Day Three

With Team Canada winning convincingly over the Czech Republic 7-2, and Team USA beating Slovakia 6-1 during today's tournament, many fans are hoping for rematch of last year's gold medal game. The USA looks to defend their gold medal and Canada looks to take home their 16th gold medal. With the way these two teams have been playing, a rematch may very well be in the cards.

Finland notched their first win of the tournament after shutting out Switzerland 4-0, and Sweden also blanked Russia 2-0 at Dwyer Arena in Niagara Falls.

After checking out the festivities at the arena, I headed over to Encore for a late dinner. If fans are looking for a place to eat and drink before or after a game, Encore is the place to go! Located in Buffalo's theatre/entertainment district, this is one of the city's trendiest spots to eat dinner or to have a drink or two. Encore serves up some delicious contemporary dishes such as lobster pot pie, strip steaks, and pastas. Their bar menu consists of tried and true favorites such as steak sandwiches and chicken wings, and even poutine for all you Canadians! Encore also has a sushi bar and serves up fresh and tasty rolls ranging from the classic spicy tuna roll to a unique spin on Buffalo's most famous dish, the chicken wing roll!


Sushi I ordered at Encore.

After dinner hours, Encore turns into one of Buffalo's most fun and entertaining bars. This 2-floor building can accommodate plenty, and believe me, it's always a party when you spend the night at Encore!


Encore

With Encore located minutes from the arena and from several hotels downtown, it certainly is a place that should be on many fans' radar!

Where To Go: Local Hotspots

For the fans coming in from out of town for the tournament, many fans may not be familiar with the Buffalo area and the places to check out between games. Today I'm going to cover some of Buffalo's best areas to go to eat, shop, and enjoy the nightlife after games. Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect from me today:

The Elmwood Village - Recently rated one of the "Top 10 Best Neighborhoods in America", this neighborhood has it all: Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, art galleries, shopping boutiques... There's no need to take the drive to the mall when the Elmwood Village is just a short drive from the arena!

Allentown - Located near the Elmwood Village. A smaller, more "bohemian" area with plenty of restaurants, bars, and unique shops and boutiques. Here you'll find some of Buffalo's greatest restaurants and unique shops that you won't find anywhere else!

Chippewa - Where last call is 4 a.m. Buffalo's most popular entertainment district is just minutes from the HSBC Arena. The Chippewa strip is packed with bars and nightclubs where there is something for everyone. Don't forget to venture on Chippewa's side streets like Franklin and Pearl where more bars and clubs await!

Later I'll go more in depth about each area and I'll share where my favorite places to shop are and what restaurants are the best places to eat, so stay tuned!

Slovakia vs. USA

Team USA hopes to repeat Sunday night’s success on home soil tonight as they challenge Team Slovakia in their second game of the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship. The two teams are tied for second place in the Group A division with 2 points each.

USA won their first game of the tournament on Sunday when Nick Bjugstad scored a power-play goal three minutes into overtime to give the Americans a 3-2 win over Finland. Goaltender Jack Campbell was a key asset to the victory, stopping 28 shots to help secure their first preliminary game.

Slovakia is also 1-0 in the tournament as they defeated Germany 2-1 last night in overtime at the HSBC Arena. Marek Hrivik notched the overtime goal past German goaltender Philipp Grubauer for two essential points in the Group A division.

For the full game preview, click here.

Russia vs. Sweden

Team Sweden (1-0) looks to build off a dominating opening win as they take the ice against Team Russia (0-1) tonight.  The Russians will try to bounce back with a strong effort after dropping their first game of the tournament.  The contest is expected to be a fast-paced affair between two tremendously talented lineups. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM at Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena.

Sweden enters tonight’s action after defeating Norway 7-1 in their first game.  The Swedes were led by their forward line of Anton Lander, Patrick Cehlin, and Gabriel Landeskog, as the trio combined for 7 points.  Twelve different players recorded at least one point for the team and goaltender Fredrik Petersson Wentzel stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced. 

For the full game preview, click here.

Czech Republic vs. Canada

Team Canada and Team Czech Republic both look for their second win of the tournament to secure three key points in today’s 4 PM contest at the HSBC Arena.

After two days of preliminary play, Canada (1-0) is tied with Sweden (1-0) and the Czech Republic for first place in the Group B division with three points after defeating Russia 6-3 on Dec. 26. Team Czech Republic completes the three-way tie with a 2-0 victory over Norway last night.

Russia scored first in Canada’s opening game, but Marcus Foligno notched a power-play goal before the end of the first period to tie the game at one heading into the second. The second period yielded back-and-forth play as neither team held the lead for more than five minutes. Tied at 3 to start the third period, Canada added three unanswered goals to secure the win. Two of Team Canada’s three goals in the final period were scored on the power play as the Canadians went 3 for 6 on power-play opportunities.

For the complete game preview, click here.

Finland vs. Switzerland

While Sunday night held two different outcomes for Team Switzerland (1-0-0) and Team Finland (0-0-1), the two will face each other for the first time in three years on Tuesday afternoon, both looking for another win.

Team Switzerland is looking for another win after they defeated Germany in a 4-3 decision, where they scored a quick four goals in the opening period. Star left winger Nino Neiderreiter helped Switzerland take control after they capitalized on three power play goals. Neiderreiter had a goal and an assist in the match.

For the full game preview, click here.

Day Two

With only two games taking place today, Day Two was slightly quieter than yesterday's festivities. Still, fans attending the Germany-Slovakia game gathered in the lodge before heading inside the HSBC Arena to see the two teams take the ice.


Fans inside the lodge before the Germany-Slovakia game.


Fans watching the game in the lodge.



Fans entering in the arena entering the Germany-Slovakia game.

Inside the arena, fans can shop in the Sabres Store, where there is a wide selection of Buffalo Sabres and other NHL memorabilia available for purchase. The store is also stocked with plenty of IIHF World Junior merchandise to go along with the tournament. Fans can pick up jerseys of their favorite teams as well as national gear such as scarves, hats and flags to show off their national pride.


Team Canada gear.



Team USA gear.


2011 IIHF World Junior Championship jersey.


International gear.

If you're attending any of the games at the HSBC Arena, be sure to stop in the Sabres Store which is located in the west end of the arena's pavillion.

What To Do: Hockey TowneUSA Fan Fest

For visitors looking for something fun to do for the whole family, Hockey TowneUSA Fan Fest at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is the perfect place to go.




Today fans had the chance to meet René Robert, Gilbert Perreault, and Rick Martin who were members of the French Connection, one of the most famous and talented scoring lines in the NHL.


The French Connection

Michael Blabac and Adam Page of the 2010 USA Paralympic sled hockey team were also signing autographs for fans. Blabac and Page won the gold medal in the Paralympics held in Vancouver last March and are both from the area.


Adam Page and Michael Blabac.

In addition to autograph signings, fans in attendance were able to participate in the popular bubble hockey tournament were fans had the chance to play against members of the French Connection, enjoy live music, enter a contest to win an ice rink for their backyard, and eat popular Buffalo dishes like chicken wings and beef on weck.


Bubble hockey competition


Young fans playing an interactive shooting game.


La Nova wings stand

For only $5 admission (children 12 and under entering with an adult are free), it makes for a fun day out for the entire family. The event goes until December 29th and is just minutes away from the HSBC Arena.

What To Do

With people from all over the world gathering in Buffalo for the tournament, some people are looking for things to do in the area between games or whenever they have some down time. I'm heading over to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center to check out the Hockey TowneUSA event where today the French Connection will be signing autographs.

In the meantime, another great place to visit is the Forty: The Sabres in the NHL exhibit at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.



The exhibit commemorates the team's 40 years in the National Hockey League with hundreds of photographs taken from 1970 to 2010. There are also video reels that highlights certain aspects of the game such as fights, goaltending, and the fans.










One of the coolest parts of the exhibit is the "NHL in 360" feature which gives viewers the perspective of playing in an NHL game. Cameras were strapped on the helmets of skaters, goalies, and fans up against the glass to give viewers every perspective and angle of the live action of a hockey game.

The exhibit is a must-see for any hockey fan, and from January 2nd-5th the Stanley Cup (the Cup is only on display on the 2nd and 3rd) and other Hall of Fame trophies will be on display to coincide with the exhibit and the World Juniors.

Be sure to check back later where I'll have a recap of my time spent at the Hockey TowneUSA convention as well as some updates of the festivities going on at the arena when Germany takes on Slovakia at 7 p.m.!

Germany vs. Slovakia

Team Slovakia will make their 2011 World Juniors tournament debut tonight playing host to Team Germany at the HSBC Arena.

Slovakia starts this year’s tournament with a strong defensive unit that includes: Martin Marincin and Adam Janosik. Stefan Mikes will coach Slovakia for the fourth straight year.

Last year proved to be a tough tournament for Slovakia as they dropped three out of their four preliminary games, eliminating them from the tournament playoffs.  The last time Slovakia won a medal was in 1999 when they defeated Team Sweden to earn a Bronze medal.

For the full game preview, click here.