Hockey fans woke up Sunday to the harsh reality of another NHL lockout.

Frustrated hockey lovers are hoping the latest labour dispute comes to a quick end after the league locked out its players at midnight.

A Montreal Canadiens fan who works at the parking lot across from the the Bell Centre says he's not sure who to blame for the conflict.

William Gainsbury says both sides need to step up and come to an agreement before games get cancelled.

Small business owners are also concerned about the impact of a lockout, a Montreal taxi driver says he depends on Habs games for much of his business during the winter months.

It appears the players aren't sitting around waiting for things to happen.

Two players have signed with Russia's K-H-L through the end of this season.

They are Ottawa Senators defenceman Sergei Gonchar and Pittsburgh centre Evgeni Malkin.

This is the third NHL lockout in two decades.

The collective bargaining agreement expired last night with many players expected to join the exodus to European teams.

Nearly 400 players went to 19 different Euro leagues during the last lockout eight years ago.

A 103-day lockout in 1994-95 forced the cancellation of 468 games and delayed the season's start until Jan. 20.

The 2004 lockout began Sept. 16 and wasn't settled until July 13, making the NHL the first North American sports league to ever cancel an entire season over a labour dispute.

An 11-day strike in April 1992 also caused 30 games to be postponed.