Munster doctor Jamie Kearns has been given a suspended three-week ban for his role in a brawl involving almost 30 players at Saracens in December.

An independent panel found that Kearns "verbally abused" Saracens player Jamie George during the Champions Cup game.

It was alleged at the time that the comments related to George's weight.

The ban is suspended for 12 months and Kearns will pay a 2,000 euros (£1,700) fine after the panel took into account an "immediate expression of remorse".

English side Saracens went on to win the game 15-6 at Allianz Park.

A misconduct complaint was made against Kearns in the wake of the Pool 4 encounter and his sanction was announced following a meeting of the panel in London.

ROCKLIN, Calif. – HammerDownUSA.com has named the 2019 All-HammerDown! Team.

Brad Sweet, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion, heads the list of the 40 driver team.

The All-HammerDown! Team includes drivers that finished in the top 40 in HammerDownUSA.com’s, Racers’ Racing Series point standings. Points are awarded for a 60-race schedule of big-race events. Drivers must finish in the top 11 positions in a feature to score points. This year there were 165 drivers that earned points, but only the top 40 receive All-HammerDown! status.

“I think it’s really cool that HammerDown! sets up a true racer’s racing series,” said Sweet, the champion of the Racer’s Racing Series. “I know it doesn’t pay money or a big trophy but it’s all about pride. I have always watched the Racer’s Racing Series points and have always wanted to win it, so I’m pumped the last two years in a row that I have been able to hold the title.”

Two drivers continued their streak of making the All-HammerDown! Team in each of the 17 years since the honor was created in 2003: Daryn Pittman and Donny Schatz.

Four drivers made the All-HammerDown! team for the first time in their careers: Ryan Bernal, Logan Seavey, Logan Wagner and Brock Zearfoss. The age range of the 40-driver team goes from Giovanni Scelzi at age 18 to Jac Haudenschild at age 61.

Below is the 17th annual All-HammerDown! Team, in alphabetical order:

Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Brady Bacon, Ryan Bernal, Brian Brown, Tyler Courtney, Lance Dewease, Danny Dietrich, Cory Eliason, Shane Golobic, Justin Grant, David Gravel, Jac Haudenschild, Sheldon Haudenschild, Bud Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Kyle Larson, C.J. Leary, Carson Macedo, Ian Madsen, Kerry Madsen, Brent Marks, James McFadden, Paul McMahan, Daryn Pittman, Freddie Rahmer, Aaron Reutzel, Giovanni Scelzi, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, Logan Seavey, Tim Shaffer, Ryan Smith, Shane Stewart, Chase Stockon, Brad Sweet, Kevin Thomas Jr., Logan Wagner, Chris Windom, Brock Zearfoss.

VADO, N.M. – Days remain before the start of the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series season, one the dirt late model world is expecting to be one of the most exciting championship battles in tour history.

The 51-race schedule, boasting 11 race dates at eight brand-new tracks to the series, begins with the first night of competition Friday, Jan. 3, at Vado Speedway Park after a Thursday night practice. The Friday race is the first of two 30-lap, $5,000-to-win features before the 75-lap, $15,000-to-win Battle at the Border finale on Sunday.

Coming into the first race on Friday night, all eyes will be on the Outlaws as they make their first starts of the season behind the wheel of their new cars, and for some, working with their new teams and owners. Two-time and defending series champion Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing crew have returned with the same manpower and mindset that drove their ultra-winning ways in 2019. The only difference this year will be their competition.

With three-time champion Darrell Lanigan now in the Barry Wright house car and the announcement on Dec. 12 bringing Scott Bloomquist Racing back to the World of Outlaws tour, Sheppard and the rest of the full-time Outlaws now stare down what might be the toughest competitors they’ll race against every weekend since Bloomquist’s championship-winning season in 2004. Joining Bloomquist is his Scott Bloomquist Racing co-star, Chris Madden, one of the hottest drivers in the country who has his sights set on a World of Outlaws crown.

Bloomquist is a Dirt Late Model legend with plenty of experience on several tracks the Outlaws regularly visit.

Madden joined Scott Bloomquist Racing last summer and went on a tear in the second half of 2019, winning several high-paying races on the dirt late model circuit, starting with Cedar Lake Speedway’s $50,000-to-win USA Nationals in August. Ten super late model wins and an average feature finish of 3.72 over his final 25 races of 2019 display the momentum he’s built up over the past few months, which he will no-doubt carry into Vado. Add in his two wins in three starts and the overall points lead on the Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series, and it’s easy to see why Smokey has been the hottest Dirt Late Model driver in the country for the past several months. Expect him to bring the same tenacity to the World of Outlaws tour, as he chases his first national title.

Together, Bloomquist and Madden plan to tackle the entire tour this season alongside fellow Team Drydene member Ricky Weiss. The 2019 Rookie of the Year was the first to break his sponsorship news with Drydene Performance Products, one week before Bloomquist and Madden did. Once again operating out of Bloomquist’s race shop in Mooresburg, Tenn., Weiss will be the third big challenger to Sheppard’s reign.

Of course, Weiss will first be looking to put his Drydene No. 7 into World of Outlaws victory lane after posting a total of 13 podium finishes last season without a single win. Still, a third-place finish in the overall points standings was very impressive, and thus makes him a marquee candidate for the Series crown this upcoming year.

The giant battle of Weiss Racing, Scott Bloomquist Racing and Rocket1 won’t be complete without the addition of Viper Motorsports’ newest full-time driver Lanigan. The three-time World of Outlaws champion announced his plans for another run at the tour’s crown back in late November, this time behind the wheel of the Barry Wright Race Cars ICON house program. This deal puts Viper Motorsports back on the full-time roster for the first time since May 2019, and the Barry Wright ICON house car back on a national circuit since Madden vacated the seat at the end of the 2018 season.

The move for Lanigan allows him to refocus on racing over building cars. He also made note of more crew help and more customers of Wright that can provide feedback on performance, all of which further support the team’s bid as a headlining championship contender.

Championship battles in motorsports begin with a single race, and in most cases it’s on a track that some drivers are more familiar with than others. But 2020 will be different for the Outlaws. Of the 41 drivers confirmed by the track to compete in the inaugural Battle at the Border, only 11 made at least one start at Vado, in any division, in 2019 – the first year of track operation.

Las Cruces, N.M.-native Jake Gallardo claimed an impressive 10 wins in 11 starts in local Super Late Model action this past season at Vado, and he’ll lead the local charge into the weekend. Other nationally renowned drivers such as Jimmy Mars, of Menomonie, Wis.; Bobby Pierce, of Oakwood, Ill.; brothers Stormy Scott of Las Cruces and Johnny Scott of Cameron, Mo., have all made starts in Modified action at the facility since the start of the 2019 season. The only full-time Outlaw with on-track experience at Vado is 2019 Rookie of the Year runner-up, Cade Dillard, who took back-to-back modified wins in the track’s annual Fall Nationals event back in late October.

Vado’s brand-new, state-of-the-art racing facility features a fast and tacky three-eighths-mile oval – the most popular track size seen on the World of Outlaws tour in 2019 with 17 races contested. Defending Series champion Sheppard had the most victories on three-eighths-miles this past season with six; Brandon Overton, of Evans, Ga., scored all four of his tour victories on three-eighths-mile tracks.

Of the four aforementioned drivers that were full-time World of Outlaws competitors at some point in 2019 (Sheppard, Weiss, Lanigan and Madden), average finishes on similarly configured three-eighths-mile tracks can be a good go-to stat in determining who has the best chance to score a win on the three-eighths-mile of Vado.

COSTA MESA, Calif. – MotoAmerica officials have announced that the series will add a youth program to three of its MotoAmerica events via the MotoAmerica Mini Cup, beginning with the Road America round on May 29-31.

The MotoAmerica Mini Cup Series will be held on karting tracks in conjunction with three MotoAmerica events: Road America (May 29-31), Ridge Motorsports Park (June 26-28) and Pittsburgh Int’l Race Complex (August 7-8).

The Mini Cup Series will feature four classes of racing: 110cc (four speed); 160cc; 190cc (racers aged up to 14 years); and 190 Adult (racers over the age of 15). The motorcycles will be based on spec rules centered around the Ohvale GP-0, a mini road racer that is now ready for the U.S. market after proving to be extremely popular in Europe.

The MotoAmerica Mini Cup fills a current void in the series and provides an entry point for riders under the age of 14. The Mini Cup will give young racers a way to bridge the gap to the MotoAmerica Liqui Moly Junior Cup class through the MotoAmerica Mini Cup and the Road To MotoAmerica.

“We saw the Ohvales race for the first time at PittRace in 2019 and we came away impressed,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “The bike is basically a miniature GP racer and serves as an ideal platform to get kids and their families on track and racing. We saw the need to provide an avenue for kids who are too young to race in our Liqui Moly Junior Cup to get started and work on their skills before moving up to bigger bikes. We’re excited about this and can’t wait for it to get rolling at Road America at the end of May.”

“We’ve been hard at work to help bring a solid platform into the U.S. market for youth, and their parents, to get involved in road racing with an affordable and easy to understand platform,” said Brandon Cretu of Rise Moto, the Ohvale GP-O distributor for the U.S. “The Ohvale GP-0 provides tiered engine options to progress with young racers skills and help them rise through the ranks until they’re ready for big bikes on big tracks. It also provides an exciting and affordable way for older riders and professional athletes to gain access to invaluable training time and inexpensive track time and racing. It is an exciting time for our sport and Ohvale is happy to be working with MotoAmerica.”

ADAIRSVILLE, Ga. – All four Crate Racin’ USA Divisions will be featured this week in the 29th annual Ice Bowl at the Talladega Short Track.

The Late Model, Street Stock, Late Model Sportsman and Modified Sportsman divisions will be in action this Thursday through Sunday to begin the season. Super Late Models, not sanctioned by Crate Racin’ USA, will headline the Ice Bowl on Sunday.

All four divisions will have an open practice on Thursday and Friday. All four divisions will qualify and run heat races on Saturday, and run B-Main races and main events on Sunday. Pre-race registration opens Thursday morning and technical inspection will begin on Friday at 11 a.m.

The Ice Bowl will mark the beginning of the 16th consecutive season for Crate Racin’ USA. The $3,000-to-win Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series portion of the Ice Bowl will be the first of nine races during the third annual Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series.

Jimmy Elliott is the defending Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series Ice Bowl champion, and will be looking for his third consecutive Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series Championship.

The Crate Racin’ USA Street Stock Division will compete for $2,500-to-win, the Crate Racin’ USA Late Model Sportsman 602 division will race for $1,500-to-win, and the Modified Sportsman Division will compete for $1,000-to-win.

On Thursday, the pit gate and registration opens at 9 a.m., and open practice will be from Noon to Dusk. On Friday, the pit gate opens at 9 a.m. with technical inspection beginning at 11 a.m., and open practice will be from Noon until 4:30 p.m. All competitors must be registered before their race cars can come through tech.

On Saturday, the pit gate opens at 8 a.m., with the drivers meeting set for 9:30 a.m. and hot laps are scheduled for 10 a.m., with racing to follow. On Sunday, the pit gate opens at 9 a.m., with the drivers meeting set for 11 a.m., opening ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m., and racing is scheduled for Noon.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Ryan Tidman has done everything in Indoor Auto Racing Series TQ Midget racing action over the years except win a race.

The Holland, Pa., driver hopes to accomplish that goal when the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels opens its 2020 season this weekend inside the PPL Center in downtown Allentown, Pa.

“I’ve come close lots of times, won some 20-lap qualifying races and set fast time, but still am looking for my first big Indoor race win. I hope this year will be different,” said the 32-year-old driver.

Tidman’s indoor assault will be with a new team. After spending most of his TQ Midget racing career racing for Lenny and Donna Boyd, Tidman will be driving Indoors for Richie Tolerico of Pompton Lakes, N.J.

The car, a Mark Lafler engineered chassis powered by a Dave Pippard engine, was formerly wheeled by Tony DiMattia. That’s the same engine and chassis combination Erick Rudolph used to win last year’s Indoor Auto Racing Series title, his fourth in the Series.

“Lenny and Donna (Boyd) decided to step away from Indoor racing this year and when they did, I had to either find a ride or sit out the Series,” Tidman explained. “I called Richie when I found out his car might be available and we struck a deal.”

Tidman stressed that he will still be driving the Boyd TQ in 2020 on the outdoor circuit. As a team, the pairing has won five ATQMRA series titles.

Tidman is coming off an outdoor TQ season that saw him finish a close second in points with one win in 12 races, at Bethel, N.Y.

Tidman will have the capable assistance of John Smith in the pit area. Smith has worked on Tolerico’s cars previously. Tidman’s parents, Albert and Linda, Mike Glaser and Tidman’s girlfriend Erica Weinelt also will be in the pit area assisting.

To put it all together, Tidman enlisted the support of several sponsors.

They include Insinger Machine Company of Philadelphia, Anes Construction, a business operated by fellow race entrant Mark Yoder, and Small Business Funding Group, Inc.

Tidman, a York College graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, brings his own skills set to the table as well.

The one thing Tidman was unable to do was practice the Tolerico No. 83 in advance.

“The first laps I get in Allentown will be my first in the car,” Tidman revealed. “I wanted to try to have the car ready for one of the Wall Stadium Turkey Derby practices but ran out of time.”

The untested car in Tidman’s hands should be mitigated by the fact among the three Indoor Auto Racing Series tracks, the PPL Center in Allentown is among his favorites.

“Allentown is one of the best tracks we go to,” Tidman said. “There is more passing there and at Atlantic City. I like tracks that have the most passing opportunities.” he shared.

Though Tidman has never won a Series A-Main, he did come close, in the 2016 Gambler’s Classic in Atlantic City, N.J.

“I was behind (Anthony) Sesely, pushing him. But I was using the brakes so much that the brake pads were pushed back inside the calipers which then flared up in a fireball,” Tidman lamented.

Tidman has a long history with Indoor racing, dating back to a 2004 start in a Badger TQ Midget. He then followed it up with two more Indoor starts, all of them in Atlantic City, N.J., inside Boardwalk Hall, before taking several years off to campaign a diverse group of vehicles, including a dirt modified and a NEMA Midget.

The Allentown Indoor schedule calls for doors opening at 6 p.m. with racing getting underway at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, doors open at 5 p.m. with racing beginning at 7 p.m. sharp. An on-track Fan Fest is available at no extra charge to ticket holders who chose the option when making their purchase.

Matt Janisch and Ryan Flores won the Friday and Saturday PPL Center TQ Midget features in 2019.

The Allentown race is the first of four events that comprise the Indoor Auto Racing Series.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo suffered a torn meniscus during Sunday's loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and underwent surgery Monday, the team announced Tuesday.

The Blue Jackets said Korpisalo is expected to miss four to six weeks to recover.

Korpisalo, who has a 17-10-4 record this season with a 2.49 goals-against average and .913 save percentage, was injured during the first round of Sunday's shootout while trying to stop a shot from Jonathan Toews.

Korpisalo's injury was part of the reason for a rant from coach John Tortorella after the loss. The coach said the whole shootout would have been avoided had extra time been restored to the clock in the third period, allowing Zach Werenski's potential game winner to count.

"So the chain of events, if it was done right," Tortorella said, striking the podium in front of him, "is that we don't lose our goalie and we win the hockey game. So all the goddamn technology, right? The technology and getting things right ... the stubbornness tonight, by the officials and by the league and Toronto, however it's supposed to goddamn work, screws us."

NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said in an email that Tortorella's comments were "unprofessional" and "unacceptable" and that the league was dealing with the matter.

On Monday, Tortorella said in a news conference that he was undisciplined with his Sunday comments.

Elvis Merzlikins, who replaced Korpisalo for the shootout, has played in 10 games this season and has yet to record a win.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel will miss four to six months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The All-Star scored his team-leading 20th goal in Monday's 5-2 victory over Ottawa but was tripped up and crashed into the boards.

He appeared to avoid hitting his head full force, but rolled on the ice before getting up and skating off while favoring his right arm/shoulder.

Guentzel immediately went to the dressing room after getting his 200th career point.

General manager Jim Rutherford said in a statement that Guentzel had surgery at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh by team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas and orthopedic trauma specialist Dr. Ivan Tarkin.

"It was really scary," coach Mike Sullivan said Monday. "Those are always dangerous when you fall that distance from the boards. There's no status on him right now."

Guentzel, 25, had a goal and an assist in the game and leads Pittsburgh with 43 points. He was named as the Penguins' lone All-Star earlier Monday. He has helped the Penguins remain in the thick of the playoff chase with star Sidney Crosby on injured reserve due to surgery on a sports hernia.

Crosby took the ice Tuesday to practice for the first time since the surgery.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

The 2020 NHL Winter Classic is being held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. This season's matchup sees the host Dallas Stars take on the Nashville Predators in the NHL's first event to feature two teams from the American South.

Whether you're a die-hard follower of pucks, someone who just watches the Stanley Cup playoffs, or are brand-new to the sport, we've got you covered as you get ready to watch the event on New Year's Day. Why were these teams and this venue chosen? What do the special uniforms look like? Which players are the ones to watch most closely? And who's going to win?

Which teams are playing this year?

Kaplan: The Stars host the Predators at the iconic Cotton Bowl -- it's the first outdoor game for both franchises and the NHL's first foray of outdoor games in the South. There have been other warm-weather contests in the past, with Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles) and Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara) both hosting Stadium Series games. There was an initial fear of rain in Dallas on New Year's Day, but fear not: The latest forecast calls for a cloudy day with a high of 50 and low chance of precipitation. Take this with a grain of salt, though; I late-dropped my meteorology class in college.

Dallas and Nashville are the 24th and 25th teams to have played an outdoor game. Now the only teams without an appearance are the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights.

When and how do I watch?

Kaplan: The game coverage starts at 1:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC. Or, if you've got some discretionary income to spend and are reasonably close to Dallas, there are tickets to be had on the secondary market.

Why was Dallas chosen, and what kind of crowd is the NHL expecting?

Kaplan: Since these cities entered the league -- the Stars relocated from Minnesota in 1993 and the Preds were founded in 1998 -- the fan bases have proven they're hungry for the spotlight. Nashville will get to host an event eventually -- just imagine the optics of fans tailgating down Broadway -- but for now, it's an homage to hockey in Texas. And there is history there. Before the Stars came to town, the Dallas Black Hawks of the Central Hockey League played home games at the State Fair Coliseum from 1967 to 1982, and get ready to see plenty of nods to Dallas' original professional hockey club. After the Black Hawks folded, the Freeze (of the CHL revival) came to town briefly before the Stars stayed for good.

The Stars' bid for an outdoor game was boosted after they received great reviews from hosting the 2018 NHL draft. The NHL and Dallas Sports Commission have predicted that the event will bring in nearly $30 million in economic impact.

The NHL says it has already sold 84,000 tickets and is expecting a crowd of 85,000. That would be the second-largest crowd for a Winter Classic, trailing only the 105,491 that filled the Big House in Ann Arbor in 2014 to watch the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs face off (rescheduled from a year earlier, when the game was cancelled due to the lockout).

Tell me that there's a Texas-themed musical act playing ...

Wyshynski: You're darn tootin', there is! (Do they say that in Dallas?) Texas band Midland will perform before the teams hit the ice at the Classic, declaring that "whether we're playing a honky-tonk or at the Cotton Bowl, just know you're about to get 100 percent boot-stomping country music." Please note that one of their biggest hits is a song called "Drinkin' Problem," which seems wholly appropriate on New Year's Day.

Between the second and third periods, things are going to get wild. There's going to be a tribute to the State Fair of Texas that'll feature jugglers, rodeo clowns, a sword swallower, a fire breather, livestock and cowboys ropin' them, all around the rink in the middle of the field. But not on the rink, as that would make it as challenging for the horses as it would make it potentially hilarious for the jugglers.

The impossibly named Jake Hoot, who coincidentally won a reality singing competition show on the very network that's broadcasting the Winter Classic, will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner." Mr. Hoot is born of both worlds: a Corpus Christi, Texas, native who is currently living in Cookeville, Tennessee.

The big-name act for the show is Dan + Shay, the Grammy-winning country duo performing in the first intermission. They're actually quite popular in 2019 by Winter Classic standards and just did a song with Justin Bieber, which at least makes them hockey-adjacent.

I heard a nasty rumor that they weren't going to allow people to tailgate. Doesn't that break some sort of law?

Wyshynski: Things got a little weird for the NHL when it was announced that tailgating wouldn't be allowed at the Winter Classic. Banning tailgating for an outdoor hockey game played at a college football stadium in Texas is akin to banning prayer for tourists to the Vatican, so the NHL reversed course.

"We heard the fans, have worked with the venue & will now allow tailgating at Fair Park and Cotton Bowl Stadium in pre-purchase parking lots only for the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic," the league said in a tweet.

Tailgating is restricted to pre-purchased lots and will not be permitted during or after the Classic. But before the game? That parking lot's going to be like a Texas-sized Arby's: They'll have all the meats.

What do the special Winter Classic jerseys look like?

Wyshynski: Besides giving two teams outside the Original Six (plus Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) a chance to take the Winter Classic stage, these two sweet jerseys are the best thing about the event so far.

Here are the Stars' jerseys:

IDK these are pretty sweet. pic.twitter.com/T67wl6eXvZ

— Grog "Grag" Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 31, 2019

These jerseys are the same victory green and white as the Stars' current gear, but the front logo was inspired by the Dallas Texans, a team that played in the USHL in 1945-49. There's a Texas patch on the shoulder, and the star in the middle of the "D" is meant to evoke the Texas state flag. The white shoulders ... well, we're not sure what inspired them, but whatever it was, we wish it hadn't.

Overall, it's a striking look for Dallas, as long as you can avoid reading the front of the jersey as "STDrs."

And here's a look at Nashville's:

The Predators will be wearing jerseys inspired by Nashville's hockey history when they take on the Dallas Stars in the Winter Classic. https://t.co/1LOj1SL4RS

— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) November 2, 2019

The Predators are also paying homage to their city's hockey heritage. These sweaters are reminiscent of those of the Dixie Flyers, an Eastern League team that played in Nashville in the 1960s. That's the inspiration for the horizontal stripe and the script lettering.

The real winner with these jerseys is the retro version of the team's saber-toothed tiger's head logo on the shoulder, which should be reprinted on a series of slightly distressed T-shirts and sold to people who overpay for designer sneakers as soon as possible.

OK, so tell me about the key players from each team.

Kaplan: The Predators' strength has long been their defense, and captain Roman Josi is leading the team in points and putting up a solid case for the first Norris Trophy nomination of his career. Ryan Ellis is also excellent, and another key blueliner to watch. The goaltending situation for Nashville has been shaky this season, with the team slowly transitioning from 37-year-old Pekka Rinne (who has manned the net for the entire decade and is just two years removed from his Vezina Trophy season) to 24-year-old Juuse Saros. Both are Finns, and good friends. They've been splitting starts lately, but I'd be shocked if Rinne doesn't get the start considering all he means to the organization.

Nashville's offense has some exciting talent, including Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen, but expect to hear a lot about Matt Duchene. He was Nashville's splashy free-agent signing this summer (for seven years, $56 million) and had long wanted to go to Nashville because he loves country music. True story.

The Stars are often identified by their two star veteran forwards: Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn. Seguin leads the team in points, but the 30-year-old Benn hasn't been as productive as usual the past two seasons (he's on pace for only 40 points this season; two seasons ago, he finished with 79). The team has a nice mix of young and older players. Roope Hintz, a 23-year-old winger, is having a breakout season, leading the team with 13 goals, and you can never sleep on 33-year-old Alexander Radulov, especially when he's on a hot streak (the Russian enters the game on an eight-game point streak). Longtime Sharks captain Joe Pavelski signed with Dallas this summer, and he'll get plenty of airtime on the broadcast.

The Stars also have a deep blue line -- Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and John Klingberg are all excellent -- and their goaltending is solid too. Ben Bishop probably will get the start, but he has one of the best backups in the league in Anton Khudobin.

How are these teams doing in the standings? Will we see either of them make a big playoff run?

Kaplan: Both of these teams have legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations. But they've both been inconsistent so far this season and are hoping this game can get them on the right track. The Stars had a dreadful start, found a groove, but then abruptly fired their coach Jim Montgomery in early December due to "unprofessional conduct." Rick Bowness took over on an interim basis, and the team is adjusting to yet another bench boss. (Since Benn debuted in 2009-10, he has had six different coaches.) The Predators began the season fine but struggled through November. They are hopeful to turn a corner in the second half, and they should get better goaltending.

The Stars are currently in playoff position -- the third spot in the Central Division -- and the Predators are just three points out of the second wild-card spot in the West (and six points behind the Stars). As Rinne told me last week, "the Central Division is the most competitive I've seen it during my time here." So giddy-up, this should be a good one.

Wyshynski: The Stars and Predators are virtually tied in expected goals percentage at 5-on-5 (Nashville at 52.45%, Dallas at 52.02%). Neither of their power plays or penalty kills are in the top five, although the Stars have the seventh-best penalty kill while Nashville's is 27th. The biggest points of demarcation for these teams: Dallas has the best team save percentage in the NHL (.923) and Nashville has the second worst (.887); and, of course, Dallas is six points up in the standings, although the Predators have two games in hand.

As of now, I like Dallas a bit better as a playoff team than Nashville, but neither of them is better than the second-place team in the Central, whether that's St. Louis or Colorado. Their seasons have certainly been peculiar: Dallas fired a coach they didn't want to have to fire, while -- according to many Predators fans -- Nashville refuses to fire a coach that potentially should go after six seasons.

Let's speculate on the combatants for the 2021 Winter Classic.

Wyshynski: It appears that the NHL's foray into nontraditional markets playing on New Year's Day will be brief. All signs point to Target Field in Minneapolis, home of the Minnesota Twins, as the next Winter Classic destination. ESPN has learned the Blackhawks, Blues, Avalanche and Jets are all in the mix as potential participants.

The Wild have appeared in only one outdoor game, hosting a Stadium Series contest in 2016 against the Blackhawks at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. While the Jets would be a regional rival as well as a divisional one, the NHL has had only two Canadian teams (Original Six franchises Toronto and Montreal) appear in the Winter Classic. The Avalanche have an outdoor game this season at the Air Force Academy. The Blackhawks were just in the 2019 Classic at Notre Dame, and "Chicago outdoor game burnout" is a real symptom for fans after six appearances since 2009.

All of that leaves the Blues, who last appeared in the Classic in 2017 (against Chicago, of course) and who are arguably at the apex of their popularity as a franchise after winning the Cup and leading the Western Conference standings thus far this season. I'm going to speculate Wild vs. Blues, with the caveat that the NHL could easily swap in the surging Avalanche or once again fail to resist the siren's song of the Blackhawks' local viewership numbers.

Finally, who ya got on Wednesday?

Kaplan: I like the Predators in a high-scoring game. Let's say 5-4, with Josi scoring the winning goal.

Wyshynski: Vegas has set the over/under at 5.5 goals. The Predators have hit the over on that in seven of their past nine games. The Stars have gone over that in four of their past five. So I agree with Emily on the over. I disagree on the victor. Home teams have won seven of the past nine NHL outdoor games. Dallas is playing better hockey coming into this thing. Give me the Stars 4-3 over the Preds.

Nearly two years after it was first unveiled, the World Handicap System (WHS) is about to take effect.

The U.S. is one of several countries that will adopt the WHS, which was crafted by the USGA and R&A in conjunction with the existing worldwide handicapping authorities. While the system will be officially implemented in the U.S. by mid-January, the program’s roll-out will continue throughout 2020, with Great Britain and Ireland adopting the program in the fall.

But for golfers in North America, the rules are about to (slightly) change. Here’s what you need to know about the new way to calculate a handicap: (Click here for more information from the USGA)

Streamlined calculations

Currently there are six different handicapping systems in use around the world. The WHS will become a singular, unifying system that will allow players from all parts of the globe to effectively compare their relative skills and bring an accurate handicap with them when they travel to courses around the world.

Course and slope ratings

A key principle of prior handicap systems, course ratings will be expanded and will serve as the foundation for handicap index calculations under the WHS. The course rating, which indicates the expected score for a scratch player from a given set of tees, and the slope rating, which expresses the difference in difficulty between a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer, will be the primary factors in handicap math.

Optimistic evaluation

While many current handicap systems currently count a player’s 10 best scores out of his/her 20 most recent rounds, the WHS will count only the best eight scores in a 20-round span. This means your number could soon shift by a few decimals without any additional scores, as good rounds will receive more weight and a player’s handicap will more closely reflect his/her ability on a good day than an average one.

Impact of weather

As any avid golfer can attest, a higher score in tough weather conditions can sometimes be a better performance than a lower score on a calm day. In addition to standard course and slope ratings, the WHS will also include a “playing conditions calculation” that will potentially adjust scores based on abnormal weather. The range for this calculation will be from -1.0 (for easier than expected conditions) all the way to +3.0 for especially inclement conditions.

System safeguards

The new system also boasts features that will prevent a player’s handicap from rising too quickly. A memory of past performance will be factored into future calculations, meaning that a player’s low handicap within the past 12 months will be used as a factor to “cap” a handicap and prevent it from rising too quickly because of a short run of poor form. The system will also automatically adjust if a single low score is more than seven shots below a player’s current handicap index, triggering an “exceptional score reduction” that lowers a handicap to more accurately reflect ability.

Flexibility

In an effort to create a more inclusive system that will allow players from around the world to stand on a level playing field, the WHS offers more flexible options for posting scores. Now a player can receive a handicap after submitting scores for as few as 54 holes, and scores can be submitted either as 9- or 18-hole rounds. Scores can also count from tournament or recreational play, and in stroke or Stableford format. However, as with current USGA regulations, a round played alone will not count for WHS handicap purposes.

Scoring

Under the new system, the maximum handicap for both men and women will be raised to 54.0, a significant increase from previous ceilings. The highest score on any given hole will be a net double bogey, replacing the previous component of equitable stroke control.

Timeline

The new system will launch in January in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Australia, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Panama, South Africa and India. It will go into effect by April in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sweden. Portugal will adopt the new system in the summer, while Great Britain and Ireland will adjust by November.