The Holiday Hangover: Nov. 23-24

Wednesday night's game between the Bruins and the Sabres was old-time hockey. Sabres came out and pushed; the Bruins responded over time and managed to get a victory when pushed to extra frames.

I managed to monitor the Kings/Stars game when Daryl Reaugh, the color announcer on the Stars telecast, noted that neither the Stars nor the Kings had lost when leading after two periods. Kings had a two-goal lead, and then they didn't, as they folded their cards and when home in shame with a 3-2 loss in overtime.

Look at the Kings' defensive scheme against the Stars in the final minutes of the third period. Stars go here, Kings play follow the puck, which goes into the net for a tie in regulation. Stars follow up quickly in overtime and that's how you do not protect a two-goal lead.

Nice effort.



Thursday was spent on a sunny deck with the turkey on the grill. Just a man, a bird, sunlight and solitude. OK, a few therapeutic adult beverages were consumed I was unable to erase the bitter taste of that outcome until sometime around 9 Eastern on Thanksgiving. A little turkey, more Negra Modelo cerveza and a viewing of The Who Isle of Wight 1970 concert, as shown on the Palladia channel, finally did the trick. It freed all the bad juju I had. It's a new day, and time for hockey.

After the Who, you can roll the scores.



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
No games schedlued
Wednesday
Boston 4, at Buffalo 3 SO
At New Jersey 2, Columbus 1 SO
Philadelphia 4, at N.Y. Islanders 3 OT
St. Louis 3, at Pittsburgh 2 OT
At Washington 4, Winnipeg 3 OT
Montreal 4, at Carolina 3 SO
At Detroit 5, Calgary 3
At Florida 2, N.Y. Rangers 1
At Minnesota 3, Nashville 2
At Dallas 3, Los Angeles 2 OT
At Phoenix 4, Anaheim 2
Vancouver 3, at Colorado 0
At San Jose 1, Chicago 0
Standings and summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Binghamton 5, Adirondack 2
Wednesday
At Connecticut 3, Portland 2 OT
At Grand Rapids 5, Hamilton 2
At Hershey 4, Providence 3
At Manchester 2, Worcester 1
Syracuse 7, at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 5
Charlotte 6, at Norfolk 3
At Rockford 6, San Antonio 3
Chicago 3, at Texas 2
Standings and summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
Wheeling 5, at Gwinnett 1
Wednesday
Florida 3, at Toledo 2
Chicago 3, at Reading 2
At Cincinnati 5, Kalamazoo 2
At Colorado 5, Idaho 4 OT
Alaska 4, at Stockton 1
Standings and summaries are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Halifax 4, Cape Breton 1
At Prince Edward Island 7, Moncton 2
Rimouski 4, at Gatineau 3 SO
Acadie-Bathurst 8, at Rouyn-Noranda 5
Wednesday
No games scheduled
Standings and summaries are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
Belleville 3, at Erie 1
At Niagara 6, at Brampton 1
Barrie 4, at Sarnia 3 SO
Wednesday
Brampton 5, at Mississauga 3
At Plymouth 7, Saginaw 3
Standings and summaries are here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
No games scheduled
Wednesday
Calgary 5, at Moose Jaw 2
Medicine Hat 6, at Prince Albert 1
Edmonton 10, at Lethbridge 3
Kootenay 7, at Kamloops 3
At Kelowna 7, Prince George 3
At Seattle 5, Regina 2
At Spokane 3, Swift Current 2
At Tri-City 7, Portland 6
Standings and summaries are here

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Waterloo 8, Cedar Rapids 4
Wednesday
Indiana 4, at Green Bay 3 OT
Tri-City 3, at Lincoln 2 SO
At Dubuque 3, Cedar Rapids 2 OT
At Des Moines 6, Omaha 0
At Sioux Falls 3, Fargo 2 OT
Standings and summaries are here

NCAA DIVISION I
Thursday
No games scheduled
Wednesday
Nonconference
At Merrimack 6, Alabama-Huntsville 0
Standings and summaries are here