Center crowd enraged. The Badgers rallied from a five-point deficit at the end of regulation and appeared to storm back from six points down in the final 15 seconds in overtime, but instead fell to 1-2 in Big Ten play.Said Spartans coach Tom Izzo: "I don't know what happened at the end, nor do I care. I thought we played well enough and earned the win."Said Badgers coach Bo Ryan: "What are you going to do? Violence is out of the question."

Bowling Green Senior Breaks Record

Bowling Green's Torian Oglesby has carved out a spot for himself in the Falcons' rotation because of his defense and rebounding, so even the 6-foot-7 senior admits he's surprised it's his scoring that has earned him national recognition. Since a missed dunk attempt in a victory over Temple on Nov. 27, Oglesby has sunk 26 consecutive shots over the course of seven games. His tip-in of a teammate's missed layup with 34 seconds left in Sunday's overtime loss to Texas-San Antonio capped a 10-for-10 shooting night and broke the NCAA Division I record of 25 consecutive buckets set by Ray Voelkel of American in 1978. "I never thought I would be the one to do something like that," Oglesby said. "As the game was going on, I wasn't thinking about breaking a record. I didn't know anything about it until after the game. But once I found out, I was pretty proud about it."

What makes Bowling Green coach Louis Orr especially proud of the record is the way Oglesby has achieved it. Oglesby hasn't scored by demanding the ball in the post or by floating to the perimeter for jump shots. Instead the Michigan native has continued to fill his customary role of running the floor in transition and crashing the offensive glass, scoring the majority of his points on dunks, put-backs and tip-ins.

"It's a credit to him staying disciplined with his game and knowing who he is," Orr said. "He doesn't shoot three-pointers, but he's very efficient around the basket, he's very athletic and he has great timing on offensive rebounds. He doesn't take any shots that he can't make, and it has helped us because he has been able to score points just off of his activity and his energy."

The way Oglesby has developed at Bowling Green validates the risk Orr took signing him in 2010 even though he had played minimal organized basketball prior to his two seasons at Mott Community College. Oglesby only averaged 10 points per game in his second year at Mott, but he helped lead the team to a 26-4 record by averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, making 41 steals and shooting 63.9 percent from the floor. Since enrolling at Bowling Green, Oglesby has become even more explosive thanks to his diligence in conditioning and in the weight room. He averages 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game off the bench and he has made an extraordinarily efficient 33 of 37 field goal attempts on the season."I take pride in the little things because I know that's what it takes to win," Oglesby said. "I dunk, I rebound and I defend. That's pretty much what I'm out there for."

It wasn't until Orr realized Oglesby had made all 10 of his shots against Texas-San Antonio that he thought to have athletic communications director Jason Knavel investigate whether the senior was approaching an NCAA record. Sure enough, Knavel discovered that Oglesby had surpassed Voelkel on his final bucket that day. Oglesby initially didn't think the record was all that significant, but the national media attention and the flood of congratulatory calls and texts from friends and family have made him more aware of what he has accomplished."It's something I can say I did that's positive," Oglesby said. "I didn't expect myself to break a record and my family didn't expect me to break a record. Nobody would have expected it to be me, but thank God it was."

Bowling Green Senior Breaks Record

Bowling Green's Torian Oglesby has carved out a spot for himself in the Falcons' rotation because of his defense and rebounding, so even the 6-foot-7 senior admits he's surprised it's his scoring that has earned him national recognition. Since a missed dunk attempt in a victory over Temple on Nov. 27, Oglesby has sunk 26 consecutive shots over the course of seven games. His tip-in of a teammate's missed layup with 34 seconds left in Sunday's overtime loss to Texas-San Antonio capped a 10-for-10 shooting night and broke the NCAA Division I record of 25 consecutive buckets set by Ray Voelkel of American in 1978. "I never thought I would be the one to do something like that," Oglesby said. "As the game was going on, I wasn't thinking about breaking a record. I didn't know anything about it until after the game. But once I found out, I was pretty proud about it."

What makes Bowling Green coach Louis Orr especially proud of the record is the way Oglesby has achieved it. Oglesby hasn't scored by demanding the ball in the post or by floating to the perimeter for jump shots. Instead the Michigan native has continued to fill his customary role of running the floor in transition and crashing the offensive glass, scoring the majority of his points on dunks, put-backs and tip-ins.

"It's a credit to him staying disciplined with his game and knowing who he is," Orr said. "He doesn't shoot three-pointers, but he's very efficient around the basket, he's very athletic and he has great timing on offensive rebounds. He doesn't take any shots that he can't make, and it has helped us because he has been able to score points just off of his activity and his energy."

The way Oglesby has developed at Bowling Green validates the risk Orr took signing him in 2010 even though he had played minimal organized basketball prior to his two seasons at Mott Community College. Oglesby only averaged 10 points per game in his second year at Mott, but he helped lead the team to a 26-4 record by averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, making 41 steals and shooting 63.9 percent from the floor. Since enrolling at Bowling Green, Oglesby has become even more explosive thanks to his diligence in conditioning and in the weight room. He averages 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game off the bench and he has made an extraordinarily efficient 33 of 37 field goal attempts on the season."I take pride in the little things because I know that's what it takes to win," Oglesby said. "I dunk, I rebound and I defend. That's pretty much what I'm out there for."

It wasn't until Orr realized Oglesby had made all 10 of his shots against Texas-San Antonio that he thought to have athletic communications director Jason Knavel investigate whether the senior was approaching an NCAA record. Sure enough, Knavel discovered that Oglesby had surpassed Voelkel on his final bucket that day. Oglesby initially didn't think the record was all that significant, but the national media attention and the flood of congratulatory calls and texts from friends and family have made him more aware of what he has accomplished."It's something I can say I did that's positive," Oglesby said. "I didn't expect myself to break a record and my family didn't expect me to break a record. Nobody would have expected it to be me, but thank God it was."

Bowling Green Senior Breaks Record

Bowling Green's Torian Oglesby has carved out a spot for himself in the Falcons' rotation because of his defense and rebounding, so even the 6-foot-7 senior admits he's surprised it's his scoring that has earned him national recognition. Since a missed dunk attempt in a victory over Temple on Nov. 27, Oglesby has sunk 26 consecutive shots over the course of seven games. His tip-in of a teammate's missed layup with 34 seconds left in Sunday's overtime loss to Texas-San Antonio capped a 10-for-10 shooting night and broke the NCAA Division I record of 25 consecutive buckets set by Ray Voelkel of American in 1978. "I never thought I would be the one to do something like that," Oglesby said. "As the game was going on, I wasn't thinking about breaking a record. I didn't know anything about it until after the game. But once I found out, I was pretty proud about it."

What makes Bowling Green coach Louis Orr especially proud of the record is the way Oglesby has achieved it. Oglesby hasn't scored by demanding the ball in the post or by floating to the perimeter for jump shots. Instead the Michigan native has continued to fill his customary role of running the floor in transition and crashing the offensive glass, scoring the majority of his points on dunks, put-backs and tip-ins.

"It's a credit to him staying disciplined with his game and knowing who he is," Orr said. "He doesn't shoot three-pointers, but he's very efficient around the basket, he's very athletic and he has great timing on offensive rebounds. He doesn't take any shots that he can't make, and it has helped us because he has been able to score points just off of his activity and his energy."

The way Oglesby has developed at Bowling Green validates the risk Orr took signing him in 2010 even though he had played minimal organized basketball prior to his two seasons at Mott Community College. Oglesby only averaged 10 points per game in his second year at Mott, but he helped lead the team to a 26-4 record by averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, making 41 steals and shooting 63.9 percent from the floor. Since enrolling at Bowling Green, Oglesby has become even more explosive thanks to his diligence in conditioning and in the weight room. He averages 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game off the bench and he has made an extraordinarily efficient 33 of 37 field goal attempts on the season."I take pride in the little things because I know that's what it takes to win," Oglesby said. "I dunk, I rebound and I defend. That's pretty much what I'm out there for."

It wasn't until Orr realized Oglesby had made all 10 of his shots against Texas-San Antonio that he thought to have athletic communications director Jason Knavel investigate whether the senior was approaching an NCAA record. Sure enough, Knavel discovered that Oglesby had surpassed Voelkel on his final bucket that day. Oglesby initially didn't think the record was all that significant, but the national media attention and the flood of congratulatory calls and texts from friends and family have made him more aware of what he has accomplished."It's something I can say I did that's positive," Oglesby said. "I didn't expect myself to break a record and my family didn't expect me to break a record. Nobody would have expected it to be me, but thank God it was."

Limited in practice for Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he aggravated his sprained left ankle in 13-9 win at Cleveland last weekend but expects to play in the wild card game at Denver on Sunday. Roethlisberger says he experienced a “setback” early in the third quarter but isn’t sure when it happened. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 221 yards while taking every snap.

Roethlisberger was limited in practice on Wednesday and walked into the trainer’s room afterward with a noticeable limp. He injured the ankle while beating the Browns on Dec. 8 and missed a 24-0 win over St. Louis on Christmas Eve before returning in the regular season finale.

Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) was also limited in practice while linebacker James Harrison (toe), defensive end Brett Keisel (right groin), running back Mewelde Moore (sprained left knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (right calf) did not practice. All but Moore are expected to play against the Broncos.

Limited in practice for Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he aggravated his sprained left ankle in 13-9 win at Cleveland last weekend but expects to play in the wild card game at Denver on Sunday. Roethlisberger says he experienced a “setback” early in the third quarter but isn’t sure when it happened. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 221 yards while taking every snap.

Roethlisberger was limited in practice on Wednesday and walked into the trainer’s room afterward with a noticeable limp. He injured the ankle while beating the Browns on Dec. 8 and missed a 24-0 win over St. Louis on Christmas Eve before returning in the regular season finale.

Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) was also limited in practice while linebacker James Harrison (toe), defensive end Brett Keisel (right groin), running back Mewelde Moore (sprained left knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (right calf) did not practice. All but Moore are expected to play against the Broncos.

Limited in practice for Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he aggravated his sprained left ankle in 13-9 win at Cleveland last weekend but expects to play in the wild card game at Denver on Sunday. Roethlisberger says he experienced a “setback” early in the third quarter but isn’t sure when it happened. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 221 yards while taking every snap.

Roethlisberger was limited in practice on Wednesday and walked into the trainer’s room afterward with a noticeable limp. He injured the ankle while beating the Browns on Dec. 8 and missed a 24-0 win over St. Louis on Christmas Eve before returning in the regular season finale.

Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) was also limited in practice while linebacker James Harrison (toe), defensive end Brett Keisel (right groin), running back Mewelde Moore (sprained left knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (right calf) did not practice. All but Moore are expected to play against the Broncos.

HUDLER,FILPPULA LEAD RED WINGS OVER STARTS

Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula and Henrik Zetterberg form what's supposed to be Detroit's No. 2 line. Whatever the label, they're performing at a high level for the Red Wings. Hudler scored twice, Filppula added a goal and two assists, Zetterberg had three assists and Detroit hung on to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Tuesday night."I don't know what's the second line," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "They dominated the game offensively and defensively. They were by far the best line today." The trio combined for eight points in the first period, getting their team off to a flying start. "The puck kind of followed us for a few shifts," Zetterberg said. "Everything we tried worked. It was good for the confidence. (Filppula and Hudler) are having career years. The only one not having a career year is me, but two out of three isn't bad." Johan Franzen and Cory Emmerton also connected for the Red Wings, an NHL-best 15-2-1 at home but only 10-11-0 on the road. The Wings liked how they opened a four-game trip.

"We've done well at home, but haven't been able to play as well on the road," Filppula said. "It's a good question. We try to prepare the same as at home but it hasn't been working out. It's not easy to win anywhere. Home teams come hard, so maybe that affects us as well." Michael Ryder had two goals, Jamie Benn added a goal and two assists, and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Stars. Dallas is short-handed on defense, missing regulars Sheldon Souray (ankle), Stephane Robidas (foot) and Philip Larsen (concussion-like symptoms), and it showed against the speedy, skilled Wings. Injuries forced the callup of rookies Jordie Benn, older brother of Jamie Benn, and Brenden Dillon from the Texas Stars of the AHL. Jordie Benn made his NHL debut, collecting his first assist in the opening period, while Dillon was a healthy scratch. 

Filppula fired a loose puck into an open net for his 13th goal of the season at 8:02 of the first period. Zetterberg's shot went in off Hudler's skate to make it 2-0 at 17:06 of the first. The goal was upheld after a brief video review to determine whether Hudler kicked the puck into the net. Eriksson got Dallas on the board from the right circle at 17:56 of the first, assisted by both Benns, but Hudler struck from the slot at 19:00 for his second of the night to give Detroit a two-goal pad. Jamie Benn notched his 10th of the season on a sharp-angle shot from the right of the net at 1:04 of the second period to pull Dallas to 3-2, but Emmerton got the puck past Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen's right pad from a difficult angle at 3:51 of the second for a 4-2 edge. Once again, the Stars crept within a goal when Ryder's shot from long range slipped through Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard's pads at 7:25 of the second. Franzen restored the two-goal advantage with a shot into the top right corner from the left circle at 11:46 of the second, his team-leading 16th of the season.

But Ryder beat Howard from the right circle at 14:07 of the third for Ryder's team-high 17th of the season to narrow the gap to 5-4. Dallas pulled Lehtonen late to add a sixth attacker, but the Stars couldn't mount a final rally to send the game into overtime.

"You never want to get down, especially against those guys," Jamie Benn said. "They're a good team, they play a solid game and we almost came back there but it just wasn't enough. I think we kept battling back. It shows our character, and I think we just ran out of time."

Linesman Steve Miller left in the first period with concussion-like symptoms. Miller hit his head when he accidentally collided with Stars D Mark Fistric. Miller left the ice and was treated by Stars medical personnel, who ruled him out for the rest of the game, leaving the crew with two referees and one linesman. ... Only one penalty was called, a holding-the-stick infraction on Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi 15 seconds after the opening faceoff. ... Forwards Darren Helm (strained groin), Tomas Holmstrom (groin) and Patrick Eaves (jaw) were out for Detroit . ... Forward Tomas Vincour (knee) was out for Dallas. ... The Benns are the third set of brothers to play in the same game for the Stars since their move to Dallas in 1993. The others: Derian and Kevin Hatcher, and Neal and Paul Broten.

HUDLER,FILPPULA LEAD RED WINGS OVER STARTS

Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula and Henrik Zetterberg form what's supposed to be Detroit's No. 2 line. Whatever the label, they're performing at a high level for the Red Wings. Hudler scored twice, Filppula added a goal and two assists, Zetterberg had three assists and Detroit hung on to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Tuesday night."I don't know what's the second line," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "They dominated the game offensively and defensively. They were by far the best line today." The trio combined for eight points in the first period, getting their team off to a flying start. "The puck kind of followed us for a few shifts," Zetterberg said. "Everything we tried worked. It was good for the confidence. (Filppula and Hudler) are having career years. The only one not having a career year is me, but two out of three isn't bad." Johan Franzen and Cory Emmerton also connected for the Red Wings, an NHL-best 15-2-1 at home but only 10-11-0 on the road. The Wings liked how they opened a four-game trip.

"We've done well at home, but haven't been able to play as well on the road," Filppula said. "It's a good question. We try to prepare the same as at home but it hasn't been working out. It's not easy to win anywhere. Home teams come hard, so maybe that affects us as well." Michael Ryder had two goals, Jamie Benn added a goal and two assists, and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Stars. Dallas is short-handed on defense, missing regulars Sheldon Souray (ankle), Stephane Robidas (foot) and Philip Larsen (concussion-like symptoms), and it showed against the speedy, skilled Wings. Injuries forced the callup of rookies Jordie Benn, older brother of Jamie Benn, and Brenden Dillon from the Texas Stars of the AHL. Jordie Benn made his NHL debut, collecting his first assist in the opening period, while Dillon was a healthy scratch. 

Filppula fired a loose puck into an open net for his 13th goal of the season at 8:02 of the first period. Zetterberg's shot went in off Hudler's skate to make it 2-0 at 17:06 of the first. The goal was upheld after a brief video review to determine whether Hudler kicked the puck into the net. Eriksson got Dallas on the board from the right circle at 17:56 of the first, assisted by both Benns, but Hudler struck from the slot at 19:00 for his second of the night to give Detroit a two-goal pad. Jamie Benn notched his 10th of the season on a sharp-angle shot from the right of the net at 1:04 of the second period to pull Dallas to 3-2, but Emmerton got the puck past Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen's right pad from a difficult angle at 3:51 of the second for a 4-2 edge. Once again, the Stars crept within a goal when Ryder's shot from long range slipped through Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard's pads at 7:25 of the second. Franzen restored the two-goal advantage with a shot into the top right corner from the left circle at 11:46 of the second, his team-leading 16th of the season.

But Ryder beat Howard from the right circle at 14:07 of the third for Ryder's team-high 17th of the season to narrow the gap to 5-4. Dallas pulled Lehtonen late to add a sixth attacker, but the Stars couldn't mount a final rally to send the game into overtime.

"You never want to get down, especially against those guys," Jamie Benn said. "They're a good team, they play a solid game and we almost came back there but it just wasn't enough. I think we kept battling back. It shows our character, and I think we just ran out of time."

Linesman Steve Miller left in the first period with concussion-like symptoms. Miller hit his head when he accidentally collided with Stars D Mark Fistric. Miller left the ice and was treated by Stars medical personnel, who ruled him out for the rest of the game, leaving the crew with two referees and one linesman. ... Only one penalty was called, a holding-the-stick infraction on Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi 15 seconds after the opening faceoff. ... Forwards Darren Helm (strained groin), Tomas Holmstrom (groin) and Patrick Eaves (jaw) were out for Detroit . ... Forward Tomas Vincour (knee) was out for Dallas. ... The Benns are the third set of brothers to play in the same game for the Stars since their move to Dallas in 1993. The others: Derian and Kevin Hatcher, and Neal and Paul Broten.

HUDLER,FILPPULA LEAD RED WINGS OVER STARTS

Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula and Henrik Zetterberg form what's supposed to be Detroit's No. 2 line. Whatever the label, they're performing at a high level for the Red Wings. Hudler scored twice, Filppula added a goal and two assists, Zetterberg had three assists and Detroit hung on to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Tuesday night."I don't know what's the second line," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "They dominated the game offensively and defensively. They were by far the best line today." The trio combined for eight points in the first period, getting their team off to a flying start. "The puck kind of followed us for a few shifts," Zetterberg said. "Everything we tried worked. It was good for the confidence. (Filppula and Hudler) are having career years. The only one not having a career year is me, but two out of three isn't bad." Johan Franzen and Cory Emmerton also connected for the Red Wings, an NHL-best 15-2-1 at home but only 10-11-0 on the road. The Wings liked how they opened a four-game trip.

"We've done well at home, but haven't been able to play as well on the road," Filppula said. "It's a good question. We try to prepare the same as at home but it hasn't been working out. It's not easy to win anywhere. Home teams come hard, so maybe that affects us as well." Michael Ryder had two goals, Jamie Benn added a goal and two assists, and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Stars. Dallas is short-handed on defense, missing regulars Sheldon Souray (ankle), Stephane Robidas (foot) and Philip Larsen (concussion-like symptoms), and it showed against the speedy, skilled Wings. Injuries forced the callup of rookies Jordie Benn, older brother of Jamie Benn, and Brenden Dillon from the Texas Stars of the AHL. Jordie Benn made his NHL debut, collecting his first assist in the opening period, while Dillon was a healthy scratch. 

Filppula fired a loose puck into an open net for his 13th goal of the season at 8:02 of the first period. Zetterberg's shot went in off Hudler's skate to make it 2-0 at 17:06 of the first. The goal was upheld after a brief video review to determine whether Hudler kicked the puck into the net. Eriksson got Dallas on the board from the right circle at 17:56 of the first, assisted by both Benns, but Hudler struck from the slot at 19:00 for his second of the night to give Detroit a two-goal pad. Jamie Benn notched his 10th of the season on a sharp-angle shot from the right of the net at 1:04 of the second period to pull Dallas to 3-2, but Emmerton got the puck past Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen's right pad from a difficult angle at 3:51 of the second for a 4-2 edge. Once again, the Stars crept within a goal when Ryder's shot from long range slipped through Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard's pads at 7:25 of the second. Franzen restored the two-goal advantage with a shot into the top right corner from the left circle at 11:46 of the second, his team-leading 16th of the season.

But Ryder beat Howard from the right circle at 14:07 of the third for Ryder's team-high 17th of the season to narrow the gap to 5-4. Dallas pulled Lehtonen late to add a sixth attacker, but the Stars couldn't mount a final rally to send the game into overtime.

"You never want to get down, especially against those guys," Jamie Benn said. "They're a good team, they play a solid game and we almost came back there but it just wasn't enough. I think we kept battling back. It shows our character, and I think we just ran out of time."

Linesman Steve Miller left in the first period with concussion-like symptoms. Miller hit his head when he accidentally collided with Stars D Mark Fistric. Miller left the ice and was treated by Stars medical personnel, who ruled him out for the rest of the game, leaving the crew with two referees and one linesman. ... Only one penalty was called, a holding-the-stick infraction on Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi 15 seconds after the opening faceoff. ... Forwards Darren Helm (strained groin), Tomas Holmstrom (groin) and Patrick Eaves (jaw) were out for Detroit . ... Forward Tomas Vincour (knee) was out for Dallas. ... The Benns are the third set of brothers to play in the same game for the Stars since their move to Dallas in 1993. The others: Derian and Kevin Hatcher, and Neal and Paul Broten.

Coming, Going and Staying Put

Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, was expected Tuesday to deliver a lukewarm endorsement of Coach Andy Reid, acknowledging that he would return for a 14th season despite an 8-8 finish that fell miles short of expectations. Eventually, that is what Lurie did. But Lurie began with a 12-minute preamble, oscillating from anger to optimism and back again. 

It was N.F.L. ownership as performance art, a think-aloud therapy session in which Lurie used words like “unacceptable” and “dismal,” called this season “without question, the most disappointing season since I owned the team” and labeled the Eagles’ four-game winning streak to end the season “fool’s gold.”

Lurie sounded like a man on the verge of dropping some bombshell. Was Reid fired? Would the whole front office be sacked? Was the bride really an evil twin with amnesia?

Lurie eventually reached the carrot at the end of his stick, sparing Reid for another season. Minutes earlier, on the other side of the continent, the Chargers’ owner, Dean Spanos, announced that both General Manager A. J. Smith and Coach Norv Turner would be back for the 2012 season, despite the Chargers’ 8-8 finish and a perception among fans that the franchise is on the decline. Spanos’s message was more direct than Lurie’s — an interpretive dance could convey a message more directly than Lurie did — but his conclusion was more surprising, as observers were already penciling Smith into jobs elsewhere in the league.

Score 2 points, and only 2 points, for the status quo. 

At the end of the N.F.L. regular season, no coach or general manager who failed to reach the playoffs has any real job security except Jerry Jones, who said Wednesday that he was doing a swell job as the Cowboys’ G.M. and would not fire himself. Other caporegimes, powerful though they may be, are vulnerable to the Tessio treatment, and few see it coming. The firings are so common and brutally casual that the Reid and Turner retentions, coming on the heels of Spanos’s sometimes open frustration and Lurie’s dramatic monologue, were as shocking as the many dismissals. 

Bill Polian was reportedly chatting with Peyton Manning about off-season schedules when he was summoned to a meeting with the team’s owner, Jim Irsay. You can imagine the gravelly voice of the hitman on the phone: “Boss wants to see ya. Bring your BlackBerry.” Polian, the president of the Colts and his son Chris, the team’s general manager, were both fired the day after the Colts concluded a 2-14 season. Soon, a new executive will receive a handwritten to-do list on a legal pad: 1) Get seat warm; 2) Learn how the copier works; 3) Engineer career-defining Manning trade. 

In Chicago, General Manager Jerry Angelo was reportedly involved in draft preparation before the team’s president, Ted Phillips, fired him Tuesday. Outgoing executives are typically not involved in long-range planning, so you can imagine cold war-style disinformation at work, with Angelo getting memos on white paper when the team’s real plans were on goldenrod. (“This is not a list of draft prospects, it’s the end credits for ‘War Horse!’ ”) 

Blame strikes with the randomness of a tornado once pink slips start flying: Angelo lost his job, but Coach Lovie Smith was spared, and the offensive coordinator Mike Martz tied bedspreads together and shimmied out the window before anyone could nab him. 

The Polian and Angelo firings caught many by surprise. Less tenured coaches and executives barely merit a shrug when they are dismissed. Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo left St. Louis on Monday with two bus tickets and a suitcase full of unsold Sam Bradford bobblehead dolls. There was so much speculation about who would replace Devaney and Spagnuolo in late December (Smith and Jon Gruden were the favorites; the odds are being revised) that it was easy to forget that they were still working. 

The Glazer family stopped short of steaming off the wallpaper after firing Raheem Morris and his entire staff, though General Manager Mark Dominik kept his job, if only to warn the newcomers. This is the time of year when failed, fledgling regimes disappear like dead Christmas trees from the curbside.

Coming, Going and Staying Put

Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, was expected Tuesday to deliver a lukewarm endorsement of Coach Andy Reid, acknowledging that he would return for a 14th season despite an 8-8 finish that fell miles short of expectations. Eventually, that is what Lurie did. But Lurie began with a 12-minute preamble, oscillating from anger to optimism and back again. 

It was N.F.L. ownership as performance art, a think-aloud therapy session in which Lurie used words like “unacceptable” and “dismal,” called this season “without question, the most disappointing season since I owned the team” and labeled the Eagles’ four-game winning streak to end the season “fool’s gold.”

Lurie sounded like a man on the verge of dropping some bombshell. Was Reid fired? Would the whole front office be sacked? Was the bride really an evil twin with amnesia?

Lurie eventually reached the carrot at the end of his stick, sparing Reid for another season. Minutes earlier, on the other side of the continent, the Chargers’ owner, Dean Spanos, announced that both General Manager A. J. Smith and Coach Norv Turner would be back for the 2012 season, despite the Chargers’ 8-8 finish and a perception among fans that the franchise is on the decline. Spanos’s message was more direct than Lurie’s — an interpretive dance could convey a message more directly than Lurie did — but his conclusion was more surprising, as observers were already penciling Smith into jobs elsewhere in the league.

Score 2 points, and only 2 points, for the status quo. 

At the end of the N.F.L. regular season, no coach or general manager who failed to reach the playoffs has any real job security except Jerry Jones, who said Wednesday that he was doing a swell job as the Cowboys’ G.M. and would not fire himself. Other caporegimes, powerful though they may be, are vulnerable to the Tessio treatment, and few see it coming. The firings are so common and brutally casual that the Reid and Turner retentions, coming on the heels of Spanos’s sometimes open frustration and Lurie’s dramatic monologue, were as shocking as the many dismissals. 

Bill Polian was reportedly chatting with Peyton Manning about off-season schedules when he was summoned to a meeting with the team’s owner, Jim Irsay. You can imagine the gravelly voice of the hitman on the phone: “Boss wants to see ya. Bring your BlackBerry.” Polian, the president of the Colts and his son Chris, the team’s general manager, were both fired the day after the Colts concluded a 2-14 season. Soon, a new executive will receive a handwritten to-do list on a legal pad: 1) Get seat warm; 2) Learn how the copier works; 3) Engineer career-defining Manning trade. 

In Chicago, General Manager Jerry Angelo was reportedly involved in draft preparation before the team’s president, Ted Phillips, fired him Tuesday. Outgoing executives are typically not involved in long-range planning, so you can imagine cold war-style disinformation at work, with Angelo getting memos on white paper when the team’s real plans were on goldenrod. (“This is not a list of draft prospects, it’s the end credits for ‘War Horse!’ ”) 

Blame strikes with the randomness of a tornado once pink slips start flying: Angelo lost his job, but Coach Lovie Smith was spared, and the offensive coordinator Mike Martz tied bedspreads together and shimmied out the window before anyone could nab him. 

The Polian and Angelo firings caught many by surprise. Less tenured coaches and executives barely merit a shrug when they are dismissed. Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo left St. Louis on Monday with two bus tickets and a suitcase full of unsold Sam Bradford bobblehead dolls. There was so much speculation about who would replace Devaney and Spagnuolo in late December (Smith and Jon Gruden were the favorites; the odds are being revised) that it was easy to forget that they were still working. 

The Glazer family stopped short of steaming off the wallpaper after firing Raheem Morris and his entire staff, though General Manager Mark Dominik kept his job, if only to warn the newcomers. This is the time of year when failed, fledgling regimes disappear like dead Christmas trees from the curbside.

Coming, Going and Staying Put

Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, was expected Tuesday to deliver a lukewarm endorsement of Coach Andy Reid, acknowledging that he would return for a 14th season despite an 8-8 finish that fell miles short of expectations. Eventually, that is what Lurie did. But Lurie began with a 12-minute preamble, oscillating from anger to optimism and back again. 

It was N.F.L. ownership as performance art, a think-aloud therapy session in which Lurie used words like “unacceptable” and “dismal,” called this season “without question, the most disappointing season since I owned the team” and labeled the Eagles’ four-game winning streak to end the season “fool’s gold.”

Lurie sounded like a man on the verge of dropping some bombshell. Was Reid fired? Would the whole front office be sacked? Was the bride really an evil twin with amnesia?

Lurie eventually reached the carrot at the end of his stick, sparing Reid for another season. Minutes earlier, on the other side of the continent, the Chargers’ owner, Dean Spanos, announced that both General Manager A. J. Smith and Coach Norv Turner would be back for the 2012 season, despite the Chargers’ 8-8 finish and a perception among fans that the franchise is on the decline. Spanos’s message was more direct than Lurie’s — an interpretive dance could convey a message more directly than Lurie did — but his conclusion was more surprising, as observers were already penciling Smith into jobs elsewhere in the league.

Score 2 points, and only 2 points, for the status quo. 

At the end of the N.F.L. regular season, no coach or general manager who failed to reach the playoffs has any real job security except Jerry Jones, who said Wednesday that he was doing a swell job as the Cowboys’ G.M. and would not fire himself. Other caporegimes, powerful though they may be, are vulnerable to the Tessio treatment, and few see it coming. The firings are so common and brutally casual that the Reid and Turner retentions, coming on the heels of Spanos’s sometimes open frustration and Lurie’s dramatic monologue, were as shocking as the many dismissals. 

Bill Polian was reportedly chatting with Peyton Manning about off-season schedules when he was summoned to a meeting with the team’s owner, Jim Irsay. You can imagine the gravelly voice of the hitman on the phone: “Boss wants to see ya. Bring your BlackBerry.” Polian, the president of the Colts and his son Chris, the team’s general manager, were both fired the day after the Colts concluded a 2-14 season. Soon, a new executive will receive a handwritten to-do list on a legal pad: 1) Get seat warm; 2) Learn how the copier works; 3) Engineer career-defining Manning trade. 

In Chicago, General Manager Jerry Angelo was reportedly involved in draft preparation before the team’s president, Ted Phillips, fired him Tuesday. Outgoing executives are typically not involved in long-range planning, so you can imagine cold war-style disinformation at work, with Angelo getting memos on white paper when the team’s real plans were on goldenrod. (“This is not a list of draft prospects, it’s the end credits for ‘War Horse!’ ”) 

Blame strikes with the randomness of a tornado once pink slips start flying: Angelo lost his job, but Coach Lovie Smith was spared, and the offensive coordinator Mike Martz tied bedspreads together and shimmied out the window before anyone could nab him. 

The Polian and Angelo firings caught many by surprise. Less tenured coaches and executives barely merit a shrug when they are dismissed. Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo left St. Louis on Monday with two bus tickets and a suitcase full of unsold Sam Bradford bobblehead dolls. There was so much speculation about who would replace Devaney and Spagnuolo in late December (Smith and Jon Gruden were the favorites; the odds are being revised) that it was easy to forget that they were still working. 

The Glazer family stopped short of steaming off the wallpaper after firing Raheem Morris and his entire staff, though General Manager Mark Dominik kept his job, if only to warn the newcomers. This is the time of year when failed, fledgling regimes disappear like dead Christmas trees from the curbside.