(Ensign) has said all along he'll prepare for a topflight opponent and that's what he's doing. We have a good campaign team in place.

All we want to say is Sen. Ensign received a phone call from Sen. Reid and he accepted his apology.

Most of the big, physical defensemen in the league are capable of punishing an opponent along the wall, ... The good ones hit with balance and don't overextend themselves . . . . But of the many solid defensemen in the NHL that do that on a nightly basis, there's probably only 10 percent that actively look for open-ice hits because there's a lot more potential to get burned if you don't seize the right opportunity and, secondly, execute. Gauthier's one of those players.

Both were taken to Sunrise (Hospital) with some bruises and cuts. Both have been awake and alert the whole time.

He's going to be looking after a program that has been fraught with delay, faulty science, mismanagement and misdirection.

Unfettered access is an unreasonable request.