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ICE…Nik Antropov is on fire in Atlanta, notching 3 goals and 9 assists in his last eight games. The absence of Ilya Kovalchuk, strangely, seems to have fired up big Nick and his two reconstructed knees…the Anaheim Ducks, running out of time, have moved Bobby Ryan back to the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The message to the trio is clear; it’s time to produce and get this team into the post season…Los Angeles King Jonathan Quick recorded a shutout last night over the Columbus Blue Jackets while stopping a measly eleven shots. Wait. It gets worse. The Blue Jackets had five shots on goal in the first two periods. With Rick Nash out of the game the Blue Jackets were schooled by the surging Kings…I hit The Rail to catch the Dallas - Washington game last night. It was a spectacular game with the Stars overcoming an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Caps. The pace was ferocious with end-to-end rushes the order of the night. Marty Turco bounced back off a drubbing last week and will surely find employment after ending his relationship with Big D at the conclusion of the season…the newest S N Power Poll has the top five ranked thusly; Caps, Sharks, Blackhawks, Penguins and Canucks. The bottom dwellers are the Islanders, Leafs and Oilers…

PUG LIFE…in the it’s-all-downhill-from-here category; Vitali Klitschko will fight Albert Sosnowski (who??) in May in defence of whatever belt it is he holds. Sosnowski ventured to America a few years back and was whupped by the mediocre Zuri Lawrence (23-14), losing every round en route to a unanimous decision loss. The fight follows the collapse of the proposed Klitschko - Nikolai Valuev battle. This dreary, pointless affair could only be staged in one country, Germany, as the USA and elsewhere has lost interest in the Klitschkos and their horrid performances…Amir Khan ventures stateside to meet Paulie Malignaggi on May 15^th at Madison Square Garden in New York. This is a very interesting fight and one that could test the prowess of Khan. Malignaggi tends to lose only to the best (Cotto, Hatton) and is more than capable of surprising those whose expectations don’t match their talent level (Juan Diaz, Lovemore N’Dou?)…it appears that Ricky Hatton may have seen the light and opted to discontinue his career. It would be the wise move for the embattled Mancunian. Hatton was a wonderful professional who was savaged by two elite fighters. He has nothing left to prove and should take his health, his money and his supporters and head into the next chapter of his life…I could have just, y’know, called my Pinoy friends and chatted, but it’s so much easier to take a shot at Pacquiao (H R Pacnstuf) and his enormous head and then just sit back and wait for their calls. Mission accomplished. I had a few interesting conversations with PacMan Central today and one thread emerged from the conversations; the Filipino community believes Pacquiao does not need Floyd Mayweather. The respect and love for their national hero is such that they don’t need an encounter with a man they universally disregard as uncouth and insulting to bring closure to Manny’s career. They openly speculate that, if successful in his run for a Senate seat, Pacquiao will retire in the near future. To a man, and woman, they are at peace with that possibility. I maintained, and will until proven wrong, that Pacquiao - Mayweather will happen in the fall of 2010. My mates assured me Pacquiao has already accomplished so much that the refusal to engage the low brow antics of Mayweather will not damage his standing in the Philippines. The plot thickens but with Mayweather looming as the last fighter of his generation that he seemingly needs to fight, if the accusations and recrimination have proved too distasteful for Manny, he may simply opt to fade away…if Mosley were to upset Mayweather, could Team PacMan offer him enough money to break his rematch clause with “Money” and instead fight Pacquiao? Can you say oui?…

PONIES…Bob Baffert has announced Lookin At Lucky will make his seasonal debut at Oaklawn this Saturday in the Rebel Stakes. It is a most welcome announcement. Lucky will be making his first start outside of California and, critically, his first start on dirt. The two year old champ is currently one of the favourites for the Kentucky Derby and handicappers will relish the opportunity to appraise him while competing on a traditional surface. Red hot Dublin will be waiting for the champ in the Rebel for a mouth-watering showdown…Zenyatta will also make her debut on what is shaping up as a memorable Saturday afternoon of racing (and it’s been awhile, so bring it on). The California Cow will carry 127 lbs in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap. Unlike her arch enemy, Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta has been recording extremely fast works and appears all set for a nice effort…Japan’s legendary mare Vodka will be going on a date with Irelands legendary Sea The Stars. Offspring will result…one of the biggest upsets of 2008 occurred when Big Truck romped home over unbeaten champ War Pass and others in the 2008 Tampa Bay Derby. The loveable son of Hook and Ladder was euthanized yesterday after taking a bad step on that same Tampa track which produced his greatest glory. Condolences to all…

MEDIA…it would be the end of an era if, as I’m hearing, the Toronto Argonauts are proving unsuccessful in their attempts to find a station to take their radio broadcast rights in 2010. Growing up in the Big Smoke meant nights on the cottage porch listening to Mel Profit and the Boatmen. The CFL turned itself into a joke, particularly by alienating an entire generation with their idiotic “blackout” policy and now, perhaps, the last sordid chicken has come home to roost…Stephen A Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer (linked on ESPN site) has a staggering piece up on the implosion of Allen Iverson. Absolute must read. The “Answer” has, according to the piece, serious gambling and drinking issues, problems significant enough that he has been barred from casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City. Despite earning over 200 million dollars as an NBA player it is strongly hinted that, following the divorce proceedings initiated by his wife (accompanied by requests for child support, alimony and the hiring of a high powered law firm) Iverson will be left penniless. He continues to surround himself with a retinue, but the days of the high income are gone. It is an extraordinary cautionary tale, one that should be mandatory reading for all professional athletes (yeah, they could throw in a mention of Evander Holyfield, also). It is also a tale with an unsure ending. Smith suggests Iverson could literally drink himself to death…the penalty for intentionally wrecking a competitor? In NASCAR, a three race probationary period seems about right. Carl Edwards smashed Brad Keselowski on Sunday but walks away largely unscathed. Yeah, we love it! NASCAR’s back, baby, and justice comes rolling from behind…