tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799Mon, 19 May 2025 01:16:14 +0000National Hockey LeagueQMJHLWHLOHLAHLECHLUSHLCHLKHLStanley Cup playoffsNCAA hockeyWorld ChampionshipsAtlantic HockeyHockey EastMemorial CupNHLAHL playoffsWCHACCHAECACECHL playoffsChicago BlackhawksOHL playoffsOlympic men's tournamentUSHL playoffsStanley Cup finalsWHL playoffstrade deadlineQMJHL playoffsJunior HockeyNew York RangersAnaheim DucksLos Angeles KingsNCAAPhiladelphia FlyersVancouver CanucksIndependentsBoston BruinsCollege Hockey AmericaTeam CanadahockeyRussian SelectsCarolina HurricanesMontreal CanadiensAtlanta ThrashersMinnesota boys state high school hockey tournamentNBCNHL draftNew Jersey DevilsSuper SeriesCalgary FlamesCenter IcePhoenix CoyotesToronto Maple LeafsWJCWashington CapitalsNew York IslandersTeam USACalder Cup finalsFlorida PanthersOlympicsWorld Junior ChampionshipsAmerican Hockey LeagueCBCColorado AvalancheDynamo MoscowEdmonton OilersGagarin Cup finalsGame Center LiveHershey BearsNCAA Division I men's tournamentNHL NetworkTSNTeam RussiaTexas StarsAvangard Omsk OblastNHL lockoutNHLPASportsnetSt. Louis BluesTampa Bay LightningBuffalo SabresColumbus Blue JacketsMajor League BaseballMinnesota boys state high school hockeyNBC Sports ChannelOttawa SenatorsPittsburgh PenguinsQMJHL SelectsSan Jose SharksWestern Hockey LeagueWinter ClassicAHL ECHLCNBCCalder Cup playoffsDetroit Red WingsJohn TortorellaKingsMichael LiambasMike MilburyNonconferenceOHL SelectsOntario Hockey LeaguePatrice CormierQuebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueRed WingsRyan GetzlafTwitterWHL SelectsWorld Junior Championshipplayers of the weekBeanpot tournamentBob GaineyCzech ExtraligaDallas StarsDavid ShoaltsDodger StadiumDon CherryElitserienEuropeGermanyHNiCHartford WhalersHarvardHeritage ClassicHockey Night in CanadaIHLIlya KovalchukJunior BrownMSG PlusMSNBCMichiganMichigan StateMinnesota WildNHL GameCenter LiveNHL LiveNashville PredatorsPablo the Hockey PugQMHJHLQuebec CityRoberto LuongoRod Brind'AmourSmythe DivisionSun BeltTeam Czech RepublicTeam SlovakiaThe Globe and MailUSA NetworkUnited States Hockey LeagueVersusVersus HDWisconsinWorld Cup of Hockeybeveragesblindside hits to the headexpansionfoodhead shotsplayoffstop prospects game.tradesAdams DivisionAlabama-HuntsvilleAlbuquerqueAll-Access: Quest for the Stanley CupAnimal HouseAnn PeeblesAnssi SalmellaAnze KopitarArizona CoyotesAtlanta GladiatorsAvangardBeanpotBethel WoodsBig TenBiosteel CupBluesBob ColeBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBradford StullBrannock DeviceBrass BonanzaBrian BurkeBruce GarriochBudweiser Red LightCJHLCSNYCTVCampbell ConferenceCanadaCanadian Hockey LeagueCancerCanucksCartoonsCenter Ice.Charles S. PierceChavez RavineChicago Blackhawks.Chris CheliosChris DruryCity and ColourCoach's CornerColin CampbellColorado Avalanche.DELDa Beauty LeagueDaniel CarcilloDanny O'KeefeDany HeatleyDeltasDenver PioneersDenver SpursDevilsDon WaddellDonovanECAC HockeyESPN the WebsiteEd ShermanElvis CostelloEvgeni NabokovExtra InningsFinnish SM-liigaFlyersFootballFox Sports DetroitFrank Pepe'sFrontierGagarin CupGilbert PerreaultGoo Goo DollsGordon LightfootHDHockey Day MinnesotaHockey Day in AmericaHockey Day in CanadaHockey Hall of FameHockey ProspectusHockeyAllsvenskanHotstoveHoustonIvan Hlinka tournamentJanis JoplinJeff CarterJimmy PageJimmy WebbJoe Louis ArenaKenny The Rat LinsemanKristen BellLNAHLarry BrooksLiving ColourLos AngelesLos BravosLounge jukeboxMSGMSG-PlusMadison Square GardenMarian GaborikMartin BrodeurMassachusetts College of Art and DesignMike RichardsMordecai RichlerNBC Sports NetworkNBCSNNCHCNESNNFLNHL standingsNHL trading deadlineNHL.comNHL.tvNYNational Hocke LeagueNational Hockey League.National League ANeil YoungNew England prep hockeyNew PornographersNew York CityNew York PostNicklebackNikki YanofskyNorm MacdonaldNorris DivisionNorth Dakota Fighting SiouxNortheasternOlli JokinenOmegasPatrick DivisionPaul KariyaPearl JamPetunia PuckPitttsburgh PenguinsPortland BuckaroosPredatorsPrince of Wales ConferencePuck DaddyRDSRadio 3RangersRockaway BeachRosebud LoungeRyan MillerSCTVSM-liigaSalt Lake CitySantanaSean AverySelects SeriesSenatorsSharksSherman ReportShowtimeSlingTVSlovak ExtraligaSnoopySouthern CaliforniaSpotifyStadium SeriesStanley CupStanley Cup replicaSteve YzermanStevie Ray VaughnSummit SeriesSuper BowlTVATeam BelarusTeam Canada TwitterTeam FinlandTeam GermanyTeam SwedenThe ByrdsThe HootersThe ScoreToday showTom Cochrane and Red RiderUSA Development ProgramUSHL.USJHLVVeronicaVityazWarren ZevonWayne GretzkyWest Coast travelWestern Conference FinalsWhalersWichita LinemanWinnipegWinnipeg JetsWoodstockWorld Hockey AssociationXTCYaleYardbirdsZiggy Palffyback painbeerblogsbrawlbroadcast rightscable TVcheesesteakscoffeecrimeeconomicsfightinggoaltendinghockey analyticsjournalismjuke boxlabor accordlayoffsmusicoffice turmoiloutdoor gamesoutdoor hockeypodcastsprospectsradioschedule matrixsnowsong lyricssummersuspensionstable hockeytelevisiontelevsion ratingstiestop prospects gametrade deadline.East meets West, food is being served, adult beverages are flowing and the big screen is set on hockey when the jukebox is not roaring in the corner.http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/noreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)Blogger736125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-1417512380931308000Fri, 20 Sep 2024 18:59:00 +00002024-09-20T16:40:20.638-04:00 Saying goodbye to my good friend, Jax the Lucky Dog, who left us at 1:10 a.m. Eastern on Sept. 20.He was at my feet for every hockey game, that is, when he was not beside me on the couch trying to gain possession of some popcorn in the bowl. Jax was quite a forechecker in that regard. And he was great when I needed some consolation for a loss, an illness or a misjudgment. No questions from http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2024/09/a-wake-for-jax.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-2639777013300065989Thu, 14 Jan 2021 17:54:00 +00002021-01-14T16:42:22.589-05:00CanadaNHLSportsnetTSNA few years ago, it was perhaps Dmitri Filipovic of the Hockey PDOcast, Travis Yost of TSN or  Dom Luszczysyn, then of The Hockey News and now of The Athletic, who led the call for the NHL be more like the NBA.  (That's Dom Loose-CHIZ-in, for those of you who are interested in saying the name close to correctly.)Sell the players, not the teams, as the attraction. To be a big time sport,http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2021/01/the-dangers-of-nationalism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-2581196634357889784Wed, 13 Jan 2021 21:37:00 +00002021-01-13T16:38:08.462-05:00NBCSNNHLSportsnetTVA Yes, in almost one hour, the NHL returns for the 2021 dash for the Stanley Cup.I'm not sure who is excited more? Could it be me, or Mrs. Stereo Lounge, who has had to endure me staring at the calendar ever since the end of the 2020 Cup final?Probably her, as I have been a real pain without hockey. But no more. The Lounge will have all three games from NBCSN tonight. Tomorrow morning, the http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2021/01/pour-me-one-for-new-season.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-8434724216028064368Wed, 19 Aug 2020 17:58:00 +00002020-08-19T13:58:33.201-04:00AHL ECHLCHLKHLOHLQMJHLUSHLWHLThe USHL has announced that it is planning to open the regular season on Nov. 6. The USHL was the last of the for major junior leagues in North America to give a target starting date.The QMJHL is looking to open the season on Oct. 1, while the OHL has marked Dec. 1 on its calendar and the WHL has Dec. 4 as its starting date. Both the AHL and the ECHL plan to begin on Dec. 4 as well.In Europe, thehttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2020/08/updated-start-dates-for-2021-season.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3288853066959210183Wed, 19 Aug 2020 17:02:00 +00002020-08-19T14:21:52.571-04:00National Hockey LeagueStanley Cup playoffsVeteran patrons of the Lounge, and those who are familiar with the proprietor, know how much I hate summer. Nothing to do but endure the heat until the cool breezes of September and October return. But this year, there has been one positive development in a year of calamity.Summer hockey is here. I still cannot believe that the Stanley Cup tournament is on. I hope it can play out to the end http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2020/08/daytime-hockey-served-here.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-4221543478936696107Fri, 19 May 2017 16:41:00 +00002017-05-19T12:50:38.701-04:00All-Access: Quest for the Stanley CupCHLMemorial CupNHL.tvOHLQMHJHLShowtimeSlingTVStanley Cup playoffsWHLO.K., perhaps the headline is overselling it a bit, but not much. We have, starting at 7 pm Eastern, the Showtime special "All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup." The Lounge will have that stream via the Showtime app on the Roku stick. At the same time, I will have a screen in the Lounge dedicated to the opening night of the Memorial Cup, the championship tournament for major junior hockey. http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2017/05/best-night-of-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3009361763386731322Thu, 13 Apr 2017 02:07:00 +00002017-04-12T22:07:11.243-04:00NHLStanley Cup playoffsOpening night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Lounge is better than Christmas morning or my birthday. Nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd in Montreal to start the spring and summer tournament. That said, Tanner Glass helped suck the life out of the Bell Centre as the Rangers came away with a 2-0 victory, but those are minor points for me. My Los Angeles Kings are doing the walk of http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2017/04/stanley-cup-playoffs-finally-begin.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-775493355640477702Sat, 04 Feb 2017 19:13:00 +00002017-02-04T14:13:34.487-05:00Arizona CoyotesAtlanta GladiatorsAtlanta ThrashersbeerCarolina HurricanesfoodHoustonJoe Louis ArenaMontreal CanadiensNew Jersey DevilsNew York IslandersNHLQuebec CitySalt Lake City A full menu of items to talk about and a fresh shipment of Labatt's Blue in the commemorative Goodbye to the Joe cans is here in the Lounge thanks to the good patron Wayne from Port Huron, who likes to bring in all things Michigan when he returns to New York after a visit to his parents' home in The Thumb. Nothing like having good friends to feed your hockey memorabilia tastes and have the http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2017/02/talking-hockey-and-land-grabs-over-beer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-245315501214936472Thu, 08 Sep 2016 15:03:00 +00002016-09-08T13:38:47.463-04:00KHLWorld Cup of Hockey World Cup of Hockey exhibitions are on tap in the Lounge. OK, it is exhibition hockey, but these games will have the top players in the world, so I am going to give this round of action the Lounge's Full Pour of Approval. Sweden plays Finland at noon Eastern and the Czechs and Russians play at 12:30 pm Eastern. Both games are available online on ESPN3/WatchESPN app/THE INTERNET DAMMIT. If youhttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2016/09/hockey-games-today-your-welcome_85.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-5225929697368034620Tue, 30 Aug 2016 19:49:00 +00002016-08-30T15:49:44.183-04:00CHLMinnesota boys state high school hockeyNCAA hockeyNHLOHLQMJHLUSHLWHLWorld Cup of Hockey The NHL and World Cup of Hockey previews are rolling in, most trying to sound notes of optimism and pessimism, just to keep you honest. I decided to fire up a little Reignwolf to provide a soundtrack to the dying days of August, giving me the right chill to move into September and the start of hockey in North America. The Western Hockey League begin exhibition play tonight, with Swift Currenthttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2016/08/getting-lounge-game-ready_30.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-6871049119879453228Thu, 25 Aug 2016 16:21:00 +00002016-08-25T12:21:03.066-04:00Biosteel CupDa Beauty LeagueNHL Keeping with the theme of the little games that get everyone ready for the games that count during the season, the Lounge has the Web on the big screen watching the Biosteel Cup 4-on-4 tournament, which is being streamed live on Sportsnet.ca. Plenty of NHLers as well as NHL hopefuls taking part in this event, which is a little more established than the much loved Da Beauty League (above), http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2016/08/biosteel-cup-is-being-streamed-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-2959658659529489374Wed, 24 Aug 2016 16:37:00 +00002016-08-24T12:45:20.492-04:00CHLIvan Hlinka tournamentKHLUSA Development ProgramWorld Junior Championship There is nothing like the end of August to get me out of the funk that summer brings. I've said it before and will continue to state this, summer is nothing but an endless serving of warm, stale beer. The city reeks of piss, sweat, rotting food and overperfumed tourists. And if that isn't enough to make you crawl into a hole for awhile, here comes two weeks of swimming, gymnastics complete http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2016/08/hockey-returns-about-time_24.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-8042514654902675435Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:06:00 +00002016-08-26T12:01:09.062-04:00NHLNHL NetworkThe ScoreTSNWorld Junior ChampionshipsIf you have the NHL Network in the United States, get your TV tuned to it for the World Junior Championships, which are taking place in Finland this holiday season. The United States opened on Saturday with a 4-2 victory over Canada in pool play. This morning, Sweden blanked the Americans, 1-0, to take the lead in Group A with a 2-0-0-0 record. (Yes, you will see in the standings that all of http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/12/playing-right-now-wjc-2016.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-8740868042038421241Wed, 23 Dec 2015 18:36:00 +00002015-12-23T15:14:22.680-05:00Anaheim DucksFlorida PanthersNew York RangersNHLtiesVancouver Canucks "I was trying to do my best because I was caught out of position." The quote of the day, via The Orange County Register, comes from the lips of Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, who was called for holding the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh in overtime Tuesday night. Given the extra skater, the Rangers won the game with a power-play goal by Mats Zuccarello, 3-2. A nice gift by the overgenerous Anaheim squadhttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/12/i-was-trying-to-do-my-best-because-i.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3382118916027619607Tue, 22 Dec 2015 21:01:00 +00002015-12-22T16:06:55.265-05:00CHLNCAA hockeyNHLpodcastsUSHL Got up early, for a change, a few Saturdays ago. Needed to do some things and thought I might put sports radio on for my drive around the greater New York area. What was on the radio? Giant/Jets predictions, for starters, followed with calls and studio commentary on the Yankees' rotation, the Mets' infield, the Knicks and Rutgers football. Click. I quickly synced my phone to the car radio tohttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/12/my-quick-listening-list-for-hockey.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-4923538266489182592Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:55:00 +00002015-12-22T12:09:17.409-05:00NHLNHL GameCenter Live I'm back behind the bar, so to speak, having finally caught up with the games of this season. Taking an extended trip across southern Europe two weeks into the new NHL season is not the best way to drop the puck. When I left, the Kings had lost their first three games, prompting concerned Lounge patrons to ask in person or write me about the reasons for the deep dive: Darryl Sutter's message http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/12/binge-watching-and-hangovers-in-lounge.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-8771499740720312551Mon, 22 Jun 2015 19:59:00 +00002015-06-22T16:02:47.264-04:00Budweiser Red LightNHL That's right. Your local bartender was treated like a king for Father's Day. My daughters gave me plenty of snacks, clothes and a great BBQ meal. And to top it off, I was the happy recipient of a Budweiser Red Light, which is now available in the United States. It's has been placed in the perfect spot, near the big screen, in the Lounge. The light, which can be synced to the Internet via WiFi,http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/06/the-lounge-adds-touch-of-class.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-4125033878450382813Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:45:00 +00002015-06-16T13:22:46.483-04:00hockey analyticsNHLStanley Cup finals A few second after the final horn sounded last night for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals, I walked to my library and begin to fashion a reading list for the summer. Hockey books, mixed with the fiction, theater and film sections of The New Yorker, will get me to mid-September, when the Canadian junior leagues and the KHL begin regular-season play and the NHL opens training camps. Summer, http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/06/one-season-ends-new-one-begins.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-5324161307035810842Mon, 27 Apr 2015 16:08:00 +00002015-04-27T14:28:28.827-04:00Los Angeles KingsNHLSmythe DivisionStanley Cup playoffsVancouver CanucksCaption Contest time! Mine —> “So this is how a colostomy bag feels.” pic.twitter.com/mq3ZTZOhNQ— Kent Wilson (@Kent_Wilson) April 27, 2015 By now, you and I have lost 12 nights or full days to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not that I am complaining, but things quickly become important the more you push them into the background. Parents' birthdays, Easter, the opening weeks of baseball http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/04/lost-days-and-nights.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-1769732454780984095Thu, 02 Apr 2015 19:05:00 +00002015-04-02T16:07:11.787-04:00NHLNHL standingsSportsnet I've always admired the bartender who would bide his time until the right moment to enter the discussion at the bar and shut the whole thing down. He would stand in the corner, either making the motions of rubbing a poorly rinsed glass or bent over the bar, pencil in hand, marking seemingly random things on the agate pages of the sports section. Then, after having heard enough, he would set http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/04/i-used-to-admire-bartender-who-would.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-7737252107149825786Wed, 01 Apr 2015 16:37:00 +00002015-04-01T12:37:50.654-04:00hockeyNHLStanley Cup playoffs The Lounge is back for the Stanley Cup playoffs. And just to be certain everything is working before the first patron comes in, we showed up a little early, cleaned under the stools, washed some glasses, checked the taps and even made sure the toilets worked. We opened the windows to see what the place looks like in the light of day, and then we closed the blinds to preserve the mood. We like http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2015/04/fresh-paint-for-playoffs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3550427105200227495Thu, 05 Jun 2014 19:46:00 +00002014-06-05T15:46:32.666-04:00Game Center LiveLos Angeles KingsNew York RangersStanley Cup finals A friend walked by Bryant Park this morning, on his way to work amid the rain. All the trappings that made the park Rangertown on Wednesday were packed up overnight. It was just a park this morning, which made it safe for me to walk through it while wearing my ratty Kings hat. It was early enough in the morning that I doubt any hockey fan in the area would have their eyes in the best shape to http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2014/06/its-old-hat-by-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-1899674198081874875Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:07:00 +00002014-06-04T16:07:29.430-04:00Los Angeles KingsNational Hockey LeagueNew York RangersStanley Cup finals I'm keeping my Kings gear under wraps when I am not in the Lounge. I have no need to go walking around Manhattan, looking for someone to want to take a shot at a rather large target like my nose, just because I am wearing a new Kings hat, or my more familiar ratty Kings cap. Last Wednesday night, as I was returning from a play, I was standing in the Times Square station waiting on the http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2014/06/behind-enemy-lines.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3835779815198220587Tue, 03 Jun 2014 19:02:00 +00002014-06-03T15:41:48.436-04:00Bob ColeCBCHNiChockeyNational Hockey League. It is the final free-standing season of Hockey Night in Canada on the CBC. Next season, Rogers and TVA take over the national NHL rights from the CBC, TSN and RDS. HNIC will remain on the CBC for the moment, but it will be Rogers producing the show, calling the shots and collecting all the money for the English side of the contract, while TVA takes the keys from RDS on the French side. So, http://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2014/06/a-free-one-at-bar-for-bob-cole.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151885796423766799.post-3113754915881276970Tue, 03 Jun 2014 18:28:00 +00002014-06-03T15:05:10.405-04:00ESPN the WebsiteHockey ProspectusLos Angeles KingsNational Hockey LeagueNew York RangersStanley Cup finals Too many newspaper columns and features trade in the same tired "here's a good guy and now I'll tell you why" formula that has left me numb. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't mind if my team or yours had on its rosters any number of good, likable guys with fun stories. But these articles tell me nothing about what they will do when the game is on the line. Can you win the faceoff repeatedly? Canhttp://www.vicsstereolounge.com/2014/06/numbers-go-where-words-fear-to-tread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mark Pargas)0