File under "didn't see this coming." Yesterday the Montreal Canadiens, a team in first place in the Atlantic division, fired their head coach Michel Therrien. And here's the kicker. The man they hired to replace him is Claude Julien, who was fired just one week ago by Montreal's long time ancient rival, the Boston Bruins.

In womens' college hoops the host Johnson State Badgers defeated Plymouth State 65-57 at Carter Gym last night. Kasey DeGreenia led all scorers with 18 points and owned the board, pulling down 17 rebounds for a double double. The Badgers improve to just below .500 on the season at 11-12 with the non-conference win.

The UVM mens' basketball team got win number fifteen in a row yesterday afternoon, but had to hold off a frantic rally from UMBC to earn it.

In womens' college hoops the St. Michael's Purple Knights hadn't won a game on the road at Franklin Pierce since 2001, but they snapped that 16-year skid at just the right time, pulling away in the final minutes last night for a 60-53 that pulls them into a three-way tie for second place in the Northeast division.

*Above headline with all apologies to The Bard Ten years behind the bench, a Stanley Cup championship, and the most coaching wins in the history of the Boston Bruins franchise. Thanks for the memories, Claude Julien, now there's the door.

You can't really overdo the superlatives relative to Superbowl 51. The greatest comeback in Superbowl history. The only title game ever to be decided in overtime. The most phenomenal catch ever made in a championship game, and maybe in any game ever, all engineered by the best quarterback ever to play professional football.

In womens' college hoops, Heather Leblanc continues to have a great season for the Norwich Cadets, but even her 18 point effort last night couldn't slow down the Emmanuel Saints in a 72-47 defeat in Boston.

Not since the legendary Tom Brennan team of 2004-2005 has a mens' basketball squad at UVM had this kind of run. Last night the Catamounts took a page out of Spinal Tap, saying "these go to eleven", meaning the streak of wins in a row has now hit that number, the most consecutive wins during coach John Becker's tenure with the team, following a 74-53 victory over Maine at Patrick Gym.

In the NHL last night the Boston Bruins overcame a sluggish start to get an important road win, 4-3 over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In the NBA, most coaches will tell you the key to winning is having solid defense and a balanced scoring attack, but the truth is, when a team has a player that carries a team on his back when it comes to pouring in the points, that'll do, too.