Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sunday in the KHL



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Severstal 4, Torpedo 2 (video above)
Lokomotiv 2, at Vityaz 0
Spartak 1 at Donbass 0 SO
At Dynamo Moscow 3, Atlant 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Recaps are here.

Saturday in the Juniors

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Victoriaville 7, Baie-Comeau 3
At Halifax 3, Cape Breton 2 SO
At Saint John 3, Gatineau 1
Quebec 5, at Sherbrooke 0
Rouyn-Noranda 5, at Blainville-Boisbriand 4 SO
At Drummondville 4, Val-d'Or 3
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Recaps are here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Ottawa 8, Erie 1
Oshawa 5, at Belleville 2
At Plymouth 6, Sudbury 2
Sault Ste. Marie 3, at Saginaw 2 OT
At Barrie 4, Mississauga 1
Sarnia 2, at Owen Sound 1
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Recaps are here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Red Deer 3, at Calgary 2 OT
Lethbridge 4, at Kootenay 2
At Moose Jaw 6, Brandon 1
Saskatoon 2, at Swift Current 1 OT
At Medicine Hat 5, Regina 1
Kelowna 4, at Portland 3
Seattle 2, at Prince George 1 OT
At Spokane 5, Tri-City 3
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Recaps are here.
Buzzing the Net's three stars are here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Indiana 2, Omaha 0
At Youngstown 4, Des Moines 3 OT
At Muskegon 6, Team USA 3
At Chicago 4, Tri-City 2
Cedar Rapids 4, at Green Bay 1
At Waterloo 8, Sioux Falls 4
Summaries are here.
Recaps are here.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Saturday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Avangard 4, Amur 1
Metallurg Novokuznetsk 5, at Barys 1
Sibir 3, at Yugra 2 SO
CSKA 3, at Avtomobilist 0
At Traktor 5, Lev 2 (video above)
At Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3, Slovan 2
At Dynamo Moscow 4, Salavat Yulaev 3 SO
Summaries are here.
Recaps are here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Baie-Comeau at Victoriaville
Cape Breton at Halifax
Gatineau at Saint John
Quebec at Sherbrooke
Rouyn-Noranda at Blainville-Boisbriand
Val-d'Or at Drummondville

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Erie at Ottawa
Oshawa at Belleville
Sudbury at Plymouth
Sault Ste. Marie at Saginaw
Mississauga at Barrie
Sarnia at Owen Sound

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Red Deer at Calgary
Lethbridge at Kootenay
Brandon at Moose Jaw
Saskatoon at Swift Current
Regina at Medicine Hat
Kelowna at Portland
Seattle at Prince George
Tri-City at Spokane

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Omaha at Indiana
Des Moines at Youngstown
Team USA at Muskegon
Tri-City at Chicago
Cedar Rapids at Green Bay
Sioux Falls at Waterloo

Friday's Leftovers

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Gatineau 4, at Halifax 1
At Moncton 7, Cape Breton 4
Prince Edward Island 4, at Acadie-Bathurst 2
At Victoriaville 4, Shawinigan 0
At Blainville-Boisbriand 6, Sherbrooke 0
Rouyn-Noranda 4, at Drummondville 2
At Rimouski 2, Chicoutimi 1 OT
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Kingston 6, Erie 5 OT
Sault Ste. Marie 4, at Sarnia 3
At Brampton 1, Belleville 0
Owen Sound 3, at Guelph 2
Kitchener 2, at London 1
At Mississauga 3, Windsor 2 SO
Niagara 4, at Ottawa 2
At Oshawa 5, Peterborough 1
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary 4, at Edmonton 1
At Kootenay 4, Regina 1
At Prince Albert 5, Moose Jaw 2
Brandon 5, at Swift Current 4 SO
Medicine Hat 5, at Red Deer 4
At Portland 1, Kelowna 0
At Prince George 4, Seattle 3
At Victoria 4, Kamloops 3 SO
Everett 5, at Vancouver 3
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.
Buzzing the Net's three-stars for the night are here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Team USA 6, Des Moines 1
At Youngstown 5, Omaha 3
Waterloo 2, at Green Bay 1
At Lincoln 2, Sioux Falls 1
At Chicago 3, Indiana 2
At Dubuque 4, Tri-City 1
At Fargo 3, Sioux City 2 OT
Summaries are here.
Recaps are here.

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Lokomotiv 1, at Severstal 0
Atlant 5, at Vityaz 4 SO
At Dinamo Riga 5, Spartak 4
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Recaps are here.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Lokomotiv 1, at Severstal 0 (video above)
Atlant 5, at Vityaz 4 SO
At Dinamo Riga 5, Spartak 4
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Gatineau at Halifax
Cape Breton at Moncton
Prince Edward Island at Acadie-Bathurst
Shawinigan at Victoriaville
Sherbrooke at Blainville-Boisbriand
Rouyn-Noranda at Drummondville
Chicoutimi at Rimouski

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Erie at Kingston
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia
Belleville at Brampton
Owen Sound at Guelph
Kitchener at London
Windsor at Mississauga
Niagara at Ottawa
Peterborough at Oshawa

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary at Edmonton
Regina at Kootenay
Moose Jaw at Prince Albert
Brandon at Swift Current
Medicine Hat at Red Deer
Kelowna at Portland
Seattle at Prince George
Kamloops at Victoria
Everett at Vancouver

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Des Moines at Team USA
Omaha at Youngstown
Waterloo at Green Bay
Sioux Falls at Lincoln
Indiana at Chicago
Tri-City at Dubuque
Sioux City at Fargo

Thursday's Leftovers



ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Erie 5, at Peterborough 1
At Windsor 4, Kitchener 2
At Saginaw 5, Sudbury 0
At Barrie 4, Owen Sound 3 SO
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Tri-City 3, Everett 1
Summary is here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.
Buzzing the Net's three stars for Thursday are here.

The QMJHL was dark Thursday.

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Avangard 3, Metallurg Novokuznetsk 2 OT
At Barys 2, Sibir 1
At Traktor 4, CSKA 3 (video below)
At Metallurg Magnitogorsk 6, Lev 1 (video above)
Donbass 4, at Torpedo 3 SO
At SKA 7, Salavat Yulaev 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The XYZ's of Watching College Hockey



I saw this list posted yesterday by Steve LePore on SBNation and I had to pat myself on the back.

There is a boatload of college hockey on TV this season, but only if you have the right cable channels piped into your home.

And rest assured, the Lounge has them all. (But you knew that, didn't you.)

Fox College Sports Channels (3): check.
NBC Sports Network: check.
CBS Sports Network: check.
Big Ten Network: check.
ESPNU: check.

And should either MSG or MSG Plus show ECAC games this season, I have those, too. And if one of those regional games be replayed on the NHL Network, the Lounge will have them as well.

So, either you find your way into the Lounge, or you had better start dialing some numbers to get the full metal jacket of hockey, NCAA style, this season. It's time to see which team will match the excitement of Union College's efforts last season.

Here is LePore's list of national games (All times Eastern) for U.S. college hockey:

Oct. 12
7 pm Notre Dame vs. Maine/Army vs. Nebraska-Omaha (NBCSN)

Oct. 13
7:30 pm Ice Breaker Tournament Championship (NBCSN)

Nov. 9
7:30 pm Boston University vs. Merrimack (FCS)

Nov. 15
7:30 pm Notre Dame vs. Michigan (CBSSN)

Nov. 16
7:30 pm Harvard vs. Cornell (NBCSN)

Nov. 17
9 pm Wisconsin vs. Minnesota (BTN)

Nov. 23
7:30 pm Colgate vs. Merrimack (FCS)

Nov. 30
7:30 p.m. Boston College vs. Boston University (NBCSN)
8 p.m. Vermont vs. Maine (CBSSN)
10 p.m. Wisconsin vs. Denver (NBCSN)

Dec. 1
7:30 p.m. Boston University vs. Boston College (NBCSN)

Dec. 7
7:30 pm Michigan State vs. Notre Dame (NBCSN)
7:30 p.m. Harvard vs. Merrimack (FCS)

Dec. 8
8 pm Maine vs. Boston University (NBCSN)

Dec. 14
7:30 p.m. Western Michigan vs. Michigan (NBCSN)

Jan. 4
7:30 p.m. Colorado College vs. Nebraska-Omaha (NBCSN)
7:30 p.m. Robert Morris vs. Army (CBSSN)

Jan. 5
7:30 pm Merrimack vs. Vermont (CBSSN)

Jan. 11
7:30 pm Union vs. Princeton (NBCSN)
9 pm Alaska-Anchorage vs. Minnesota (BTN)
10 pm Nebraska-Omaha vs. Denver (NBCSN)

Jan. 12
6 pm Army vs. Air Force (CBSSN)

Jan. 18
7:30 pm Harvard vs. Yale (NBCSN)

Jan. 19
7 pm Alaska-Anchorage vs. Notre Dame (CBSSN)

Jan. 25
7:30 pm Yale vs. Cornell (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Ferris State v. Notre Dame (CBSSN)
8 pm Minnesota State vs. Minnesota (BTN)

Feb. 1
7:30 pm Dartmouth vs. Union (NBCSN)

Feb. 8
7:30 pm North Dakota vs. Nebraska-Omaha (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Michigan vs. Notre Dame (CBSSN)

Feb. 10
4 pm Providence vs. New Hampshire (CBSSN)

Feb. 15
7:30 pm Boston University vs. Maine (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Notre Dame vs. Miami (CBSSN)

Feb. 17
4:30 pm Minnesota vs. Wisconsin (at Soldier Field) (BTN)

Feb. 22
7:30 pm Yale vs. Quinnipiac (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Notre Dame vs. Western Michigan (CBSSN)
10 pm North Dakota vs. Denver (NBCSN)

Feb. 23
4 pm New Hampshire vs. Vermont (CBSSN)
8 pm Minnesota-Duluth vs. Minnesota (BTN)

Feb. 24
4 pm Boston College vs. Merrimack (CBSSN)

March 1
7:30 pm Wisconsin vs. Nebraska-Omaha (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Ferris State vs. Michigan (CBSSN)
8 pm Denver vs. Minnesota (BTN)

March 3
4 pm Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Merrimack (CBSSN)

March 8
7:30 pm Maine vs. New Hampshire (NBCSN)
7:30 pm Boston University vs. Northeastern (CBSSN)
7:30 pm Massachusetts vs. Merrimack (FCS)

March 15
7 pm Hockey East quarterfinal (NBCSN)

March 22
4 and 7 pm Hockey East semifinals (NBCSN)

March 23
7 pm Hockey East final (NBCSN)

March 24
9 pm NCAA tournament selection show (ESPNU)

The CHL Power Poll: Week 2

The Canadian Hockey League, which comprises the QMJHL, OHL and WHL, ranks the top teams each week, causing equal parts elation and frustration that evaporates once the regular season is over and the league playoffs lead our way to the Memorial Cup tournament.

But it is fun to watch the teams move up and down the dial throughout the fall, winter and into the early spring.

Here are the CHL rankings for the week:

1. Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
2. Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
3. London Knights (OHL)
4. Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
5. Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
6. Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
7. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
8. Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
9. Belleville Bulls (OHL)
10. Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Honorable mention: Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL), Oshawa Generals (OHL), Saskatoon Blades (WHL).

Thursday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Avangard 3, Metallurg Novokuznetsk 2 OT
At Barys 2, Sibir 1
At Traktor 4, CSKA 3 (video below)
At Metallurg Magnitogorsk 6, Lev 1 (video above)
Donbass 4, at Torpedo 3 SO
At SKA 7, Salavat Yulaev 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.



ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Erie at Peterborough
Kitchener at Windsor
Sudbury at Saginaw
Owen Sound at Barrie

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Everett at Tri-City

The QMJHL is dark today.

Wednesday's Leftovers

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Saint John 4, Moncton 2
At Acadie-Bathurst 4, Cape Breton 1
Rouyn-Noranda 9, at Sherbrooke 2
At Chicoutimi 4, Victoriaville 3
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Brandon 9, Saskatoon 6
Edmonton 3, at Lethbridge 0
Regina 4, at Swift Current 3 OT
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.
Buzzing the Net's three stars are here.

The Ontario Hockey League was dark Wednesday.

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Dinamo Minsk 3, at Amur 2
At Neftekhimik 4, Avtomobilist 2
Dynamo Moscow 3, at Ak Bars 2 SO
At Slovan 4, Yugra 3 SO
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Preview This

Normally I would be about halfway through reading the second round of NHL team previews, mostly online, as we approached the start of the new season. The NHL lockout has pretty much dried that flow of information, and has kept all but the Hockey News Yearbook from reaching the newsstands.

But just try to find the the Hockey News pool forecaster magazine on a newsstand in Manhattan. I'm 0 for 37 in that regard.

To fill the void, previews of leagues in Europe and the junior leagues here in North America are coming in. Hockey's Future has posted its preview of the KHL.

These previews tend to focus on those players who may eventually make it to the NHL. Something to keep in mind as we move deeper into the lockout.

An Update: Any preview of the KHL with Nail Yakupov playing for Neftekhimik is not taking into account the IIHF's action of denying Yakupov a transfer card, which makes Yakupov, Edmonton's top pick in June, ineligible for KHL play.

If he wants to play, he can return to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, which Hockey Canada appears to prefer, according to the Buzzing the Net blog. Or Yakupov can wait for this IIHF ruling to be debated further.

Wednesday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Dinamo Minsk 3, at Amur 2 (video above)
At Neftekhimik 4, Avtomobilist 2
Dynamo Moscow 3, at Ak Bars 2 SO (video below)
At Slovan 4, Yugra 3 SO
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.



QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Moncton at Saint John
Cape Breton at Acadie-Bathurst
Rouyn-Noranda at Sherbrooke
Victoriaville at Chicoutimi

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Saskatoon at Brandon
Edmonton at Lethbridge
Regina at Swift Current

The Ontario Hockey League is dark on Wednesday.

Tuesday's Leftovers



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Torpedo 3, Dinamo Riga 2 (video above)
At Lokomotiv 2, Donbass 1
Atlant 5, at Spartak 2 (Nikolai Zherdev video below)
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.



The QMJHL, OHL and WHL were dark Tuesday.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Torpedo 3, Dinamo Riga 2 (video above)
At Lokomotiv 2, Donbass 1
Atlant 5, at Spartak 2 (Nikolai Zherdev video below)
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.



The QMJHL, OHL and WHL are dark today.

Here are the QMJHL players of the week, and here is the OHL player of the week. And here is the WHL player of the week.

For those of you who would like to know more about just whom you are reading about this season, here is a preview of the QMJHL by Hockey's Future. That site's preview of the WHL's Eastern Conference is here.

The Lounge will pass on more junior and European previews as they come in. Speaking of Europe, here are previews of the Czech Extraliga and Finland's SM-liiga, all by Hockey's Future.

Seattle, the Oilers and Monday's Leftovers



It was looking like a quiet day in the Lounge yesterday, what with no junior games on the schedule and the KHL action pretty much done by 2 pm Eastern.

But then, wouldn't you know it, here comes an owner who makes an implied threat of moving an NHL team to the United States from, wait for it, Canada.

Yes, Seattle is the bargaining chip, however much of a ruse it might be in this story, as Daryl Katz contemplates the best way to take public money from the city of Edmonton so that his Oilers, a private company, can have a new place to play hockey.

The best part of this silly game of dare, with the phony prospect of this team becoming the Seattle Snake Oilers, is that this move takes the beautiful world that some fans in Canada see regarding the NHL -- and the teams they believe deserve a spot in, say, Quebec City, Hamilton, suburban Toronto, etc., rather than in the United States -- and it shakes the whole thing like a snow globe.

Now, Mr. Katz, one of their own, not some smarmy American, is threatening to take his team south of the border. OK, not so much a threat, but the message is clear. Anyway, take a look at some of the comments at the bottom of TSN's post on the situation.

As you can see, this story was a punch right between the eyes. Public money as corporate welfare and the illusion of created jobs and revenue, meaning more low-paying seasonal jobs and the construction of a building that will most certainly be described as outdated before the next decade begins.

Then comes the remodel, the renegotiation and the reneging on the lease because, guess what, the amount of public funding is not enough to make the owner happy. But look at all the legal fees and construction overrun or late fees generated.

Beautiful story really. And who still thinks the owners have the fans' best interests at heart?

And now, time to put the soapbox away. On with the leftovers.



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Amur 3, Vityaz 2
At Metallurg Nizhnekamsk 5, Dinamo Minsk 4
At Sibir 3, Severstal 0
Traktor 4, at Salavat Yulaev 1 (video above)
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 7, at Neftekhimik 2
At Ak Bars 6, Avtomobilist 1
At CSKA 1, Avangard 0
At Slovan 4, Barys 2
At Lev 4, Yugra 0
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.

The QMJHL, OHL and WHL were dark.

Monday, September 24, 2012

The View From the Stands

I really wish more players -- make that any players -- would take up a picket sign and walk around Ed Snider's playpen in Philadelphia or Jeremy Jacobs' vault in Boston and basically state: "We are ready to work."

Instead, some players are heading to Europe. Those that are not are no where to be seen. Sure the optics of rich men picketing against rich men may seem bad, but you have to let people see your face to know who is doing battle.

Getting out into the public would be the best thing for NHLPA members, because Ed Snider and the 29 other owners are not going to walk around in their cities pressing the flesh.

At least, I don't think the owners would hit the sidewalks to talk to their customers. I know my vote doesn't count in this fight, but I do pay to watch NHL-caliber players play hockey.

You could not pay me to watch Ed Snider or Jeremy Jacobs play hockey. Ever.

Monday on Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Amur 3, Vityaz 2
At Metallurg Nizhnekamsk 5, Dinamo Minsk 4
At Sibir 3, Severstal 0
Traktor 4, at Salavat Yulaev 1 (video above)
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 7, at Neftekhimik 2
At Ak Bars 6, Avtomobilist 1
At CSKA 1, Avangard 0
At Slovan 4, Barys 2
At Lev 4, Yugra 0
Summaries are here.

The QMJHL, OHL and WHL are dark.

Sunday's Leftovers



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Torpedo 3, Spartak 0
At Lokomotiv 2, Dinamo Riga 1 SO
Donbass 3, at Atlant 2
SKA 3, at Dynamo Moscow 1
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Halifax 8, at Prince Edward Island 1
Moncton 5, at Cape Breton 4 SO
At Quebec 5, Baie-Comeau 0
Drummondville 2, at Sherbrooke 1
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
London 8, at Guelph 2
At Mississauga 3, Barrie 2
Kitchener 3, at Sarnia 2 SO
At Sudbury 4, Brampton 1
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Edmonton 6, Red Deer 2
Prince George 7, at Everett 6 SO
Portland 4, at Tri-City 2
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.
The Buzzing the Net blog's three stars are here.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sunday on Tap

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Torpedo 3, Spartak 0
At Lokomotiv 2, Dinamo Riga 1 SO
Donbass 3, at Atlant 2
SKA 3, at Dynamo Moscow 1
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Halifax at Prince Edward Island
Moncton at Cape Breton
Baie-Comeau at Quebec
Drummondville at Sherbrooke

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
London at Guelph
Barrie at Mississauga
Kitchener at Sarnia
Brampton at Sudbury

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Red Deer at Edmonton
Prince George at Everett
Portland at Tri-City

Saturday's Leftovers

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Severstal 3, at Amur 1
Vityaz 3, at Metallurg Nizhnekamsk 0
At Sibir 2, Dinamo Minsk 1
At Salavat Yulav 2, Avtomobilist 1
Traktor 3, at Neftekhimik 1
At Ak Bars 2, Metallurg Magnitogorsk 1 SO
At CSKA 4, Yugra 2
At Slovan 4, Avangard 2
At Barys 4, Lev 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Chicoutimi 6, Gatineau 0
Rimouski 4, at Shawinigan 3 SO
At Rouyn-Noranda 2, Victoriaville 1
Blainville-Boisbriand 3, at Val-d'Or 2
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Belleville 3, at Plymouth 2 SO
Windsor 3, at Sault Ste. Marie 2
Peterborough 4, at Ottawa 3
At Owen Sound 5, Saginaw 2
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Calgary 5, Kootenay 1
Brandon 7, at Regina 4
At Swift Current 7, Moose Jaw 1
Prince Albert 5, at Saskatoon 2
At Medicine Hat 5, Lethbridge 1
Prince George 6, Everett 0
Kamloops 3, at Kelowna 2
Portland 6, at Seattle 2
Spokane 5, at Tri-City 2
At Vancouver 3, Victoria 2
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
Buzzing the Net's three stars for the night in the QMJHL/OHL/WHL are here.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Saturday On Tap

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Severstal 3, at Amur 1
Vityaz 3, at Metallurg Nizhnekamsk 0
At Sibir 2, Dinamo Minsk 1
At Salavat Yulav 2, Avtomobilist 1
Traktor 3, at Neftekhimik 1
At Ak Bars 2, Metallurg Magnitogorsk 1 SO
At CSKA 4, Yugra 2
At Slovan 4, Avangard 2
At Barys 4, Lev 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Gatineau at Chicoutimi
Rimouski at Shawinigan
Victoriaville at Rouyn-Noranda
Blainville-Boisbriand at Val-d'Or

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Belleville at Plymouth
Windsor at Sault Ste. Marie
Peterborough at Ottawa
Saginaw at Owen Sound

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kootenay at Calgary
Brandon at Regina
Moose Jaw at Swift Current
Prince Albert at Saskatoon
Lethbridge at Medicine Hat
Prince George at Everett
Kamloops at Kelowna
Portland at Seattle
Spokane at Tri-City
Victoria at Vancouver

Friday's Leftovers

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Lokomotiv 4, Spartak 2
At Atlant 5, Dinamo Riga 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Roundup is here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Halifax 4, at Cape Breton 3 OT
At Prince Edward Island 6, Moncton 2
Saint John 3, at Acadie-Bathurst 2 OT
At Quebec 9, Chicoutimi 4
Rimouski 5, at Sherbrooke 1
At Baie-Comeau 4, Gatineau 1
Blainville-Boisbriand 5, at Rouyn-Noranda 3
Drummondville 4, at Shawinigan 3
At Val-d'Or 4, Victoriaville 3 SO
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Kingston 3, Barrie 1
Belleville 3, at Sarnia 1
At Sault Ste. Marie 6, Plymouth 5 OT
Niagara 2, at Brampton 1 SO
At Guelph 4, Saginaw 3 OT
At London 8, Erie 2
Kitchener 3, at Mississauga 0
At Sudbury 4, Oshawa 2
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Brandon 3, Regina 2
At Lethbridge 4, Medicine Hat 2
At Moose Jaw 4, Swift Current 3 OT
Saskatoon 2, at Prince Albert 1 SO
Calgary 3, at Red Deer 2
At Kamloops 6, at Kelowna 5 OT
Seattle 5, at Portland 2
Victoria 6, at Vancouver 4
Summaries are here.
Roundup is here.
The Buzzing the Net blog's three stars from Friday in the QMJHL/OHL/WHL are here.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Keeping an Eye on the Future



East or west. Canada or the United States. Much of your attention this hockey season should be focused on the the junior leagues. The future stars are playing there, and with the NHL currently out of the picture, the time is now to get on the web and look for all you can find about the two top prospects for the 2013 draft.

Nathan MacKinnon, a center for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He's a Canadian and a player who grew up -- as any video or print report will tell you -- in the same home town as Sydney Crosby.

Any number of preseason draft forecasts have him at or near the top of the list. And last season, he had the pressure of being compared to the top players like the Quebec Remparts' Mikhail Grigorenko, who was taken in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres last June.



The other person battling for attention as the No. 1 selection in 2013?

Seth Jones, a defenseman for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. He's an American. His father, Popeye Jones, played in the NBA.



Both videos are from last spring, and there will be plenty more to watch as the two move through the season, the World Junior Championships and possible runs at their league championships and the Memorial Cup.

Bob McKenzie of TSN broke down his thoughts on MacKinnon and Jones and also rounded out his list of top 10 prospects for the 2014 draft. You think Mel Kiper Jr. knows the NFL draft? McKenzie knows the NHL draft and pretty much any number of levels of hockey beyond just the draft. And he doesn't need a bucket of hair lacquer, either.

I'll try to keep you updated with what is going on in all corners of the rink, so please feel free to join me on the junior beat. I'll be looking at the the Canadian Hockey League (the QMJHL, OHL and WHL compose this association), the United States Hockey League and I also hope to follow the trail of some top players in the CJHL, an association of 10 leagues at the level below the CHL, as well as Minnesota high school hockey and the New England prep leagues.

This is going to be a fun year, even if we don't quite reach the level of enthusiasm displayed in this video for the Victoria Royals of the WHL.


Gangster of Love Sighting and Other Updates

Caught this on the CBC News report on NHLers who are in the Kontinental Hockey League right. Midway through the piece, there is Paul (Wooopwhooo) Maurice, the gangster of love, who is behind the bench of Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Lucky man, he is now coaching Evgeny Malkin.

Any number of coaches in Europe now have a bigger smile when they get up in the morning, knowing that extra bit of talent, for however long they have them on the roster, should lift the spirits and skill levels of their teams.

In Sweden, a court ruling has apparently cleared the way for NHLers to join Elitserien teams, though the Puck Daddy blog notes that this ruling could be overturned on appeal. Until then, the window is open in Sweden's top league.

And as an added starter for your conversation this weekend, Michael Grange of Sportsnet looks at whether the KHL the new World Hockey Association. Let's see about those blue pucks, first. (And I most definitely would have had this game as a kid had they put them on the shelves in Colorado. Heck we had a WHA team once.)

And the latest issue of Sportsnet the magazine is out and look who is on the cover.


Yes, I am a subscriber (iPad through Zinio). It's a sports magazine from Canada and notch above ESPN the magazine and a painter's ladder above Sports Illustrated, as far as the sports I care most about are concerned: hockey, hockey, hockey, baseball, hockey and hockey and maybe a little college football these days.

Friday On Tap



KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Lokomotiv 4, Spartak 2
At Atlant 5, Dinamo Riga 2
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Halifax at Cape Breton
Moncton at Prince Edward Island
Saint John at Acadie-Bathurst
Chicoutimi at Quebec
Rimouski at Sherbrooke
Gatineau at Baie-Comeau
Blainville-Boisbriand at Rouyn-Noranda
Drummondville at Shawinigan
Victoriaville at Val-d'Or

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Barrie at Kingston
Belleville at Sarnia
Plymouth at Sault Ste. Marie
Niagara at Brampton
Saginaw at Guelph
Erie at London
Kitchener at Mississauga
Oshawa at Sudbury

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Regina at Brandon
Medicine Hat at Lethbridge
Swift Current at Moose Jaw
Saskatoon at Prince Albert
Calgary at Red Deer
Kelowna at Kamloops
Seattle at Portland
Victoria at Vancouver

Thursday's Leftovers

KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Severstal 5, at Metallurg Novokuznetsk 3
At Sibir 3, Vityaz 2 SO
At Avtomobilist 4, Yugra 3
At Salavat Yulaev 4, Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3 OT
At Ak Bars 6, Traktor 2
At Dynamo Moscow 7, Dinamo Minsk 2
Barys 3, at CSKA 1
At Lev 3, Avangard 1
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Acadie-Bathurst 3, at Saint John 1
Roundup is here.
Summary is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Niagara 4, Erie 2
Barrie 6, at Ottawa 4
Oshawa 5, at Peterborough 2
Owen Sound 6, at Windsor 1
Roundup is here.
Summaries are here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Edmonton 5, Kootenay 3
Roundup is here.
Summary is here.
The Buzzing the Net blog's three stars from the night in the QMJHL/OHL/WHL.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Wide World of Hockey



Keeping an eye on things around the world is much easier than it used to be. Just a few keystrokes, perhaps some bad translation program, and you are there for hockey around the world.

In previous posts, I've provided some crucial links to the top league in Europe, the Kontinental Hockey League, but here are links to other elite leagues across the Atlantic.

In Sweden, the Elitserien is the top league to watch there. The league has an English-language blog to help draw you in. Here's the league's website. That was a montage for Rogle BK in 2011-12 that you were watching above. The Elitserien is not taking locked-out NHLers unless they sign on for the full season. Anze Kopitar is with Mora IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier or relegation league for professionals. That website is here.

Finland's top-level league is the SM-liiga. Here is the English/condensed version of the league's official website.

Although the KHL has placed a team in the Czech Republic, the Extraliga remains the top domestic circuit in that country. If you do not speak Czech, you will need a translation function on your browser for the league's website.

A number of locked-out NHLers are making their way to Switzerland, where they will play in the National League A, that country's top-level circuit. The league website is here.

At least one NHLer has found work in the DEL, or the Deutche Eishockey Liga, the top circuit in Germany. The league website is here.

And finally, Red Wings prospect Tomas Tatar is playing in the Slovak Extraliga. Here is the website of that league.

Keep in mind that I am not just watching locked-out NHLers, who may be in these leagues for a short time. I am also watching for players who are drafted NHL prospects and those young players who might just find themselves at the NHL draft next summer. More on those players in a later post.

The New Season Begins



Technically, the new season actually began Sept. 4 when the Kontinental Hockey League opened with Dynamo Moscow's 3-2 shootout victory at home against Avangard.

But then I went on vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina (Drive-through beer stands -- yes, you actually drive through the store. Great country or what?)

Upon my return to the Lounge, there were NHL previews, lockout updates and prospect scouting reports to read. And I needed to catch up on KHL action (that's Alexander Ovechkin, No. 32 in blue, of Dynamo Moscow making his debut with backcheck hit this afternoon in a 7-2 victory over visiting Dinamo Minsk. And now hockey in North America returns tonight with the opening games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

The fourth elite junior league, the United States Hockey League, will start the regular season on Sept. 28. After that, the first Division I NCAA games will be Oct. 6. The NHL is supposed to open Oct. 11, but we're not holding our breath on that one.

But the AHL and the ECHL will start their 2012-13 regular seasons on Oct. 12.

So, this little eye opener at the bar should get you ready to search the web today for news and video/audio reports on today's games. It's time to see what the locked-out NHLers are doing in Europe and what the future stars are doing today in juniors (more on whom to look for and why you should care about the juniors in an upcoming post).

Before I run down the day's list of games, here is Metallurg Magnitogorsk's Evgeny Malkin, No 71 in white, being welcomed to the KHL in a game this morning against Salavat Yulaev. Salavat won in overtime, 4-3. Maybe this hit will get Pittsburgh's ownership group to consider pushing hard for a settlement in the CBA talks.



Thursday's games
KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Severstal 5, at Metallurg Novokuznetsk 3
At Sibir 3, Vityaz 2 SO
At Avtomobilist 4, Yugra 3
At Salavat Yulaev 4, Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3 OT
At Ak Bars 6, Traktor 2
At Dynamo Moscow 7, Dinamo Minsk 2
Barys 3, at CSKA 1
At Lev 3, Avangard 1
Roundup is here.
Standings are here.
Summaries are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Acadie-Bathurst 3, at Saint John 1
Roundup is here.
Summary is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Niagara 4, Erie 2
Barrie 6, at Ottawa 4
Oshawa 5, at Peterborough 2
Owen Sound 6, at Windsor 1
Roundup is here.
Summaries are here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Edmonton 5, Kootenay 3
Roundup is here.
Summary is here.