Good morning, New York-area sports fans! Let's take our first look around the area sports scene this morning, a Monday on which I know you are smiling if you are a New York Knicks fan.
↵That, of course, would be because the Knicks went to Miami Sunday night and knocked off the Heat, 91-86. Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 29 points, but it was defense by Anthony on LeBron James, a huge blocked shot by Amare Stoudemire in the final seconds and key baskets by Chauncey Billups that keyed the Knicks' victory. The Knicks have a long way to go before becoming a cohesive unit, but showed a glimpse of the possibilities with Sunday night's effort.
↵NHL: The New Jersey Devils continued their assault on the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference Sunday, defeating the Florida Panthers, 2-1. New Jersey is nine points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for that eighth playoff spot. .. The New York Rangers ffell to to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1. The NHL trade deadline is today, so let's see if the Rangers, Devils or New York Islanders make any moves.
↵BASEBALL: The New York Yankees and New York Mets each opened their exhibition schedules over the weekend.
↵NFL: At the NFL Scouting Combine, Syracuse center Ryan Bartholomew had a good weekend, possibily solidifying his chances of being drafted in one of the later rounds of the NFL Draft this April.