Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Feb 8, 2017

Pucks:

Russian premier VLADIMIR PUTIN is trying to set up a hockey game against a team of US hockey players.
As you may know, the Russian President likes to strap on a pair of skates and get on the ice. He played Russia's Night Hockey League Stars team in May and also some former NHL players in 2015 and scored eight goals. Some nay-sayers claim that the players may have "let" him get more than a couple of goals by not defending against him very well.
The New Jersey Courier-Postreports the exhibition game will be against a team of former Philadelphia Flyers, who are doing three games in Russia Feb 16, 18 and 20. Will they take it easy on Putin? Former Flyers defenseman JOE WATSON, who organized the trip and got the squad together, says "He'll have to earn it from us as far as we're concerned. We may be stuck in Siberia, but what the hell? We'll have a good time."

Chocolate, Caffeine, Alcohol:

A rare fungal infection has killed a California man undergoing cancer treatment and it's believed he got it from medical marijuana! CBS says the medical marijuana was contaminated with dangerous bacteria and fungi. The man was using medical marijuana to fend off the cancer treatment's effects, which also left his immune system compromised. His death was a surprise to doctors because he was young and his cancer was considered beatable. After his death, doctors tested the marijuana and discovered the contamination. The telltale signs of fungal contamination in marijuana are a stale, musty smell and black, light blue or green dots on the marijuana leaves. (Bartha)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

It took 18 seasons, but "Law & Order: SVU's" 400th episode is set to air tonight. The show is not only significant because it's a landmark episode, but also because star MARISKA HARGITAY also directed the show as well. It's the fifth episode that Mariska has directed since she began directing in 2014.

Drug Bust of the Day:

Ever wonder how Buddhist monks keep their vow of poverty?
A monk in Yangon, Myanmar, was arrested with more than four million methamphetamine pills in his car and monastery. He also had a grenade and ammo on him. Myanmar is a major producer of meth and so the monks getting involved is not completely unusual.
The monk will have to give up his monkhood and face trial like a normal person. (Myers)