About Last Night: 11/22

Too many games all at once last night. I should have such problems every night. Seriously, people may talk about the old days and how hockey was so much better in the old days.

But not in the Lounge. Hockey today is faster and is much more fun to watch. I remember the early days of the Original 12 and how you could count having a handful of bad games each night. And watching the replays of those games today, you can see how today's players are, by comparison, in better shape, can skate better and come charging at one another at dangerously high speeds. Now if only they could do something about those flimsy sticks.

And today's game lacks the brutality of the old game, which is to be applauded. I watched a replay of the Manny Pacquiao/Antonio Margarito fight last night after all the games on ice were done. Now that was brutality.

The game on ice is fine. Sure we can continue to complain. That's what hockey fans and the those who cover the game do, have done, were born to do. But the game today is not like the wrestling on ice we had years ago, or the rodeo on ice we had before the lockout.

At least, that's the call at this end of the bar here in the Lounge. More later.



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Toronto 4, Dallas 1
At New Jersey 5, Washington 0
At N.Y. Rangers 2, Calgary 1
At Philadelphia 3, Montreal 2
At Columbus 2, Nashville 0
At Ottawa 3, Los Angeles 2
At Tampa Bay 3, Boston 1
Pittsburgh 3, at Florida 2
Roundup is here.
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.



AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Norfolk 7, at Charlotte 3
Recap is here.
Summary is here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Prince Edward Island 4, Val-d'Or 2
Recap is here.
Summary is here.
Standings are here.