The Daily Afternoon Shot of KHL

More fun as hockey moves to Day No. 2 in the KHL (or Night No. 2 on your side of the Atlantic, if you have somehow stumbled upon the Lounge over there).

Spartak Moscow was the lone visitor to win, defeating host Atlant Moscow Region, 2-0. Rastislav Spirko had both goals for Spartak. In other games, Metallurg Novokuznetsk beat Sibir Novosibirsk Region, 3-2, and Dinamo Riga topped Dinamo Minsk, 2-1.

And while I'm waiting for the KHL to post the highlights video and roundup for Thursday's games, here's a KHL preview from R-Sport, which is always a good place to check when looking for KHL or Olympic hockey notes, like this one from Pavel Bure.

UPDATE: Here is the KHL roundup, along with a video from the Atlant-Spartak game. If you wait long enough, good things do pop onto your screen.

More good names to follow on Twitter are Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov) and Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud). They are fluent in NHL, KHL and humor, so click on them early and often.

And while we're updating, here's Sean McIndoe's take on Team Canada Olympic anxiety in Grantland. He can also be found on his Down Goes Brown blog, as well as on Twitter (@DownGoesBrown).

Program Alert for Tonight

Depending, I guess, on whether the Nashville-Phoenix game ends on time or not to far along into overtime, the NBC Sports Channel is scheduled to show the USA-France game that was played earlier today over in Europe on the opening day of the World Championships.

The broadcast is set for 11:30 Eastern. The Americans opened the tournament, which will determine the seeding of teams for the 2014 Olympics on Sochi, Russia, with a 7-2 victory. A recap is here. In other games, Canada defeated Slovakia, 3-2, and Finland outlasted Belarus, 1-0. The Germans were 3-0 winners over Italy and the Czechs came away with a 2-0 victory over Denmark. And Sweden defeated Norway, 3-1.

To follow all the action at the World Championships, which are being played in Helsinki and Stockhoml thorugh May 20, drop in here at the Lounge and also check out the IIHF site for the event.

On Saturday night, the NBC Sports Channel will have the Canada-USA game on at 7:30 Eastern, followed by the documentary "Cold War on Ice: Summit Series 72" at 10 pm.

Plenty of hockey in the Lounge this weekend. Games tonight. On Saturday, games in the afternoon and at night, along with the Kentucky Derby ... and there will be Cinco de Mayo festivities in the Lounge. (Should the Rangers game run into a couple of overtime sessions and into the Kentucky Derby time slot, NBC has this plan, according to Puck Daddy.) I'm working the kitchen and am planning to serve both chicken and blackened mushroom soft tacos along with house-made guacamole, chips, beans, rice. The beer will be very cold and the margaritas -- against my wishes -- will be frozen. But as per my wishes, they will be strong enough to make you wish you had portable hard drive for your brain on Sunday morning.

Sunday will include a little built-in recovery time before the St. Louis-Los Angeles game begins at 3 Eastern. And we should be feeling even better by the time the New Jersey-Philadelphia game begins at 7:30 Eastern.

The Lounge will be jumping. If you are in the area, please wander in.

A Loss, But No Bitter Tears

You could see the pain building behind the mask of Ryan Miller as he began to realize his gold medal had eluded him. Sidney Crosby. Quick shot. Five hole. Canada's prize.

The disappointment, the sniffles, everything you'd expect from someone who felt he needed to be perfect to win, and who felt less than so in defeat. But the class act that the American goaltender is came through in postgame interviews. No ducking. Taking on all questions as he did shots on Sunday afternoon.

The best side of Miller came through later Sunday when he joined several of his teammates at the Vancouver Games' closing ceremonies. He proudly wore his team colors and a smile. Disappointment in a loss? Yes. Pride in a fine job for his country. Yes.

That's the face I take from these Olympics. The face of the American men's hockey program. The team fell short, but it pushed forward the notion that this country can produce a strong program even when the number of stars on the American roster does not match those on the flag or on the roster of the opponent.

This silver medal, coupled with the gold earned by the United States this past January at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon, offer a hint of what is to come. The challenge is on USA Hockey to continue to build on this and not live on the past.

The Miracle on Ice was great, but that was 30 years ago. USA Hockey cannot accept 20- or 30-year intervals between gold medals. It's time to get to work. Kudos to Canada for its Olympic gold medal. And kudos to the American team for raising our expectations for the gold medals to come.

Russia and Milbury, Pay Your Tab Now

Credit Pierre LeBrun, the hockey reporter being held hostage by ESPN, for a quick and precise postmortem on the fall of the flying Russian men's hockey team.

LeBrun, who seems to be relegated to ESPN's website while the worldwide leader in televised sports gives you Barry Melrose for hockey analysis, tells of a split on the Russian squad. Are you an NHLer or a KHLer. In a digital world, it's either yes or no, 1 or 0. This just in. It's zero medals for the Russian men's hockey squad this year.

Canada took Russia out of the game with a hard forecheck, solid team play and an eye for detail. You try to jack me near the end of the game, and I'll jack you back. Alexander Semin, meet Dan Boyle.

Canada's victory in hockey, apparently by coincidence, also took Vancouver off the must-see list of President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia. I say coincidence, but the CBC sees things in a slightly different matter. So see, hockey does matter. But you knew that if you are frequenting the Lounge, right?

Now back to LeBrun, who says the Alexander Ovechkin we have come to know in the NHL was not the OV8 reporters got to work with, or against, in Vancouver. Will Ovechkin's attitude improve when he is back with the Washington Capitals? I say yes, and look out if he should see Mike Milbury coming down the hallway.



Milbury's slur on the Russians was just the right tone for a man who confidently maintained an outhouse of a franchise in the New York Islanders. He flushed money and prospects, all the time saying there was a plan. His plan. His plan? To stay employed for a while. Islanders? TSN? CBC? NBC? Sure. He's not picky.

Congrats, Mike. Somehow, you've remained employed. Now shut up.

Adjusting to Brodeur on the Bench

Sometimes you need to shake things up a bit. Eat here one day, down the block the next. Nothing wrong with either place, but this one seems right for the moment at hand.

That's the feeling here in the Lounge about Canada putting Martin Brodeur on the bench and Roberto Luongo in net.

There's a confidence factor, for the goalies in question, and for the whole team. When your rock in net looks shaky, it's time to reassess.

Brodeur has been the main man for a long time, steady hands as the waters begin to roil. But last Sunday against the United States he looked like he was trying juggle one of those Fat Darrell sandwiches you get from the grease trucks at Rutgers.

Brodeur a legend. A Fat Darrell a legend. In shaky hands? You have a mess on your hands. Canada has put its hopes in steadier hands in Luongo, who was fine on Tuesday night against Germany. He's on home ice as a Vancouver Canuck. He's ready to take over. I expect great things from him tonight against Russia.

Hmm, I wonder if I can get a Fat Darrell anywhere around the office.

This Is Super Sunday

Got the chips, adult beverages and other grub ready for the day. And the chores here in the Lounge are done.

In other words, I have just to clear a few thoughts from my head before the the Olympic men's hockey games begin today.

***Germany, you kill me. You really do. The German team has given us every reason to find an infomercial on another channel during their games. The Jupiter Jack, the Magic Bullet, whatever. Those infomercials go on the offensive. They attack your senses. They dull your resistance by sheer volume and intensity.

Even if you do not buy these items, you know better than to doubt the resolve of the pitchman yelling -- and I mean YELLING -- at you. He wants your money. And even if you don't give him your money, you will have to defend your wallet. There will be a cost. Nothing is free.

The German team? You could do school figures in your own end and so long as you retain the puck, no harm will come to you. Boredom is Germany's weapon. Frustration is building. You are getting sleepy. You have lost the puck. Hypnotizing, yes? Sleep inducing is more like it.

Good for Belarus to draw some offense out of the Germans. Good for Belarus for defeating the Germans, 5-3, in the late game on Saturday. Of course the German coaches and managers will say, lose despite scoring three goals or lose after scoring no goals, what is the difference? Artistry, entertainment, development of skills that allows your team to contend -- yes, that's the real concept -- at the elite level.

So do us all a favor, Germany. WAKE UP. Learn to play offense. Go and sin no more.

*** A loss today will not change the attitudes of the Canadian or Russian men's teams. If you've been around the block before, you do not have to explain your failures in the preliminaries. That is why they are called preliminaries. Canada and Russia will not beat themselves up today if they lose. That is for the fans to do.

*** A victory today will not change the concerns people have about the United States men's team. And I do not think anything will settle the nerves of U.S. fans except a gold medal. This is the beauty of hockey in the United States. Fans want the team to win. Deep down, they wonder why the team doesn't win more often. And I believe the American hockey players understand this. It's still just a game down here. A game played by kids. Let's see what the kids can do. Let them play.



*** The AHL outdoor game in Syracuse was fun. An outdoor game in the minor leagues feels like a winter carnival or a state fair, and that is why I believe future outdoor games should be limited to the minors.

Look, the NHL got lucky with falling snow and rabid fans for the outdoor game in Orchard Park, N.Y. The first outdoor game, the Heritage Classic in Edmonton, did nothing to make me want to see another game outside. It looked cold, and the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens did their best to entertain, but the stadium looked like any other football stadium. Big. Charmless. Generic.

The football stadium in Western New York had the same lack of visual appeal, which the league addressed by placing the next two Winter Classics in Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. Some of that visual charm, for me, came from remembering when the NFL and the old, dearly missed AFL played their games in baseball stadiums with terrible brown grass. A stadium for the summer game playing host to the crude beauty of football in the deepening chill of late fall and early winter.

It was great to see the old baseball yards filled in winter. And to have it be a hockey game on the main stage, well that was all the better in my book.

But there are no good baseball stadiums left. They are all new, more like malls with exposed brick to make you think it is a classic stadium. But it's pretty much like New Coke. Not a classic. The new ballpark on the South Side of Chicago may be nice, but the old yard was where men went to blow off some steam as their favorite side booted grounders and waited for next year. Ditto the Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Tiger Stadium, etc. Those joints are gone. And the malls that have replaced them for baseball and pro football leave me cold.

At least the AHL got it right. Take the game to the New York State Fairgrounds. Make it look like a carnival. No need for 60,000 or 70,000 fans. How about 20,000 fans sitting in what looked like a large rodeo ring. Big grandstand on one side. Players and some small bleachers on the other. Elephant ears, apple fritters, beer, hot dogs. Maybe even a Jupiter Jack. Food and toys for the working people. A place to blow off some steam. Kudos to the AHL. You get it.

And I get it. Time to stop writing and get the food ready. The games are about to begin.

Paul Henderson Has Cancer

It was disheartening and depressing to find out on Thursday that Paul Henderson has cancer. For Canadians of a certain vintage – and this typist is among them – Henderson stands fixed in late September of 1972 in Luzhniki Ice Palace in Moscow, wrapped in the clutches of Yvan Cournoyer, both celebrating Henderson’s goal in front of a down and out Vladislav Tretiak, giving Canada victory in Game 8 of the Summit Series against the Soviet Union. That victory secured a triumph in the series for Canada, a win that would not have been possible had Henderson not also scored the winning goal in the previous two games.

That Game 8 moment was the only time I ever watched hockey a school with the blessing of my teachers, the TV wheeled into the gymnasium so we would not miss the game. It was a seminal occasion, not just because of the dramatic circumstances, but because that was the point at which hockey changed, when Canada began to realize it could not continue to play the game the same way and still win. Things would have to change.

The sudden and everlasting fame that came Henderson’s way might have swallowed other people whole. Henderson had an average pro hockey career but his life, guided resolutely by his faith and by his conviction, is what might be defined in hockey terms as solid and sturdy, characteristic of a stand-up guy.

That will help Henderson as he seeks treatment for his cancer, but anyone who was celebrating 38 years ago knows there could be no better time to repay him than by lending him their full support as he tries to buck the odds yet again.

Things We Know So Far

Some things we learned after the first game in the Olympics for each competing nation:

Flames can burn brighter. Some players from the Calgary Flames look pretty good when they can get out from under the restrictive defensive system the team employs. Nik Hagman scored twice for Finland, both off his backhand, in the Finns’ 5-1 victory over Belarus. Hagman’s Calgary linemate, Jarome Iginla, had a hat trick for Canada in its 8-0 victory over Norway. Iginla did not ignite until he was put on a line with Sidney Crosby and Rick Nash, a group that was initially formed during Canada’s orientation camp in the summer. Expect them to stay together for the balance of the tournament.

The specter of the stopper. A hot goalie(s) will emerge during this tournament but we were reminded of just how much damage a netminder can do to Olympic hopes by the play of Vitali Koval of Belarus, who held his team in longer against Finland than it deserved to be, making 40 saves. Of course, a hot goalie can also cool like yesterday’s fish. In that same Finland-Belarus game, Antero Nittymaki of Finland, who was named the most valuable player of the 2006 Olympic hockey tournament, did not even suit up.

There is speed and then there is crazy speed. Russia has the latter. There seems to be a calculated frenzy to what the Russians do on the ice, always skating, sticks alert, flooding the zone, bearing down on the net. It’s nearly as wild as those skates of Alexander Ovechkin. Such a style is guaranteed to spawn defensive lapses but it sure is fun to watch. Additionally intriguing will be how long the Russians stick with this freewheeling nature as they move the deeper into the tournament. It is one thing to dangle against Latvia, quite another to dipsy doodle in the medal round.

Didn’t you used to be . . . ? Jaromir Jagr and Peter Forsberg both looked good in their openers, Jagr scoring once in the Czech Republic’s 3-1 victory over Slovakia. Forsberg played nearly 13 minutes in Sweden’s 2-0 win over Germany. He had no shots but still retains his eye for a nice set-up, dishing off to Nicklas Backstrom for a good scoring chance. Neither player will ever be as dominating as they once were but both looked inspired. Granted, it’s early, but nothing they did yesterday will tamp down talk about either of them returning to the NHL.

A big country. Brian Burke, the general manager of the United States, promised his team would be big. It is and it used its size effectively against Switzerland. That will please Burke to no end but, more important, it may also allow a young U.S. team to assert itself much quicker than one would expect. Oh, and the line of Zach Parise, Paul Stastny and Patrick Kane is definitely worth watching.

Quack, quack. How can the Anaheim Ducks have eight players in the Olympics – a goalie, two defensemen and five forwards representing four countries -- and be sitting on the outside of the Western Conference playoffs? Just askin’.

Clearing the Airwaves

*** Thought we'd start the Sunday reading period with some thoughts after Don Cherry detailed his thoughts about Daniel Carcillo and Sean Avery during the Coach's Corner segment Saturday night on "Hockey Night in Canada."

Little rats. If you are talking to Cherry, that's what he sees in Avery and Carcillo. Now I'd have to look into the archives, and I will during the Olympic break, but are these two rats doing anything different from the original rat, Kenny "The Rat" Linseman?

Cherry's argument about the instigator makes some sense at face value. You allow a tough guy to police the situation when an Avery or Carcillo takes on a star, and you take away the threat of an extra penalty for instigation, and things get put back in place. Order is restored.

But I don't remember Linseman ever having to defend himself in the old days. He'd poke some one and as soon as a Ranger or Islander came in to settle the score, instantly there was Paul Holmgren or another large Flyer fluent in fist arriving quickly to protect Linseman.

I'll have to check into this, because Cherry has a point about Avery and Carcillo taking advantage of the rules that allow them to play outside the rules to challenge star players.

But the Kenny the Rat played the same way in a tougher era. And I'm pretty certain he got away with pretty much everything without ever paying full price. We shall see.



*** All eyes of Canada, or a large share of them, will be tracking the progress of the Anaheim/Edmonton game tonight. More likely, they will be tracking the status of the Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf, who is considered to be a critical figure in Canada's drive for hockey gold in Vancouver.

This daily watch reminds me a lot of the daily updates about Paul Kariya before the NHLers went to the Nagano Games in 1998. Kariya, recovering from a concussion, never made it to the Olympic tournament. And right up to the point of his status being made official, hockey writers across Canada were making calls to determine Kariya's health and the likelihood of him being in the lineup.

We'll be watching tonight as well.

*** I'm not a big fan of the NHL taking a break so its players can play in the Olympics. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy most of the men's tournament, but I do not enjoy seeing the rest of the NHL shut down.

The junior leagues and U.S. colleges do not shut down for the World Junior Championship. In fact, junior-age players participate in more games outside of their leagues than you might imagine. If you count the WJC, Russia-Canada challenge series, league all-star games, CHL prospect games, etc., there are a lot of extracurricular activity.

But their leagues don't shut down.

During the New York Islanders/Tampa Bay Lightning broadcast on MSG-Plus, Butch Goring said he did not support shutting down the NHL to allow the Olympic tournament to have NHL players. He said it should be an amateur tournament.

Those days are not coming back, however. You dictate that Canada and the United States send only amateurs and that's where that movement stops. Sweden, Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic are going to send their best. The Olympics and the IIHF want the best in the world tournaments.

An amateur-only tournament then, is only likely in the World Junior Championship. If the NHL wants to skip the 2014 Games in Russia, I have no problem with it; others would disagree. But I don't expect the rest of the world to go along with the amateurs-only concept.

That ship has sailed.

Snow Days and the Olympic Break

Getting ready for the Vancouver Olympics, and that means it's the perfect time for the Recess Monkeys' cover of the Chilliwack's "My Girl." It doesn't quite measure up to the original performed in the late 1981 by the band out of Vancouver. But it's the thought that counts. Thanks, SCTV.

*** The state of Ryan Getzlaf's health has prompted a summit meeting among the heads of Team Canada. Getzlaf underwent an MRI, which the Anaheim Ducks said found no "significant ligament or muscle tears."

His day-to-day status has Team Canada chief Steve Yzerman taking the same approach, but with a limited number of days left before the Olympic hockey tournament begins, there has to be a plan, and it has to be announced soon.



*** I have to say that Russia is the team that most interests me. I like the skill level on the forward and back lines. I think this team can compete on the small ice. What would concern me if I were running the Russian operation is the goaltending.

On some nights, Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov plays a man's game. On other nights, he can be as unimpressive as the list of things to do or find in San Jose.

(Need help? I'll give you the first two on the list: 1. Finding a ride to San Francisco. 2. Finding a ride to Monterey.)

That's why Ilya Bryzgalov is the critical player in my projection of Russia as the gold medal winner in Vancouver. After all, I've looked up and down the roster, and there is no Giorgy to turn to when times get tough.

*** From where I'm sitting, with my face pressed to the window overlooking Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, the snow storm does not look as severe as feared. That means the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers most likely will play tonight at MSG 4.0

Larry Brooks of the New York Post says Marian Gaborik is not expected to be in the lineup for the game. Gaborik. Rangers' main scoring threat. Rangers' lone scoring threat? He received a deep thigh cut when he came across the skate of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in practice on Tuesday.

Brooks says Gaborik may not be in action again until the Olympic tournament starts. But that is of no help to the Rangers, who need him to score early and often.

I'm off to shovel some snow.

Let's Make a Deal

The Calgary Flames appear to be in sleep mode, the New York Rangers are moving their problems for those of another team, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are the best team to have won nothing since 1967.

And the pressure is on each of those organizations today. You have to like getting out of bed and going to the Web (no dead tree editions in the Lounge) to read up on who is making a run for the Cup ... in February.

OK, so there will be a long break after next week that leaves the season as a sprint through March and the first few weeks of April. But I see the standings in each conference as a work in progress. There's going to be some bumping and some teams are just going to find out that the tap is dry.

But it is fun to open the morning with this set-up line: A Sutter, a Sather and a Burke walk into the bar.... You can supply your own punchline, and there are many.

I've never been a fan of Darryl Sutter as a coach or a general manager. His "they have to work harder" line after every Sharks loss grew old pretty quick. And he is quick to put the "they" in every sentence. They, as in, not me, you understand. I do.

He is dumping parts, the latest being Olli Jokinen, who is leaving Flames to join the Rangers. The Blueshirts are in Los Angeles tonight to face the Kings. And to those folks in Calgary, I'll tell you this: Happiness is seeing the door quickly slam shut as OJ goes out of the room.

A former King, Islander, Panther, Coyote, Flame. Perhaps you can tell where this is going. Go, OJ, Go.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post looks at the deal as one where two people on the same block are holding garage sales. A trade is made. Your discards for mine. And someday, we'll share the cost of a ride to the dump. Lots of questions are raised. Few are answered.

Glen Sather's Rangers have hit February with little momentum going into the Olympic break, save for a victory Sunday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Should the Rangers win tonight in Los Angeles, then the fans who drink blue Kool-Aid will say all is well, we are back in the race.

Stan Fischler is one who thinks Go, OJ, Go will thrive this season in Manhattan and decide to stay at MSG 4.0 for another season. (I see that Stan has discovered the new mix of Kool-Aid being served as Orange Drink at the Nedick's stand at Penn Station.)

Maybe so, but OJ is not answer to winning the Cup. Darryl Sutter tried that move in Calgary. Didn't work. And after watching his Flames go down meekly at home last night against the Philadelphia Flyers, he may see a few more moves that need to be made.

And now for a team that will truly not be printing Stanley Cup finals tickets. Yes, that's you, Toronto. But Brian Burke is smiling today. He is living off the glow of the trade for Dion Phaneuf, and Puck Daddy reports that if all goes well, the Maple Leafs will be printing money as we speak.

Somethings never change in Toronto.

Losing at the rink. Winning at the bank. So you cannot turn the thumb down on Burke today in Toronto. But someone has to feel some heat. That mean's you, Ron Wilson.

Folks in the Lounge, we introduce you to Damien Cox of the Toronto Star. He sets the bar high for Wilson, who has not been able to win so far with what could be described as the best and the brightest from the Island of Misfit Toys.

Cox, you see, says Wilson is in trouble and needs to win in Vancouver during the Olympics. Yes, you heard Cox right. Wilson needs the United States, they of the smallish forwards, banged up defense and Tim Thomas or Ryan Miller as your starter in net, to produce a medal.

OK, have you seen the Bruins' Thomas lately? Strike 1.



Did you see Sidney Crosby have his way with the Sabres' Miller last night? Strike 2.

Now I think the world of Jonathan Quick, who is the third goaltender on Team USA, but if the Rangers -- with Go, OJ, Go -- torch the Kings goalie tonight, then it's time to prepare Wilson for the worst that the Toronto news media has to offer.

Cox has set the bar pretty high. For a hanging, perhaps?

After The Jinx, There's Nothing Left to Lose

I know I have no control over things thousands of miles away, but I do believe in the jinx. With respect, I call it The Jinx.

The Jinx became a part of my life as a child. My father and I were around the TV watching the Denver Broncos play the much despised Oakland Raiders. The Broncos were ahead by 3 points, but the Raiders were driving. On a third-and-long situation, the Raiders looked to be done.

About that time, my mother came down the stairs with a snack for my father and I. She heard only the announcer describe the pass that somehow found a Raiders receiver in the right spot to pick up a first down. "Yay, they did it," my mother yelled. Cold stares made her retreat back up the stairs. She realized her error and did not come back. The Raiders would score and never look back.

That was the first visit of The Jinx, which comes with many rules.

The Jinx dictates that for some big games, you watch them on tape rather than live. When you do, the Jinx requires that you be somewhat obsessive-compulsive, checking to see that the tape machine is plugged in, has a tape in it, has the timer set, is running, is still running approximately 10 minutes, 30 minutes 40 minutes, etc., until the game is supposed to be over.

The Jinx stipulates that you DO NOT turn on the TV to see what the score is until you believe the game is over.

To avoid all the anxiety about checking the machine and/or turning on the TV to sneak a peek of the score, I went out to a movie, "Up in the Air," a feel-good movie where George Clooney is the master of putting toe tags on people's careers. After that inspirational film, I came back ready to watch the gold medal game at the World Junior Championship in Saskatoon. On tape.

Like I said, many miles away from me here in New York. No control over anything out there.

Came home, walked into the Bunker and lost my head. I grabbed the remote control and fired up the set. I saw that with a few minutes remaining, the United States had a one-goal lead over Canada.

Groan. Acting as if I were Linus, who feared that he had run afoul of the Great Pumpkin, I quickly tried to patch things up by turning off the TV. I grabbed Pablo the Hockey Pug and took him outside for a short stroll on the deck. (He had to go anyway, so I figured this kind gesture would put me back in good standing with The Jinx.)

Came back inside with Pablo a few minutes later and checked back on the game. Score tied after regulation. Overtime.

Having been visited by the Jinx, I figured that it had better things to do than watch the overtime period with me. I was right. Pablo and I greeted the new under-20 champions with a brief yelp -- his more of a weak bark -- as the United States defeated Canada, 6-5, in overtime.

If I were covering the game, I would have watched in real time. The Jinx has no problem with that, although it did send a representative to my house a few years ago during a WJC semifinal that I was covering off the TV set. A squirrel outside snacked on my cable, giving me TV reception problems that would last until the little beast finished off the job the next year.

Here, in better detail, are video clips from TSN. The first one covers the game and the second clip is Bob McKenzie of TSN looking at what he considers the game's turning point. For those interested, this clip from TSN looks at the bronze medal game, which Sweden won with an 11-4 decision over Switzerland.

As for the game on tape? No squirrels. No Jinx. Just hockey. You gotta like that.

THE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Toronto 3, Florida 2
At New Jersey 4, Dallas 0
At Washington 4, Montreal 2
Boston 4, at Ottawa 1
At Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 2
Calgary 3, at Nashville 1
At Chicago 4, Minnesota 1
Phoenix 5, at Edmonton 4 OT
At Vancouver 7, Columbus 3
At Anaheim 4, Detroit 1
The standings are here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Milwaukee 3, at Lake Erie 2 SO
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Moncton 7, Val-d'Or4
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Everett 5, at Kamloops 3
Saskatoon 5, at Spokane 4
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Fargo 3, Sioux City 2 SO
The standings are here.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
(at Saskatoon)
Gold Medal
United States 6, Canada 5 OT
The recap is here.
Bronze Medal
Sweden 11, Switzerland 4
The recap is here.
Final standings and statistics are here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.
Tournament MVP
Jordan Eberle, Canada
Best Goaltender
Benjamin Conz, Switzerland
Best Forward
Jordan Eberle, Canada
Best Defenseman
Alex Pietrangelo, Canada
Tournament All-Star Team
F -- Jordan Eberle, Canada
F -- Derek Stepan, United States
F -- Nino Niederreiter, Switzerland
D -- Alex Pietrangelo, Canada
D -- John Carlson, United States
G -- Benjamin Conz, Switzerland

Is Go Juice Approved for the Olympics?

A can of Coca-Cola mixed with a two shots of espresso or a bottle of Starbucks mocha frappuchino acts like EMT flat paddles on the chest -- a nice jump-start on a cold day. Or the morning after staying up late to watch Vancouver at Phoenix and Minnesota at Anaheim.

I call it Go Juice.

As we get closer to the Winter Games in Vancouver, I have to ask whether this is a legal boost for East Coast viewers of the Olympics.

Everything from Nagano in 1998 seemed to be late, and I was living on the West Coast. I spent one of the Olympic weeks in Kauai, where seemingly all of the Olympic action was broadcast on tape delay as well.

Want to see the big Olympic hockey games? Back then, you had to wait until after "Late Night with David Letterman" -- HAWAII TIME -- before the game would begin. Not a happy experience.

I hope for better this February, but I do have my Go Juice ready for the long haul.

Fresh from TSN and CTV, here is what Team Canada will look like in Vancouver. Over at Puck Daddy, you can find the rosters for Finland and the Czech Republic.

From the Rink has the rosters for Germany and Switzerland. Also there are the rosters for Latvia, Norway and Slovakia.

And now, on to the scoreboard.

THE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Buffalo 4, Pittsburgh 3
At N.Y. Islanders 2, Columbus 1 SO
Nashville 4, at St. Louis 3
At Dallas 5, Chicago 4
At Phoenix 3, Vancouver 2 SO
At Anaheim 4, Minnesota 2
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Peoria 5, at Lake Erie 3
Providence 3, at Springfield 2 OT
At Worcester 5, Manchester 2
Hershey 5, at Norfolk 3
At Milwaukee 7, Rockford 1
Syracuse 4, at Texas 3 SO
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida 4, at Gwinnett 1
Elmira 7, at Reading 1
At Stockton 5, Bakersfield 1
At Las Vegas 3, Idaho 1
The standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Cape Breton 6, Halifax 0
At Saint John 5, Prince Edward Island 2
Baie-Comeau 5, at Chicoutimi 4
Moncton 4, at Acadie-Bathurst 3
At Val-d'Or 2, Rouyn-Noranda 1
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
London 4, at Guelph 2
Erie 4, at Saginaw 1
Barrie 7, at Kitchener 4
At Ottawa 4, Belleville 2
Plymouth 5, at Sarnia 2
At Sudbury 4, Sault Ste. Marie 2
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Moose Jaw 6, Prince Albert 3
At Calgary 4, Regina 3
Lethbridge 2, at Edmonton 1 SO
At Kootenay 5, Red Deer 4 SO
At Chilliwack 6, Prince George 1
At Portland 4, Spokane 3
At Tri-City 1, Everett 0
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Youngstown 4, Waterloo 3
The standings are here.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Group A (at Saskatoon)
United States 12, Latvia 1
Canada 8, Slovakia 2
The recaps are here.

Group B (at Regina)
Czech Republic 7, Austria 1
Sweden 4, Russia 1
The recaps are here and here.
The standings and statistics are here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

Canada and US Name WJC Camp Rosters

Candidates have been identified, advancing the process of selecting the rosters of Team Canada and Team USA for the 2010 World Junior Championship tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Saskatchewan.

Canada, which won the gold medal in the 2009 tournament, has asked seven players from that team to attend camp, which begins Dec. 12 in Regina. Hockey Canada says the organization is not ruling out making additions to this list before the start of camp.

The QMJHL, OHL and WHL are contributing the bulk of the candidates, with players also coming from the National Hockey League and the college ranks in the United States.

Hockey Canada said that the St. Louis Blues have agreed to loan the defenseman Alex Pietrangelo for the tryout camp and the tournament. Canada's three candidates from the college ranks are Dylan Olsen (Minnesota-Duluth), Patrick Wiercioch (Denver) and Louis Leblanc (Harvard).

Returning for another shot at gold are Ryan Ellis (defenseman, Windsor, OHL), Colten Teubert (defenseman, Regina, WHL), Patrice Cormier (forward, Rimouski, QMJHL), Stefan Della Rovere (Barrie, OHL), Jordan Eberle (forward, Regina, WHL), Cody Hodgson (forward, Brampton, OHL) and Pietrangelo.

The United States, which finished fifth in the 2009 tournament, has three candidates on the roster back for another shot at a medal. The roster has 15 candidates from the collegiate ranks, with one player, the defenseman John Carlson, coming from the American Hockey League and the rest from the junior ranks, both in the United States and in Canada.

The returnees are Tyler Johnson (forward, Spokane, WHL), Danny Kristo (forward, North Dakota, WCHA) and Jordan Schroeder (forward, Minnesota, WCHA). Schroeder also was member of Team USA in the 2008 tournament.

Team USA will conduct its camp a three-day camp beginning Dec. 17 in Grand Forks, N.D.

Both teams have exhibition games slated before the tournament begins with games in Saskatoon and Regina.

The full rosters of those who will attend tryout camps this month can be found after the regular roundups, notes and stats of the top junior leagues in North America.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Moncton 2, Lewiston 1
At Acadie-Bathurst 5, Gatineau 4 SO
The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, Rouyn-Noranda left wing Philippe Cornet was selected as the CHL player of the week.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
No games scheduled.
The standings are here.

In league notes, Kitchener goaltender Mavric Parks has been selected as CHL goaltender of the week. Peterborough center Ryan Spooner was selected as the OHL player of the week.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Swift Current 6, at Moose Jaw 4
Lethbridge 3, at Medicine Hat 1
Kootenay 7, at Chilliwack 2
The roundup is here and the standings are here.

In league notes, Seattle has traded a 2010 draft pick to Calgary for defenseman Erik Bonsor.

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

The weekly notebook compiled by the league is here. Waterloo's Brock Montpetit, Dan Sova and C.J. Motte were selected as the top performers for the week. The full release is here.

TEAM USA CAMP ROSTER
Goaltenders
Jack Campbell -- U.S. Development Program (USHL)
Mike Lee -- St. Cloud State (WCHA)
Defensemen
John Carlson -- Hershey (AHL)
Matt Donovan -- Denver (WCHA)
Justin Faulk -- U.S. Development Program (USHL)
Cam Fowler -- Windsor (OHL)
Jake Gardiner -- Wisconsin (WCHA)
Brian Lashoff -- Kingston (OHL)
Jon Merrill -- U.S. Development Program (USHL)
John Moore -- Kitchener (OHL)
Max Nicastro -- Boston University (Hockey East)
John Ramage -- Wisconsin (WCHA)
David Warsofsky -- Boston University (Hockey East)
Forwards
Ryan Bourque -- Quebec (QMJHL)
Chris Brown -- Michigan (CCHA)
Jerry D'Amigo -- Rensselaer (ECAC)
A.J. Jenks -- Plymouth (OHL)
Tyler Johnson -- Spokane (WHL)
Chris Kreider -- Boston College (Hockey East)
Danny Kristo -- North Dakota (WCHA)
Philip McRae -- London (OHL)
Jeremy Morin -- Kitchener (OHL)
Kyle Palmieri -- Notre Dame (CCHA)
Vinny Saponari -- Boston University (Hockey East)
Jordan Schroeder -- Minnesota (WCHA)
Derek Stepan -- Wisconsin (WCHA)
Luke Walker -- Portland (WHL)
David Wohlberg -- Michigan (CCHA)
Jason Zucker -- U.S. Development Program (USHL)

TEAM CANADA CAMP ROSTER
Goaltenders
Jake Allen -- Montreal (QMJHL)
Matt Hackett -- Plymouth (OHL)
Martin Jones -- Calgary (WHL)
Olivier Roy -- Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Defensemen
Jared Cowen -- Spokane (WHL)
Calvin de Haan -- Oshawa (OHL)
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Ryan Ellis -- Windsor (OHL)
Brandon Gormley -- Moncton (QMJHL)
Travis Harmonic -- Moose Jaw (WHL)
Shawn Lalonde -- Belleville (OHL)
Dylan Olsen -- Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
Alex Pietrangelo -- St. Louis (NHL)
Marco Scandella -- Val-d'Or (QMJHL)
Colten Teubert -- Regina (WHL)
Patrick Wiercioch -- Denver (WCHA)
Forwards
Luke Adam -- Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Gabriel Bourque -- Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Jordan Caron -- Rimouski (QMJHL)
Patrice Cormier -- Rimouski (QMJHL)
Philippe Cornet -- Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Stefan Della Rovere -- Barrie (OHL)
Cody Eakin -- Swift Current (WHL)
Jordan Eberle -- Regina (WHL)
Scott Glennie -- Brandon (WHL)
Taylor Hall -- Windsor (OHL)
Adam Henrique -- Windsor (OHL)
Cody Hodgson -- Brampton (OHL)
Nazem Kadri -- London (OHL)
Brandon Kozun -- Calgary (WHL)
Louis Leblanc -- Harvard (ECAC)
John McFarland -- Sudbury (OHL)
Brandon McMillan -- Kelowna (WHL)
Greg Nemisz -- Windsor (OHL)
Brayden Schenn -- Brandon (WHL)
Tyler Seguin -- Plymouth (OHL)