Here is the latest New England sports news from The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Two of the Eastern Conference's best meet tonight when the Ottawa Senators visit Boston. The Bruins are riding a four-game winning streak. They'll try to shut down ret hot Ottawa, which has won five in a row.

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — Celtics forward Paul Pierce says his neck is still bothering him and may not be fully healed this season. ESPNBoston.com reports Pierce says he's still fighting through pain due to a pinched nerve.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — John Lackey got the start this afternoon as the Red Sox visited the Pirates for a spring training matchup in Florida. It's the first of five Grapefruit League meetings between the squads. The Pirates visit Boston's JetBlue Park tomorrow.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has left the team for a few days to return to the Dominican Republic for a personal matter. Boston manager John Farrell says Ortiz should be back by tomorrow. Farrell wouldn't say what the personal matter was.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks has reportedly been cleared after having his right wrist evaluated. Sox manager John Farrell tells ESPNBoston.com Middlebrooks has been given the OK to go ahead with baseball activities. Middlebrooks broke the wrist last August and grimaced during an at-bat yesterday. He was removed and replaced by Pedro Ciriaco.

BOSTON (AP) — Even after knocking off the Patriots in the AFC Championship game and going on to win the Super Bowl, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs still has a lot of ill will toward New England. Suggs tells WEEI radio that he "guarantees the other 31 teams hate the New England Patriots."

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Bryant University hosts Robert Morris tonight in a battle for first place in the Northeast Conference. Bryant President Ron Machtley has e-mailed the entire university community to come out to tonight's game. He says the Bulldogs have the chance to "make history and reap the rewards of their hard work."

TODAY'S NEW ENGLAND SPORTS SCHEDULE:

EXHIBITION BASEBALL:

Boston vs. Pittsburgh at Bradenton, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

NHL:

Ottawa at Boston, 7 p.m.

COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL:

New Hampshire at Albany (NY), 7 p.m.

Vermont at Binghamton, 7 p.m.

Stony Brook at Boston U., 7 p.m.

Robert Morris at Bryant, 7 p.m.

St. Francis (Pa.) at CCSU, 7 p.m.

UMBC at Hartford, 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart at LIU Brooklyn, 7 p.m.

Quinnipiac at St. Francis (NY), 7 p.m.

COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:

Northeastern at Towson, 7 p.m.

Boston College at North Carolina, 7 p.m.