The distance between the cities of Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina is 166 miles - but with both the New England Patriots and Boston Bruins playing in the Tar Heel state on Monday night, the distance for Boston Sports fans is as short as the "last" button on the TV remote...
...and in this filthy little central Maine burgh, the difference between the networks that they are carried on - ESPN for the Patriots and Panthers at 8:40pm EDT and NESN for the Bruins and Hurricanes - is only two channels on the dial to begin with.
But to make it even easier for our readers, Foxborough Free Press and Little Blog of Hate will be hosting a live blog to keep fans of both teams informed of the goings-on in both cities.
Posts will automatically update as events warrant and, barring that, at least every five minutes - so check back often!
11:32pm - 3 seconds left Brady into the end zone, Gronkowski mugged by the coverage. Referee throws the flag, then picks it up - no foul, the ball is intercepted, game over. Panthers win 24-20.
11:31pm - 1st down and game for Patriots from the 25 yard line...
11:20pm - 3rd down pass interference call on Carolina on Dobson - 1st down, The to Vereen in the middle of the field for 10 yards, 6 seconds left.
11:27pm - Brady hits Amendola for 10 yards and a first down on the Carolina 47 with 29 seconds left.
11:24pm - Brady hits Gronkowski with a 23 yard strike on 4th and 10 to keep the drive alibve. 1st down on the 42 with 40 seconds left.
11:21pm - 80 yards, 59 seconds 3 time outs.
11:16pm - Not sure if Talib is hurt but he was on the sideline, Arrington burned on a comebacker, misses the tackle and Ted Ginn gives the Panthers the lead back at 24-20 with 59 seconds left in the game.
11:12pm - Another penalty on the Patriots, this one puts the Panthers in field goal range. Holding on McCourty on Olsen for a Carolina 1st down - two minute warning.
11:09pm - Panthers are rolling, Newton in stride. Olsen for 15 yards. Now in Patriots' territory. three minutes remaining.
11:06pm - Newton is killing the Patriots with his legs on 3rd down - easily converts a 3rd and 6. He is the leading rusher in the game.
10:58pm - Blount running hard, 3rd and 1 they decide to pass and miss the opportunity. Gostkowski hits a wobbler for a 20-17 lead. Play call is curious given how well the Patriots have run the ball. 6:32 remaining.
10:57pm - Brady hits Gronkowski for a 1st down inside the red zone after getting the first first down with Vereen on a swing route.
10:51pm - Ninkovich sacks Newton on an inside stunt. The Logan Ryan breaks up a pass intended for LaFell for a great stop. Amendola fields a punt and returns it to the Carolina 40.
10:46pm - Brady in the zone, hit's Thompkins on a beautiful 37 yard catch and run, set up by the play action from successful running. Ridley pounds it in from the 2 and the game is tied at 17 with 12:33 remaining.
10:41pm - Vereen is making a big difference in this game. Six catches for 48 yards. Headed to the 4th quarter, Patriots driving, Ridley back in after serving his time in the house - 2nd & 5 at their own 40.
10:40pm - Ridley is back in the game.
10:34pm - 3rd & 4 at the New England 15 , 15 yard touchdown pass to Olsen, covered by McCourty, 17-10 Panthers answer right back.
10:32pm - Smith is just using Talib - Talib's worst game of the season by far. 16 yards and a 1st down.
10:30pm - Tolbert just got a 1st down on pure muscle run, stiff armed Devin McCourty who had him dead to rights for a loss.
10:24 - Newton just fired up his offense with a huge 3rd and 7 run for a 1st. His elusiveness was evident on that play as he dodged 4 different Patriots for 9 yards. Arrington shaken up on the play.
10:18pm - Gronkowski drags three Panthers into the end zone for a Patriots' touchdown to tie the game at 10.
10:13pm - Blount running very hard, McDaniels obviously wanting to establish momentum with the run. Panthers' defense back on their heels.
10:09pm - Ridley benched, Vereen and Blount going to carry the load. Nice screen to Vereen to start the first drive of the half, then Blount rips off 12 yards up the middle.
10:01pm - At the half, Newton 7 of 12 for 97 yards and the touchdown to LaFell. Rushing game has 49 yards on 11 carrie, but take away, Newton's 1 rush for 24 yards and the Patriots have held the Panthers' running game to 2.5 yards per carry.
10:00pm - At the half, Brady 14 of 17 for 123 yards, Ridley 9 carries for 33 yards and the fumble, Blount 3 carries for 14 yards. 3.9 yards per carry in the first half.
9:55pm - Chandler Jones finally gets to Newton, rushing as a tackle in the 3 technique to end the half. 10-3 Panthers at the half, but if it weren't for the Patriots losing their cool, the Panthers may not have had any points.
9:47pm - 14 yard strike to Gronkowski makes it 4th and 8, Patriots line up to go for it, let the clock wind down, then take a time out. Going into the brisk wind Gostkowski puts the ball through to cut the Panthers' lead to 10-3 with just over a minute remaining in the half.
9:44pm - Two minute warning, Patriots with a 3rd and 22 in Panthers' territory. Panthers' clearly in the heads of the Patriots...Panthers may have more penalty yards in their favor than actual yardage...
9:43pm - Patriots losing their cool again, Mankins again - 15 yards...
9:40pm - Thompkins nice moves off the line for a 1st down catch and 23 yards then Vereen for 17...Blount in for Ridley...
9:33pm - Kyle Arrington with a nice pass breakup to force a field goal attempt, 10-0 Panthers...
9:31pm - Bruins 4, Hurricanes 1 Final...
9:30pm - Scccoooorrrreeee!!! Milan Lucic makes it 4-1 Bruins with just seconds left...
9:28pm - Cam Newton runs for a first down - no lane responsibility, no containment on the edge.
9:26pm - No Patriots' pass rush at all, Newton has all day...
9:22pm - Ridley fumbles inside 10 yard line, Carolina recovers.
9:21pm - Personal foul on Carolina (face mask) extends a drive on 3rd down again.
9:20pm - Ridley really running hard, 7 carries for 34 yards...
9:19pm - Pats go for it on 4th & 2, penalty on Carolina 1st down.
9:15pm - Sc00000rrrreeee!!! Johnny Boychuck makes it 3-0 Bruins midway through the 3rd period...
9:12pm - Brady looking for Amendola over the middle, Ridley a couple of nice runs...Carolina leads 7-0 end of 1st quarter...Patriots 1st & 10 wen play resumes at the Carolina 43.
9:10pm - It looks like the Patriots are trying to punk the Panthers instead of just playing...Mankins mixing it up now.
9:07pm - Josh Boyce was back to take the ensuing kickoff instead of LeGarrette Blount.
9:04pm - Brandon LaFell 9 yard pass from Cam Newton for a 7-0 Panthers' lead. Talib in danger of getting ejected. Looked like Ryan on the underneath coverage on LaFell.
9:03pm - Talib and Smith at it agian, Talib really doesn't like smith it appears...
9:00pm - Panthers use their first time out after taking an illegal formation penalty on 2nd and goal. Talib was benched for a few plays to cool off, now back in.
8:57pm - Smith and Talib mix it up after a short gain for a first down, Talib saying no more talk out of you...
8:54pm - Steve Smith beats Talib for a deep gain of 42...Panthers starting game with the fullback Tolbert running the ball thus far.
8:50pm - Greg Hardy beats Nate Solder around the corner for Carolina's first sack of the game - ends a Patriots' drive. Allen punts, downed by Slater inside the 10.
8:47pm - Vereen catch produces a first down
8:45pm - Jailbreak screen working well...Edelman for 13...
8:44pm - Ebner in on the dime as the nickle safety, Talib almost picks off pass on 3rd & 9
8:40pm - Cats with ball first...touchback from Gostkowski...
8:35pm - five minutes until kick off in Charlotte!
8:30pm - Bruins kill of 5 on 3...but 'Canes clearly with the momentum with 3:00 left in 2nd...
8:28pm - 'Canes on 5-3 advantage as Campbell joins Boychuck in sin bin for delay of game...
8:27pm - Johnny Boychuck in the box for tripping at 7:00 left in 2nd.
8:20pm - 20 minutes until kickoff in Charlotte...Talib skipping out of the tunnel...
8:16pm - This hockey game is nearly identical in pace to the Senators' game on Friday...2-1 in the second, now both teams skating end to end, bad passes across the slot by the Bruins...living dangerously right now.
8:10pm - Bruins on the power play with 15:10 remaining in 2nd, hooking on Tlusty...
8:03pm - Interesting that many in the media are clearly on the fence in regard to the Patriots' chances to beat panthers...who's the dynasty here, Pats or Cats? SMH...
8:00pm - BOS 8:26 :37/1:02 on PP CAR 7:53 :58/2:00 on PP in attacking zone in 1st period, per Jack Edwards on Twitter
7:51pm - Carl Soderberg credited with second Bruins' goal after film review...
7:45pm - 2-1 Bruins at 1st intermission, Carolina scores a cheap goal on a slow roller on a misplayed puck by Patrice Bergeron in the slot, Tuomo Ruutu scores with 5 seconds left in the period, 2-1 Bruins...
7:42pm - Caron takes a slashing penalty to give the 'Canes a man advantage with 4 minutes left in opening frame.
7:40pm - One hour until kickoff between Pats and Cats, Patriots inactives vs. Panthers: CB-A. Dennard, S-S. Gregory, OG-C. Barker, DE-J. Bequette, RB-L. Washington, LB-S. Beauharnais, RB Bolden.
7:30pm - Bruins should be careful, they are dominating play but did the same against the Senators on Friday night and got their doors blown off, starting with a goal off a bad pass late in the 1st after taking a 2-0 lead. The look much more rested and physical tonight, however...
7:24pm - Scoooorrrrreee!!! Dennis Seidenberg off an offensive zone faceoff scoring from the top of the left circle for a 2-0 Bruins' lead midway through the 1st period.
7:12pm - Scooooorrrrrreeee! Carl Soderberg finds Reilly Smith right on the crease for a power play goal and a 1-0 lead for the B's at 17:29 remaining.
7:11pm - Dougie Hamilton finds Zdeno Chara in the high slot for a wide open shot, Chara misses, but a penalty on the 'Canes give the B's a power play just 1:29 in...
7:10pm - Cam Ward going for the 'Canes and Tuukka Rask for the B's...late arriving crown at PNC Arena...
7:00pm - Jordan Caron playing in place of Shawn Thornton for the B's - just getting him some playing time and giving Thornton the night off...the question begs, who will be the physical presence for the bruins tonight?
6:20pm - in reading through the pregame reporting, it is clear that the Carolina Panthers are trying to take a page out of the New York Jets' propaganda and intimidation book by asking their fans to dress in all black, as the Panthers will also be wearing Black jerseys. Black is pretty imposing, and also holds heat in, so maybe this is just a public service by the team to keep the players and fans toasty warm as temps are expected to dip into the low 50's by game time...
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