Weekend watchdog

From the ice to the tropical sun, the best players gather this weekend.

The NHL holds its All-Star game Sunday at 4 p.m. in Ottawa, just before the NFL's Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

Due to his action last Sunday, the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin plans to miss the festivities on NBC Sports Network. The skills competition goes Saturday at 7 p.m. before the offensive stars attack the goal for 60 minutes.

The Pro Bowl now kicks off Super Bowl week, meaning the best players of the best two teams will miss the event. Instead of canceling the trip after the big game. NBC has the coverage starting at 7 p.m.

The stars of the future play in the Senior Bowl Saturday at 4 p.m. on NFL Network.

For other stars on ice, NBC shows the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday at 4 p.m. and again at 9 p.m. Only two more years until the next Winter Olympics.

The stars of tennis close out the Australian Open this weekend, with the women's final Saturday at 3 a.m. and men's final Sunday at 3 a.m.

The PGA tour begins the new year on CBS, with coverage of the Farmers Insurance Open Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Virginia Tech faces Maryland in ACC basketball Saturday at 2:30 p.m., after Wake Forest plays Clemson at noon. Sunday at 1 p.m., Miami takes on Boston College.

CBS has Texas vs. Baylor Saturday at 1 p.m., then Michigan battles Ohio State Sunday at 1 p.m.

ESPN starts Saturday with St. John's at Duke at noon, followed by Kansas taking on Iowa State. Georgetown faces Pittsburgh at 4 p.m., and Washington heads to Arizona at 7 p.m.

ESPN2's Saturday begins at noon when Marquette plays Villanova. Three more games follow at 4 p.m., as Purdue takes on Northwestern and Auburn plays Tennessee. The night closes with Virginia traveling to N.C. State at 8 p.m.

Comcast has a CAA doubleheader Saturday, with James Madison going to George Mason at 2 p.m. followed by William & Mary vs. Old Dominion.

MASN features the Big 12 Saturday at 4 p.m. as Oklahoma State plays Texas A&M, then it's off to the Big East for a pair of games. Cincinnati meets Rutgers at 6 p.m, followed by Louisville-Seton Hall. The night ends with Hawaii's game in Idaho at 10 p.m. Sunday, Notre Dame battles Connecticut at noon.

ABC starts a new season of Sunday afternoon NBA, with the Bulls meeting the Heat at 3:30 p.m. ESPN offers the Knicks against the Nets Friday at 8 p.m., and the Spurs' visit to Dallas Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

The Wizards head to Houston Friday at 8 p.m. on Comcast, then visit Charlotte Saturday at 7 p.m.

ESPN's Winter X Games fill the weekend, starting Thursday. There's more from Aspen Friday at 10:30 p.m., Saturday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 9 p.m.

The Virginia Tech women host N.C. State Sunday at 1 p.m. on Comcast. At 7 p.m., CAA women take the stage with Delaware at James Madison. ESPN2 offers Penn State taking on Michigan State Sunday at 3 p.m., followed by Tennessee-Georgia.

NBC Sports Network has college ice hockey Friday at 7:30 p.m., with Harvard meeting Yale.

The CONCACAF women's qualifying tournament will be Sunday at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.