Meaningful Hockey Lifts All Spirits

A week goes by, and then another.

Disgust over the lockout leads to waiting out Hurricane Sandy and then cleaning up all the broken tree limbs and knocking on wood that we fared as well as we did in the storm, hoping that we do as well this Wednesday when a Nor'easter rolls through town again.

After, or before, all that, spirits in the Lounge were lifted by the opening game of the super series challenge between a team of Russian junior selects and teams of selects from the QMJHL, OHL and WHL. The six-game series features the Russian squad play two each against each league.

On Monday night, in Blainville-Boisbriand, Que., the QMJHL was up first and was the first go experience the speed and showmanship of the Russian squad.

It may be of small consolation, but the main offensive stars of the Russian squad were players who have been or are being trained in the Canadian junior leagues.

Nail Yakupov, formerly of the OHL's Sarnia Sting, is on the squad as is Alexander Khokhlachev, formerly of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, and Mikhail Grigorenko, currently of the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

The offensive show was too much for the QMJHL squad, which did not bring a great deal of physical play to the contest. Late in the game, when a typical junior blowout leads to even more typical late hits and dangerous checks along the board, the QMJHL team seemed up to the task of defending itself and initiating challenges as well.

Still, day late and a dollar short. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Val-d'Or. The game will be televised at 7 pm Eastern on the NHL Network

The Hangover: Nov. 9

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
N.Y. Rangers 3, at Ottawa 2
At Tampa Bay 2, Philadelphia 1 OT
Nashville 4, at Anaheim 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Manchester 4, Portland 3
Rockford 5, at Grand Rapids 3
At Hershey 3, Binghamton 0
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 4, at Norfolk 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Chicago 7, at Toledo 4
At Trenton 5, Reading 2
At Elmira 3, Gwinnett 2 OT
At Florida 4, Wheeling 1
Utah 2, at Colorado 1
Standings are here
Summaries are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Russian Selects 5, QMJHL Selects 4 SO
Summary is here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Brandon 4, at Prince Albert 1
At Swift Current 5, Saskatoon 2
Tri-City 5, at Kootenay 4
Seattle 3, at Lethbridge 2
At Vancouver 4, Edmonton 1
Red Deer 6, at Kelowna 4
Standings are here
Summaries are here

The Hangover: Nov. 7

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Boston 6, N.Y. Islanders 2
At San Jose 4, Los Angeles 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Russia 2, Team QMJHL 0
Summary is here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kingston 7, at Ottawa 4
Standings are here
Summary is here

Get Ready for Canada-Russia Tuneup

Last year around this time, Russia sent a touring team of juniors across Canada to face teams from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The Russian touring squad took the bulk of the Super Series challenge games, and then several members of that squad were on the team that defeated Canada for the gold medal at the World Junior Championship tournament in early January in Buffalo.

Canada, which will have the upcoming World Junior tournament in Alberta, wants to get off on the right foot starting tonight when the 2011 Super Series challenge begins in Victoriaville, Quebec, with a team of QMJHL players facing Russia. Russia will face the QMJHL team again on Nov. 9 in Quebec City before moving to Ontario to face an OHL squad on Nov. 10 in Ottawa and Nov. 14 in Sault Ste. Marie. The Russian team will conclude the series with two games against a team Western Hockey League selects in Saskatchewan. Those games will be Nov. 16 in Regina and Nov. 17 in Moose Jaw.

(Update: The QMJHL selects will have to do without Jonathan Huberdeau, the captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs and a Florida Panthers prospect.)

Rosters for the QMJHL, OHL and WHL are on the web site of the Canadian Hockey League, which comprises the three junior leagues that have teams across Canada as well as teams in Oregon, Washington, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Russian selects roster is here.