Amy Johnson

Utica is not an easy building to play in.

That's for sure.

Laval plays Syracuse in Syracuse, another tough matchup at five o'clock this afternoon.

Then they play, they go home back to Plas Bell again for a Wednesday meeting with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

And on Friday, a meeting with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

So there still are sitting first in the North and fifth overall in the AHL.

So they seem to be sitting comfortably, but got to watch those other teams, particularly those divisional opponents.

And the Lions, the 12-year Lions, currently sitting sixth overall in the North, 18th overall in the ECHL.

They've had some ups and downs this past week, but they're hanging in there.

They're still trying to do their thing.

And hopefully they can end the season on a high note.

All right, let's just now bring you some hockey notes from around the NHL, some highlights to talk about before we take our first break here.

Big unfortunate news for Toronto, and no, it's not just how poorly they've been playing.

Captain Austin Matthews out for the rest of the regular season because of a massive injury to his left leg, a grade three MCL tear and a quad contusion.

All of that coming courtesy of Radko Gudis from Thursday night's game against Anaheim.

And there are plenty of people who kind of took umbrage with just him getting a phone hearing in five games as well.

On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes... I just about jumped out of my chair when I saw this.

This is just spectacular news.

On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced three new investors had joined the ownership group.

Names you might not be familiar with.