2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Postseason tournaments, NCAA Tournament
Another surprise was Ivy League champion Cornell making a surprise run to the Sweet 16 – becoming the first Ivy school to win an NCAA tournament game since 1998. Duke made a big run in the NCAA tournament, defeating Arkansas Pine-Bluff (73–44), California (68–53), Purdue (70–57), and Baylor (78–72) in their region. In the semifinals, the Blue Devils routed West Virginia 78–57 to make their 10th championship game appearance. In the end, Duke defeated surprise finalist Butler 61–59, after a three-point attempt by the Bulldogs' Gordon Hayward barely missed at the buzzer. Duke claimed its fourth National title as Blue Devil forward Kyle Singler was named Most Outstanding Player


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Postseason tournaments, NCAA Tournament, Tournament upsets
A "major upset" is defined as a win by a team seeded 7 or more spots below its defeated opponent.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Postseason tournaments, National Invitation Tournament
After the NCAA Tournament field was announced, the National Invitation Tournament invited 32 teams to participate. There was much speculation during the NIT that the NCAA Tournament would expand to 96 teams and that 2010 could be the last NIT after 73 years. (Ultimately, the NCAA decided to expand only to 68 teams, keeping the NIT intact for the near future.) Dayton defeated defending National Champion North Carolina 79–68 in the Final on April 1. The Flyers' Chris Johnson was named tournament Most Outstanding Player.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Postseason tournaments, College Basketball Invitational
The second College Basketball Invitational (CBI) Tournament was held beginning March 16 and ended with a best-of-three final, ending March 31. VCU defeated Saint Louis 2–0 in the final series to win the title. The Rams' Joey Rodriguez was named tournament MVP.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Postseason tournaments, CollegeInsider.com Tournament
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament was held beginning March 16 and ended with a championship game on March 30. This tournament places an emphasis on selecting successful teams from "mid-major" conferences who were left out of the NCAA Tournament and NIT. Missouri State defeated Pacific 78–65 to win the CIT championship in Springfield, Missouri. The Bears' Will Creekmore was named tournament MVP.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey rankings
Two human polls made up the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey rankings, the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. As the 2009–10 season progressed, rankings were updated weekly.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 8, 2009 and concluded with the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on April 10, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Denver and Miami entered the season as the nations' two top ranked teams. This was the 63rd season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 115th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Pre-season polls
The top 20 from USCHO.com/CBS College Sports, October 5, 2009, and the top 15 from USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, September 29, 2009.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the season.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Scoring leaders
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 33% of their team's total minutes.


2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Leading goaltenders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings
Two human polls comprise the 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season began in November 2009 and ended with the 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 6, 2010 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The tournament opened with the first and second rounds on Thursday through Sunday, March 18–21, 2010. Regional games were played on Thursday through Sunday, March 28–31, 2010, with the Final Four played on Sunday and Tuesday, April 4 and 6, 2010.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season
The Connecticut Huskies successfully defended their national title from the previous season, defeating Stanford 53–47 in the final. This was the Huskies' second consecutive unbeaten championship season, unprecedented since the NCAA began to organize women's basketball in the 1981–82 season.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Preseason, Preseason WNIT
Ohio State headlines a field of 16-teams for the 2009 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament. The field includes 11 teams that played in the postseason last spring: Arkansas-Little Rock, Bowling Green, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia Tech, Marist, New Mexico, North Carolina A&T, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Winthrop. They will be joined in the Preseason WNIT field by Chicago State, Eastern Illinois, Northern Colorado, Towson, and UTEP.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Preseason, Preseason WNIT
The Preseason WNIT features a three-game guarantee format. The event opens Friday, November 13 with first-round games. Second-round games will be played November 15 and 16. The semifinals will be on November 18 and 19. The championship is set for Sunday, November 22. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the second weekend, November 20–22. All games are hosted by participating schools, and sites are announced by the end of the preceding round. In last year's Preseason WNIT, North Carolina defeated Oklahoma 80-79.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Regular season, Conference winners and tournaments
Thirty athletic conferences each end their regular seasons with a single-elimination tournament. The teams in each conference that win their regular season title are given the number one seed in each tournament, with tiebreakers applied if more than one team tops the season standings. In the table below, if teams tied for the regular-season title, the first team listed won the tiebreaker for top seed in the tournament.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Regular season, Conference winners and tournaments
The winners of these tournaments receive automatic invitations to the 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. The Ivy League does not have a conference tournament, instead giving their automatic invitation to their regular-season champion. The Great West Conference began play in 2009–10 and does not receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Post-Season Tournaments, Women's Basketball Invitational
This season saw the debut of a third national postseason tournament in the Women's Basketball Invitational, a 16-team affair with all games played on home courts.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, Post-Season Tournaments, Women's Basketball Invitational
The inaugural title was won by Appalachian State, who came back from a 19-point deficit to defeat Memphis 79–71 in the final held on the Mountaineers' home floor in Boone, North Carolina.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season began on October 2, 2009, ending with the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 21, 2010 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. It marked the third time that Minneapolis had hosted the Frozen Four. The tournament's opening round was scheduled for Friday, February 26, 2010, followed by the Final Faceoff on Saturday through Sunday, March 6–7, 2010. The quarterfinals were played on Friday through Saturday, March 12–13, 2010, with the Frozen Four played on Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20, 2010.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, Exhibition, CIS Exhibition
Throughout the season, various NCAA schools will play Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey teams in exhibition games.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, Exhibition, Canadian semipro exhibition
Throughout the season, various NCAA schools will play semipro Canadian teams in exhibition games.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, Exhibition, US Olympic exhibition games
Throughout the season, various NCAA schools will play the United States Olympic Hockey team.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, 2010 Olympics, Active players
The following active NCAA players will represent their respective countries in Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics.


2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, Frozen Four Skills Competition
The Frozen Four skills competition will be held on April 9 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.


2009–10 NCAA Division II men's ice hockey season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division II men's ice hockey season began on November 3, 2009 and concluded on March 6 of the following year. This was the 28th season of second-tier college ice hockey.


2009–10 NCAA Division II men's ice hockey season
The MASCAC began sponsoring men's ice hockey for the 2009–10 season. Five league members joined with two other schools (who became affiliate members) to form the new conference. Because six of the schools had previously been in ECAC Northeast it caused a realignment within that conference which caused the four Division II schools to formally leave and form Northeast-10's ice hockey division along with two schools from ECAC East. The two teams from ECAC East were members of both conferences from 2009 until 2017 when they left the ECAC East (by then called the New England Hockey Conference).


2009–10 NCAA Division II men's ice hockey season
The Northeast-10 became the first formal Division II conference in men's ice hockey since 1983–84. Because the six teams that comprised the conference already played a tournament and there were no other extant Division II programs (Minnesota–Crookston downgraded its program after 2009) the National Tournament was not restarted. The winner of the Northeast-10 tournament has been the de facto Division II champion since 2010.


2009–10 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season began on October 23, 2009, and concluded on March 20, 2010. This was the 37th season of Division III college ice hockey.


2009–10 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
The MASCAC began sponsoring men's ice hockey for the 2009–10 season. Five league members joined with two other schools (who became affiliate members) to form the new conference. Because six of the schools had previously been in ECAC Northeast it caused a realignment within that conference which caused the four Division II schools to formally leave and form Northeast-10's ice hockey division along with two schools from ECAC East. The two teams from ECAC East were members of both conferences from 2009 until 2017 when they left the ECAC East (by then called the New England Hockey Conference).


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games
The 2009–10 NCAA football bowl games concluded the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It comprised 34 team-competitive bowl games, and three all-star games. The games began play on December 19, 2009 and included the 2010 BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, California, played on January 7 at the Rose Bowl Stadium. The post-season concluded with three all-star games: the East–West Shrine Game on January 23,  the Senior Bowl on January 30, and the Texas vs. The Nation Game on February 6.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games
A total of 34 team-competitive games were played. While bowl games had been the purview of only the very best teams for nearly a century, this was the fourth consecutive year that teams with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games. To fill the 68 available bowl slots, a total of eight teams (12% of all participants) with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games—all eight had a .500 (6-6) season.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Selection of the teams
NCAA by-laws state that a school with a record of 6–6 in regular season play is eligible only if conferences cannot fill out available positions for bowl games with teams possessing seven (or more) wins (excluding games played in Hawaii and conference championship games in the ACC, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference and the SEC).


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Selection of the teams
An example was in 2008 when the Big Ten, the Big 12 and SEC each had two teams selected for the Bowl Championship Series games – Ohio State and Penn State from the Big Ten, Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 and Alabama and Florida from the SEC. With each conference sending two teams to the BCS, these three conferences forfeited several bowl game slots due to a lack of teams with a winning record.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Selection of the teams
As with the 2006 and 2008 seasons, all eligible teams with at least 7 wins made it in to a bowl game. Of the 71 eligible teams, only 68 could play in a game, and all three eligible teams that sat out bowl season were 6-6: Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, and Notre Dame, who opted not to play in a bowl game themselves after the firing of head coach Charlie Weis.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Selection of the teams
For the first time in BCS history, every participant in a BCS bowl was ranked in the top 10 of the final BCS standings.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Fox ends BCS contract
Fox Sports no longer broadcast the Bowl Championship Series following the conclusion of the Orange Bowl on January 5; the network had carried the first three BCS National Championship stand-alone games. ABC telecast this season's contest because of their separate agreement with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the organizers of the Rose Bowl Game and the hosts of the 2010 national championship. Beginning in 2011, ABC sibling company ESPN will begin carrying all of the BCS bowls, in an agreement that will last through 2014. Fox has signed a long-term contract extension with the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic through 2014, with a new prime-time Friday night date starting in 2011.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Sponsorship and stadium changes
Maaco became the new title sponsor of the Las Vegas Bowl replacing Pioneer Corporation, and the game was rebranded as the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas. In another change, the Motor City Bowl thanks to Little Caesars now carries the name of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Advocare became the title sponsor of the Independence Bowl. In a stadium shift, the Cotton Bowl Classic moves from its self-named home for 73 years at the grounds of Fair Park to Jerry Jones's new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. The St. Petersburg Bowl was initially to be played without a sponsor after being sponsored by MagicJack in 2008, but just a few weeks before the Bowl, Beef O'Brady's agreed to be the sponsor, so the game became the "St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef O'Brady's".


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, New bowls in 2010–11
The Cotton Bowl in Fair Park will be the site of a new bowl game, the TicketCity Bowl, on New Years Day 2011, with the Big Ten and Conference USA providing opponents, and Yankee Stadium will host a game dubbed the Pinstripe Bowl in December 2010, pitting teams from the Big East and Big 12.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, New bowls in 2010–11
This contest would be the first bowl game in the Metropolitan New York area since the now defunct Garden State Bowl, and the first in New York City since the now defunct Gotham Bowl was played in the original Yankee Stadium, while a third bowl, called the Cure Bowl benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure would pit members of the Sun Belt Conference and C-USA at Bright House Networks Stadium on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. The NCAA Football Issues Committee must approve of these games in the spring of 2010 to make them official.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Coaching changes
As a result of head coaching changes between the regular season and the bowl season, the following teams played their postseason contests with interim head coaches:


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Coaching changes
In addition, the following coach retired, but worked his team's bowl game:


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Bowl schedule
All dates and game times for the 34 2009–10 season bowl games were announced on April 30, 2009, and are subject to change. They received licenses from the NCAA Football Issues Committee. NOTE: Rankings from final BCS Standings of December 6, 2009.


2009–10 NCAA football bowl games, Post-BCS all-star games, Bowl Challenge Cup standings
• – Does not meet minimum game requirement of three teams needed for a conference to be eligible. † – Bowl Challenge Cup winner.


2009–10 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2009 season began on January 9, 2010. The postseason tournament concluded with the New Orleans Saints defeating the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, 31–17, on February 7, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.


2009–10 NFL playoffs
The Wild Card round featured three games that were re-matches of Week 17 games.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Participants
Within each conference, the four division winners and the two wild card teams (the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5 and 6. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Participants
In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference then receive a bye in the first round. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the worst surviving seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed will play the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5).


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Participants
The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the fourth and final round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Schedule
In the United States, NBC broadcast the first two Wild Card playoff games. Fox then televised the rest of the NFC games. CBS broadcast the rest of the AFC playoff games and Super Bowl XLIV.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown while rookie running back Shonn Greene rushed for 135 yards as New York followed up their 37–0 win over the Bengals in the last week of the regular season with a 24–14 victory.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
Bengals rookie Bernard Scott started off the game with a 56-yard kickoff return to the Jets 36-yard line. But two plays later, receiver Laveranues Coles lost a fumble while being tackled by Bryan Thomas. New York was forced to punt on their ensuing drive, and Rico Murray gave the Bengals good field position with a 23-yard return to the New York 45. This time Cincinnati was able to take advantage of their scoring opportunity, driving 45 yards in seven plays and finishing it with Carson Palmer's 11-yard touchdown pass to Coles.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
But in the second quarter, the Jets began to take control of the game. First an 11-yard punt return by Jerricho Cotchery to the Bengals 47-yard line set up a touchdown on a 39-yard burst from Greene. Then New York defensive back Darrelle Revis intercepted a pass from Palmer and returned it 21 yards to the Jets 43-yard line. Two plays later, Sanchez converted a 3rd-and-12 with a 14-yard completion to Cotchery, and followed it up with a 41-yard scoring strike to tight end Dustin Keller.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
On their first drive of the second half, Cincinnati drove from their own 12 to the Jets 17-yard line, featuring a 27-yard run by Cedric Benson. But they failed to score as Palmer's pass on third down was incomplete and Shayne Graham missed a 35-yard field goal attempt. Following the missed field goal, New York drove 75 yards in eight plays, with Sanchez completing an 18-yard pass to Cotchery and a 16-yarder to Braylon Edwards before Thomas Jones finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run, increasing their lead to 21–7.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
Early in the fourth quarter, Benson took off for a 47-yard touchdown run to make it 21–14. But the Jets responded on their ensuing drive, with Sanchez's 43-yard completion to Keller setting up a 20-yard field goal by Jay Feely to put them back up by a two score margin. The Bengals managed one last attempt to get back in the game with a drive to the New York 11-yard line. But Graham missed another field goal, this one from 28 yards, with 3:43 left in regulation.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
Benson finished the game with a franchise record 169 rushing yards. The loss for the Bengals gave them their 19th consecutive season without a playoff win, the longest streak among all 32 NFL teams. Sanchez became only the fourth rookie quarterback to win his first playoff game, following Shaun King, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14
This was the second postseason meeting between the Jets and Bengals, with New York winning the only prior meeting 44–17 in the 1982 AFC First Round playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
Playing in the first playoff game in Cowboys Stadium, in front of a crowd of 92,951, the largest to attend an NFL postseason game other than the Super Bowl, Dallas racked up 426 yards and forced four turnovers en route to their first playoff win since 1996, while handing the Eagles their first one-and-done playoff run since that same year. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo threw for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back Felix Jones rushed for 148 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown run in the second half to put the game away.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
After a scoreless first quarter, a 40-yard pass interference penalty on Eagles defensive back Sheldon Brown in the end zone set up Romo's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Phillips. Philadelphia quickly responded with a 76-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick to Jeremy Maclin on the second play of their ensuing drive. But the Cowboys struck back with an 85-yard scoring drive, featuring 18-yard receptions by Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton, along with a key replay challenge that overturned an Eagles interception. Tashard Choice capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 14–7 lead.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
Philadelphia was forced to punt on their next drive, and Crayton returned the punt 31 yards to his own 41-yard line. On the next play, Romo's 36-yard completion to Miles Austin moved the ball to the Eagles 23, eventually leading to a Shaun Suisham field goal to make the score 17–7. Just 33 seconds later, the Cowboys increased their lead to 24–7 with Romo's 6-yard touchdown pass to Austin after linebacker Bobby Carpenter recovered a fumbled handoff from Vick on the Philadelphia 18-yard line. Then with time running out in the half, Cowboys linebacker Bradie James forced and recovered a fumble from fullback Leonard Weaver on the Eagles 42-yard line, setting up Suisham's second field goal to give Dallas a 27–7 halftime lead.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
In the second half, Jones' 73-yard touchdown run capped off Dallas' scoring for the day. Meanwhile, the Cowboys defense held the Eagles in check the rest of the game, forcing two turnovers on downs, another fumble and an interception, while only allowing a meaningless touchdown on a 6 M-yard pass from Donovan McNabb to DeSean Jackson in the fourth quarter, making the final score 34–14.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
This would be McNabb's final game in an Eagles uniform.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 9, 2010, NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14
This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Eagles and Cowboys, with Dallas having won three of the four games, including the most recent 30–11 in the 1995 NFC Divisional playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
The Ravens converted three first-quarter turnovers by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady into 17 points on their way to a 24–0 lead New England could not recover from. It was the Patriots' first home loss of the season and their first home playoff loss in more than 30 years. On top of that, it was the Ravens' first win against the Patriots after five consecutive losses.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
Baltimore stormed to a 7–0 lead on the first play of the game with Ray Rice's 83-yard touchdown run, the second longest run in NFL playoff history. Then, linebacker Terrell Suggs forced and recovered a fumble from Brady on the Patriots 17-yard line, and they scored another touchdown with a 1-yard run by Le'Ron McClain. Following an exchange of punts, cornerback Chris Carr intercepted a pass from Brady and returned it to the New England 25-yard line, setting up a drive ending in Rice's second touchdown on a 1-yard run.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
Just two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Ravens safety Ed Reed intercepted a deep pass from Brady and returned it 25 yards before lateraling the ball to safety Dawan Landry, who took it another 25 yards to the Patriots 9-yard line. The Ravens could not gain any yards on their ensuing drive, but Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal to make the score 24–0.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
New England was forced to punt on their next drive, but Baltimore returner Tom Zbikowski muffed the catch and Kyle Arrington recovered the ball for the Patriots at the Ravens 16-yard line. Five plays later, Brady threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman. Midway through the second half, Brady threw his third interception of the game, this one to Landry, who returned it 42 yards to the New England 22-yard line to set up another Cundiff field goal. Taking the ball back to the Patriots 47-yard line after Darius Butler's 42-yard kickoff return, New England responded with a 53-yard scoring drive. Brady finished it with his second touchdown pass to Edelman to cut their deficit to 27–14.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
Zbikowski returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to his own 48-yard line, sparking a 52-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run from Willis McGahee, making the score 33–14 after the two-point conversion failed. New England responded with a drive deep into Baltimore territory, but Stephen Gostkowski missed a 44-yard field goal attempt with 7:19 left in the game, ending any chance of a miracle comeback.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
Rice rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns, while McGahee added 62 yards and a score. Neither quarterback had much success, as Brady was held to 154 yards and intercepted three times, while Baltimore's Joe Flacco completed only 4 of 10 passes for 34 yards.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
The Patriots would not be eliminated in the Wild Card Round again until 2019. In fact, they would not play in the Wild Card round again until that 2019 season.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, AFC: Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14
This was the first postseason meeting between the Ravens and Patriots.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
This high scoring shootout set the NFL postseason record for most points (96), touchdowns (13) and first downs (62), while ranking third in total yards (1,024). But in the end, it was a defensive play that made the key difference when Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown in overtime. This was only the second overtime game in NFL postseason history to be won by a defensive touchdown. The first one had been won by the Packers (vs. the Seattle Seahawks in 2003).


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
Arizona forced two early turnovers and built up a quick 17–0 lead. First, defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's interception of an Aaron Rodgers pass set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Tim Hightower. Then Dansby forced a fumble from Packers receiver Donald Driver that defensive tackle Alan Branch recovered on the Green Bay 22-yard line, leading to Kurt Warner's 15-yard touchdown pass to Early Doucet. After a Green Bay punt, Warner led the Cardinals down the field, hitting Larry Fitzgerald for 14 yards, tight end Ben Patrick for 22, and Steve Breaston for 15 on the way to a 23-yard field goal from Neil Rackers.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
Early in the second quarter, Packers cornerback Charles Woodson stripped the ball from Fitzgerald, and linebacker Clay Matthews returned the fumble 28 yards to the Green Bay 48. Aided by three Cardinals penalties, Green Bay drove 52 yards and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run from Rodgers. Arizona responded by driving 79 yards and scoring with Warner's second touchdown pass to Doucet. But Rodgers struck back with a pair of completions to tight end Jermichael Finley for gains of 44 and 17 yards on the way to a 20-yard field goal by Mason Crosby, cutting the score to 24–10 at halftime.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
The second half opened up with five touchdowns on five consecutive drives. First, Warner threw his third touchdown pass of the day with a 33-yard strike to Fitzgerald. Rodgers responded with an 18-yard completion to Finley and a 35-yard strike to Greg Jennings before Jennings finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown catch. Then Green Bay surprised Arizona with an onside kick, which Brandon Underwood recovered on the Packers 43-yard line. Seven plays later, Rodgers threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson, cutting their deficit to 31–24. But a few plays after the ensuing kickoff, Beanie Wells' 42-yard run set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Warner to Fitzgerald.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
Early in the fourth quarter, Rodgers again closed the gap to one score with a 30-yard touchdown pass to James Jones. Then after forcing a punt, Rodgers completed a 38-yard strike to Finley and a 28-yarder to Driver at the Cardinals 1-yard line. Fullback John Kuhn scored a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play to tie the game. But Arizona retook the lead with their next drive as Warner completed seven passes, the last one a 17-yard touchdown toss to Breaston.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
Taking the ball back at the 29-yard line with just under five minutes left in regulation, Rodgers hit Jones for six yards, scrambled for 13 yards, and then hit Jennings for 22 yards and a first down at the Arizona 25-yard line. A few plays later, he finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Havner, tying the game with less than two minutes to go. Arizona responded with a drive to the Green Bay 16-yard line, but Rackers missed a 34-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game into overtime.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
Green Bay won the coin toss and got the ball first. But two plays into their drive, Cardinals defensive back Michael Adams sacked Rodgers as he was about to throw. The ball came out of Rodgers' hands, and a desperate Rodgers tried to kick the loose ball out of bounds, but it got away and went into the arms of Dansby, who returned the fumble 17 yards for a touchdown to win the game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
In his first career playoff game, Rodgers set a franchise record with 422 passing yards and four touchdowns. Warner completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and a franchise record five touchdowns. He became the second player in NFL history to throw five touchdown passes in two different postseason games, joining Daryle Lamonica (Warner had thrown five touchdown passes in his first NFL playoff game a decade earlier). The Cardinals' 51 points was the most allowed by the Packers in their 41 postseason games. Arizona gained 531 total yards, with 156 rushing yards, against a Packers defense that finished the season ranked first in the NFL against the run and second fewest yards allowed overall.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 10, 2010, NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
This was the second postseason meeting between the Packers and Cardinals, with Green Bay winning the only prior meeting 41–16 over the then-St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 NFC First Round playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
Saints running back Reggie Bush accumulated 217 all-purpose yards, including an 83-yard punt return touchdown, the third longest in NFL postseason history, and a franchise playoff record 46-yard touchdown run, while quarterback Drew Brees added 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. Although Arizona scored first, New Orleans racked up a franchise playoff record 35 points in the first half on the way to a 45–14 win on their way to their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 2006.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
Arizona opened up a 7–0 lead just 19 seconds into the first quarter when Tim Hightower ran through a hole in the line, cut left and took off down the field for a 70-yard touchdown run on the game's first play from scrimmage. New Orleans struck back with a 72-yard drive on the way to a 1-yard touchdown run by Lynell Hamilton to tie the score.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
On the first play of the following drive, defensive back Randall Gay stripped the ball from Cardinals wide receiver Jerheme Urban, forcing a fumble that Saints safety Darren Sharper returned 13 yards to the Arizona 37-yard line. Three plays later, Brees converted the turnover into points with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey. Arizona was forced to punt on their next drive, and the Saints quickly scored again with a 46-yard touchdown run by Bush, increasing their lead to 21–7.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
Just over five minutes into the second quarter, Arizona cut the score to 21–14 with a 4-yard touchdown run by Beanie Wells. But New Orleans again responded quickly, as Brees completed a 26-yard pass to Marques Colston and followed it up with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson on a flea flicker play. Then Saints defensive lineman Will Smith intercepted a pass from Kurt Warner (who was injured on the play) and returned it five yards to the Cardinals 27, setting up Brees' 2-yard touchdown pass to Colston to give the Saints a 35–14 lead. The Cardinals, now led by Matt Leinart, responded with a drive to the Saints 33-yard line, but Neil Rackers missed a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half. The combined 49 points scored by both teams in the first half was an NFL postseason record.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
In the second half, the Saints added 10 more points to their lead with a Garrett Hartley field goal and Bush's 83-yard punt return touchdown. Meanwhile, Arizona only managed one drive inside Saints territory, which ended in a turnover on downs on the 10-yard line. With the win, the Saints returned to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in four years, and would become the first one to be held in the Superdome. This was the final game of Warner's Hall of Fame career.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Arizona Cardinals 14
This was the first postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Saints.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
In the first playoff game in Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning completed 30 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns, while the Colts defense limited Baltimore to a single field goal on their opening drive.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
Indianapolis kicker Matt Stover (a former Raven) opened up the scoring with a 44-yard field goal on the Colts' opening drive. Baltimore responded with a drive from their own 7 to the Colts 6-yard line where Billy Cundiff kicked a 25-yard field goal to tie the game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
In the second quarter, the Colts moved down the field on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took eight minutes off the clock, their longest drive of the season. Manning finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie. After forcing a punt, the Colts got the ball back on their own 36-yard line, and they drove for another touchdown, moving the ball 64 yards in just 1:23 and scoring with Reggie Wayne's 3-yard touchdown catch as time expired in the half.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
Midway through the third quarter, Ravens safety Ed Reed intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it 38 yards. But receiver Pierre Garçon ripped the ball out of his hands during the return, and tight end Dallas Clark recovered it. Later on, Reed intercepted another pass and returned it 58 yards, but the play was nullified by a pass interference penalty on defensive back Corey Ivy, allowing the Colts to keep possession and drive for another Stover field goal, making the score 20–3.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
Indianapolis went on to seal the victory by forcing turnovers on the Ravens' next two drives. First Raheem Brock forced a fumble from Baltimore running back Ray Rice deep in Colts territory and linebacker Clint Session recovered it. Then following a punt, Colts defensive back Antoine Bethea picked off a pass from Joe Flacco on the Colts 2-yard line with less than five minutes left in the game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 16, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 20, Baltimore Ravens 3
This was the second postseason meeting between the Ravens and Colts, with Indianapolis winning the only prior meeting 15–6 in the 2006 AFC Divisional playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
The Vikings defense dominated the Cowboys in the final playoff game in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, sacking quarterback Tony Romo six times, forcing him to fumble three times, and intercepting a pass, while Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre threw four touchdown passes, three to receiver Sidney Rice, who finished the game with 6 receptions for 141 yards.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
Dallas started the game with two drives inside the Vikings 40-yard line, but didn't score on either one. First, Romo lost a fumble on the Vikings 35 while being tackled by Ray Edwards; it was recovered by the Vikings' Kevin Williams. Then after a punt, Dallas drove to the Vikings 30-yard line, only to have Shaun Suisham miss a 48-yard field goal. Four plays later, Minnesota took the lead with Favre throwing a 47-yard touchdown to Rice.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
Dallas responded with a drive from their own 18 to the Vikings 15-yard line where Suisham kicked a field goal to cut the score to 7–3. But the Vikings countered with another touchdown, with running back Adrian Peterson rushing for 18 yards and gaining 19 yards on a screen pass on the way to Favre's second touchdown throw to Rice, this one from 16 yards. Just two plays after the kickoff, Jared Allen sacked Romo, forcing a fumble that Minnesota's Ben Leber recovered on the Cowboys 20-yard line, leading to a Ryan Longwell field goal increasing the Vikings lead to 17–3 at the end of the first half.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
In the second half, after another Dallas drive into Vikings territory that ended with a missed field goal attempt by Suisham, Leber intercepted a pass from Romo and returned it 10 yards to the Cowboys 15-yard line. Dallas kept the Vikings out of the end zone, but Longwell kicked another field goal to increase the lead to 20–3. Then, after a Dallas punt, Favre put the game away with a 45-yard touchdown completion to Rice with less than eight minutes left in the game. Later on, Dallas turned the ball over on downs on their own 37-yard line. Favre subsequently completed a 19-yard pass to Bernard Berrian before scoring the final points of the game on an 11-yard pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
Leber finished with eight tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception, while Edwards recorded five tackles, a forced fumble and three sacks. This was the first time the 40-year-old Favre had thrown four touchdown passes in his 22 playoff games. With the win, the Vikings advanced to their first NFC Championship Game in nine years and first under Childress.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3
This was the seventh postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Vikings, with Dallas winning four of the prior six meetings. Minnesota won the most recent meeting 27–10 in the 1999 NFC Wild Card playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
Trailing 7–0 at the end of the first half, New York scored 17 unanswered points and then sealed the victory with a fourth down conversion run from Thomas Jones with one minute left.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
Early in the first quarter, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers moved the ball to the Jets 22-yard line with a 13-yard completion to Vincent Jackson and a 19-yarder to Malcom Floyd. But the drive stalled on the 18-yard line and ended with no points when Nate Kaeding missed a 36-yard field goal. Meanwhile, New York failed to gain a first down in the entire quarter.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
In the second quarter, Rivers hit Jacob Hester for 15 yards and tight end Antonio Gates for 23 on the way to a 13-yard touchdown completion to Kris Wilson. Later on, San Diego running back Darren Sproles' 22-yard run moved the ball to the Jets 39-yard line with six seconds left. But Kaeding missed a 57-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the half.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
On the opening drive of the second half, the Jets got on the board with a 46-yard field goal from Jay Feely. Midway through the third quarter, the Chargers got another scoring opportunity when Quentin Jammer picked off a pass from Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and returned it 24 yards to the New York 38-yard line. But three plays later, Rivers returned the favor when he threw a pass to Jackson that bounced off his body and into the arms of cornerback Darrelle Revis just before it hit the ground.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
The Jets were unable to convert the turnover into points, but Steve Weatherford's 54-yard punt pinned the Chargers back at their own 4-yard line. A few plays later, Rivers was intercepted again, this time by safety Jim Leonhard, who returned it 11 yards to the 16, setting up Sanchez's 2-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller. Then after forcing a punt, Jets running back Shonn Greene burst through the line, broke a tackle from Eric Weddle and took off for a 53-yard touchdown run, the longest in Jets postseason history, giving New York a 17–7 lead.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
San Diego responded with a drive to the New York 22-yard line, but again came up empty when Kaeding missed his third field goal attempt of the day, this one with just 4:38 left in the game. After forcing a punt, Rivers completed a 37-yard pass to Jackson, a 19-yarder to Sproles and a 12-yard completion to Jackson at the 1-yard line before finishing the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. This cut the score to 17–14 with 2:14 left in the game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
Following the ensuing onside kickoff (which was recovered by the Jets' Kerry Rhodes), New York faced a fourth down and 1 with 1:03 left. Rather than punting, coach Rex Ryan decided to go for the first down. Jones' 2-yard run sealed the victory, enabling New York to run out the rest of the clock.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
With the win, the Jets advanced to their first AFC Championship Game since 1998. They also won consecutive playoff games for the first time since 1982. Sanchez joined Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco as the only rookie quarterbacks in NFL history to win two playoff games. The Chargers have not won the AFC West since 2009 and relocated to Los Angeles after the 2016 season. As a result, this was the last playoff game the Chargers played in San Diego.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 17, 2010, AFC: New York Jets 17, San Diego Chargers 14
This was the second postseason meeting between the Jets and Chargers. New York won the only prior meeting 20–17 in overtime in the 2004 AFC Wild Card playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
This game was the first time in NFL history that two first-year head coaches met in any conference championship game. The Colts defeated the Jets for the first time in the postseason and advanced to their second Super Bowl in the last four seasons. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns as his team recovered from an 11-point deficit by scoring 24 unanswered points.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
After forcing Indianapolis to punt on their opening drive, New York drove from their own 29 to the Colts 22-yard line. But the Colts defense tightened up, tackling running back Shonn Greene twice behind the line of scrimmage and Brad Smith for a 1-yard gain, and then Jay Feely was wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
In the second quarter, the Colts put together the first scoring drive of the game, with Manning completing two passes to Pierre Garçon for gains of 27 and 36 yards on the way to a 25-yard Matt Stover field goal. New York answered on the first play of their next drive with the longest play in the Jets' postseason history, as Mark Sanchez threw a pass to Braylon Edwards, who took off past Jacob Lacey and caught the ball without breaking stride for an 80-yard touchdown completion.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
Manning led the Colts back on their next drive, completing a 25-yard pass to Reggie Wayne and a 22-yarder to Austin Collie at the Jets 4-yard line. But Indianapolis could not get into the end zone. Following an incomplete pass, Collie was tackled at the 1-yard line and then Manning was stuffed for no gain on a quarterback sneak, forcing them to settle for a second field goal from Stover to cut the score to 7–6. But New York struck back again.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
After three carries by Greene for 17 yards, Smith's 45-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery from the Wildcat formation moved the ball to the Colts 12-yard line, setting up Sanchez's 9-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller with 4:53 left in the half. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Jets lineman Calvin Pace stormed through the line and tackled Joseph Addai as soon as he took a handoff, resulting in a fumble that safety Jim Leonhard recovered and returned to the Indianapolis 29-yard line. New York was unable to gain a first down with their drive, but Feely kicked a 48-yard field goal to increase their lead to 17–6.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
However, the Colts stormed back with 24 unanswered points. Manning responded to the field goal with three completions to Collie for 80 yards, the last one a 16-yard touchdown pass to cut the score to 17–13 at the end of the half. Then after a missed 52-yard field goal on New York's opening drive of the third quarter, Manning completed 6 of 7 passes for 57 yards on the way to his second touchdown pass, this one a 4-yarder to Garçon. Manning added his third touchdown pass, a 15-yard strike to Dallas Clark, six minutes into the fourth quarter. Then after a punt, a 16-yard run by Addai and a 23-yard catch from Garçon set up Stover's third field goal to make the score 30–17. Finally, Indianapolis sealed the game when Kelvin Hayden picked off a pass from Sanchez with just over two minutes remaining.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17
This was the third postseason meeting between the Jets and Colts, with New York winning both meetings, including 41–0 in the 2002 AFC Wild Card playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
For the second time in three seasons, the NFC Championship Game required overtime to decide a winner. As in that game and the two other overtime games in the history of the conference championship games, the winning score was a field goal, this one from Saints kicker Garrett Hartley. The Vikings outgained New Orleans in total yards 475 to 257, and overcame five turnovers (three fumbles and two interceptions) to send the game to overtime. For the second time in 11 seasons, the Vikings were defeated by a field goal in a conference championship game, as they had lost by the same differential to the Atlanta Falcons in the 1998 NFC Championship Game. This would turn out to be Brett Favre's final playoff game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The Vikings scored on the opening drive of the game as Adrian Peterson ran it into the end zone from 19 yards out. The Saints responded on the next drive, when Drew Brees threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to halfback Pierre Thomas that tied the game. Aided by three Saints penalties, the Vikings scored on their subsequent drive as Favre threw a touchdown pass to Sidney Rice and took a 14–7 lead.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
New Orleans tied the game on their first drive of the second quarter with Brees' 9-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson. Later on, the Vikings got a scoring opportunity when New Orleans running back Reggie Bush muffed a punt that Minnesota's Kenny Onatolu recovered on the Saints 10-yard line. But two plays after that, the Vikings lost the ball themselves on a fumbled handoff from Favre to Peterson that was recovered by linebacker Scott Fujita with less than a minute left in the half.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The Saints' started the second half with a scoring drive that only took 2:04, set up by a 61-yard kickoff return from Courtney Roby. Thomas scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run and gave New Orleans their first lead of the game. Favre responded by leading the Vikings right back down the field, completing three passes to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe for 67 yards on an 80-yard drive that ended with Peterson scoring for the second time on a 1-yard touchdown run.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
After a Saints punt, Minnesota drove to the New Orleans 33-yard line, where Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma ended the drive by intercepting a pass intended for Rice. The Vikings defense managed to force another punt, but once again they turned the ball over as Saints defensive lineman Will Smith forced a fumble from Percy Harvin that Remi Ayodele recovered and returned to the Vikings 7-yard line.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
Following the turnover, New Orleans regained the lead early in the fourth quarter, as Brees threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this one a 5-yard toss to Bush, which was initially ruled down at the 1-yard line but changed to a touchdown after a Saints replay challenge.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The Vikings responded with a drive inside the Saints 20-yard line, featuring a 27-yard run by Peterson and a 30-yard reception by Bernard Berrian, but once again the Saints defense forced a turnover, this time on a fumble by Berrian that was knocked free by defensive back Tracy Porter and recovered by Vilma. However, the Vikings defense quickly forced a punt, getting the ball back for the offense with great field position at the Minnesota 43-yard line. After a 16-yard reception by Shiancoe and an 18-yard run by Peterson, an 18-yard pass interference penalty on Porter moved the ball to the Saints 1-yard line. Peterson scored his third touchdown on the next play, tying the score with just over eight minutes left in the game.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
After forcing a punt, the Vikings got the ball back with 2:42 left and drove to the Saints 33-yard line, within range of a potential game-winning field goal by kicker Ryan Longwell. However, on the next two plays, Peterson and running back Chester Taylor were both tackled for no gain. Then, after calling a timeout with 19 seconds left, Minnesota was flagged for having 12 men in the huddle and penalized five yards, bringing up third down and 15 from the 38. On the next play, the Vikings decided to pass in an attempt to move the ball into better field goal range, but Porter intercepted a desperate throw from Favre, ending the drive and sending the game into overtime.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The Saints won the coin toss in overtime and never gave up the ball. Thomas returned Longwell's kickoff 40 yards to the New Orleans 39, and the team gained 39 additional yards on 10 plays, including a fourth down conversion leap attempt by Thomas. The Saints were aided by a defensive holding penalty by cornerback Asher Allen and a pass interference penalty called against linebacker Ben Leber.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
Brees threw to Robert Meachem at the 23-yard line, controversially ruled a catch on the field and upheld by the booth, despite replays appearing to show the ball being moved by contact with the ground as Meachem attempted to gather it. This is where the drive stalled; Hartley was called on to try the first field goal of the game and connected from 40 yards out, sending the Saints to their first Super Bowl after 43 years in the NFL.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
Four records were set in the game, three by Favre. He broke the career postseason pass attempts and passing yards records, but also set the record for most career postseason interceptions following his two picks in this game. It was the second time in three years that an interception thrown by Favre had helped to cost his team a conference championship, with his interception in overtime against the New York Giants in 2008 leading to a field goal that eliminated the Green Bay Packers.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The Vikings outgained the Saints 475–257, which was the biggest yardage differential for a losing team in NFL postseason history. With his game winning kick Hartley joined Rich Karlis, Morten Andersen and Lawrence Tynes as the only four players in NFL history to score the winning points in a conference championship game decided in overtime. All four games were decided by field goals, with Hartley becoming the first to win an overtime game for the home team (in all three previous games, the home team was defeated). The two teams had nine fumbles between them in the game, with Peterson and Brees leading all players with two each. Minnesota fumbled six times and lost three of them. Peterson finished with 25 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns, along with 2 receptions for 14 yards.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The outcome of this game was a factor in the NFL amending its rules during the ensuing offseason regarding overtime in playoff games, although the Vikings voted against the rule change. The change being that when the team receiving the ball first in overtime scores a field goal in their opening drive, the opposing team then gets a possession to try to score as well.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
The excessive roughness of the Saints throughout the game was noted in the varied media broadcasts at the time, but its reputation became more controversial in 2012 with the publicity surrounding what would be known as Bountygate.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 24, 2010, NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, Minnesota Vikings 28 (OT)
This was the third postseason meeting between the Vikings and Saints. Minnesota won both previous meetings, including the most recent meeting 34–16 in the 2000 NFC Divisional playoffs.


2009–10 NFL playoffs, Super Bowl XLIV: New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
This was the first Super Bowl meeting between the Saints and Colts.


2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation (92nd season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs running to June 9, 2010. A mid-season break from February 15 to February 28 occurred to allow participation of NHL players in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Because of the Winter Olympics break, there was no NHL All-Star Game for 2010. The Stanley Cup Final saw the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, for their first championship since the 1960–61 season.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Salary cap
The salary cap was increased by a small amount for the 2009–10 season. It was set at $56.8 million, $100,000 higher than in the 2008–09 season. The salary floor was $40.8 million.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Entry Draft
The Entry Draft was held June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The New York Islanders chose John Tavares with the first overall pick. Other notable picks were Matt Duchene, Victor Hedman, Evander Kane and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, New uniforms
Several teams (Calgary, Minnesota, Nashville, Florida and Colorado) debuted new third uniforms this season, while Philadelphia and Edmonton made their third uniform their primary home jersey, and Chicago made the jersey they wore for the previous season's Winter Classic their new alternate. The New Jersey Devils announced plans to play one game (March 17 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the first anniversary of Martin Brodeur's record breaking 552nd win) wearing their 1982–1992 uniforms, albeit transferred onto the league's current RBK Edge jersey template. In addition, NHL officials had new uniforms, which debuted at the 2009 All-Star Game.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Television dispute
Prior to the season, a contract dispute between Versus (the NHL cable carrier for the United States) and satellite television supplier DirecTV blacked out Versus for 14 million satellite subscribers. Versus was restored to DirecTV in March 2010. While negotiations were secret, it was reported by the media that the dispute was over the "slotting" of Versus with other channels. Versus was restored to DirecTV in the same tier of channels as the previous season. Versus President Jamie Davis confirmed that the dispute was necessary to get "the same level of distribution we had prior to be taken off the air".


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
The Phoenix Coyotes' holding company, Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a statement, Moyes announced that he had agreed in principle to sell the team to PSE Sports and Entertainment, headed by Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie, for $212.5 million. As part of the deal, Balsillie intended to move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. Although initial reports said that Balsillie was considering Kitchener as well, Hamilton already has an NHL-sized arena in place, Copps Coliseum, and Balsillie was already in talks with city officials to secure a lease for the arena. Hamilton had previously bid for an NHL team in the 1990s, losing out to Ottawa. Balsillie had previously made unsuccessful approaches to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators, with the intent of relocating either team to Hamilton.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
The NHL opposed the bankruptcy and the matter went to Phoenix bankruptcy court. Two other potential bidders for the team emerged, Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago White Sox and Ice Edge Holdings. Bankruptcy hearings were held from May until September. Reinsdorf and Ice Edge did not bid for the team, and the NHL put in the only rival bid for the team at court.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
In September, a Phoenix bankruptcy court rejected offers from the NHL and Jim Balsillie, ending Balsillie's plan to move the Coyotes to Hamilton. The NHL's offer was rejected because it left out creditors Jerry Moyes and Wayne Gretzky. On Balsillie's offer, Judge Redfield T. Baum refused to sanction the use of bankruptcy to force relocation of a franchise on a league. Gretzky, who was head coach of the team for the previous four seasons, stayed away from training camp and was replaced. The Coyotes played their first home game to a sell-out; however, attendance was lower at other games in the month of October. Later in the month, the NHL and Moyes came to a tentative agreement to transfer ownership of the Coyotes to the NHL.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
In December, the NHL announced that Ice Edge Holdings, a partnership of Canadians and Phoenix-area businessmen, had signed a letter of intent with the NHL to purchase the Coyotes. Ice Edge, which plans to keep the team in Phoenix, plans to play five Coyotes home games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, each season as part of a five-year plan to return the Coyotes to profitability. Ice Edge would still have to negotiate a lease agreement with the City of Glendale, and have its ownership approved by the NHL Board of Governors.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
On March 6, the NHL launched a lawsuit for $61 million against former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes to recover $10 million in bankruptcy court costs, $20 million in losses for 2009–10 and $11.6 million owed to creditors. Three weeks later, the Coyotes clinched their first playoff berth since 2002.


2009–10 NHL season, League business, Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale
On April 13, Glendale, Arizona City Council approved a lease and sale agreement with Jerry Reinsdorf to take over the Coyotes and their lease of the Jobing.com Arena. The Council rejected the Ice Edge group. The agreement created a special tax district surrounding the arena. Businesses in that district would pay $47 million annually to support the team. The agreement gave Reinsdorf the option to move the team after five years if revenues were not up to expectations. Former Coyotes CEO Jeff Shumway criticized the deal, saying that the team would not have gone bankrupt if the same deal had been available two years earlier. Reinsdorf's bid, which paid the NHL $65 million for the team, needed approval by the league board of governors.


2009–10 NHL season, Pre-season
The 2009–10 pre-season for most teams started on September 14, 2009.


2009–10 NHL season, Pre-season, 2009 Kraft Hockeyville
Since 2006, Kraft Foods has sponsored a sweepstakes called Kraft Hockeyville, in which various small cities across Canada compete against each other with the hopes of winning the privilege of having an NHL pre-season game played in a local sports complex or arena, along with a hockey festival named the Stanley Cup Jamboree. The 2009 winner was the city of Terrace, British Columbia. The pre-season matchup was between the home town favorite Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders.


2009–10 NHL season, Pre-season, Victoria Cup
The Victoria Cup, which was held in Zürich, Switzerland, on September 29, 2009, just prior to the regular-season games, was contested between ZSC Zurich Lions and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. The game was won by Zurich 2–1.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
Four teams (Blackhawks, Blues, Panthers and Red Wings) began their season in the NHL Premiere series, each playing two regular-season games in Europe. The Red Wings played the Blues in Stockholm, Sweden, at Ericsson Globe while the Blackhawks and Panthers played in Helsinki, Finland, at Hartwall Areena on October 2 and October 3. This is the second-straight season that Sweden has hosted an NHL regular season game, and the third season of the Premiere series, in which NHL regular season games are held in Europe. Unlike in previous years, the European games are not the inaugural games, as the regular season began October 1 in North America.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
The Avalanche, picked by many in the media to finish last in the Western Conference, instead roared to a 10–2–2 mark for the month of October to lead the Western Conference, partly on the strong play of Craig Anderson in net and rookies Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene. The Coyotes, who were also not expected to make the playoffs, started strongly. The team had signed some veterans and demoted some young players to the minors. The Coyotes surprised the Stanley Cup champion Penguins 3–0 in Pittsburgh.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
In the Eastern Conference, the Penguins had the best record after the first month. Teams playing at a higher level than predicted included the Sabres, which led the Northeast Division through most of October. On the other end of the scale, 2009 Conference finalist Hurricanes had a 2–8–3 record for October, the worst in franchise history.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
Two streaks came to an end in November. The Devils won nine games in a row on the road to start the season, one short of the league record set in the 2006–07 season by the Sabres, before losing in Philadelphia to the Flyers. The Hurricanes lost a franchise-high 14 games in a row before defeating the Wild in a shootout on November 15. The streak included overtime and shootout losses.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
The 2009 flu pandemic hit the Oilers hard with several players out for stretches in October. The Flames received their flu shots ahead of the general public, causing an Alberta health official to be fired. The Maple Leafs and the Canucks teams both had members of their staff "jump the queue" and receive flu shots ahead of the general public and were criticized in the media.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
In December, Shane Doan of the Coyotes played his 1,000th game in a 2–1 shootout win over the Blue Jackets. On December 21, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur recorded his 104th shutout, breaking a record set by Terry Sawchuk during the 1969–70 NHL season.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
Three head coaches lost their positions in mid-season. Despite being early favorites for the Stanley Cup, the Philadelphia Flyers were 13–11–1 and 10th in the Eastern Conference when John Stevens was fired on December 4, 2009. On January 2, 2010, the Blues fired Head Coach Andy Murray. In 2008–09, the Blues had made the playoffs but struggled during 2009–10. Davis Payne was named interim head coach. One month later, on February 3, 2010, the Blue Jackets, unhappy with their slide in the standings after a good start, fired defensive-minded Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. Although the slide had started months previous, team management had given time to Hitchcock to resolve the situation before firing him.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
Player trades started in earnest a month before the March 3, 2010, trade deadline. On January 31, the Maple Leafs made two large trades, getting Dion Phaneuf from the Flames in a seven-player trade, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere from the Ducks for two players. The Flames were not done, trading Olli Jokinen to the Rangers the next day. After top scorer and pending free agent Ilya Kovalchuk turned down a $101 million contract offer from the Thrashers, he was traded to the Devils on February 4.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
On February 5, Boston investment banker Jeff Vinik agreed to buy the Lightning from owners OK Hockey, headed by Oren Koules and Len Barrie. The sale price was not disclosed, although the media speculated it was much less than the US$206 million that OK Hockey paid. The purchase was contingent on the approval of the NHL Board of Governors.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
On February 8, Canadiens' General Manager Bob Gainey announced his retirement as GM, staying on as advisor to the club. Assistant GM Pierre Gauthier became the interim GM. Gauthier and Coach Jacques Martin held the same positions with the Senators in the late 1990s.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
From 3 pm EST on February 12 until 11:59 pm on Feb. 28, teams were not permitted to make any trades, since many NHL players were competing at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The March 3 trade deadline produced 31 trades involving 55 players, the largest number in NHL history. The most active team was the Coyotes, who were involved in seven deals.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
Unlike previous seasons, the Coyotes were in a playoff position at the trade deadline and were "buyers" of players rather than "sellers" (that is, they were looking to acquire key players to give the team a chance in the playoffs, rather than trading away players to other teams seeking playoff success). Only the Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers did not make any trades between March 1 (after the Olympic roster freeze was lifted) and the trade deadline on March 3 at 3:00 pm EST.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season
On April 8, 2010, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New York Islanders 7-3 in the final regular season game at Mellon Arena. The Penguins would move to CONSOL Energy Center for the next season.


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings
GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime/Shootout Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Eastern Conference
bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and division)


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Eastern Conference
AT – Atlantic Division, NE – Northeast Division, SE – Southeast Division


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Western Conference
bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; z – Won conference (and division)


2009–10 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Tiebreaking procedures
If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the ranking of the clubs is determined in the following order:


2009–10 NHL season, Special events
The Avalanche retired 19, the number of Joe Sakic, at their home opener on October 1. The Canadiens celebrated their centennial on December 4 and retired the number 3 for Emile Bouchard and number 16 for Elmer Lach (which was already previously retired for Henri Richard). The Phoenix Coyotes retired 27, the number of Teppo Numminen at their home game.


2009–10 NHL season, Special events, Winter Classic
On July 15, 2009, the NHL announced that the third installment of the Winter Classic would take place on January 1, 2010, at Fenway Park in Boston, with the Bruins hosting the Flyers. Because the NHL did not host an All-Star Game in the 2009–10 season due to the 2010 Olympics, this became the league's showcase event. The Bruins won the game 2–1 in overtime. Marco Sturm scored the game-winning overtime goal, after the Bruins were initially down 1–0 in regulation. After the game, the roster of the United States men's hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics was released, which included Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas.


2009–10 NHL season, Special events, Olympics
The NHL did not hold an All-Star Game this season. Instead, many of the league's players participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Olympic men's ice hockey tournament ran from February 16 to February 28, 2010. It was the first time since the NHL allowed its players to compete in the Olympics that the Winter Olympics were held in an NHL market, as well as the first to use an NHL-sized ice rink (as opposed to the bigger one normally used for international play).


2009–10 NHL season, Special events, Olympics
General Motors Place, the Canucks' home arena, was the primary ice hockey venue for the Olympics, and was formally called Canada Hockey Place. The temporary name change reflects the International Olympic Committee policy against selling or promoting naming rights for its competition venues. Another example of this policy is that the ice surface and dasher boards had their advertisements removed. The Canadian team won gold, the American team won silver, and the Finnish team won bronze. At the end of the tournament, United States goaltender Ryan Miller was named Tournament MVP.


2009–10 NHL season, Special events, Olympics
In order to prepare General Motors Place for the Olympics, the Canucks were required to face the longest road trip in NHL history, playing 14 straight road games from January 27 to March 13, 2010


2009–10 NHL season, Playoffs
After the regular season, the standard of 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Washington Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the league, at 121 points. Division champions maintained their relative ranking during the entire playoffs while the remaining teams were reseeded below them after each round.


2009–10 NHL season, Playoffs
These playoffs featured a rare event in professional sports, as the Flyers emerged from trailing three games to none against the Boston Bruins, and then after trailing three goals to none in game seven, they came back to win game seven and the series 4–3.


2009–10 NHL season, Playoffs, Stanley Cup Finals
The Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup since 1961, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Their overtime win in Game 6 marked the first time that the Cup was won in overtime since the New Jersey Devils in 2000.


2009–10 NHL season, Playoffs, Playoff bracket
In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage. In the Stanley Cup Final series, home ice is determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-seven series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 format: the higher-seeded team plays at home for games one and two (plus five and seven if necessary), and the lower-seeded team is at home for games three and four (and if necessary, game six).


2009–10 NHL season, Player statistics, Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season. GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes


2009–10 NHL season, Player statistics, Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season.


2009–10 NHL season, Player statistics, Leading goaltenders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average


2009–10 NHL season, Milestones, First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 2009–10, listed with their first team:


2009–10 NHL season, Milestones, Last games
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2009–10, listed with their team:


2009–10 NHL suspensions and fines
The following is a list of all suspensions and fines enforced in the National Hockey League during the 2009–10 NHL season. It lists which players or coaches of what team have been punished for which offense and the amount of punishment they have received.


2009–10 NHL transactions
The following is a list of all team-to-team transactions that have occurred in the National Hockey League during the 2009–10 NHL season. It lists what team each player has been traded to, signed by, or claimed by, and for which player(s) or draft pick(s), if applicable.


2009–10 NHL transactions, Free agency
Note: This does not include players who have re-signed with their previous team as an Unrestricted Free Agent or as a Restricted Free Agent.


2009–10 NK Dinamo Zagreb season
This article shows statistics of individual players for the football club Dinamo Zagreb. It also lists all matches that Dinamo Zagreb played in the 2009–10 season.


2009–10 NK Dinamo Zagreb season, First-team squad, Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2009–10 NK Dinamo Zagreb season, Player seasonal records
Competitive matches only. Updated to games played 13 May 2010.


2009–10 NK Dinamo Zagreb season, Player seasonal records, Goalscorers
Source: Competitive matchesA: Sivonjić was loaned out to Inter Zaprešić in the winter transfer period. B: Papadopoulos' contract was terminated just before the winter break, after which he signed for Celta Vigo.C : Lovren was transferred out to Lyon in January 2010.D: Chago was loaned out to Istra 1961 in the winter transfer period.E: Dodo was brought in from Inter Zaprešić in the winter transfer period.


2009–10 NLA season
The 2009–10 National League A season was the third ice hockey season of the National League A since the reorganization of the Swiss league. Prior to the season, no promotion and relegation occurred between the National League A and National League B as a result of NLA club Biel's victory over Lausanne in the prior season's relegation playoff.


2009–10 NLA season, Format
The regular season schedule consists of a double round-robin, each of the league's twelve teams playing the other eleven four times apiece, twice at home and twice on the road. Each team plays an additional six games against three opponents, which are schedules based upon the previous season's standings. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams are entered into the playoffs; the bottom four enter a relegation playoff, commonly called the playout. Each playoff and playout series is contested in a best-of-seven fashion. The loser of the playout plays a best-of-seven series against the National League B champion for a place in the 2010–11 National League A.


2009–10 NOFV-Oberliga
The 2009–10 season of the NOFV-Oberliga was the second season of the league at tier five (V) of the German football league system.


2009–10 NOFV-Oberliga
The NOFV-Oberliga was split into two divisions, the NOFV-Oberliga Nord and the NOFV-Oberliga Süd. The champions of each division, FC Energie Cottbus II and RB Leipzig, were directly promoted to the 2010–11 Regionalliga Nord.


2009–10 NOJHL season
The 2009–10 NOJHL season is the 32nd season of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). The eight teams of the East and West Divisions will play 50-game schedules.


2009–10 NOJHL season
Come February, the top teams of each division will play down for the Copeland-McNamara Trophy, the NOJHL championship. The winner of the Copeland-McNamara Trophy will compete in the Central Canadian Junior "A" championship, the Dudley Hewitt Cup. If successful against the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and Superior International Junior Hockey League, the champion would then move on to play in the Canadian Junior Hockey League championship, the 2010 Royal Bank Cup.


2009–10 NOJHL season, Current Standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SL = Shootout Losses; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title


2009–10 NOJHL season, Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship
Hosted by the Soo Thunderbirds in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Soo finished in third, Abitibi finished fourth.


2009–10 NOJHL season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes


2009–10 NOJHL season, Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games Played; Mins = Minutes Played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime Losses; SL = Shootout Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against Average


2009–10 NTFL season
The 2009/10 NTFL season was the 89th season of the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL).


2009–10 NTFL season
The Grand Final was played on Saturday 13 March 2010. St Marys won the title by 10 points over an upset victory against the minor premiers,  Tiwi Bombers.


2009–10 Nashville Predators season
The 2009–10 Nashville Predators season is the Nashville Predators' 12th season in the National Hockey League.


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Regular season, Conference standings
bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; z – Won conference (and division)


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Regular season, Game log
Legend:  Win (2 points)  Loss (0 points)  Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Player stats, Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Player stats, Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime Losses; GA = Goals Against; GAA= Goals Against Average; SA= Shots Against; SV= Saves; Sv% = Save Percentage; SO= Shutouts


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Player stats, Goaltenders
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Predators. Stats reflect time with the Predators only. ‡Traded mid-seasonBold/italics denotes franchise record


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Transactions
The Predators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2009–10 season.


2009–10 Nashville Predators season, Draft picks
Nashville's picks at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Quebec.


2009–10 National First Division
2009–10 National First Division, was the season from August 2009 until February 2010, of South Africa's second tier of professional football. By the end of the season, the Coastal stream champion Vasco da Gama met to play the overall championship final, against the Inland stream champion Black Leopards. Vasco da Gama won the final, and thereby got promoted to Premier Soccer League. The subsequent playoff stage, was contested by the losing finalist, two second ranked teams of the NFD streams, and the second lowest ranked team of PSL. Winner of the playoff stage, and thereby the second promotion to PSL, was the team Mpumalanga Black Aces.


2009–10 National First Division, Season structure
The league is made up of 16 teams, split into 2 streams. Each team plays the other 7 teams in their stream 3 times, for a total of 21 games. Teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 for draw, and 0 for a loss. At the end of the season, the top ranked team from each stream play in a two-legged final, the winner of which is crowned National First Division Champion, and gains automatic promotion to the Premier Soccer League for the next season.


2009–10 National First Division, Season structure
The loser of the final, along with the teams which came second in their streams, and the 15th placed PSL team, go into the PSL promotion play-offs. The two teams finishing in last place in their streams are automatically relegated to the Vodacom League. They are replaced by the finalists of the Vodacom League championship game.


2009–10 National First Division, League standings, Post season, NFD Final
Vasco da Gama and Black Leopards played a two legged tie to determine the 2009–10 NFD champion, and automatic promotion to the PSL. Vasco da Gama won the tie to become NFD champions, and were promoted to the PSL for the 2010–11 season.


2009–10 National First Division, League standings, Post season, Promotion play offs
Black Leopards (losing finalist), Nathi Lions (2nd in coastal stream), African Warriors (2nd in inland stream), and Mpumalanga Black Aces (15th in PSL), all entered into the Promotion play offs. This play off competition, was played as a cup with two legged matches. The two semifinals were played simultaneously at March 17 and 24, and the two legged final took place at April 3 and 8.


2009–10 National First Division, League standings, Post season, Promotion play offs
The two teams to qualify for the final were Black Leopards and Mpumalanga Black Aces, and after ordinary time of the two matches, the aggregate score ended at 3–3, and thus a penalty shoot out. When the first 5 ordinary shots had been completed, there was a winning score of 5–3 to Mpumalanga Black Aces, who thereby had managed to retain their PSL status.


2009–10 National League 1
The 2009-10 National League 1, previously known as National Division 2, is the first season of the third division of the English rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced with widespread league changes made by the RFU.


2009–10 National League 1
As the new second division would reduce teams from 16 to 12, there were plenty of new additions to National League 1, itself increasing from 14 to 16 teams, with Esher, Newbury, Manchester, Manchester and Sedgley Park all dropping down from the old National 1 while Nuneaton and London Scottish came up from the 2008–09 National Division Three North and 2008–09 National Division Three South respectively (these divisions themselves now renamed National League 2 North/South).


2009–10 National League 1
At the end of the season Esher finished as champions, way ahead of runners up and newly promoted London Scottish, suffering only one defeat and going straight back up to the 2010–11 RFU Championship. At the other end of the table, Manchester had an absolutely awful season, suffering their second successive relegation, with no wins, no bonus points, only 114 points scored and over 2,500 points conceded.


2009–10 National League 1
The other two sides to join them would be Nuneaton who went straight back down after one season and Newbury Blues who also suffered a second relegation in a row, losing out to 13th place Otley by just 2 points. Manchester and Nuneaton would drop to the 2010–11 National League 2 North while Newbury would go down into the 2010–11 National League 2 South.


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Team
124 - 5 Wharfedale at home to Manchester on 26 September 2009


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Team
148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Player
Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Player
Johannes Schmidt for Cambridge at home to Manchester on 10 April 2010 Seb Jewell for Esher at home to Manchester on 24 April 2010


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Player
Mitch Burton for Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009


2009–10 National League 1, Season records, Attendances
London Scottish at home to Esher on 16 January 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North
The 2009–10 National League 2 North was the first season (twenty-third overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Previously known as National Division 3 North, it had been renamed due to widespread changes to the league system by the RFU with National One becoming the Championship, National 2 becoming National 1 and so on.


2009–10 National League 2 North
The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National League 1 while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National League 2 South (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place. A further change to the league system would see the division increase from 14 to 16 teams.


2009–10 National League 2 North
After finishing 3rd the previous season, Macclesfield would go two places better by winning the league title in what was a very close contest with runners up Loughborough Students - Macclesfield clinching the championship by benefit of just 3 points (one more win). Loughborough Students  would fail to join Macclesfield in the 2010–11 National League 1 as they lost their playoff at home to the 2009–10 National League 2 South runners up Rosslyn Park.


2009–10 National League 2 North
At the other end of the table, Waterloo suffered their 3rd successive relegation as the worst side in the division, followed at later dates by the more competitive Bradford & Bingley and newly promoted Broadstreet. Waterloo and Bradford & Bingley would drop to National League 3 North while Broadstreet would fall back down to the National League 3 Midlands.


2009–10 National League 2 North, Participating teams and locations
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2008–09 National Division Three North season; Waterloo were relegated from the 2008–09 National Division Two, while Broadstreet would come up as champions of Midlands Division 1 along with Westoe (champions) and Hull (playoffs) from North Division 1.


2009–10 National League 2 North, Participating teams and locations
A further move saw that Rugby Lions were level transferred (again) across from the National League 2 South as the most northerly team in that division after promotion and relegation left the two leagues unbalanced (in the end there would still be an imbalance as Mounts Bay's liquidation meant there would only be 15 teams in the 2009–10 National League 2 South compared to 16 in National League 2 North).


2009–10 National League 2 North, Results, Promotion Play-Off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 North and National League 2 South participate in a play-off for promotion into National League 1. Loughborough Students were runners-up in the North and would host the game as they had a better record in the league in comparison to the South runners up Rosslyn Park.


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Team
100 - 14  Leicester Lions at home to Kendal on 24 April 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Team
104 - 14  Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Team
Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010Leicester Lions at home to Kendal on 24 April 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Player
Ross Winney for Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Player
Greg Summers for Broadstreet away to Hull Ionians on 26 September 2009 John Williamson for Leicester Lions at home to Westoe on 14 November 2009 Ross Winney for Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010 Matthew Clark for Huddersfield at home to Waterloo on 24 April 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Player
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield away to Caldy on 12 September 2009


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Player
Mike Scott for Kendal away to Huddersfield on 10 April 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Attendances
Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 6 February 2010


2009–10 National League 2 North, Season records, Attendances
Bradford & Bingley at home to Leicester Lions on 3 October 2009Hull at home to Kendal on 7 November 2009Loughborough Students at home to Rugby Lions on 2 January 2010Westoe at home to Hull on 23 January 2010Leicester Lions at home to Hull on 6 February 2010Leicester Lions at home to Hull Ionians on 20 February 2010Loughborough Students at home to Broadstreet on 27 February 2010Leicester Lions at home to Harrogate on 27 March 2010Loughborough Students at home to Leicester Lions on 3 April 2010Leicester Lions at home to Kendal on 24 April 2010Westoe at home to Loughborough Students on 5 May 2010


2009–10 National League 2 South
The 2009–10 National League 2 South was the first season (23rd overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Previously known as National Division 3 South, it had been renamed due to widespread changes to the league system by the RFU with National One becoming the Championship, National 2 becoming National 1 and so on.