Boston and Buffalo needed overtime and a sudden-death shootout to decide Tuesday's game at HSBC Arena that the Bruins won 3-2 as David Krejci had the game-deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout. The Bruins scored two first period goals courtesy of forward Daniel Paille but lost the lead to two second period goals by the Sabres Derek Roy and Tyler Myers. Tuukka Rask started his fourth straight game for the Bruins and took the decision with 43 saves. Rask has recorded a point for the Bruins in all four games.

For more on the game visit the Big Bad Blog.

Boston College had a valiant comeback attempt fall short Tuesday night, losing its third straight ACC game 92-85 at Wake Forest. Senior Tyler Roche, starting in place of Joe Trapani who was back in Chestnut Hill with the stomach flu, scored a career-high 31 points in the loss, which dropped the Eagles record to .500 at 12-12 (3-7 in the ACC) on the season.

Down by 19 with just over 10 remaining in regulation, the Eagles roared back but could not cut the deficit to less than six points. Nine missed free throws hurt BC’s chances of making the game closer after they climbed back into the contest. Corey Raji added a double-double for the Eagles with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Reggie Jackson also had 17, thanks to a late surge.

Roche’s big night helped BC tie its best offensive effort of the season, but the Eagles’ defense was not at a similar level on the night. It was fourth loss in the last five games for the Eagles, with none coming by more than seven points.

Al-Farouq Aminu led the Deamon Deacons with 22 points and eight rebounds, while L.D. Williams and Chas McFarland chipped in 14 points apiece. Wake Forest improved to 17-5 on the year and kept a half game behind Duke for the ACC lead at 7-3 in the conference.

The NHL formally announced Tuesday that the Bruins will open the 2010-2011 season playing the Phoenix Coyotes in Prague, Czech Republic on Saturday Oct. 9 and Sunday Oct. 10. The Bruins will be returning  to Europe for the first time in 50 years.  After the 1958-59 season, the Bruins and New York Rangers embarked on a 10-city, 23-game European tour that included games in London, Geneva, Paris, Antwerp, Zurich, Berlin and Vienna, among others.  The Bruins roster includes Czech players David Krejci, who will represent the Czech Republic in the Olympics, and Vladimir Sobotka.  Also, team captain Zdeno Chara hails from Slovakia.  

Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers said Tuesday that he no longer wants a long-term deal with Carolina, saying he's changed his stance on whether he wants to continue his career with the Panthers.

“Last year, at the time, that was the option that I wanted most,” Peppers told Charlotte radio station WFNZ. “Now it's not.”

While agent Carl Carey said last week he believes the Panthers aren't interested in retaining Peppers, Carolina's career sacks leader, team officials haven't announced their plans for the impending free agent.

“How can you say you want to be somewhere when you're not really sure if they want you there because they're not even talking to you?” Peppers said.

Peppers, who turned 30 last month, has been one of the premier pass rushers since he entered the league in 2002, compiling 81 sacks in that time, including 10 1/2 sacks or more in five of the last six seasons.

For more Patriots news, check out our football blog, It Is What It Is.
 

In the wake of the most-watched Super Bowl in TV history, we take a look at the top stories from the game (and the commercials). We've also got the rest of the day's top stories, plus videos (the "Who Dat" dog), trivia and more, at Tuesday's Morning Mashup.

WEEI.com's Kristine Leahy helps recap Boston College's 4-3 win over Boston University in the Beanpot championship game with video reaction from players from both sides, along with postgame analysis from both BU coach Jack Parker and BC boss Jerry York. To watch, click here. Mike Petraglia also has more Beanpot coverage on The BC Blog.

Boston College erased a 1-0 deficit with a flurry of three second-period goals on its way to a 4-3 win over Boston University in the 58th Beanpot championship game Monday night at TD Garden. Kevin Shattenkirk gave BU a 1-0 lead with his even-strength goal at 13:36 of the first. But BC responded with three in the second, sparked by Steven Whitney's power-play goal 61 seconds in. Carl Sneep and Chris Kreider added goals to put BC in command. BU's Colby Cohen scored on the power play with 2:46 remaining in the third to cut it to 4-3, but the Terriers failed to get the equalizer in a frenetic finish. BC won its 15th Beanpot title in school history and its second in three years. BU was denied its 30th Beanpot crown and lost in the title game for the first time since losing 2-1 to BC in overtime in 2004. For more, visit The BC Blog.

The Boston College basketball team will play Tuesday night at Wake Forest without the services of Joe Trapani, the team's leading scorer and rebounder. According to a school press release, Trapani is sick and did not fly to Winston-Salem, N.C., with the team. The Eagles have lost six of their last eight games but have played better of late, including a gutsy effort in a three-point loss to Duke Saturday. For the full story, visit The BC Blog.

Tyler McNeely scored twice while Wade McLeod and Greg Costa added single tallies as the Northeastern Huskies beat Harvard, 4-1, to claim the consolation game of the Beanpot tournament on Monday at TD Garden. For updates on the 58th championship game between Boston College and Boston University and complete updates afterward, visit The BC Blog. 

Bruins coach Claude Julien addressed various issues after an optional practice in Buffalo Monday afternoon, including the status of center David Krejci for Tuesday’s contest against the Sabres. Krejci left Sunday’s 3-0 victory in Montreal in the first period and did not return. “I think it’s looking good,” Julien said of Krejci’s availability Tuesday. ”It’s getting better. We’ll see tomorrow when he skates. It’s the leg, obviously.” For more comments from Julien on the Bruins' 3-0 victory over Montreal, visit the Big Bad Blog.

Several NBA executives have told CBSSports.com the Celtics have been actively trying to move Ray Allen and his $19.7 million expiring contract before the deadline in a move that could keep them in the mix during the playoffs and also help them for the next several seasons. The report indicates that the most recent inquiry involved Sacramento sharpshooter Kevin Martin. For more on the possibility of a deal for Martin, check out Paul Flannery's column here, while check out Green Street for more Celtics' updates.

WALTHAM — Celtics All-Star guard Rajon Rondo confirmed following Monday's practice that he will be taking part in the HORSE competition at All-Star weekend in Dallas. The guard said he will come up with some trick shots that only he can make in an effort to beat Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, the defending champion, and Sacramento's Omri Casspi. For more, visit the Green Street blog. 

With roughly five weeks remaining until Selection Sunday, Bracket 101 will examine the week that was in college basketball and give you a list of 16 teams that are poised to win at least two games in the big dance. A lot of sites focus on who will get in, but Bracket 101 will tell you who the actual contenders are in addition to a weekly roundup of the college hoops scene. This week, 101 focuses on a real backyard brawl between Pittsburgh and West Virigina, analyzes Texas' slide, and takes a look at Boston College's tournament hopes, along with other analysis and rankings. Check out Bracket 101 on the BC Blog every Monday.

WALTHAM -- Celtics captain Paul Pierce was pulled out of practice early on Monday after coach Doc Rivers felt his star didn't look smooth on his strained left foot. "Paul didn't do a lot today," Rivers said. "We actually pulled him out early. He was practicing and wasn't moving very well so just took him out. He's questionable. I think he's going to play, but right now we'll wait and see." Marquis Daniels, meanwhile, looked good in practice after his first game back on Sunday following left thumb surgery. The team was forced to move up its departure to Tuesday morning in order to get into New Orleans ahead of the parade Tuesday afternoon for the Super Bowl winners. For more, visit the Green Street blog.  

Super Bowl XLIV broke the record for most watched television show ever, surpassing the final episode of the television show "M-A-S-H", which was broadcast in 1983. The game drew 106.5 million viewers, passing the previous mark of 105.97 million set by "M-A-S-H". For the complete story click here.

The Red Sox still appear to be in the mix for the services of Japanese left-hander Hisanori Takahashi, whom the Sox have extended a contract offer to. Takahashi is thought to be waiting on a few more potential suitors before deciding whether or not he will take the Red Sox' deal. If the Takahashi does sign with the Sox, it will be to compete for a job in the team's bullpen, despite the fact the 34-year-old has pitched as a starter for most of his professional career in Japan. It is believed that Takahashi will be throwing for teams that haven’t been able to scout him, at some point Monday afternoon in Arizona. Click here for a profile on Takahashi.

Sports Illustrated columnist and NBC analyst Peter King joined Dale & Holley Monday afternoon to recap the Saints’ victory in Super Bowl XLIV and the Hall of Fame vote from this past weekend. King lauded the job done by New Orleans coach Sean Payton in the game after his series of gutsy calls. “He knows it all comes down to him, and he is totally unafraid to take the kind of chances that let’s say a Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick would try to take,” King said.

King also was impressed with the performance of the game’s MVP, Drew Brees, who tied Tom Brady’s Super Bowl record with 32 completions. “He started slow and ended like Phil Simms in 1987 [during the Giants' win],” King said. “So, I’ve got so much respect for Brees.”

King compared the Colts to a baseball team that also won only one title during an impressive decade (the 1990s). "It's beginning to look a little bit like the Atlanta Braves," King said. "They win their division or make the playoffs every year, but how many times do they win it all?"

King touched on the Hall of Fame class for 2010, for which he was part of the voting. While he was glad to see the selection of Russ Grimm and Rickey Jackson, two players he openly campaigned for, King was not on board with the choice of Floyd Little “You asked about Floyd Little; I’ve been very up front in the fact that I have not supported Little,” King said. He added, however, that he thinks guys who play on bad teams still should get a shot to make the Hall of Fame.

To hear a the interview, visit the Dale & Holley audio on demand page. A full transcript will be posted later this afternoon on the It Is What It Is blog.

According to bodog.com, the Patriots are 10-1 to win Super Bowl XLV, set for next February in Dallas. (The Patriots trail only Indianapolis at 13-2 and San Diego at 8-1.) New England is tied for third with the current Super Bowl champions from New Orleans, which is also listed as 10-1. The teams with the longest odds to win are Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis and Tampa Bay, which are all 100-1. For more Patriots news, check out our football blog, It Is What It Is.

Posting on his blog, 38 Pitches, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling wrote that the Red Sox' best course of action would be to sign Josh Beckett to a new contract sooner than later. Schilling points out that Beckett, whose current deal runs out after the 2010 season, shouldn't be subject to just the statistical comparisons of other pitchers, but should also be valued for the type of presence he brings to the Red Sox' starting rotation while pitching in the American League East. Schilling writes:

"Josh works from a different perspective than many, it’s why he was so good so young. He pushes himself with an internal bar and set of values that not many kids have. That isn’t going to change, in fact I’d argue that it’s only gotten ‘better’ over the past few years. He knows he’s in the games toughest division, he knows who people consider the best and I promise you he doesn’t ever take the ball, no matter who he is facing, and not believe 100% he’s going to not only win, but dominate.

"He’s getting to a stage in his career where the mental work, the prep work, is going to meet and surpass the physical effort. Which in his case is saying something because he’s a kid who does work his ass off and does want to be the best. When he does combine max effort in the mental preparation arena (which is not to say he hasn’t before, but as you age you learn different things about yourself and the game) with his physical preparation, things could get interesting.

"I do believe Jon Lester is an ace in the making, he’s going to be a legit #1 very soon, if not this year, the only thing stopping that is his command, when that comes he’s as good as there is, combining that with Josh, with Dice, with Clay and Lackey, there aren’t many deeper or more talented rotations anywhere.

"You lock Josh up you lock up the top 3 spots in your rotation (well 4 if you don’t trade Clay) for the next 3-5 years, and each of those spots is occupied by a 1 or a 2. In the AL East you go into each season with a legitimate shot at winning it all with that mix.

"Here’s the other thing. Whatever you perceive Josh’s value to be at the end of this deal the one thing you know for sure is that he’ll still be giving you every ounce of everything he has, that’s just who he is. You cannot say the same thing for other guys around the league."

Check out Monday's Morning Mashup, and we'll direct you to where you can watch and rate the Super Bowl ads and other memorable moments from Sunday night. Then get caught up on the day's other top stories, watch a funny video of a pretend Peyton Manning preparing for the big game, and find trivia and more.

CBS NFL analyst Boomer Esiason made his final weekly appearance of the season on the Dennis & Callahan show Monday morning to recap the Saints' Super Bowl victory over the Colts. Esiason said he could tell at halftime that the game was falling into the hands of Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who delivered an MVP effort. "After that performance, it kind of hammers home that maybe Drew Brees should have been the NFL MVP this season [instead of Peyton Manning]," Esiason said.

Esiason said New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter made a great call on his fourth-quarter interception in which he jumped Reggie Wayne's route while the Saints were blitzing. "You've got to take your hat off to Tracy Porter," Esiason said. "It's one player making a play and really thinking outside of the box. That was really a terrific anticipation-type play on his part."

Esiason said he is disappointed that people will assign blame to Manning, but he did say: "Peyton Manning is going to get ready to sign a new contract here very soon. That interception cost Peyton Manning, in my eyes, and will actually cha-ching for Tom Brady. Because Tom Brady does have three Super Bowl championships. His contract is up as well. And when you think of it in the big picture of everything else, the guy who comes out I think the biggest winner out of all of this is Tom Brady, because Peyton Manning is still not able to eclipse the three Super Bowl championships that Tom has under his belt."

To hear the interview, click on the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. Check out the It Is What It Is blog later this morning for a transcript.

There were plenty of talking points stemming from the Saints' 31-17 Super Bowl upset of the Colts Sunday night. To get a head start on voicing your opinion on some of the game's most important topics, go to the It Is What It Is blog to vote in a few WEEI.com polls. The questions posed are: 1. Do you think Peyton Manning's legacy was damaged by this game? 2. What was the biggest play of the Super Bowl? 3. Who should have been the Super Bowl MVP? To vote, click here. And to revisit what transpired — on and off the field — read Kirk Minihane's Super Bowl diary by clicking here.

Drew Brees threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns and the Saints scored 25 second-half points on the way to a 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. New Orleans was holding a 24-17 lead late in the fourth quarter when Saints cornerback Tracy Porter stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass intended for Reggie Wayne and took it back 74 yards for a touchdown, cementing the victory and allowing the Saints to capture their first Super Bowl crown. Brees, who tied Tom Brady for the Super Bowl record for most completions with 32, was named the game's MVP. For a complete recap of the Super Bowl upset, click here.

Doc Rivers said in his postgame address that the Celtics, despite their 32-17 mark, are not as good as they might think they are. The Celtics were outscored 36-11 in the third quarter and blew an 11-point halftime lead in a 96-89 loss to the Magic Sunday, dropping them to third in the Eastern Conference. "We tend to be front-runners," Rivers said of his team's inability to protect leads. For video of Rivers, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, visit the Green Street blog. 

Marco Sturm had two goals, Adam McQuaid scored his first NHL goal and Tuukka Rask made 36 saves as the Bruins ended a 10-game losing streak with a 3-0 win in Montreal Sunday. Patrice Bergeron had two assists for the Bruins, who won for the first time since a 2-1 shootout victory in San Jose on Jan. 14. After McQuaid gave the Bruins the lead with 2:28 left in the opening period, Sturm pushed the B’s to a 2-0 advantage with just four seconds left in the first. He then added an insurance goal midway though the third period. Center David Krejci was injured in the first period and did not return. For more, visit the Big Bad Blog.