What 2 Watch (Jan. 13-15)
The New Year was full of great football and big games from every league and after the busy first weekend things calm down this weekend. There are still plenty of great events this weekend as the sports world continues to roll on. This weekend will see the continuation of the NFL Playoffs as the NFC and AFC step into the Divisional Rounds with only 8 teams left with a chance at the Super Bowl. Hockey continues to move on into the midway point of the season. The NHL will see two of the NHL’s most valuable franchises face off on Hockey Night in Canada this weekend while the CHL will see a QJMHL matchup featured on National TV. The NBA is also continuing to role as they see a Los Angeles rivalry that has lately become much more interesting. The NCAA follows along with a Big Ten Matchup of two top Ten teams in a matchup of offence vs. defence. Lacrosse will begin their season officially as the weekend will see all but two teams start their season. There are still the special events this weekend with the UFC heading back to Brazil and a speedy downhill race on skates. As winter moves on the sports world sees less big games from leagues but the special events become that much more special and unique. With plenty to watch this weekend The Sport Addiction is here to sort it all out.
CHL Hockey: Chicoutimi Sagueneens vs. Halifax Mooseheads
With the World Junior Championship over the focus in minor hockey again shifts to the CHL and their march to the playoffs. This week’s Friday Night Hockey will feature the QJMHL as the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Halifax Mooseheads. Chicoutimi is at the bottom of the East Division as they have been a victim of a great division. The Sagueneens are currently 21-14-3-5 but they cannot get into the top of a division with some of the best teams in the league. They will travel to the Maritime Division and take on the Halifax Mooseheads. The Mooseheads are in 2nd in the Maritime Division with a record of 24-13-1-3 and are looking to make a run at the top team in the league, the Saint John Seadogs, with a win against the Sagueneens. Both teams will be looking to stay in playoff position with only two months left in the regular season.
When: Friday January 13th
Time: 7:00 pm
Channel: Sportsnet One/Sportsnet Ontario
NFL Playoffs: NFC Divisional Playoffs
The NFL Playoffs continue after a good start to the postseason in Wild Card Weekend with the Divisional Playoffs. The NFC will open the weekend on Saturday and close out the weekend on Sunday with two very interesting games. The weekend will open on Saturday with the 4:30 pm game on Saturday between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. In a classic matchup of Offence vs. Defence the Saints and Niners will look to put the “Defence Wins Championships” saying to test. The Saints will bring their #2 ranked offence into San Francisco after a big win over the Detroit Lions that proved that Drew Brees is still on a roll. The Niners are the #4 ranked defence in the league thanks to some amazing rushing defence that only allowed 3 rushing TDs all season. Brees will test out their passing defence as Frank Gore will test the Saints porous defence with the winner getting a shot at the NFC Championship. The next game will be on Sunday at 4:30 pm between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers. The two teams faced off earlier in the season with the Green Bay Packers coming out on top but only by three points in what was a thrilling game. The Packers will riding their #3 ranked offence and potential MVP winner Aaron Rodgers to win this game. The New York Giants will be looking to their fantastic front four and the play making ability of QB Eli Manning. It promises to be another great game as the biggest question will be whether or not the Packer defence can hold off the Giants and if the Packer offensive line can hold off the front four. These four teams will all play in the second round as they hope to take one step closer to the Super Bowl.
When: Saturday January 14th/Sunday January 15th
Time: 4:30 pm/4:30 pm
Channel: FOX/CTV/TSN
NHL Hockey: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
The two most valuable franchises in the NHL face off for the third time this year on Hockey Night in Canada. The first two games saw the exact same result as Toronto took both games 4-2. The New York Rangers will be looking to getting back into the series as they try to take the 3rd game and will have to do it in Toronto. The Rangers will be looking to keep their hold of the Atlantic Division after a great first half of the season. The Rangers have been a very good team this year under John Tortorella and looks to be one of the better teams this year as the playoffs are seen in the horizon. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to continue their fight with Ottawa for second place in the Northeast Division. The Leafs have had an up and down season that has seen injuries and bad play push them into a tight battle in the Northeast. With the halfway point in the season coming both teams will be looking to get a win as they begin a march towards the playoffs.
When: Saturday January 14th
Time: 7:00 pm
Channel: CBC
UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes
The UFC will make their return to Rio de Janeiro after less than a year and they will load the UFC 142 card with top Brazilian Talent. This includes the main event that will be the first time the Featherweight Division has headlined an event. Jose Aldo will defend his Featherweight Title in his home country for the first time in his career. He will be taking on Chad Mendes who is riding an 11 fight win streak and hopes to be the first one to beat Aldo in the UFC. It will be a tough fight for Mendes as Aldo is considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. Aldo is good everywhere as he has the ability to KO anyone and has some devastating kicks while also holding a Jiu Jitsu Black Belt. Mendes is more one-sided as one of the best wrestlers in the division and will be looking for the takedown and the ground and pound. If Aldo showed one weakness it was is ground game on his back as Mark Hominick showed at UFC 129 and this is what Mendes is looking to expose to win the belt. Along with Aldo the card will feature other great Brazilian fighters including “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort who will fight in his hometown for the first time in his long career. He will take on a very tough opponent in Anthony Johnson in what promises to be an all out battle. Both fighters are not known for their ground game and will be sure to come out swinging. There will be plenty to cheer about for the Brazilian fans and they will do just that at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro.
When: Saturday January 14th
Time: 7:00pm (Unaired Prelims)/8:00pm (Prelims)/10:00pm (Main Card)
Channel: Facebook/Sportsnet One/Pay-per-View
NLL Lacrosse: Toronto Rock vs. Buffalo Bandits
The NLL season will officially kick off this Saturday with 14 games on the schedule and the defending champions are in action. The Toronto kicked off their season earlier than most as they played the Calgary Roughnecks in the opening game last week. The Rock did not get off to the best start though has they lost to the Roughnecks 12-9. They will try to make the opening game a speed bump in their title defence as they take on their rivals from down the QEW the Buffalo Bandits. The Bandits will be looking for revenge from last year as their season was ended by the Rock in the Divisional Final. The Bandits will kick off their season as they look to continue their success in the East Division after winning the division last year. Yet another Rock game will be broadcast on TV as TSN’s partnership should allow all sports fans to watch some great lacrosse as the fastest sport on two feet continues to be featured and the defending champs continue to try to defend their title.
When: Saturday January 14th
Time: 7:30 pm
Channel: TSN
NFL Playoffs: AFC Divisional Playoffs
The NFL Playoffs continue this weekend as the AFC begins their divisional playoffs on Saturday and Sunday. The divisional playoffs are one step closer to the Super Bowl as four teams play for their chance at the big game. The AFC will kick off their divisional round with the night game at 8:00 pm on Saturday between Denver and New England. In a rematch of a game earlier this season the Denver Broncos will be looking to get revenge for a 41-23 beatdown at the hands of the Patriots. The Broncos will be riding the magic of Tim Tebow after an overtime win that saw the young QB throw an 80 yard TD pass in the first play of overtime. The Patriots will be looking for a repeat of their performance behind the #2 ranked offence and a great performance by Tom Brady. Tebow will look to repeat his great performance while he will half to keep up with Tom Brady and the Patriots to continue their magic. The second game will be the early afternoon game at 1:00 pm on Sunday as the Houston Texans take on the Baltimore Ravens. The Houston Texans are coming off of a convincing win against the Cincinnati Bengals in their first playoff appearance in franchise history. The Baltimore Ravens finally got past the Steelers hump to win the AFC North and will look to use their great defence and running game to wear down the Texans. Both teams have their question marks in the passing game but are based on the run and defence as the battle of defence will give one a chance to keep playing. These four teams will all be looking to take home a win and advance one step closer to the Super Bowl by playing in the AFC Championship Game.
When: Saturday January 14th/Sunday January 15th
Time: 8:00 pm/1:00 pm
Channel: CBS/CTV
Red Bull Crashed Ice in St. Paul USA
One of the most exciting and unique events will start again this weekend as the Redbull Crashed Ice World Championship will kick off in St. Paul. For those who have not seen this race it is a can’t miss. The concept is simple as five men or women face off in a downhill race where the first to the bottom wins. Add to this a long course made of ice and give the competitors skates to get down and the race gets faster. Add in jumps, bumps, and turns and you have the craziness that is Redbull Crashed Ice. It is pure adrenaline for these racers who go down the hill at break neck speeds and bump each other around as they look for the championship. One of the more unique sporting events in the year the Crashed Ice race is something that everyone needs to see.
When: Saturday January 14th
Time: 8:30 pm
Channel: Sportsnet Ontario
NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers
The NBA continues to roll as this weekend will see the crosstown rivalry in the between the LA Lakers and LA Clippers. The rivalry is not so much a crosstown as both play in the Staples Center but they do both represent polar opposites. The LA Lakers have been the best team in the NBA for years behind the play of Kobe Bryant that has won them multiple Championships. The LA Clippers are the opposites as they have been at the bottom of the league for years with little to speak of. Lately though the teams seem to be exchanging fortunes as the Lakers have not been as dominant as they used to be, although still very good, and the Clippers are beginning to look much better. The Clippers rise is thanks in large part to 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin and has been boosted by the addition of Chris Paul. The rivalry gained more traction as Chris Paul was originally traded from the New Orleans Hornets to the L.A. Lakers but it was voted down by some NBA owners. Instead a trade was made to the L.A. Clippers and Paul will make his first appearance in front of a partly Laker friendly crowd since the offseason’s trade. Both teams will also be playing for a little more than just pride as they are currently #1 and #2 in the Pacific Division and a win could be a boost to both team’s standing. The L.A. Rivalry will be featured this weekend in the NBA as the short season continues to roll on.
When: Saturday January 14th
Time: 10:30 pm
Channel: Sportsnet One
NCAA Basketball: #8 Indiana Hoosiers vs. #5 Ohio State Buckeyes
The NCAA basketball season continues on as the #8 Indiana Hoosiers take on the #5 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Indiana Hoosiers are a high-powered offence averaging 81.9 points per game ranking them 7th in the NCAA. Their defence takes advantage of this scoring as they average 64.1 points allowed per game needing the offensive output to win games. Led by Cody Zeller the Hoosiers look to continue their good season and recover from their second loss last week by beating Ohio State. The Buckeyes are much more of a defensive team only allowing 56.2 points per game. Their offence is not as powerful as the Hoosiers as they average 77.8 points per game ranking them 28th in the NCAA. Led by Jared Sullinger Ohio State is looking to get back into the battle for the Big Ten. A win against fellow Big Ten members would help them climb the ladder. As the NCAA season looks towards March Madness every game in the conference is essential and either of these teams would love to take the win this weekend.
When: Sunday January 15th
Time: 4:30 pm
Channel: CBS
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