On day sixty-nine of the NHL lockout, with greater than thirty percent of the season gone, the latest casualty is the all-star game.  It was scheduled to be played in Columbus Ohio on January 27.  To date, all games scheduled through December 14 have been cancelled.  Owners and players remain at odds regarding player contracts and how to split three billion dollars in revenue.  Player rep Donald Fehr claims not much separates the players and owners financially, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.  Fehr stated, ”On Wednesday, the players presented a comprehensive proposal, once again moving in the owners’ direction in order to get the game back on the ice.”  The lockout is costing the league big money as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “the league is losing $18-20 million per day during the lockout, therefore two more weeks of cancelled games far exceeds the current economic gap”.  Given this information, it’s amazing that both sides don’t come together and settle.  Unless there is some real progress this week.  Games will probably be cancelled until early 2013.  In the strike shortened season of 1994-1995, only forty-eight games were played.  But that was better than the cancelled season of 2004-2005.  Of all the major sports, Hockey owners and players seem to have the most difficulty reaching a consensus.  It’s quite unbelievable to think there’s not enough financial gain to go around for all those concerned.  Of course in the end, angry fans will still be supportive as was evident Saturday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Despite the fact there is no NHL hockey season, there was hockey being played.  A charity game, featuring many of the Rangers, Flyers and Devils, was played to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  In a show of support a sold out crowd of greater than 11,000 fans showed up.  They were chanting throughout the game, “We want hockey” and “fire Bettman”.  It’s time to end this ridiculous lockout and start the season.  Although not what the fans want, forty-eight games is better than another cancelled season.