Welcome to Friday’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.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Suns at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Lakers at Magic, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Timberwolves at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Green Bay at Cleveland State, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Canadiens at Penguins, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
College hockey: Providence at Boston University, 7:30 p.m. (NESN)

SATURDAY:
NHL: Rangers at Bruins, 1 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Sharks at Canucks, 4 p.m. (NHL Network)
NHL: Canadiens at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
NBA: Nuggets at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Wake Forest at Boston College, noon (WEEI)
College basketball: Alabama at Kentucky, noon (CBS)
College basketball: Missouri at Baylor, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: UConn at Tennessee, 4 p.m. (CBS)
College basketball: Florida State at Duke, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Syracuse at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. (ESPN)

SUNDAY:
NFL playoffs: Ravens at Patriots, 3 p.m. (CBS; WEEI)
NFL playoffs: Giants at 49ers, 6:30 p.m. (Fox; WRKO)
NHL: Bruins at Flyers, 3 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Capitals at Penguins, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)
NBA: Celtics at Wizards, 1 p.m. (CSNNE; WRKO)
College basketball: Virginia Tech at Virginia, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Brewers star Ryan Braun reportedly began his appeal of his positive drug test Thursday, as the National League MVP attempts to avoid a 50-game suspension.

Braun is presenting his case to a three-member arbitration panel, according to the New York Daily News, and he’ll have to prove that “the presence of a prohibited substance in his urine was not due to his fault or negligence.”

Braun will receive his MVP award Saturday at the annual dinner of the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He is expected to give a speech but not take questions from the media.

♦ Mets legend Gary Carter, who has been battling brain tumors for the past year, made a rare public appearance at a charity golf tournament in Florida on Sunday and said, “I’m not feeling all that good.” On Thursday, the family found out that new tumors have appeared on the 57-year-old Hall of Famer’s brain. “He’s having a hard time moving around, but I still believe if anyone can beat this, it’s Gary,” said former teammate Howard Johnson.

♦ Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona was arrested in the Dominican Republic when he tried to renew his visa. Officials there claim he has been using a false identity. They say his real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia, and that he’s 31 years old, three years older than listed by the Indians in their media guide.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 20, 1996, in the NHL All-Star Game at what was then called the FleetCenter in Boston, which Bruin scored with 38 seconds remaining in regulation to give the East a 5-4 victory over the West?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I love Bill Belichick. He’s a great coach and a great man. Always trying to do the right thing. And winning championships in this league, he’s done it over the years. I have a lot of respect for Belichick.” – Ravens safety Ed Reed

STAT OF THE DAY: 19,000 – Goals for the Bruins franchise all-time, after four tallies in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the Devils

‘NET RESULTS: As part of a game show, Japanese soccer player Shunsuke Nakamura kicks a ball through the window of a passing bus.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Ray Bourque

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Slim Whitman was born on this day in 1924.

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