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. 17

Before plunging into the daily rundown of scores, I wanted to update you on the week that has been nonstop hockey in the Lounge.

Yes, I have not written in a while, but what can you do when you are juggling a home life, a work life, and a nightly package of pro and college hockey that can eat up your time from 7 pm to 2:30 am (live games followed by NHL On the Fly Final)? You can take notes and tape games, but both of those stack up like pizza boxes in a dorm room at some point.

In any event, let's dig in to those stacked up pizza boxes to give you a sampler of what my week has been.

-- You have to like the candor of Bobby Taylor, the color man on the Lightning broadcasts. When Steven Stamkos appeared to take a dive to draw a high-sticking call Monday against the Winnipeg Jets, Taylor did not try to skate around the issue. He watched the replay and then told the viewers that Stamkos was not hit with a stick and explained that is why the Jets fans seemed ready to come over the boards. He later told the audience that the Lightning were playing a soft game against the Jets, who were taking advantage of Tampa Bay's unwillingness to initiate any physical play.

-- Another Tuesday night on Long Island, and the Rangers should have crushed this tomato can. But the Islanders hang on for a few rounds before the Rangers scratch out a victory. Ugly game.

-- Wednesday night is why we live for hockey: Devils/Sabres, Ducks/Kings and Blackhawks/Canucks. Sure, Carolina was at Montreal, but did you see that game. I did. Let's leave it at that. The Devils came in a shoved the Sabres around. There is a lot of talent on the Sabres, but not enough jam, at least, not right now. Maybe the Sabres need a few rule changes to make it safe for them to come out on the ice. Also Wednesday, the Blackhawks put their best effort forward against the Canucks, who were more than game for a battle for two periods. But let's ask that the Blackhawks' TV announcers not get carried away when handing out kudos for, the game. Duncan Keith's game was called flawless, a masterpiece. Well, I guess we can ignore a few bad passes, including one at the blueline that created a breakaway shot on goal for the Canucks. Corey Crawford, now YOU had a masterpiece game. Kings beat the Ducks. I went to bed happy.

-- A little family time and then it's late night in the Lounge with the Kings/Ducks and Red Wings/Sharks. You cannot do better than these two games when it's past 11 Eastern and there is still another day in the work week. But the eyes are going fast. Fortunately, the Kings beat the Ducks again. I fall to sleep quickly.

--There are only three NHL games on Friday night. I've seen too much of Carolina already, so the Sabres/Hurricanes game, 7 pm, is Internet radio only. Stars/Avalanche (9 Eastern) will be on the medium HD screen and the Blackhawks/Flames (9 Eastern) goes on the big HD screen.

-- Small screen, big games. The iPhone will get a workout tonight, with college hockey on tap (no phone calls, please): Boston College/Notre Dame at 7:30 Eastern on CBS College Sports, Minnesota/St. Cloud State at 9 Eastern on Fox College Sports Atlantic, Nebraska-Omaha/Denver at 9:30 Eastern on Fox College Sports Pacific.

-- Just received a note about the AHL online package. Hmm, sounds interesting. Might be trouble.

And now, roll the scores, please:

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Boston 2, Columbus 1 SO
At N.Y. Islanders 4, Montreal 3
At Philadelphia 2, Phoenix 1
At Tampa Bay 4, Pittsburgh 1
At St. Louis 4, Florida 1
At Nashville 4, Toronto 1
At Minnesota 1, Colorado 0
At Winnipeg 4, Washington 1
Ottawa 5, at Edmonton 2
Los Angeles 5, at Anaheim 3
At San Jose 5, Detroit 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Peoria 4, at Lake Erie 3 SO
Standings are here
Summary is here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Moncton 5, Rouyn-Noranda 2
Standings are here
Summary is here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Niagara 3, Mississauga 0
Kitchener 3, at Sarnia 2
At Peterborough 4, Belleville 1
Plymouth 5, at Windsor 4 OT
At Saginaw 3, Brampton 2 SO
At Barrie 5, Sudbury 3
Standings are here
Summaries are here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Russian Selects 7, WHL Selects 5
Summary is here
Video link is here

The Hangover: Nov. 16

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Montreal 4, Carolina 0
New Jersey 5, at Buffalo 3
Chicago 5, at Vancouver 1
At Los Angeles 2, Anaheim 1 SO
Standings are here
Summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Springfield 3, Worcester 2 OT
At Rochester 3, Syracuse 2
Oklahoma City 5, at Rockford 4
Standings are here
Summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kalamazoo 4, at Trenton 3
Toledo 4, at Chicago 1
At Ontario 4, Stockton 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Cape Breton 4, Prince Edward Island 3
At Saint John 4, Rouyn-Noranda 3
Rimouski 4, at Acadie-Bathurst 1
Quebec 4, at Baie-Comeau 2
Blainville-Boisbriand 3, at Val-d'Or 2 SO
Standings are here
Summaries are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Owen Sound 3, Erie 1
At Belleville 6, Peterborough 3
Standings are here
Summaries are here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
WHL Selects 5, Russian Selects 2
Summary is here

NCAA DIVISION I
ATLANTIC HOCKEY
At Connecticut 8, Sacred Heart 3
Standings are here
Summary is here

The Hangover: Nov. 14

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Philadelphia 5, at Carolina 3
Buffalo 3, at Montreal 2 SO
At Winnipeg 5, Tampa Bay 2
Standings are here
Summaries are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
OHL Selects 6, Russian Selects 3
Summary is here

The Hangover: Nov. 10

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Boston 6, Edmonton 3
Chicago 6, at Columbus 3
Toronto 3, at St. Louis 2 SO
Florida 5, at Winnipeg 2
At Colorado 4, N.Y. Islanders 3 OT
Montreal 3, at Phoenix 2 OT
Vancouver 3, at Los Angeles 2
At San Jose 3, Minnesota 1
Standings are here
Summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Lake Erie 5, San Antonio 2
Abbotsford 5, at Houston 3
Standings are here
Summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Greenville 5, South Carolina 2
At Bakersfield 4, Idaho 3 OT
Standings are here
Summaries are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
OHL Selects 10, Russian Selects 7
Summary is here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Moose Jaw 3, at Regina 1
Standings are here
Summary is here

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.

The Junior Report: Double Stuffing

We're back on the watch after taking time off to enjoy Thanksgiving in the United States. Now that the food has been put away, it's time to catch up with the action over the last two days.

RUSSIAN SELECTS/CHL SUPER SERIES
Wednesday
At Western Hockey League 2, Russia 1
The recap from the game in Victoria, B.C., is here.

Thursday
At WHL 4, Russia 2
The recap from the game in Kelowna, B.C., is here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Wednesday
At Shawinigan 9, Lewiston 4
Prince Edward Island 4, at Victoriaville 1
The roundup is here.

Thursday
At Moncton 5, Drummondville 1
Quebec 2, at Cape Breton 1
The roundup is here and the standings are here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Wednesday
Windsor 2, at Plymouth 1
The roundup is here.

Thursday
At Erie 5, Belleville 3
At Barrie 5, Owen Sound 1
Peterborough 6, at Sarnia 3
The roundup is here and the standings are here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Wednesday
At Everett 4, Spokane 3 OT
At Seattle 5, Regina 2
At Tri-City 6, Portland 2
The roundup is here and the standings are here.

Thursday
No games scheduled.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Wednesday
At Green Bay 2, Chicago 1 OT
Indiana 3, at Lincoln 2
Waterloo 5, at Omaha 2
Sioux City 5, at Tri-City 4 SO

Thursday
Omaha 5, at Des Moines 4
Sioux City 3, at Sioux Falls 2 SO
At Waterloo 6, Cedar Rapids 3
The standings are here.

Wednesday's Junior Report

Two leagues were dark, while the leagues that were active offered a limited number of games. We start with the Ontario Hockey League.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
London 5, at Kitchener 2
Sault Ste. Marie 3, at Sudbury 2 OT

The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Robin Lehner earned CHL goaltender of the week honors. The release is here. Ottawa forward Tyler Toffoli was selected as the CHL player of the week. The release is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Regina 6, at Portland 3

The recap is here and the standings are here.

In league news, the Russian Selects will face a team of WHL selects tonight in Victoria. A preview of the game is here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
The standings are here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
The standings are here.

The league's weekly notebook is here.

The Junior Report: Russian Selects 0-for-4 Against CHL

Just a short Junior Report as the only action came in the Super Series involving the Russian Selects squad against player from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

The Russian Selects, looking for their first victory in this six-game series, came away with another defeat on Monday night, losing by 5-2 to the OHL Selects in Windsor.

Goals by Adam Henrique, Tyler Toffoli, Taylor Hall and Nazem Kadri gave the OHL squad a 4-0 lead in the third period. Goals by Kirill Petrov (14:02) and Maxim Kitsyn (17:21) cut the OHL's lead to 4-2. Zack Kassian closed out the scoring for the OHL with a power-play goal at 18:31. (A complete recap is here.)

Plymouth goaltender Matt Hackett made 30 saves in the victory.

The series moves west to British Columbia, where the Russian Selects will face the WHL selects at 10 pm Eastern in Victoria. Game 6 is Thursday in Kelowna.

Monday's Junior Hockey Report

Every elite junior league across North American got in a few games on Sunday before the Monday break. Tonight, the Ontario Hockey League selects and the Russian selects faceoff in Windsor. More on that under the OHL banner.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Cape Breton 3, at Moncton 2
At Prince Edward Island 6, Chicoutimi 5 OT
Gatineau 3, at Rouyn-Noranda 0
At Victoriaville 6, Halifax 1
At Quebec 5, Montreal 2
Saint John 7, at Lewiston 4

The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, Chicoutimi forward Nicolas Deschamps and Baie-Comeau goaltender Nathan Dunnett were selected as the players of the week. The release is here. Anaheim drafted Deschamps in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft. Patrick King of Sportsnet.ca says that Deschamps is steadily making his case to be among those being considered for a spot on Canada's entry in the World Junior Championships. You can read all of King's weekly notebook here.

In other league notes, Chicoutimi forward Rock Régimbald was suspended four games for a kneeing incident a week earlier against Prince Edward Island. The release is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Brampton 3, Belleville 0
Plymouth 4, at Kingston 1
At Ottawa 6, Kitchener 3
At Owen Sound 3, Erie 2 OT
At Windsor 11, Guelph 3
London 4, at Oshawa 1

The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, the final game between the Russian selects and the OHL selects is tonight at 7 in Windsor. The Russian squad is 0 for 3 in the series, having lost twice to the QMJHL selects and once to an OHL squad. After this game, the Russian squad moves on to British Columbia for two games against the WHL selects.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Prince Albert 5, at Edmonton 4 OT
Spokane 3, at Calgary 2
At Medicine Hat 3, Red Deer 1

The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, Chilliwack forward Ryan Howse has been selected as the player of the week. The release is here. In other news, Portland traded goaltender Kurtis Mucha to Kamloops for a draft pick. The release is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Fargo 6, at Team USA 3

The standings are here.