Wednesday, March 31, 2010

QMJHL Second-Round Dates Set

The field of sixteen has been cut in half, and the next round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs begins Friday as the league continues the process of determining its champion, which will represent the league at the Memorial Cup tournament in May.

All series are best of seven. The first-round matchups are as follows:

Victoriaville Tigres vs. Quebec Remparts
Friday: Victoriaville at Quebec
Saturday: Victoriaville at Quebec
April 5: Quebec at Victoriaville
April 7: Quebec at Victoriaville
April 9: Victoriaville at Quebec, if necessary
April 11: Quebec at Victoriaville, if necessary
April 13: Victoriaville at Quebec, if necessary

Gatineau Olympiques vs. Saint John Sea Dogs
Friday: Gatineau at Saint John
Saturday: Gatineau at Saint John
April 6: Saint John at Gatineau
April 7: Saint John at Gatineau
April 9: Saint John at Gatineau, if necessary
April 12: Gatineau at Saint John, if necessary
April 13: Gatineau at Saint John, if necessary

Rimouski Océanic vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs
Friday: Rimouski at Drummondville
Saturday: Rimouski at Drummondville
April 6: Drummondville at Rimouski
April 7: Drummondville at Rimouski
April 9: Rimouski at Drummondville, if necessary
April 11: Drummondville at Rimouski, if necessary
April 13: Rimouski at Drummondville, if necessary

Moncton Wildcats vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Friday: Moncton at Rouyn-Noranda
Saturday: Moncton at Rouyn-Noranda
April 6: Rouyn-Noranda at Moncton
April 9: Rouyn-Noranda at Moncton
April 10: Rouyn-Noranda at Moncton, if necessary
April 12: Moncton at Rouyn-Noranda, if necessary
April 14: Moncton at Rouyn-Noranda, if necessary

OHL Second-Round Dates Set

The Ontario Hockey League is wasting little time getting back into playoff action. Four games are scheduled for Thursday as the OHL advances one step closer to determining the league's representative at the Memorial Cup, which begins May 14 in Brandon, Manitoba.

All series are best of seven. The first-round matchups are as follows:

Barrie Colts vs. Brampton Battalion
Thursday: Brampton at Barrie
Sunday: Barrie at Brampton
April 5: Brampton at Barrie
April 7: Barrie at Brampton
April 9: Brampton at Barrie, if necessary
April 11: Barrie at Brampton, if necessary
April 12: Brampton at Barrie, if necesary

Ottawa 67s vs. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Thursday: Mississauga at Ottawa
Friday: Mississauga at Ottawa
Sunday: Ottawa at Mississauga
April 6: Ottawa at Mississauga
April 8: Mississauga at Ottawa, if necessary
April 10: Ottawa at Mississauga, if necessary
April 12: Mississauga at Ottawa, if necessary

Windsor Spitfires vs. Plymouth Whalers
Thursday: Plymouth at Windsor
Saturday: Windsor at Plymouth
April 5: Plymouth at Windsor
April 7: Windsor at Plymouth
April 8: Plymouth at Windsor, if necessary
April 10: Windsor at Plymouth, if necessary
April 12: Plymouth at Windsor, if necessary

London Knights vs. Kitchener Rangers
Thursday: Kitchener at London
Friday: London at Kitchener
April 5: Kitchener at London
April 7: London at Kitchener
April 8: Kitchener at London, if necessary
April 10: London at Kitchener, if necessary
April 12: Kitchener at London, if necessary

The Wednesday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Atlanta 3, at Toronto 2
Boston 1, at New Jersey 0 OT
N.Y. Rangers 4, at N.Y. Islanders 3
Ottawa 5, at Washington 4 OT
At Columbus 3, Tampa Bay 2
At Detroit 5, Edmonton 4
At St. Louis 4, Chicago 2
Los Angeles 2, at Nashville 0
At Vancouver 4, Phoenix 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Abbotsford 2, Manitoba 1
Standings are here.
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Charlotte 2, Gwinnett 1 OT
Stockton 6, at Bakersfield 4
Idaho 2, at Alaska 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Rimouski 3, Chicoutimi 2 OT
(Rimouski wins, 4-3)
Gatineau 2, at Montreal 1 OT(2)
(Gatineau wins, 4-3)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Brampton 5, at Kingston 2
(Brampton wins, 4-3)
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Expand the Playoff Field? Yeah, Right.



I have been against most arguments that would expand the Stanley Cup playoff field beyond 16. It's a money grab, really, and just whose pockets are being tapped? How about yours and mine.

And really, when all the pretty portraits are painted by those wishing to sell a mini round featuring the eight, ninth and perhaps 10th place teams all getting together for a weeklong battle just for the right to be in the final 16, don't you get the feeling that someone has made you for a sucker who likes pretty pictures, albeit dogs playing poker?

Forget it. And for that matter, the teams currently struggling to stay in the playoff picture are making me wish the playoff format was reduced to four teams. Yesterday afternoon, I wondered if the Los Angeles Kings would show up for their game with the Minnesota Wild.

No. And that is just the latest example of mediocre teams being lucky enough to have even worse teams below them in the standings. The Kings look terrible. I would have liked for them to get into the playoffs. But if they are going to play like that, forget it.

For that matter, the Blackhawks have been uninspiring. Ditto the Sharks. If I had to pick three teams from the Western Conference who deserve to play well into Spring, I would pick the Phoenix Coyotes, the Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators.

The rest have pretty much been floating along, and I am being generous, since the Olympic break.

In the Eastern Conference, I would say the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators. I know Buffalo leads its division, but the Sabres cannot, will not, refuse to beat the Senators. Given that it's my perfect world, my word is final. Buffalo gets into the playoffs only when it decides to beat Ottawa. Until then, Ottawa, the invitation is yours. So it is written, so it is done.

Having watched the rest of the National Hockey League's teams more often than the rest of you would ever want to, I can tell you the rest are dogs with an assortment of fleas.

For the record, I only go to one dog show, and it's the Westminster event at Madison Square Garden. No fleas there. (You should see the behind-the-scenes grooming stations that these dogs go through. Perhaps they could put the Rangers through one of those stations.)

I'll watch every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs, as I have done each year since the end of the lockout. In return, allow me to say that 16 is the limit for playoff teams. No more.

And if you really want to make me happy, come back when you have cut the field to either eight or six.

The Tuesday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Buffalo 3, at Boston 2
Carolina 4, at Atlanta 1
Nashville 3, at Florida 2 OT
At Minnesota 3, Los Angeles 2
At Anaheim 3, Dallas 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Manitoba 5, at Abbotsford 2
Standings are here.
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Calgary 6, Moose Jaw 2
(Calgary wins, 4-3)
Spokane 4, at Portland 3
(Series is tied, 3-3)
Kelowna 2, at Everett 1
(Kelowna wins, 4-3)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Quick Picks for Monday



My humble Lounge for any answers on the Los Angeles Kings' growing problems in securing a victory. Tonight, the Kings are in Minnesota and that game is on the Big Screen courtesy Center Ice. The Kings are drifting toward the cut line for the playoffs.

It's been a long time since the Kings made the playoffs. And for a fan base that gets shoved in the dark so that the news media can cover the Dodgers, Angels and Lakers playoffs, another failure by the Kings would not go down smoothly.

That's why we're watching in the Lounge tonight.

Buffalo may just show up for it's game in Boston at 7 tonight -- at least the Sabres are not playing the Ottawa Senators -- so that game gets the Big Screen treatment, via Versus in HD, until the Kings/Wild game begins at 9 Eastern.

Carolina/Atlanta and Nashville/Florida look like they are trapped in the radio-only mode, so both will get some time on Internet radio and all games will be monitored on the rapid-response scoreboard of CBSSports.com.

Dallas/Anaheim, a 10 Eastern start, will be on the laptop screen.

A lot of teams slumping right now, or at least not looking so mighty despite holding a lofty spot in the standings. Chicago is on the watch list. San Jose, which held on against Colorado on Sunday, is already on the watch list, as Jeff Hale mentioned last week.

And the Calgary Flames. One of these days a Sutter (you supply the brother) will throw the owner under the bus rather than take some of the blame (half, all) for a team's shortcomings.

You watch. It could happen. Now that would be a movie worth watching.

Roll the credits.

The Monday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary 5, at Washington 3
At Pittsburgh 5, Toronto 4 SO
At St. Louis 2, Edmonton 1
At Philadelphia 5, New Jersey 1
Columbus 4, at Chicago 2
At San Jose 4, Colorado 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 4, at Rochester 3 SO
Albany 5, at Springfield 1
Worcester 2, at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1
Texas 5, at Chicago 0
At Peoria 5, Houston 4 SO
At San Antonio 4, Lake Erie 3
Bridgeport 4, at Lowell 2
At Portland 3, Hartford 2
Manchester 4, at Providence 3 OT
At Hershey 3, Binghamton 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Charlotte 2, Reading 1 SO
Cincinnati 3, at Johnstown 2
At Toledo 6, Kalamazoo 3
At Trenton 5, Elmira 2
Florida 6, at Gwinnett 2
At Stockton 6, Las Vegas 5
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Chicoutimi 4, Rimouski 3
(Series is tied, 3-3)
Rouyn-Noranda 5, at Val-d'Or 1
(Rouyn-Noranda wins, 4-2)
Victoriaville 2, at Shawinigan 1 OT
(Victoriaville wins, 4-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Ottawa 5, Niagara 1
(Ottawa wins, 4-1)
Kingston 2, at Brampton 1
(Series is tied, 3-3)
Kitchener 4, at Saginaw 2
(Kitchener wins, 4-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Tri-City 4, at Chilliwack 1
(Tri-City wins, 4-2)
At Medicine Hat 4, Kootenay 1
(Medicine Hat wins, 4-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S TOURNAMENT
Midwest Regional
At Fort Wayne, Ind.
Final
Miami 3, Michigan 2 OT(2)
Summary is here. Recap is here.
Northeast Regional
At Worcester, Mass.
Final
Boston College 9, Yale 7
Summary is here. Recap is here.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

The Sunday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Boston 5, Calgary 0
At Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 1
At Buffalo 7, Tampa Bay 1
At Toronto 3, N.Y. Rangers 2 OT
New Jersey 4, at Montreal 2
At Ottawa 3, Florida 2
Atlanta 4, at Carolina 0
N.Y. Islanders 4, at Columbus 3 OT
Detroit 1, at Nashville 0 SO
At Phoenix 6, Colorado 2
At San Jose 4, Vancouver 2
Dallas 4, at Los Angeles 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.



AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Rochester 7, at Toronto 3
Hamilton 4, at Abbotsford 0
Texas 5, at Grand Rapids 4 SO
At Hartford 4, Bridgeport 3
At Hershey 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2
At Manchester 4, Adirondack 3
At Portland 2, Springfield 1
Worcester 2, at Norfolk 0
Albany 5, at Syracuse 2
At Peoria 4, Houston 1
Lake Erie 5, at San Antonio 4
Chicago 3, at Rockford 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.



EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Charlotte 4, Reading 2
At Toledo 5, Wheeling 1
At Trenton 5, Elmira 0
At Gwinnett 4, Florida 2
Kalamazoo 6, at Cincinnati 3
At Utah 7, Bakersfield 4
At Idaho 5, Victoria 1
At Ontario 4, Alaska 2
Las Vegas 3, at Stockton 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.



QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Moncton 4, Cape Breton 0
(Moncton wins, 4-1)
At Gatineau 4, Montreal 1
(Series is tied, 3-3)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.



WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Calgary 7, at Moose Jaw 3
(Series is tied, 3-3)
At Kelowna 5, Everett 4
(Series is tied, 3-3)
Portland 4, at Spokane 3
(Portland leads, 3-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Indiana 4, Sioux Falls 3 OT
Team USA 6, Youngstown 2
At Des Moines 4, Chicago 3
Green Bay 4, at Fargo 3 SO
Tri-City 4, at Lincoln 3
At Omaha 2, Sioux City 1
At Waterloo 4, Cedar Rapids 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S TOURNAMENT
East Regional
At Albany, N.Y.
Final
RIT 6, New Hampshire 2
Summary is here and the recap is here.
West Regional
At St. Paul
Final
At Wisconsin 5, St. Cloud State 3
Summary is here and the recap is here.
Midwest Regional
At Fort Wayne, Ind.
Semifinals
Miami 2, Alabama Huntsville 1
Summary is here and the recap is here.
Michigan 5, Bemidji State 1
Summary is here and the recap is here.
Northeast Regional
At Worcester, Mass.
Semifinals
Boston College 3, Alaska 1
Summary is here and the recap is here.
Yale 3, North Dakota 2
Summary is here and the recap is here.

The Saturday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Ottawa 4, at Buffalo 2
At Detroit 6, Minnesota 2
Anaheim 3, at Edmonton 2
Summaries are here.
Recap by Sportsnet.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Grand Rapids 6, Milwaukee 3
At Hartford 3, Adirondack 2 OT
At Hershey 7, Worcester 2
At Lowell 4, Springfield 3 SO
Portland 2, at Providence 0
Binghamton 4, at Rochester 3
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3, Norfolk 1
At Manchester 4, Bridgeport 1
At Syracuse 4, Toronto 0
At Rockford 4, Peoria 3
Texas 4, at Chicago 3 SO
At Houston 3, Lake Erie 2 OT
Hamilton 2, at Abbotsford 1
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Johnstown 7, Toledo 4
Reading 4, at South Carolina 2
Trenton 3, at Elmira 2 OT
At Wheeling 4, Kalamazoo 3 OT
Bakersfield 5, at Utah 4 OT
Victoria 1, at Idaho 0
Alaska 2, at Ontario 1
At Stockton 3, Las Vegas 2 OT
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Quebec 6, Acadie-Bathurst 5
(Quebec wins, 4-1)
At Victoriaville 4, Shawinigan 3
(Victoriaville leads, 3-2)
Chicoutimi 6, Rimouski 5 OT
(Rimouski leads, 3-2)
At Saint John 7, Prince Edward Island 2
(Saint John wins, 4-1)
At Rouyn-Noranda 9, Val-d'Or 4
(Rouyn-Noranda leads, 3-2)
Gatineau 3, at Montreal 2
(Montreal leads, 3-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Plymouth 6, Sault Ste. Marie 2
(Plymouth wins, 4-1)
Brampton 4, at Kingston 3 OT
(Brampton leads, 3-2)
At London 6, Guelph 2
(London wins, 4-1)
Saginaw 4, at Kitchener 3
(Kitchener leads, 3-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Medicine Hat 5, at Kootenay 2
(Medicine Hat leads, 3-2)
Chilliwack 4, at Tri-City 3 OT
(Tri-City leads, 3-2)
Portland 4, at Spokane 2
(Series is tied, 2-2)
At Everett 4, Kelowna 0
(Everett leads, 3-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Youngstown 3, at Team USA 2
Sioux Falls 5, at Indiana 1
At Sioux City 2, Chicago 1
Waterloo 4, at Des Moines 0
At Omaha 3, Tri-City 2
At Cedar Rapids 3, Lincoln 0
At Fargo 3, Green Bay 1
Summaries are here.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S TOURNAMENT
East Regional
At Albany, N.Y.
Semifinals
RIT 2, Denver 1
Summary is here and recap is here.
New Hampshire 6, Cornell 2
Summary is here and recap is here.
West Regional
At St. Paul
Semifinals
St. Cloud State 4, Northern Michigan 3 OT(2)
Summary is here and recap is here.
Wisconsin 3, Vermont 2
Summary is here and recap is here.

Friday, March 26, 2010

The Lounge Road Trip's Picks to Click



Enjoying a little time on the road, the last two days spent in and around Boston. Love this town. Even if the Bruins seem to be a bit on the down side, the local news sheets keep the B's under the microscope.

The Boston Herald is the Lounge's paper of choice when in the Hub. It's more graphic and sordid than the Globe. The Lounge likes it graphic and sordid.

Just looking over the lineup of games to watch on the NHL's Game Center Live package on the Web as well as the first round games of the NCAA men's Division I tournament and the continuing playoffs in the juniors.

As I settle into this size GIGANTE chicken pot pie at the Rosebud Diner in Somerville, Mass., I say Ottawa/Buffalo at 7:30 Eastern is the game to watch. A, Buffalo cannot beat Ottawa. B, The last time Buffalo was truly high flying, the Sabres could not beat the Senators. C, Someday, the Sabres will stop beating themselves when Ottawa is in the same building. Tonight may just be the night.

A side note about the Rosebud, which packs a lot of food onto a small plate and jams an equally large number of people into this little space. The waitress (she's the one standing in the first photograph in Rosebud site's gallery) is a veteran. She goes into the corners and earns her tips. Honest work. Honest effort. A quality joint. The Lounge likes quality joints. Keep your fancy restaurants on the other side of the street. The Lounge likes this side of the street just fine. Feels like home.

Minnesota/Detroit, also at 7:30, gets some time on the Lounge's mobile laptop, and Anaheim/Edmonton at 9 Eastern gets the call for the late slot on said laptop.

Chicken pot pie, a cup of fish soup and some tasty slaw. A fine meal for this late March afternoon. It's getting very cold outside in New England, and that is where the Bruins could find themselves real soon if they don't figure out how to play this simple game of hockey.

Lucky for the B's, there's a large stack of tomato cans just below them in the Eastern Conference standings. Attention shoppers. Sale on canned tomatoes. Check the expiration date. There are no refunds.

We'll be checking in again before returning to New York. Thanks for stopping by the Lounge.

The Friday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 5, at Boston 3
N.Y. Rangers 4, at New Jersey 3 SO
At N.Y. Islanders 3, Calgary 2
Minnesota 4, at Philadelphia 3 OT
At Carolina 3, Washington 2 SO
Toronto 2, at Atlanta 1 OT
At Columbus 8, Chicago 3
At Montreal 4, Florida 1
At St. Louis 3, Los Angeles 1
Phoenix 4, at Nashville 3 SO
At San Jose 3, at Dallas 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Grand Rapids 3, at Milwaukee 2
Standings are here.
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida 4, at Charlotte 3
Standings are here.
Summary is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Kingston 7, at Brampton 4
(Series is tied, 2-2)
Windsor 5, at Erie 1
(Windsor wins, 4-0)
London 8, at Guelph 2
(London leads, 3-1)
Mississauga 3, Peterborough 0
(Mississauga wins, 4-0)
At Niagara 5, Ottawa 4
(Ottawa leads, 3-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Calgary 5, Moose Jaw 2
(Moose Jaw leads, 3-2)
Saskatoon 5, Red Deer 2
(Saskatoon wins, 4-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Thursday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At N.Y. Rangers 5, N.Y. Islanders 0
At Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3 SO
At Buffalo 3, Montreal 2 SO
At Detroit 4, St. Louis 2
At Colorado 4, Los Angeles 3 SO
At Vancouver 4, Anaheim 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Albany 6, at Adirondack 2
At Bridgeport 5, Syracuse 2
Rochester 3, at Lake Erie 1
Manchester 2, at Lowell 1
Toronto 5, at Binghamton 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3, at Norfolk 0
At Peoria 4, Chicago 2
Hamilton 7, at Manitoba 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Kalamazoo 5, Elmira 4 OT
At Trenton 4, Johnstown 3
Reading 6, at Gwinnett 3
At Utah 7, Bakersfield 4
At Idaho 5, Victoria 0
Alaska 6, at Ontario 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Drummondville 5, at Lewiston 2
(Drummondville wins, 4-0)
At Cape Breton 4, Moncton 1
(Moncton leads, 3-1)
Saint John 2, at Prince Edward Island 1 OT
(Saint John leads, 3-1)
Victoriaville 4, at Shawinigan 1
(Series tied, 2-2)
Montreal 4, at Gatineau 2
(Montreal leads, 3-1)
Quebec 7, at Acadie-Bathurst 3
(Quebec leads, 3-1)
Rimouski 4, at Chicoutimi 2
(Rimouski leads, 3-1)
At Val-d'Or 4, Rouyn-Noranda 3
(Series tied, 2-2)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Plymouth 5, at Sault Ste. Marie 3
(Plymouth leads, 3-1)
Kitchener 4, at Saginaw 1
(Kitchener leads, 3-1)
Barrie 6, at Sudbury 3
(Barrie wins, 4-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Brandon 3, Swift Current 2 OT at Regina
(Brandon wins, 4-0)
Saskatoon 2, at Red Deer 1 OT
(Saskatoon leads, 3-0)
At Medicine Hat 5, Kootenay 1
(Series tied, 2-2)
Tri-City 4, at Chilliwack 3 OT
(Tri-City leads, 3-1)
Vancouver 5, at Kamloops 4
(Vancouver wins, 4-0)
At Kelowna 5, Everett 4 OT(2)
(Series tied, 2-2)
Portland 2, at Spokane 1
(Spokane leads, 2-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Sioux Falls 5, at Waterloo 3
At Chicago 4, Indiana 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Wednesday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida 4, at Toronto 1
At New Jersey 6, Columbus 3
Boston 4, Atlanta 0
At Ottawa 2, Philadelphia 0
At Tampa Bay 3, Carolina 2 OT
Dallas 3, at Nashville 1
San Jose 4, at Minnesota 1
At Chicago 2, Phoenix 0
At Calgary 3, Anaheim 1
At Edmonton 3, Vancouver 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Worcester 3, Syracuse 1
At Milwaukee 3, Texas 2
At Manitoba 3, Hamilton 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Charlotte 6, Florida 2
At Cincinnati 3, Elmira 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Drummondville 5, at Lewiston 1
(Drummondville leads, 3-0)
Moncton 3, at Cape Breton 2 OT
(Moncton leads, 3-0)
Saint John 3, at Prince Edward Island 0
(Saint John leads, 2-1)
At Shawinigan 4, Victoriaville 3
(Shawinigan leads, 2-1)
At Acadie-Bathurst 4, Quebec 2
(Quebec leads, 2-1)
At Chicoutimi 6, Rimouski 2
(Rimouski leads, 2-1)
Rouyn-Noranda 1, at Val-d'Or 0
(Rouyn-Noranda leads, 2-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Kingston 4, Brampton 2
(Brampton leads, 2-1)
Guelph 5, at London 4
(London leads, 2-1)
At Mississauga 5, Peterborough 3
(Mississauga leads, 3-0)
At Windsor 7, Erie 6
(Windsor leads, 3-0)
Plymouth 8, at Sault Ste. Marie 1
(Plymouth leads, 2-1)
Ottawa 5, at Niagara 4 OT
(Ottawa leads, 3-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Moose Jaw 4, Calgary 3
(Moose Jaw leads, 3-1)
Brandon 5, Swift Current 2 at Regina
(Brandon leads, 3-0)
At Medicine Hat 4, Kootenay 1
(Kootenay leads, 2-1)
At Chilliwack 5, Tri-City 1
(Tri-City leads, 2-1)
Vancouver 5, at Kamloops 4 OT
(Vancouver leads, 3-0)
At Kelowna 5, Everett 3
(Everett leads, 2-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Sioux City 2, Tri-City 1
Standings are here.
Summary is here.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Tuesday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Detroit 3, Pittsburgh 1
Ottawa 2, at Montreal 0
At Los Angeles 4, Colorado 3 OT
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Montreal 5, at Gatineau 2
(Montreal leads, 2-1)
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Mississauga 2, at Peterborough 1
(Mississauga leads, 2-0)
At Kitchener 2, Saginaw 1
(Kitchener leads, 2-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Calgary 7, at Moose Jaw 3
(Moose Jaw leads, 2-1)
Summary is here.
Roundup is here.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Time for Some Quick Hits

Team you’d most like to face in the playoffs: In the West, San Jose. In the East, Ottawa.

The Sharks are listless, sleepwalking to start games. They probably feel no sense of urgency to board the team charter until it’s five minutes before takeoff.

The Senators are having trouble scoring and Pascal Leclaire has been playing net like John LeClair.

Team you’d least like to face in the playoffs: In the West, Detroit and Nashville. In the East, Buffalo.

The Red Wings are relentless, as their recent late-game magic proves. If the NHL compiled pie graphs showing puck possession by team, the Wings would be leaving crumbs on their late most games.

The Predators are a no-nonsense group that just gets the job done. Sometimes it isn’t pretty, but you can’t bicker about the results.

The Sabres are well coached, capable of dictating terms and solid in the back end. Not a trifecta to mess with in spring hockey.

Hart trophy winner: It’s probably Alexander Ovechkin but I don’t think it’s as obvious as Bruce Boudreau thinks it is. C’mon, who figured on Henrik Sedin being in the mix? Or Ilya Bryzgalov, for that matter?

Calder trophy winner: This corner of the bar has been a staunch backer of Matt Duchene of the Avalanche for some time and sees no reason to back down now. But there should be some significant kudos for Tyler Myers of the Sabres.

Jack Adams winner: Sorry, Joe Sacco, you picked the wrong season to make such a fine impression. This is Dave Tippett’s prize all the way.

Biggest disappointments: In the team department, the Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks, teams laden with veterans, built for the here and now, and struggling to get into the playoffs. It won’t be a happy summer in those cities. We’ll include the New York Rangers here, too, if only to pacify Ranger fans who have harbored those unreasonable expectations since October.

Biggest surprises: The Colorado Avalanche and the Phoenix Coyotes. Even the most charitable of observers would have tagged these outfits for rebuilding seasons. Look at ’em now.

A special award to NHL suspensions czar Colin Campbell for thoroughly confusing everyone on how many games a player will receive as punishment for anything. If there was once a baseline penalty for NHL transgressions, it has now gone the way of the rover.

The Monday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Boston 2, N.Y. Rangers 1
At Minnesota 4, Calgary 3
Buffalo 5, at Carolina 3
At Florida 5, Tampa Bay 2
Nashville 3, at St. Louis 2
Atlanta 3, at Philadelphia 1
Phoenix 3, at Dallas 2 SO
At Edmonton 5, San Jose 1
At Anaheim 5, Colorado 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Toronto 2, Abbotsford 1 OT
Binghamton 3, at Albany 2
At Bridgeport 2, Springfield 1 OT
At Hartford 4, Providence 3 OT
At Manitoba 4, Grand Rapids 0
At Chicago 3, San Antonio 2 OT
Worcester 6, at Lowell 5 SO
Texas 4, at Peoria 2
At Portland 2, Manchester 1
Milwaukee 2, at Houston 1 OT
Adirondack 4, at Hershey 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Wheeling 5, Toledo 2
At Gwinnett 4, Trenton 2
At Elmira 4, Johnstown 0
Utah 5, at Stockton 2
Idaho 6, at Ontario 5 SO
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Brampton 5, Kingston 1
(Brampton leads, 2-0)
London 4, at Guelph 3
(London leads, 2-0)
At Ottawa 3, Niagara 1
(Ottawa leads, 2-0)
Windsor 3, at Erie 1
(Windsor leads, 2-0)
At Barrie 6, Sudbury 2
(Barrie leads, 3-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Spokane 4, at Portland 2
(Spokane leads, 2-0)
At Saskatoon 4, Red Deer 0
(Saskatoon leads, 2-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Green Bay 4, Chicago 3 SO
At Sioux Falls 4, Des Moines 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

NCAA Division I Men's Field Is Set

Four teams each from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association are in the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament, which will begin Friday with regional action in Albany, N.Y., and St. Paul.

On Saturday two more regionals begin in Worcester, Mass., and Fort Wayne, Ind. After a week off, the four regional winners will meet in Detroit for the Frozen Four, which will be played at Ford Field.

Miami, Michigan, Northern Michigan and Alaska will represent the CCHA. Denver, Wisconsin, St. Cloud State and North Dakota are in from the WCHA. Hockey East has New Hampshire, Vermont and Boston College in the field. Cornell and Yale are coming out of ECAC Hockey and Alabama Huntsville and Bemidji State will represent College Hockey America for the final time. RIT is the lone representative of Atlantic Hockey.

The regional pairings are as follows:

EAST REGIONAL
At Albany, N.Y.
Semifinals
Friday
Denver (27-9-4) vs. RIT (26-11-1) 3 Eastern
Cornell (21-8-4) vs. New Hampshire (17-13-7) 6:30 Eastern
Saturday
Final
6:30 Eastern

WEST REGIONAL
At St. Paul
Semifinals
Friday
St. Cloud State (23-13-5) vs. Northern Michigan (20-12-8) 5:30 Eastern
Wisconsin (25-10-4) vs. Vermont (17-14-7) 9 Eastern
Saturday
Final
9 Eastern

NORTHEAST REGIONAL
At Worcester, Mass.
Semifinals
Saturday
Boston College (25-10-3) vs. Alaska (18-11-9) 1:30 Eastern
North Dakota (25-12-5) vs. Yale (20-9-3) 5 Eastern
Final
Sunday
5:30 Eastern

MIDWEST REGIONAL
At Fort Wayne, Ind.
Semifinals
Saturday
Miami (27-7-7) vs. Alabama Huntsville (12-17-3) 4 Eastern
Bemidji State (23-9-4) vs. Michigan (25-17-1) 7:30 Eastern
Final
Sunday
8 Eastern

FROZEN FOUR
At Detroit
Semifinals
April 8
Midwest vs. Northeast
East vs. West
5 and 8:30 Eastern
Championship
April 10
7 Eastern

The Sunday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Carolina 3, at Pittsburgh 2 OT
At Dallas 5, Ottawa 4
At Toronto 3, Montreal 2 SO
St. Louis 1, at New Jersey 0
At Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 2
Buffalo 3, at Florida 1
Washington 3, at Tampa Bay 1
At Nashville 1, Columbus 0 OT
At Phoenix 5, Chicago 4 SO
Detroit 4, at Vancouver 3 OT
At Los Angeles 1, N.Y. Islanders 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.



AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Toronto 4, Hamilton 3 SO
Manchester 4, Bridgeport 3 OT
Springfield 4, Hartford 3
At Lowell 3, Portland 2 OT
At Binghamton 2, Albany 1
At Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 5, Rochester 4
At Worcester 2, Providence 1
At Norfolk 3, Adirondack 1
At Lake Erie 3, Abbotsford 2
Hershey 6, at Syracuse 2
At Chicago 6, San Antonio 3
Texas 2, at Rockford 0
Milwaukee 3, at Houston 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.



EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Gwinnett 6, Trenton 4
At Reading 4, Johnstown 0
Toledo 3, at Cincinnati 2
At Florida 5, South Carolina 3
Kalamazoo 2, at Wheeling 1
At Bakersfield 3, Victoria 2
At Ontario 2, Idaho 1
Alaska 3, at Las Vegas 2
At Stockton 4, Utah 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Rimouski 9, Chicoutimi 3
(Rimouski leads, 2-0)
Shawinigan 2, at Victoriaville 1
(Series tied, 1-1)
At Moncton 6, Cape Breton 0
(Moncton leads, 2-0)
At Drummondville 5, Lewiston 1
(Drummondville leads, 2-0)
Prince Edward Island 6, Saint John 3
(Series tied, 1-1)
At Rouyn-Noranda 5, Val-d'Or 3
(Series tied, 1-1)
Gatineau 4, at Montreal 2
(Series tied, 1-1)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Plymouth 5, Sault Ste. Marie 2
(Series tied, 1-1)
At Saginaw 3, Kitchener 1
(Series tied, 1-1)
Barrie 2, at Sudbury 1
(Barrie leads, 2-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Brandon 5, Swift Current 3
(Brandon leads, 2-0)
Moose Jaw 4, at Calgary 1
(Moose Jaw leads, 2-0)
At Kootenay 4, Medicine Hat 0
(Kootenay leads, 2-0)
At Saskatoon 3, Red Deer 0
(Saskatoon leads, 1-0)
At Tri-City 8, Chilliwack 1
(Tri-City leads, 2-0)
At Vancouver 6, Kamloops 3
(Vancouver leads, 2-0)
Spokane 5, at Portland 4
(Spokane leads, 1-0)
At Everett 5, Kelowna 2
(Everett leads, 2-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Team USA 10, at Indiana 2
At Sioux City 3, Youngstown 2 SO
At Lincoln 2, Team USA 0
At Omaha 5, Sioux Falls 2
Fargo 5, at Tri-City 2
At Cedar Rapids 6, Waterloo 1
Green Bay 3, at Chicago 1
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

ATLANTIC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
At Rochester, N.Y.
Championship
RIT 6, Sacred Heart 1
Summary and recap are here.
Bracket is here.

ECAC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
At Albany, N.Y.
Championship
Cornell 3, Union 0
Third Place
Brown 3, St. Lawrence 0
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT
At Boston
Championship
Boston College 7, Maine 6 OT
Summary and recap are here.
Bracket is here.

CENTRAL COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT
At Detroit
Championship
Michigan 2, Northern Michigan 1
Third Place
Miami 2, Ferris State 1
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT
At St. Paul
Championship
North Dakota 5, St. Cloud State 3
Third Place
Wisconsin 6, Denver 3
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The Saturday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Columbus 4, Minnesota 2
At Calgary 4, San Jose 3
At Edmonton 3, Detroit 2 SO
At Anaheim 5, N.Y. Islanders 4 OT
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Playoff preview is here.
Roundup is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Hershey 8, Albany 2
Providence 4, at Lowell 2
At Binghamton 4, Rochester 2
At Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 5, Springfield 4 OT
At Norfolk 8, Adirondack 4
Hamilton 5, at Lake Erie 3
Portland 4, at Manchester 3 SO
Bridgeport 3, at Syracuse 2
Peoria 3, at Rockford 1
Grand Rapids 4, at Manitoba 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Toledo 3, Cincinnati 1
At Charlotte 4, Trenton 3
South Carolina 5, at Florida 3
At Kalamazoo 5, Wheeling 2
Reading 6, at Elmira 2
Victoria 5, at Bakersfield 1
Alaska 3, at Las Vegas 2
At Ontario 7, Idaho 4
Utah 6, at Stockton 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Saint John 8, Prince Edward Island 3
(Saint John leads, 1-0)
At Moncton 6, Cape Breton 3
(Moncton leads, 1-0)
At Drummondville 7, Lewiston 2
(Drummondville leads, 1-0)
At Victoriaville 6, Shawinigan 2
(Victoriaville leads, 1-0)
At Quebec 5, Acadie-Bathurst 4 OT
(Quebec leads, 2-0)
At Rimouski 4, Chicoutimi 3 OT
(Rimouski leads, 1-0)
Val-d'Or 7, at Rouyn-Noranda 4
(Val-d'Or leads, 1-0)
At Montreal 3, Gatineau 2 OT
(Montreal leads, 1-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Ottawa 4, Niagara 3
(Ottawa leads, 1-0)
At Mississauga 4, Peterborough 2
(Mississauga leads, 1-0)
Brampton 4, at Kingston 2
(Brampton leads, 1-0)
At London 4, Guelph 3 OT
(London leads, 1-0)
At Kitchener 3, Saginaw 2 OT
(Kitchener leads, 1-0)
Sault Ste. Marie 3, Plymouth 2 OT
(Sault Ste. Marie leads, 1-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Brandon 5, Swift Current 2
(Brandon leads, 1-0)
At Kootenay 6, Medicine Hat 2
(Kootenay leads, 1-0)
At Tri-City 4, Chilliwack 2
(Tri-City leads, 1-0)
At Vancouver 4, Kamloops 3 OT
(Vancouver leads, 1-0)
At Everett 5, Kelowna 4 OT
(Everett leads, 1-0)
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Green Bay 3, at Indiana 2 SO
At Sioux City 1, Cedar Rapids 0
At Lincoln 6, Fargo 0
At Omaha 6, Youngstown 1
Team USA 4, at Tri-City 1
At Waterloo 8, Des Moines 6
Team USA 5, at Chicago 3
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

ATLANTIC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
At Rochester, N.Y.
Single Elimination
Semifinals
Sacred Heart 2, Air Force 1
RIT 4, Canisius 0
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

ECAC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
At Albany, N.Y.
Single Elimination
Semifinals
Union 3, St. Lawrence 1
Cornell 3, Brown 0
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT
At Boston
Single Elimination
Semifinals
Boston College 3, Vermont 0
Maine 5, Boston University 2
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

CENTRAL COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT
At Detroit
Single Elimination
Semifinals
Northern Michigan 5, Ferris State 4 OT
Michigan 5, Miami 2
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT
At St. Paul
Single Elimination
Semifinals
North Dakota 4, Denver 3
St. Cloud State 2, Wisconsin 0
Summaries and recaps are here.
Bracket is here.

Friday, March 19, 2010

The Friday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 3, at Boston 0
St. Louis 4, at N.Y. Rangers 3
At Carolina 4, Washington 3 OT
At Atlanta 6, Ottawa 3
At Toronto 2, New Jersey 1 SO
Buffalo 6, at Tampa Bay 2
Phoenix 4, at Florida 3 SO
At Nashville 5, Minnesota 0
Philadelphia 3, at Dallas 2
At Vancouver 3, San Jose 2
Chicago 3, at Los Angeles 0
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Texas 4, Milwaukee 3
Standings are here.
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Charlotte 4, at Reading 3 SO
At Cincinnati 7, at Johnstown 1
At Las Vegas 8, Alaska 7 OT
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Quebec 6, Acadie-Bathurst 5 OT
(Quebec leads series, 1-0)
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
At Windsor 6, Erie 2
(Windsor leads series, 1-0)
At Barrie 11, Sudbury 4
(Barrie leads series, 1-0)
Summaries are here.
Windsor/Erie recap is here.
Barrie/Sudbury recap is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
First Round
Best of 7
Moose Jaw 4, at Calgary 2
(Moose Jaw leads series, 1-0)
Summary is here.
Recap is here.

WESTERN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT
At St. Paul
Play-In Round
Single Elimination
North Dakota 2, Minnesota Duluth 0
Summary and recap are here.
Bracket is here.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Making Picks on a Sunny Afternoon

Took a walk on Eighth Avenue on my lunch break. Cheap coffee and Mexican pan dulce. A tasty feast as Spring fashions are sported confidently around Midtown Manhattan.

Forget the cold. It's time to play in the sunlight. What an all-star lineup along the avenue, from 40th to Madison Square Garden. Two peep show palaces, three places to buy stylish chapeaus, hardware stores, delis, pita shops, $1 slice pizza joints. Life is an adventure, people, and this is the down and dirty. It's cheap entertainment. And if you dip into Gray's Papaya for two shaggy dogs (grilled franks hiding under mustard and a pile of sauerkraut) and a drink, it's like being on the strangest carnival midway you know.

Well, I enjoyed my brief time at the fair. Back to the office. Now I am ready for the cold. Pittsburgh/Boston at 7 pm Eastern on the big screen in the Lounge. Do I need to say why? Don't make me.

The Blues and Rangers? St. Louis is a scrappy team, but the Rangers, well, there was very little hunt in that dog against a Montreal team that does not bring intimidation to the table. Lot of soap suds floating around in the bleu blanc et rouge.



Maybe if the New York Post's Larry Brooks were coaching the team I might check it out tonight. Radio only, Blueshirts.

After that, it's double screen action for four teams that have not impressed me lately. On Center Ice, it's San Jose at Vancouver (10 pm Eastern) and Chicago at Los Angeles (10:30 Eastern). Nabby or BobbyLoo, who gets the gate first? And in beautiful SoCal, who is in net for the Blackhawks? What's the mood in that room after the brutal beating they took in Anaheim? Which Kings team shows up? Will any Kings team show up?

That's the word on the street. So watch your back out there tonight. And bundle up. Tension is building. Stomachs are turning. It could get frosty right quick. All it takes is one shot.

The Thursday Spreadsheet



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At New Jersey 5, Pittsburgh 2
Calgary 3, at Colorado 2
At Anaheim 4, Chicago 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Playoff preview is here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Hamilton 6, at Adirondack 5 SO
At Albany 5, Worcester 3
Providence 4, at Hartford 2
At Syracuse 2, Manchester 0
Hersey 5, at Binghamton 3
At Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2, Norfolk 1
Peoria 6, at San Antonio 5 OT
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Wheeling 7, at Kalamazoo 3
Charlotte 2, at Elmira 1 SO
At Bakersfield 6, Ontario 3
At Idaho 5, Utah 4
At Stockton 7, Victoria 2
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Des Moines 6, at Lincoln 4
Fargo 5, Omaha 4 SO
At Cedar Rapids 4, Sioux City 3 SO
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.