Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Panthers at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NFL: Browns at Steelers, 8 p.m. (NFL; WEEI)
College basketball: Boston College at Providence, 7 p.m. (WEEI)
College basketball: Harvard at UConn, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Senators forward Chris Neil had a rough night Wednesday. During his team’s 5-3 loss to the Capitals, Neil delivered a hard check to Caps star Alex Ovechkin. As the pair skated up ice, Ovechkin appeared to spear Neil in the midsection, sending Neil to the ice in pain. Even worse, Neil was assessed a two-minute penalty for diving because no on-ice official saw the well-hidden jab.

After the game, Ovechkin insisted he didn’t try to spear Neil, saying, “I’m not that kind of player.”

Neil wasn’t buying it. “It’s frustrating, but we make mistakes out there, too. So do the refs,” Neil said. “Hopefully the league will review it and make the right call.”

♦ After apparently being prevented from joining the ACC thanks to Boston College (allegedly with urging from ESPN), UConn president Susan Herbst said Wednesday the school is happy with the Big East’s nationwide expansion and “is not in discussion with any other athletic conference officials at this time.” Central Florida, Houston and SMU are being added to the Big East as full members, while Boise State and San Diego State will join only for football.

“We welcome it, in fact, and will work on our schedules to minimize travel costs and ensure success for Husky fans and our school,” Herbst said. “Since UConn is an international university, we see the geographic expansion of the Big East as a way to showcase our academic excellence in an even more sustained way — far and wide. We look forward to Husky teams playing in different parts of the country, exposing our student-athletes to new regions and new experiences and to broadening our fan base.”

♦ Lakers owner Jerry Buss has been hospitalized due to blood clots in his leg caused by excessive travel, a team spokesman announced Wednesday. The 77-year-old Buss, who has owned the team since 1979, is expected to attend the Lakers’ preseason opener Dec. 19 at Staples Center.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On. Dec. 8, 1977, the Red Sox traded pitcher Don Aase and cash to the Angels for which player?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I hate the Yankees. I don’t want to waste this valuable time talking about the Yankees. This is too valuable. I told [Yankees manager] Joe Girardi I used to love them, but now I hate them.” – Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, during a meeting with the media at the winter meetings in Dallas

STAT OF THE DAY: 2 – Games Penguins star Sidney Crosby will miss as a precaution after colliding with teammate Chris Kunitz in Monday night’s loss to the Bruins

‘NET RESULTS: Clippers star Blake Griffin is better at basketball than ping-pong.

LeBron James is referenced during Monday night’s episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”

TRIVIA ANSWER: Jerry Remy

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Jerry Butler turns 72 Thursday.

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