MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Race Face Tel-Med has signed an agreement to be the entitlement partner for the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour event at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 21.

The Race Face Tel-Med 300 will feature late model stock car and super late model competition at the historic track.

“We are looking forward to becoming a part of the excitement that Hickory Motor Speedway and the CARS Tour bring to this event,” said Rod Wortham, founder and CEO of Race Face Brand Development (the parent company for Race Face Tel-Med). “So many drivers have launched their careers at Hickory Motor Speedway, and the CARS Tour is a great place for young drivers climbing up the stock car ladder to compete with grizzled veterans of short tracks throughout the Carolinas.”

Race Face Tel-Med offers family discount plans that can save money on doctor’s visits, prescriptions, dental, vision and more for less than $20 per month. For teams and drivers who travel often and are not always near their doctors, Race Face Tel-Med offers solutions to connect remotely with a licensed physician, diagnose health issues quickly and provide access to medicine at pharmacies near the track. In the process, Race Face Tel-Med can help avoid long lines in emergency rooms or urgent care facilities.

“We have already used trials of Race Face Tel Med’s programs internally and have saved money in our personal lives,” said Wortham. “We are excited to let all of our friends in the racing community enjoy the savings as well.”

It's hard to believe, but we're staring down the final month of the 2019-20 NHL regular season. For this week's ESPN power rankings, we identified the X factor for each team down the stretch.

How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1-31, and those results are tabulated to the list featured here. Teams are rated through Tuesday night's games, taking into account overall record, recent success and other factors such as injuries.

Last week's rankings

Note: Standings point pace is based on games through March 4. Many stats are courtesy of Hockey Reference.

1. Boston Bruins

Previous ranking: 1
Standings point pace: 117

Jake DeBrusk (in a contract year) has been a streaky scorer in his three seasons with the Bruins. His goal total is down a bit this season, but he still has a chance to get hot, which would add an extra dimension to Boston's middle six.

2. St. Louis Blues

Previous ranking: 5
Standings point pace: 110

No question, Vladimir Tarasenko's return is the biggest X factor for the Blues. The fact that St. Louis was quiet at the trade deadline signals it expects its sniper back sooner rather than later.

3. Colorado Avalanche

Previous ranking: 6
Standings point pace: 110

A huge part of the Avalanche game plan is their ability to stay disciplined. They lead the league with a plus-34 in net penalties. But they need to be better on the power play; they're a bottom-third team, converting at only 18.2%.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

Previous ranking: 2
Standings point pace: 108

GM Julien BriseBois traded for Barclay Goodrow because he believed he's an underrated player. Many balked at the price (a first-round pick) for a 27-year-old whose career high is 25 points. Here's to Goodrow being the X factor down the stretch for Tampa.

5. Washington Capitals

Previous ranking: 3
Standings point pace: 108

The Caps acquired Brenden Dillon ahead of the trade deadline for depth, in part because Michal Kempny has been struggling. If Kempny finds his game again, Washington will be extra dangerous heading into April.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Previous ranking: 8
Standings point pace: 105

The Flyers have been without Nolan Patrick all season, as the 21-year-old manages a migraine disorder. If he returns at any point this season, it will give Philly the No. 3 center it has long coveted.

7. Dallas Stars

Previous ranking: 7
Standings point pace: 102

Denis Gurianov leads the Stars with 20 goals this season, but his usage has been puzzling (he averages less than 13 minutes per game). Could an expanded role lead to even more production?

8. Vegas Golden Knights

Previous ranking: 9
Standings point pace: 99

Over the past month, the Golden Knights have the second-worst penalty kill in the league (67.6%) and it has been just as bad at home as on the road. They'll need to clean that up before the playoffs.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins

Previous ranking: 4
Standings point pace: 103

There are a few factors behind the Penguins' recent six-game slide. But maybe it's no coincidence that once Pittsburgh got blueliners John Marino and Brian Dumoulin back, they were able to snap it.

10. Edmonton Oilers

Previous ranking: 13
Standings point pace: 98

We know Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have been producing at wicked rates this season, but the rest of the Oilers have struggled to keep pace. The Oilers are hoping speedy trade deadline acquisition Andreas Athanasiou can be that guy.

11. New York Islanders

Previous ranking: 10
Standings point pace: 98

The Isles' "identity line" of Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin have played in fewer than 20 games together so far. Get them back together down the stretch -- Cizikas remains out -- and the Isles are in better shape.

12. Toronto Maple Leafs

Previous ranking: 14
Standings point pace: 95

Ice-time leader Morgan Rielly hasn't played since Jan. 12 because of a broken foot. Reilly's projected return next week could be the perfect boost for this defense-challenged team (during Reilly's absence, only the Red Wings have given up more goals per game than the Leafs).

13. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 11
Standings point pace: 96

How the Canes fare in back-to-backs could seal their playoff fate. Of Carolina's remaining 18 games, eight are back-to-back sets. The Canes have gone 6-3-2 in games with zero days rest so far this season.

14. Vancouver Canucks

Previous ranking: 12
Standings point pace: 93

Vancouver fans are anxious to know how serious Jacob Markstrom's injury is, and if he can return this season. The Canucks have looked flustered since he has been out, and their once-stable playoff hopes are now in jeopardy.

15. Calgary Flames

Previous ranking: 19
Standings point pace: 92

After both scoring at a pace higher than a point per game last season, Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau's production has regressed. Both are still dangerous offensively, and can be game-breakers.

16. New York Rangers

Previous ranking: 16
Standings point pace: 92

Chris Kreider was playing some of the best hockey of his career when he broke his foot. Finding a competent left wing replacement for Mika Zibanejad's line is crucial for a team on the playoff bubble.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous ranking: 15
Standings point pace: 95

I asked GM Jarmo Kekalainen this week what he believed the X factor for his team would be: "We've got to keep believing. That's the only way we're going to get any success, that's the only reason we've succeeded so far."

18. Winnipeg Jets

Previous ranking: 21
Standings point pace: 89

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck has helped the Jets -- and their pedestrian blue-line group -- stay afloat this season. Hellebuyck has the second-most starts in the league, trailing only Carey Price, and you can bet the Jets will use him a ton in their wild-card push.

19. Minnesota Wild

Previous ranking: 23
Standings point pace: 91

There are few players hotter in the NHL right now than Kevin Fiala. The Wild are within reach of a playoff spot, and if they keep getting goals from the once-prized Predators prospect, Minnesota might just have a shot.

20. Florida Panthers

Previous ranking: 17
Standings point pace: 91

It hasn't been pretty for the Panthers lately. If they have any shot at the playoffs, they need to play better at home. Since the All-Star break, Florida has lost seven straight home games. They have eight games in Sunrise remaining.

21. Nashville Predators

Previous ranking: 18
Standings point pace: 89

When Ryan Ellis was injured during the Winter Classic, he was playing like a Norris Trophy candidate. Ellis missed 20 games, but his return has been seamless, and could help separate the Preds from the pack in the wild-card race.

22. Arizona Coyotes

Previous ranking: 20
Standings point pace: 88

Fans have put a lot of pressure on splashy acquisitions Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel to preform, but the X factor on offense might be homegrown Clayton Keller, who has been amping up his production of late.

23. Montreal Canadiens

Previous ranking: 22
Standings point pace: 86

Since it's looking like a lost season, we'll be monitoring a move for the future. Will the Habs sign Cole Caulfield after his freshman season in Wisconsin, or convince him another year in college will be better for his development?

24. Chicago Blackhawks

Previous ranking: 25
Standings point pace: 84

Dylan Strome will be due a big extension this summer. It's going to be expensive, but how he finishes the season might determine just how pricey. It has been at times a frustrating campaign for Strome, though strong play last season proved he can be a centerpiece for this retooling team moving forward.

25. Buffalo Sabres

Previous ranking: 24
Standings point pace: 82

The Sabres went 2-12-2 in March last season, which resulted in the firing of coach Phil Housley. Similar results could also provoke change, but this time we're looking at GM Jason Botterill.

26. New Jersey Devils

Previous ranking: 27
Standings point pace: 80

We'll be keeping an eye on 23-year-old Mackenzie Blackwood for the next month. The restricted free-agent-to-be has been making his case lately that he's New Jersey's goaltender of the future.

27. Anaheim Ducks

Previous ranking: 26
Standings point pace: 75

Over the final month of the season, the Ducks have a keen interest in 35-year-old David Backes. There wasn't a role for Backes anymore in Boston, but Anaheim is hoping he can still contribute in the NHL.

28. San Jose Sharks

Previous ranking: 28
Standings point pace: 77

All of a sudden, the Sharks are showing signs of life with a nice three-game winning streak. Can Martin Jones (.950 save percentage over his past three) build momentum to bring into next season?

29. Ottawa Senators

Previous ranking: 29
Standings point pace: 71

Marcus Hogberg was the Senators de facto No. 1 goaltender, but he is back in Sweden for personal reasons. Ottawa will now turn to 38-year-old Craig Anderson -- probably in his swan song -- to finish out the season.

30. Los Angeles Kings

Previous ranking: 30
Standings point pace: 70

A team squarely in the Alexis Lafreniere sweepstakes will spend the final month seeing what they have in 25-year-old goaltender Cal Petersen, whose path to being a full-time NHLer was cleared by the Jack Campbell trade.

31. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 31
Standings point pace: 42

The Red Wings were the first team to be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention before the trade deadline since the 2003-04 Penguins. Now we'll see if Detroit can pull off a full-on tank, like those Pens did (which landed them Evgeni Malkin No. 2 overall).

Seattle's NHL expansion franchise doesn't start playing in the league until 2021-22, but we might only need to wait a little bit longer before we can stop referring to it as "Seattle's NHL expansion franchise."

Remember when the Vegas Golden Knights were going to be the Desert Knights? Or the Red Hawks? The same sort of speculation has swirled around Seattle's nickname over the past few years, as some names have gained traction and others have faded.

Here's some informed speculation on the name derby, from the best bets to the long shots to the completely delusional hopes and dreams. Maybe the name of the team is here. Or maybe it isn't!

Tier 1: The favorites

Seattle Kraken

Why it works: Outside of a popular dark rum, Kraken has been rarely used as a nickname inspiration. It's a mythical behemoth, a tentacled beast rising from the sea to devour those who dare sail past it. The logo possibilities are endless. The mascot will be a cuddly squid. Everyone outside of Seattle seems to love this name the most, and it might be gaining momentum in the city.

Why it doesn't work: Kraken has more to do with Scandinavia than Seattle. Throwing tentacled sea creatures on the ice is already another team's gig. And, if you can believe it, there might be backlash against the name from a narcotics perspective. "Do the powers that be not understand that we have a gigantic drug problem in Seattle?" said Dori Monson, afternoon host on KIRO radio. "What will our NHL team's logo be? A guy lighting up a crack pipe?"

Pun potential: That said ... fans called the Krak Heads. Arena called The Krak House. When they win: "Krak addiction." When they lose: "Krak is whack." We can get even deeper into the weeds about "Kraken skulls" and other hockey-adjacent silliness. It's a pun-a-palooza.

Outlook: The name of the team is probably going to be Seattle Kraken. We had heard recently that while Seattle's brass had initially bristled at the moniker, a marketing presentation late last year centered around Kraken blew them away. In January, John Hoven of mayorsmanor.com was the first to report that it would be Kraken, according to a source. Clark Rasmussen of DetroitHockey.net, the savvy blogger who sleuthed out the Golden Knights name for Vegas before anyone else, tells ESPN that "right now, I'm around 97% certain the name is Seattle Kraken." Unless, of course, it's something Kraken-adjacent ...

Seattle Kraken HC

Why it works: Rasmussen was grumbling to a friend recently about the nickname drama and said the team should just get it over with and call itself Seattle HC. As in "hockey club," mimicking the naming convention for some European soccer and hockey teams, as well as MLS teams such as Seattle Sounders FC. That inspired him to look into some registrations with HC suffixes, and what do you know: Seattle Kraken HC was registered privately on Nov. 26, 2019, and just updated on Feb. 20. "That date stuck out to me because it's the same time that several of the domains confirmed to be owned by the Seattle NHL ownership group were updated," Rasmussen wrote. "While there is still no apparent pattern, the timing does seem to imply that SeattleKrakenHC.com is also owned by Seattle Hockey Partners, having been updated in a batch with the others."

Why it doesn't work: If there's anything we know about the NHL, it's that it likes uniformity. Las Vegas Golden Knights would have made them the only team in the league with a four-word name. Seattle Kraken HC would be the only team with an HC at the end. We can't imagine NHL commissioner Gary Bettman would be a fan of seeing that in the standings.

Pun potential: Same as above, although we shudder to think how HC could be reappropriated during a losing streak.

Outlook: The HC could just be a "covering all the bases" trademarking of the Kraken. Or it could be an official name that gets around those that were squatting on the name Kraken. To that end, Rasmussen believes that "the organization does not seem to currently own SeattleKraken.com, though it's always possible that they've reached a deal to acquire that domain. Naming the team Seattle Kraken HC could help them get around the need for it."

Seattle Sockeye(s)

Why it works: While you'd struggle to find a kraken in the waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, sockeye salmon are plentiful and, hence, a very Seattle thing. If the team wants to be bold, they'd drop the "s" at the end and become the third countable noun nickname in the NHL, after the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. (Although Kraken would, in fact, accomplish the same.)

Now, would they be shorted to the Socks or Sox? Would that be an issue, with MLB's Red Sox and White Sox? It shouldn't be. I'm pretty sure college football has about 100 teams named the Tigers and they've all played each other for the national championship. Or so it seems.

Why it doesn't work: As we mentioned, it's a very Seattle thing. There's the Seattle Sockeye Ultimate Frisbee team. There's the series of hockey romance novels by author Jami Davenport, who trademarked the name. There are conflicts, but that doesn't mean the team couldn't work out deals around these conflicts if it wanted to. For example, Jeff Gibb, owner of SeattleSockeyes.com, told DetroitHockey.net: "To me, I've always considered my ownership of it as a way to 'save' the name for the team if they choose it down the line."

Pun potential: A hockey team named the Sockeyes is pretty much the apex of pescatarian puns. "Sock it to 'em!"

Outlook: Quite good. Sockeyes has been at the top of more than a few Seattle fan polls in the past couple of years. There's a lot of red tape to cut through if this is the choice, but it would be a very popular one -- at least for the fans who aren't on #TeamNoFish.

Tier 2: The contenders

Seattle Sea Lions

Why it works: Sea lions are both native to Seattle and unquestionably adorable, although they can attack if provoked. The Lions is quality shorthand for the nickname. And they might be able to cover their entire payroll with the amount of Sea Lions mascot merch they'd sell; the Beanie Babies alone might pay for a defenseman or two.

Why it doesn't work: Orcas eat sea lions. Not exactly what you want in a budding rivalry with the Canucks.

Pun potential: The "Lion" vs. "Lyin'" bit in headlines would probably get worn out by their first playoff appearance.

Outlook: No Lion (wink, wink), but this would be a solid name and a quasi tribute to that late, not-at-all great West Coast team, the California Golden Seals.

Seattle Metropolitans

Why it works: Because they're a part of Seattle's hockey legacy. The Seattle Metropolitans played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1915 to 1924, and they won the Stanley Cup in 1917. Obviously, this would be a chance to honor the history made by players such as [checks Wikipedia] Frank Foyston and Cully Wilson.

Why it doesn't work: Bettman has indicated a little hesitancy in allowing an NHL team to have the same name as one of its four divisions, for clarity's sake.

Pun potential: By sports nickname law, Metropolitans is shortened to Mets. And you really, really, really, really don't want to be the Mets.

Outlook: An interesting option, given the history. Plus it seems to occupy that lane between the "never Kraken" and "anything but fish" camps.

Seattle Steelheads

Why it works: It's a cool fish name like Sockeyes, without the whole "punching someone in the face" imagery.

Why it doesn't work: Because it's far less forward-thinking and inclusive than using the freshwater-only version of the fish, the Seattle Rainbow Trout.

Pun potential: "Steeling" a victory. Also, the "Blades of Steelheads" parodies would be like catnip for NES-playing Gen Xers.

Outlook: Not great. The Seattle NHL franchise was talking with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL about an AHL affiliation before setting up its affiliate team in Palm Springs, California. That probably sealed the fate of the Steelheads name for Seattle.

Tier 3: The pretenders

Seattle Renegades

Why it works: It's a pretty awesome nickname for an expansion team, as it makes its insurgent entrance into an established league. The Jeep sponsorship sells itself.

Also, if you can capture 10% of the kids doing the "Renegade" dance on TikTok with this name, you probably have the most popular franchise in the NHL. Which is perhaps a sad commentary on the relative popularity of TikTok and the NHL.

Why it doesn't work: Sorry, but there's only one "Renegade," and that's the Lorenzo Lamas syndicated vigilante biker series of the 1990s.

Pun potential: "Renegades of Puck" is obviously the parody Afrika Bambaataa had in mind when he wrote "Renegades of Funk" in 1983.

Outlook: Renegades was an early option out of the gate, but a source said it was "not a real option and more of a swerve tactic" in the end.

Seattle Totems

Why it works: From 1943 to 1975, the Totems played in the Pacific Coast Hockey League, which became the Western Hockey League. There's an undeniable hockey legacy here, and local ties are rumored to be important to the Seattle owners. Plus, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee dropped a "Seattle Totems" reference in 2018 when talking about the expansion team.

Why it doesn't work: Because there's a lot to unpack here. Native American iconography with pro sports teams isn't exactly smiled upon these days, although the NHL does continue to support the Blackhawks name and logo. Totem poles are actually non-native to the local tribes.

Pun potential: "Tote-ally awesome" and "tote-al domination" come to mind.

Outlook: There's talk that the NHL already put the kibosh on this name internally, and there are a lot of reasons to believe that -- while popular -- it might be more trouble than it's worth today.

Tier 4: The wild cards

Seattle Thunderbirds/Firebirds

Why it works: The Seattle Seahawks are the most popular sports franchise in town, and Seattle NHL CEO Tod Leiweke served in the same capacity with that franchise. Both names would be make for great mascots and team monikers, joining the Penguins and Ducks as the NHL's feathered friends.

Why it doesn't work: Firebirds was already rejected on trademark grounds for the franchise's AHL affiliate in Palm Springs. The Seattle Thunderbirds are a WHL team, so some kind of negotiation/trade-off would probably have to take place.

Pun potential: Just use every bird-centric pun made for the Seahawks and apply it to hockey.

Outlook: Did NHL Seattle tip its hand with the Palm Springs filing, that it has birds on the brain?

Seattle Emeralds

Why it works: Seattle is the Emerald City, baby. Also, in a world cluttered with names that are used by teams in every level in every spot, Emeralds would be local and unique.

Why it doesn't work: It doesn't really lend itself to a mascot, unless the team intends to have an anthropomorphic gemstone hugging little kids in the concourse. (Ouch, those edges!) And are we going with Emeralds, which is a mouthful, or Ems, which are ... already the Mariners (M's)?

Pun potential: You're just begging for an endless collection of "Wizard of Oz" jokes here.

Outlook: It's been a name mentioned in polls for years, to the point where it can't be ignored. But there are probably better options.

Tier 5: The pipe dreams

Seattle Grunge

Outlook: Yeah, no. The locals would grab their lattes and riot. Which is a shame, because a team with flannel shirts tied around the waist of their jerseys would have been awesome -- not to mention the arena playlist.

Seattle NHL Expansion Franchise

Outlook: This would be like the time Dick Cheney was hired to pick George W. Bush's vice president, and then the vice president ended up being Dick Cheney.

Seattle Sasquatch

Outlook: We've lobbied for this name since the first inkling that the city was getting a team, but it doesn't seem like it has any traction. May the chants of "Let's go Squatch!" forever echo in KeyArena.

Seattle Starbucks

Outlook: At some point, everything is going to have a title sponsor in the NHL, probably even the Stanley Cup. This is just getting ahead of the game. (Or, if you want to consider the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, it's an old-school move.) The only mandatory things: The colors match the Starbucks logo, the goal song is an acoustic cover by Jack Johnson and each player's name is spelled incorrectly on his jersey.

Seattle SuperSonics

Outlook: Look, the NBA might never come back to Seattle. Just do the thing you all want to do and cheer for the Sonics again. Oh, and bring this guy back out of mothballs.

Jersey Fouls

From Smashville:

@wyshynski jersey foul? I get the passion for the player and puns, but why not just spend the dough on the real name? pic.twitter.com/orPScCNP1R

— Dmitry Shifrin (@ShifrinDmitry) February 26, 2020

This Nashville Predators Jersey Foul is a tribute to Filip Forsberg, No. 9 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts -- and No. 11 in the 2012 draft for the Washington Capitals, who then traded him for Martin Erat. It's a fine Nickname Jersey, but let's be clear: Forsberg is in that pantheon of hockey names that should never be superseded by a Nickname Jersey. Other names in that tier: Lemieux, Howe and Karlsson.

Listen To ESPN On Ice

One of the biggest stories ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs is how coronavirus might affect them. We speak with Craig Custance of The Athletic (an ESPN alum!) about it -- as well as NHL playoff and awards races, the GM meetings and much more. Please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast here!

Winners and losers of the week

Winner: EBUGs

Nice work from the NHL general managers recognizing what we wrote last week: That the emergency backup goaltenders (EBUGs) "problem" was not a problem and therefore did not require a solution. The status quo will remain for all of the accountants, Zamboni drivers and other emergency backups making time to sit around and be on call. "It's happened three times in 50 years. The system we've put into place works," said Florida GM Dale Tallon.

Loser: Colin Campbell, M.D.

So I think that NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell was being lighthearted when, on the night David Ayres made EBUG history with Carolina, he "called [Hurricanes GM] Don Waddell in the second intermission and said, 'Can't one of those two guys please come back?'" But it didn't read that way for a lot of fans this week, who questioned why an NHL official would be lobbying a team executive to bring back an injured player in order to avoid emergency backup embarrassment. (For the record, once Ayres is in, the other goalies are done. The next goalie for the Hurricanes was going to be a skater; or they could have played the rest of the game with the goalie pulled.)

Winner: The Marleaus

Family reunion! The boys all are getting so big. Missing Caleb, who was sound asleep. pic.twitter.com/yWc7WpanX1

— Christina Marleau (@c_marleau) March 2, 2020

Patrick Marleau's large adult sons Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, left for their West Coast trip early so they could spend time with their father figure. That look has probably been on Marleau's face since he was told the Penguins are going to "Ray Bourque" him a Stanley Cup. You can actually hear Auston Matthews whispering, "One day, my little friend, you too will have a resplendent mustache." Speaking of which ...

Loser: Auston Matthew Mustache Haters

Matthews is chasing the Rocket Richard Trophy this season -- as the goal-scoring champ -- and some of his teammates, including forward Kasperi Kapanen and goalie Jack Campbell, are showing solidarity by growing their own disturbing lip caterpillars. "I just thought I'd do the muzzy and see how it worked, and he scored the first game with it, so I thought, 'I'll just keep 'er going,'" Campbell said. Matthews scored in the second game too.

Winner: Paul Fenton

While the entire Minnesota Wild could be here thanks to their unlikely surge back to the playoff bubble, Kevin Fiala has been absolutely stellar for them during that surge. He was the NHL's first star of last week, with four multipoint games (four goals, five assists total), and he added a fifth goal in their win over the Predators. His 51 points are a new career high. But the big winner here isn't Fiala. It is Fenton, the maligned one-year general manager whose trade of Mikael Granlund for Fiala is finally paying off under successor Bill Guerin's watch.

Loser: Pekka Rinne

The Predators started Rinne in a vital game on Monday night -- at home, against the Oilers. He responded by allowing eight goals on 31 shots. It was his ninth loss in 15 appearances, dropping his save percentage to .895 and his goals-against average to 3.17. There was already talk that the torch needed to be passed from Rinne to Juuse Saros, if it hadn't been already. That's starting to become sadly undeniable.

Winner: Helping hands

The tornado that hit Nashville on Monday was devastating in every sense. The Predators immediately took action, opening their arena for relief efforts, as the team and players promoted the volunteer programs at Hands on Nashville and the donation opportunities at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Then other NHL teams stepped up: The Wild donated $25,000 to match the donation from Minnesota team owners Craig and Helen Leipold, former owners of the Preds. The NHL then matched that $50,000 donation. The Chicago Blackhawks offered up a portion of their 50/50 raffle on Tuesday night to disaster relief. It's not the first time the NHL family has come together after one of its fan bases suffered a tragedy, but it's inspiring every time.

Loser: Our immune systems

When the coronavirus outbreak began, the first impact on hockey was the shuttering of a couple of stick factories in China. Then came news that the Swiss National League would play the end of its regular season in empty arenas due to a government ban on public gatherings, before postponing its playoffs until after March 15. Then the IIHF cancelled several world championship group tournaments. The NHL is already mulling contingency plans. It would appear this is going to get much worse before it gets better.

Puck headlines

An 8-year-old Canadian boy won $200 worth of marijuana edibles and related paraphernalia at a youth hockey tournament raffle. Said his grandfather: "My grandson thought he won a great prize. 'Dad, I won chocolate!' 'No, son, there's bad drugs in the chocolate.' How do you explain that to a kid?"

The NHL salary-cap range is going to be between $84 million and $88.2 million for the 2020-21 season, and hopefully teams figure out which part of the range it'll fall into earlier than last season.

A misogynistic sign at a high school hockey game sparked backlash in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

Are the Canadiens making the right call on bringing back Claude Julien?

A Montreal doctor believes his new test could revolutionize how teams assess concussions for athletes. "You've got to remove the player from the decision-making process because I know the player can deny their symptoms or the player doesn't even realize he or she has the symptoms as of yet because they can be delayed by minutes, sometimes even hours or days."

The NHL is breaking out its "tracking puck" for the playoffs, so get ready for placebo effect complaints of "it just feels different" from losing teams.

Justin Bieber talks about his "hockey butt" with Ellen.

Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read)

As Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey tries to work his way back to the NHL, his brother faces a different type of battle. ($)

In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN

Really good piece by Emily Kaplan on how the NHL "groupthink" leads to the same coaching candidates being recycled over and over again.

Borussia Dortmund's Giovanni Reyna has attempted to end speculation about his international future by committing himself to the United States national team.

The midfielder, 17, is eligible to play for Argentina, Portugal and England but, after playing for the USMNT at under-15, 16 and 17 level, he is set on breaking into the senior side.

- Reyna emotional after becoming youngest American to play in UCL
- World Cup 2022 qualifying: All you need to know
- CONCACAF Nations League: All you need to know

"It's very clear for me: I will only play for the United States, that's my home," Reyna, the son of former United States internationals Danielle Egan Reyna and Claudio Reyna, told Ruhr Nachrichten.

He could have represented Argentina because of his father's family, England because he was born there and Portugal because of holding a Portuguese passport.

Reyna is set to make the first trip to the United States senior team in March, when Gregg Berhalter's team take on the Netherlands and Wales.

Having been promoted to Dortmund's senior team during the winter break, Reyna has featured in every match for the Bundesliga club since.

He scored in a 3-2 DFB Pokal defeat at Werder Bremen and set up Erling Haaland for his spectacular winner in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

Without a goal in Bundesliga, Reyna could become the youngest ever non-German to score should he find the back of the net in the remaining 10 matches of the season and the second youngest all-time scorer in Germany's top-flight.

Australia 5 for 134 (Lanning 49*, Mooney 28, de Klerk 3-19) beat South Africa 5 for 92 (Wolvaardt 42*, Schutt 2-17) by 5 runs (DLS method)

Australia defied Sydney's rain, a doughty South Africa and the absence of their hamstrung talisman Ellyse Perry to survive a nerve-shredding semi-final at the SCG and progress to the Twenty20 World Cup final at the MCG on Sunday: an event that had been marketed so strongly and pointedly around the world's No. 1 team and tournament hosts getting there.

After India's advance to the decider was concluded by showers that caused the abandonment of their semi-final against England, conditions improved long enough for Australia to bat their full 20 overs before being required to defend 97 runs from 13 overs following another shower. The South Africans were chasing that much due to a swift start from Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, before captain Meg Lanning provided the spine of an innings that rather fell away in the face of Nadine de Klerk - subbing in for the ill Marizanne Kapp.

Nevertheless, the Australians defended with all the desperation they could muster, plucking three quick wickets and then successfully containing a sublime middle order innings from Laura Wolvaardt. Megan Schutt and Delissa Kimmince were particularly tight with the ball, allowing the hosts to squeak through to the win just as the rain returned to Sydney. They will hope for blue skies and a final victory in Melbourne.

Playing with power

The rain that waved India through to the tournament final on an abandoned first semi-final against England abated in time to allow Australia and South Africa to commence without any initial reduction in their scheduled overs. In sticky conditions, the hosts were sent in to bat, and there was some early movement on offer for the South African seamers. Healy and Mooney, however, were sharp enough to take advantage of the ball skidding obligingly onto the bat when it wasn't wobbling away from them, and the Australians started swiftly.

Thirty-nine runs from overs 3-6 lifted Australia to 48 from the Powerplay, even if Healy departed for 18 when she flicked one up to midwicket. That dismissal brought Lanning to the middle at No. 3, a position she appeared to have been locked into for the tournament's pointy end. Accompanied by Mooney, she was able to guide her team as far as 1 for 63 after eight overs, and a tally above 150 looked very likely - a lot to chase at the SCG under lights.

De Klerk is de secret weapon

Only once in this tournament had de Klerk been granted a game, against Thailand in Canberra. She admitted later to arriving at the SCG without knowing whether or not she was going to play, only for Kapp to be ruled out due to illness. For an Australian side beset by their own need to change the team due to a hamstrung Ellyse Perry - Kimmince returned - and the return of Sophie Molineux, de Klerk's accurate medium pace lines and subtle change-ups may have just snuck past their planners.

As it was, she was helped by how the Australians insisted upon changing up their batting line-up without Perry. Jess Jonassen came in as early as No. 4, shunting Ash Gardner and Rachael Haynes down to Nos. 5 and 6. Both Jonassen and Gardner went cheaply, helping to sap the momentum of the innings and forcing Lanning onto the defensive when she should have been able to accelerate. While Haynes and Nicola Carey did better, Lanning was never quite able to release the handbrake. Even if 17 came from the 18th over, only 69 had come from the other 13 after the Powerplay. Lanning, angrily punching her thigh after the final ball of the innings, knew more was needed.

Gardner, Schutt set Australia on their way

Showers returned just as the innings was concluding, and as the clock ticked towards the 9.49pm cut off time for the minimum 10 overs, Australian heart rates rose. However the skies cleared in time for a 9.40pm start and a 13-over South African chase for 98 to win. In Perry's absence, Lanning gave the new ball to Schutt and Jonassen, and after they went for nine, Molineux bowled her first ball of the tournament and saw it disappear for six over midwicket thanks to Dane van Niekerk's powerful slog sweep. After five balls, Molineux had conceded 11, but from the sixth she lured Lizelle Lee into another swing for the leg side boundary, and Gardner ran brilliantly around from long on to complete a vital catch.

Next over Schutt returned, and where in her first over she had been a little short and straight, this time she got things exactly right for line, length and movement to tilt back van Niekerk's middle stump. Lanning brought on Kimmince next, and her tight lines brought the reward of a Mignon du Preez punch to cover, where the captain dived forward for another superb catch. These wickets and the clamp on the runs were starting to blow the requirement out for South Africa, but Australian eyes were on the skies as well as the scoreboard.

Wolvaardt runs it close

Once the three early wickets fell, at least one Australian eye had to be on the minimum 10 overs required for a match, and in the interim Wolvaardt and Sune Luus played calmly to regather the chase with a steadying partnership. Both showed plenty of ability to hit straight, something that Lanning tried to counter-act with straight fields, while Kimmince and Carey tried wide yorkers as well as changes of pace. Gradually, though, South Africa inched themselves to a position from which victory was possible if not quite likely.

With 27 needed off the last 12 balls, Schutt bowled a superb penultimate over, claiming Luus and conceding just two runs from five balls. Wolvaardt clumped a six off the final ball to leave 19 needed from the final over as the rain returned. Jonassen, handed a greasy ball, had Chloe Tryon pouched off a first up full toss, before Wolvaardt nailed another boundary. Jonassen reverted to over the wicket and did enough to keep the South Africans out. Amid the celebrations at the SCG, one of the broadest smiles of all belonged to none other than Perry.

The former GB international defies medical verdict as he returns to sub-20 minute 5km shape

Former GB international runner Nick Jones was told by doctors he has incurable cancer and spent most of last year undergoing chemotherapy as his weight plummeted to just eight stone.

Yet despite his health problems he has battled back to fitness this winter and broken 20 minutes for 5km at his local Widnes parkrun.

“If it wasn’t for running, I don’t think I’d be here today,” says the 45-year-old.

He explains: “I went in for an operation last April and cancer was found in my bowel. I had sepsis and my kidney burst. They didn’t think I’d get out of hospital and I was given three months to live.

“But my fitness from running gave me the strength to have the chemotherapy, which has helped me survive.

“You know what runners are like – they’re hard buggers. When you’re training twice a day and running 100 miles a week back in the day, it helps you build up a bit of strength.”

In total, Jones has gone through six intensive cycles of chemotherapy. Last summer he felt so weak after emerging from hospital that he could barely manage to jog for one minute, but with support from his family and coach Phil Hicken he has slowly built back to running about 25 miles per week and clocked 20:20 at the Widnes parkrun on New Year’s Day followed by 19:47 later that month.

At his best the Warrington AC runner clocked 63:12 for 13.1 miles and ran for Britain at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships three times from 1999-2001.

He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis – a debilitating bowel disease – when he was aged 35, but he continued to run well as he moved into the masters age groups.

“The only way I could get through a race was by taking Imodium tablets, otherwise I’d have to stop mid-run to go to the toilet,” he says.

But last year his health plummeted as he underwent ileostomy surgery, sepsis and battled an incurable neuroendocrine carcinoma.

“I lost about two stone in hospital and had no strength. When I got out of hospital in the beginning of August last year I went into my garage on to the treadmill and I couldn’t even jog for a minute. I was almost in tears.

“But at least I was at home and starting to build up strength. Then I went to the local track and tried to do one lap but managed to run four laps in 9:58.

“It’s one of the best runs I’ve ever done. I was so pleased to do it after being as ill as I was.

“A fortnight later I did 25:55 at a local 5km and that’s been the starting point and I thought ‘I’d love to break 20 minutes’ and that’s been my goal since.”

He is even training with his children now, too. His son Jordan is a talented steeplechaser while daughter Jasmine and wife Caroline are also good runners.

“When I ran 19:47 recently it was the cherry on the cake and I now want to see what I can do next,” he says. “Just before my operation I was a close second aged 44 at the British Masters 10km in Blyth but I’m now into the M45 age group and looking forward to getting into races.”

Jones is now hoping his tumour does not start to grow again. If it does, he will have a trial chemotherapy treatment.

He continues: “I’m getting a lot of help from my old running team-mates from Tipton and elsewhere.

“Some of them have even seen what I’m doing and they’ve been inspired to start up again running themselves.”

Indeed, they have also organised a fundraising 5km at Victoria Park in Warrington on April 19 to raise money for St Rocco’s Hospice. It has already attracted entries from clubs that Jones has been associated with such as Vale Royal, Tipton, Spectrum Striders, Salford and Warrington and you can enter here.

“I’d have gone mad if I didn’t have the running,” adds Jones. “It’s been a real release.”

Chinese Super League club Tianjin Tianhai have announced they are available free of charge to a suitable owner after financial struggles left them facing an uncertain future.

Tianjin narrowly avoided relegation in 2019 and the club's financial woes had led to reports that they may not be able to participate in the 2020 campaign -- the start has been delayed due to the coronavirus.

During the off season, Tianjin had seen 13 players depart while failing to make a single signing.

After discussions, Tianjin announced on Thursday that the club is ready to handover ownership without a fee.

"The club have reached a critical moment and in order to maintain the hard-fought position in the Chinese Super League, have, after careful considerations, made a difficult decision," read a statement on the club's official social media channels.

"We will transfer 100% of the club with zero fee."

The statement invited Chinese companies to get on board with the club's assets worth an estimated $100 million. Debts are reported to be around $145m but Tianjin have said that figure is negotiable.

The club is owned by the Tianjin Football Association which stepped in to take over in Jan. 2019 after former owner, pharmaceutical company Quanjian, was embroiled in a national scandal.

On Wednesday, coach Li Weifeng denied reports that the team was going to be kicked out of the 2020 season.

"Such rumours are very irresponsible and disrespectful to the players who tried so hard last season," he said. "The club is facing some problems, but they can be solved.

"And some are questioning why we did not sign new players. There's no rule that a team must sign somebody during a transfer window.

"Every team has its own troubles, that's normal. That doesn't mean the club has no future."