Outdoor Ice Rink now offers family fun in the Village, Big Bear Lake, CA. Sunday – Thursday 12;00 – 6:00 pm and Friday & Saturday 12:00 – 8:00pm. We will be having 2 fer Tuesdays/ buy one skate rental get the 2nd one free. Family Thursdays / family of 4 for $36.00 skate rentals included. Friday School I.D Nights/ bring in your school ID after 6pm  and get $2 off admission. Sunday Locals Night/ Free skate rentals after 4:00 pm. Also Santa will be coming to the Ice Garden on Sunday Dec. 20th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm/ free skate rentals during that session also.

Pine Knot Ave. at Village Dr. Big Bear Lake, CA

P. 97  12/5/09

I know it’s just extra-cold and more solid rain, but I absolutely LOVE snow! I love the look of it falling, I love the white blanket it creates over everything, I enjoy sledding on it, and really, I just have only good memories associated with snow. Good memories such as sledding on monstrous hills or closed down hilly streets, mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows, snowball fights, snow angels, building an igloo and snowmen, and best of all, school and work closings! Snow makes me feel like an easy-to-please little kid. My love of snow is one of the reasons I am fascinated with Canada and want to live there one day. Snow also goes with ice, which brings ice hockey, my favorite sport.

So our first day of snow for the year is today, December 5th. At work, my co-workers and I were talking about how last year the first snowfall was on December 6th. Apparently according to some weather forecasters, the first day of snow has been the same day ever year, for the past few years. Maybe it was give or take a day, because today we’re one day early if we stick with that pattern. But hey, I’m not going to complain if we get snow earlier than usual!

So again, how much do I love snow? The snow has been steadily falling in rather big flake-clumps all morning. And yet, I still find myself having to keep checking my window to make sure the snow is still falling; to remind myself that this really isn’t a dream and that the snow really is sticking (although not on the streets……yet).

South of the Border

I don’t want you to think I’m boy crazy because I’m not at all. I have played ice

hockey practically my whole life and now I’m on the cusp of seventeen. Every year in

Toronto they hold the prospects tournament for girls and boys that are scouted to

participate in scrimmage games for the benefit of being signed to division one schools. I

haven’t decided if I will sign with Cornell or Wisconsin. I totally ruled out Minnesota-

Duluth and North Dakota. I just know I’m going to wind up with some backwards

Evangelical Christian chick, strumming a guitar, trying to get me to come with her to

some youth festival where some dude who looks like David Koresh, gets you to join the

church as if he were selling time shares in Cancun.

I don’t want you to think I’m a total lush too because I’m not at all. I was upstairs

in the restaurant at the Beatrice Ice Rink next to York University. A bunch of the boys

just got finished and I was eating nachos with a girl named Judy from Kingston, Ontario

and Vishna from Barrie, Ontario. Vishna is Indian but was born in Nigeria. She lived in

London for a year and then her father found a job in Canada. She is a really pretty Indian

girl and the first one I ever met that did not smell of Curry when she sweats. In fact I

asked her flat out.

“So do you like Curry?”

“Um… Do you carry a shaleighly and look for your Lucky Charms?”

“Don’t get pissy… It’s a reasonable question, eh?”

“I also don’t have a dot on my forehead, work at Tim Horton’s or drive a fucking

cab.”

“Damn… What a temper! Do you have a one hump or two hump camel?”

Vishna looked at me as angry as could be. I busted out laughing and she laughed

too. This happened last year and we have kept in touch through email ever since. Barrie,

was the province champions last year and we played them in the quarter finals. Vishna is

really fast.

Judy is tall and has straight blond hair and is really pretty. She plays the tuba and

is the total honour student. She is really quiet but a great hockey player. I come from

Windsor which is just over the bridge from Detroit. The people there love the Red Wings

instead of the Maple Leafs. I followed the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey

League. I think watching them and my brother was what got me into the sport.

So I was eating nachos with Vishna and Judy when these absolutely gorgeous

guys from Buffalo, New York came up to our table. Scott, who has blond hair and

dimples when he smiles, sat down and dipped his middle finger in the cheese and put it

into his mouth slowly.

“I just love cheese on the nacho…”

Vishna let into him right away.

“That was really gay…”

To say gay to a male hockey player under the age of eighteen is really an attack on

the essence of his maleness. It prevented him and the other two guys with him from

acting stupid. They suddenly became really cool.

“So like… What schools have talked to you?” Asked a boy named Bill with a

buzz cut and faint freckles.
Bill got signed to Guelph. Scott was going to Lake Forest College in Illinois to

play division three hockey. Colin had not been signed yet but was hoping to go to

Brantford in the Ontario Hockey League. For American guys, they weren’t so bad. They

thought they were all so funny saying “eh” after everything.

Vishna really had a thing for Scott. They talked to each other all throughout the

next day and went down to the Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto on the off day. Scott

invited all of us to a party in Buffalo.

I really don’t care much for the states. It’s dirty, crowded and really have an over

abundance of obese people. Vishna was crazy to go. Judy and I really didn’t want to

cross the border to go to a house party but we did. We got into Vishna’s father’s car and

drove over the border. The American border guard was a nice old man. He never asked

to see our passports. We found the house in a clean suburb. It was actually really low

keyed. There was only like twenty people there and it was nice. A good looking guy

with brown curly hair, came up to talk to me. His pants were sagging and he wore his

Yankees hat cocked to the right. He had all the hand gestures of a rapper including

fondling his penis with his right hand while gesturing with his left hand. Our

conversation was a trip. He kept trying to look down my cleavage when it was my turn to

speak. I don’t think he heard me much.

“Yeah so I play hockey…”

“Cool, cool… You all still wear them skirts and run around with candy canes?”

“Um… That’s field hockey. I play on the ice.”

“Oh hell naw! Girls playing like dudes? Shit… You all be giggling and

squealing and shit?”
That ended that conversation. I wished him well in his endeavours to become a

producer. Other than piss, shit and babies, I don’t know what he could produce.

Anyway, I also talked with a bunch of guys who also played hockey and a couple

of their girlfriends. I had a couple of Coronas and a shot of some licorice tasting stuff

that like burned me on the inside. I think Vishna was in one of the bedrooms with Scott.

I personally think it’s sort of gross since they just met but whatever. Judy and I didn’t ask

any questions and she didn’t tell. We could tell though that she was in a stupid way right

now. Her mind was locked and fixated on the blond kid with the dimples. He was totally

in love with his Indian version of Barbie. They kissed for like five minutes while we

waited in the car. We got to the border and the Canadian border official, who was a short

French guy asked us questions in French purposely.

“Citoyen?”

Vishna must have been riding high from finding love. She decided to give a smart

assed answer to entertain us. The short French guy was not amused.

“No, no it’s a Saturn…”

Of course we laughed. Short men always think women are making fun of them.

He stepped out of his little booth and ordered us to pull around to an area where they dig

through your trunk. Vishna tried to reason with him.

“I was only joking… Citoyen sounds like a car model.”

“Drinking and driving, eh?”

“Oh my god! We’re hockey players! We’re in the prospects tourney in York.”

“Okay. Well it’s one in the morning. I’m sure you’re not playing hockey now,

eh?”
Vishna backed the car up as if she going to go into the stall where they strip

search your car. Instead she wheeled around and raced back over the bridge, dodging cars

coming towards us. She broke the wooden gate at the toll booth on the American side

and raced down side streets in downtown Buffalo. She called Scott on her cell phone. I

resorted to rhetorical questions.

“Are you fucking crazy?! They’re going to put us in prison! Do you wanna be in

an American prison? No school in North America will take us now… Oh my god,

Vishna!”

“You don’t understand! My father will send me to live with family in India if he

finds out that I went over to America. I promised him I would be good and just stay in

the room.”

I had a horrible feeling that my scholarship chances would be gone as well as my

opportunity to try out for Team Canada. We drove aimlessly down streets as Vishna tried

to find her way back to Scott’s house. Judy sat with her arms folded and showed no

emotion. I felt like smacking her face.

“Judy! What the hell?” I said to her.

“What? What did I do?” She asked, quite angered now.

“How can you just sit there and not say a fucking word?” I asked.

“Because I am fucking numb right now. We’re like fugitives.” Said Judy.

Vishna was crying and swearing because Scott wasn’t picking up his phone. We

eventually pulled up and Vishna went back into the house to find them. Vishna left the

car running. There was a Dave Mathews song playing. It reminded me of my last

boyfriend. He had tickets to see Dave Mathews. I couldn’t go with my boyfriend and so he went with a bunch of friends. Kelly from my team last year got drunk and blew him at

the concert. I found out from friends of my boyfriend what had happened. At the next

practice, I took a shit and piss in her hockey bag while practice was going on. I left the

ice and dropped a tremendous shit in her bag. I eat a lot of vegetables and so the fiber

really helped produce the effect I was looking for. She made me feel like shit by blowing

my boyfriend and I made a really large smelly turd for her to deal with. Of course we fist

fought and I beat her ass. It’s not Dave Mathews fault, he had no way of knowing. I

think he’s a good guy.

Somehow Vishna got Scott to drive us over the border in his father’s minivan.

When we got to the border, the same little French guy stopped him. Our hearts were

jumping out of our chests. He gave Scott a hard time.

“Why are you going to Canada at three in the morning?”

“Um well, I’m in this prospects tournament and I live in Buffalo and so I’m just

going back to the rink… To the hotel by the rink.”

Boys are so inarticulate. He was a mumbling mess of lies and the little

Frenchman knew it.

“Which hotel?”

“It’s right by the rink by the university.”

Oh my god! What a blond disaster he had become. Our future in college sports

rested in the hands of an imbecile.

“Um my dad is sleeping in the hotel and I had to go home because I left my skates

there and had to borrow a pair earlier and I like fell asleep watching Buffalo play

Vancouver… It was an awesome game. But anyway, I had three games today and I was fatigued.”

A bit better but still not off the hook yet.

“What do you have in the back of the van?”

“Just my equipment… Do you wanna see it?”

I almost screamed. How could he invite the border guard to check his car?

“The last thing I want to see or smell is your equipment right now… You’re free

to go.”

We were free to get back into our country. We did not get caught. I wanted to

stop and kiss the ground right there at Niagara but the sentiment quickly passed. It was

four before we got back to our room and the alarm clock went off at seven. It felt like I

had just closed my eyes. I played like shit and so did Judy and Vishna. We took a nap

between games and were fine.

Vishna was able to talk Scott into putting New York plates on her Ontario

licensed car. Vishna got her car back into Canada. Scott had to lie again. He said he had

purchased a used car. There were a lot of cars that day and so he got away with it.

Vishna sent his plates UPS and everything turned out mostly okay.

Vishna was eating dinner when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police came to her

door in Barrie. They questioned her about speeding away from the border. She

vehemently denied being near Niagara much less the states. They questioned her over

and over until she broke down and told them the truth. Turns out that the detective was a

former junior league player from Barrie and he worked things out for Vishna without her

parents ever finding out. Vishna actually stayed in contact with Scott. She drove twice to

see him in Buffalo since the incident. She even saw the same border guard. The French guy asked again in

French her citizenship. Vishna learned to say Canadian.

South of the Border

I don’t want you to think I’m boy crazy because I’m not at all. I have played ice

hockey practically my whole life and now I’m on the cusp of seventeen. Every year in

Toronto they hold the prospects tournament for girls and boys that are scouted to

participate in scrimmage games for the benefit of being signed to division one schools. I

haven’t decided if I will sign with Cornell or Wisconsin. I totally ruled out Minnesota-

Duluth and North Dakota. I just know I’m going to wind up with some backwards

Evangelical Christian chick, strumming a guitar, trying to get me to come with her to

some youth festival where some dude who looks like David Koresh, gets you to join the

church as if he were selling time shares in Cancun.

I don’t want you to think I’m a total lush too because I’m not at all. I was upstairs

in the restaurant at the Beatrice Ice Rink next to York University. A bunch of the boys

just got finished and I was eating nachos with a girl named Judy from Kingston, Ontario

and Vishna from Barrie, Ontario. Vishna is Indian but was born in Nigeria. She lived in

London for a year and then her father found a job in Canada. She is a really pretty Indian

girl and the first one I ever met that did not smell of Curry when she sweats. In fact I

asked her flat out.

“So do you like Curry?”

“Um… Do you carry a shaleighly and look for your Lucky Charms?”

“Don’t get pissy… It’s a reasonable question, eh?”

“I also don’t have a dot on my forehead, work at Tim Horton’s or drive a fucking

cab.”

“Damn… What a temper! Do you have a one hump or two hump camel?”

Vishna looked at me as angry as could be. I busted out laughing and she laughed

too. This happened last year and we have kept in touch through email ever since. Barrie,

was the province champions last year and we played them in the quarter finals. Vishna is

really fast.

Judy is tall and has straight blond hair and is really pretty. She plays the tuba and

is the total honour student. She is really quiet but a great hockey player. I come from

Windsor which is just over the bridge from Detroit. The people there love the Red Wings

instead of the Maple Leafs. I followed the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey

League. I think watching them and my brother was what got me into the sport.

So I was eating nachos with Vishna and Judy when these absolutely gorgeous

guys from Buffalo, New York came up to our table. Scott, who has blond hair and

dimples when he smiles, sat down and dipped his middle finger in the cheese and put it

into his mouth slowly.

“I just love cheese on the nacho…”

Vishna let into him right away.

“That was really gay…”

To say gay to a male hockey player under the age of eighteen is really an attack on

the essence of his maleness. It prevented him and the other two guys with him from

acting stupid. They suddenly became really cool.

“So like… What schools have talked to you?” Asked a boy named Bill with a

buzz cut and faint freckles.
Bill got signed to Guelph. Scott was going to Lake Forest College in Illinois to

play division three hockey. Colin had not been signed yet but was hoping to go to

Brantford in the Ontario Hockey League. For American guys, they weren’t so bad. They

thought they were all so funny saying “eh” after everything.

Vishna really had a thing for Scott. They talked to each other all throughout the

next day and went down to the Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto on the off day. Scott

invited all of us to a party in Buffalo.

I really don’t care much for the states. It’s dirty, crowded and really have an over

abundance of obese people. Vishna was crazy to go. Judy and I really didn’t want to

cross the border to go to a house party but we did. We got into Vishna’s father’s car and

drove over the border. The American border guard was a nice old man. He never asked

to see our passports. We found the house in a clean suburb. It was actually really low

keyed. There was only like twenty people there and it was nice. A good looking guy

with brown curly hair, came up to talk to me. His pants were sagging and he wore his

Yankees hat cocked to the right. He had all the hand gestures of a rapper including

fondling his penis with his right hand while gesturing with his left hand. Our

conversation was a trip. He kept trying to look down my cleavage when it was my turn to

speak. I don’t think he heard me much.

“Yeah so I play hockey…”

“Cool, cool… You all still wear them skirts and run around with candy canes?”

“Um… That’s field hockey. I play on the ice.”

“Oh hell naw! Girls playing like dudes? Shit… You all be giggling and

squealing and shit?”
That ended that conversation. I wished him well in his endeavours to become a

producer. Other than piss, shit and babies, I don’t know what he could produce.

Anyway, I also talked with a bunch of guys who also played hockey and a couple

of their girlfriends. I had a couple of Coronas and a shot of some licorice tasting stuff

that like burned me on the inside. I think Vishna was in one of the bedrooms with Scott.

I personally think it’s sort of gross since they just met but whatever. Judy and I didn’t ask

any questions and she didn’t tell. We could tell though that she was in a stupid way right

now. Her mind was locked and fixated on the blond kid with the dimples. He was totally

in love with his Indian version of Barbie. They kissed for like five minutes while we

waited in the car. We got to the border and the Canadian border official, who was a short

French guy asked us questions in French purposely.

“Citoyen?”

Vishna must have been riding high from finding love. She decided to give a smart

assed answer to entertain us. The short French guy was not amused.

“No, no it’s a Saturn…”

Of course we laughed. Short men always think women are making fun of them.

He stepped out of his little booth and ordered us to pull around to an area where they dig

through your trunk. Vishna tried to reason with him.

“I was only joking… Citoyen sounds like a car model.”

“Drinking and driving, eh?”

“Oh my god! We’re hockey players! We’re in the prospects tourney in York.”

“Okay. Well it’s one in the morning. I’m sure you’re not playing hockey now,

eh?”
Vishna backed the car up as if she going to go into the stall where they strip

search your car. Instead she wheeled around and raced back over the bridge, dodging cars

coming towards us. She broke the wooden gate at the toll booth on the American side

and raced down side streets in downtown Buffalo. She called Scott on her cell phone. I

resorted to rhetorical questions.

“Are you fucking crazy?! They’re going to put us in prison! Do you wanna be in

an American prison? No school in North America will take us now… Oh my god,

Vishna!”

“You don’t understand! My father will send me to live with family in India if he

finds out that I went over to America. I promised him I would be good and just stay in

the room.”

I had a horrible feeling that my scholarship chances would be gone as well as my

opportunity to try out for Team Canada. We drove aimlessly down streets as Vishna tried

to find her way back to Scott’s house. Judy sat with her arms folded and showed no

emotion. I felt like smacking her face.

“Judy! What the hell?” I said to her.

“What? What did I do?” She asked, quite angered now.

“How can you just sit there and not say a fucking word?” I asked.

“Because I am fucking numb right now. We’re like fugitives.” Said Judy.

Vishna was crying and swearing because Scott wasn’t picking up his phone. We

eventually pulled up and Vishna went back into the house to find them. Vishna left the

car running. There was a Dave Mathews song playing. It reminded me of my last

boyfriend. He had tickets to see Dave Mathews. I couldn’t go with my boyfriend and so he went with a bunch of friends. Kelly from my team last year got drunk and blew him at

the concert. I found out from friends of my boyfriend what had happened. At the next

practice, I took a shit and piss in her hockey bag while practice was going on. I left the

ice and dropped a tremendous shit in her bag. I eat a lot of vegetables and so the fiber

really helped produce the effect I was looking for. She made me feel like shit by blowing

my boyfriend and I made a really large smelly turd for her to deal with. Of course we fist

fought and I beat her ass. It’s not Dave Mathews fault, he had no way of knowing. I

think he’s a good guy.

Somehow Vishna got Scott to drive us over the border in his father’s minivan.

When we got to the border, the same little French guy stopped him. Our hearts were

jumping out of our chests. He gave Scott a hard time.

“Why are you going to Canada at three in the morning?”

“Um well, I’m in this prospects tournament and I live in Buffalo and so I’m just

going back to the rink… To the hotel by the rink.”

Boys are so inarticulate. He was a mumbling mess of lies and the little

Frenchman knew it.

“Which hotel?”

“It’s right by the rink by the university.”

Oh my god! What a blond disaster he had become. Our future in college sports

rested in the hands of an imbecile.

“Um my dad is sleeping in the hotel and I had to go home because I left my skates

there and had to borrow a pair earlier and I like fell asleep watching Buffalo play

Vancouver… It was an awesome game. But anyway, I had three games today and I was fatigued.”

A bit better but still not off the hook yet.

“What do you have in the back of the van?”

“Just my equipment… Do you wanna see it?”

I almost screamed. How could he invite the border guard to check his car?

“The last thing I want to see or smell is your equipment right now… You’re free

to go.”

We were free to get back into our country. We did not get caught. I wanted to

stop and kiss the ground right there at Niagara but the sentiment quickly passed. It was

four before we got back to our room and the alarm clock went off at seven. It felt like I

had just closed my eyes. I played like shit and so did Judy and Vishna. We took a nap

between games and were fine.

Vishna was able to talk Scott into putting New York plates on her Ontario

licensed car. Vishna got her car back into Canada. Scott had to lie again. He said he had

purchased a used car. There were a lot of cars that day and so he got away with it.

Vishna sent his plates UPS and everything turned out mostly okay.

Vishna was eating dinner when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police came to her

door in Barrie. They questioned her about speeding away from the border. She

vehemently denied being near Niagara much less the states. They questioned her over

and over until she broke down and told them the truth. Turns out that the detective was a

former junior league player from Barrie and he worked things out for Vishna without her

parents ever finding out. Vishna actually stayed in contact with Scott. She drove twice to

see him in Buffalo since the incident. She even saw the same border guard. The French guy asked again in

French her citizenship. Vishna learned to say Canadian.

On December 4th, 1909, J. Ambrose O’Brien and T.C. Hare formed a partnership that would change history in hockey and in Canada. The two businessmen came together to found one of the greatest franchises in sports history – the Montreal Canadiens. The cost to have the team admitted to the brand new National Hockey Association was $6,000. A century later, the team is valued at more than $300 million. The team’s history, however, is priceless to millions of hockey fans who have had the opportunity to watch “Les Habitants” over the years. Names like Morenz, Richard, Plante, Lafleur, and Roy have dazzled hockey fans for 100 years. There has been as much action off the ice as on it in this franchises riveting history. More than 700 players have had the good fortune to wear “le bleu, blanc, et rouge.” Many have become champions. Some have changed the game through innovation. Others have transcended legendary status through their dedication, determination, and sheer power on the ice.

3,000 people witnessed history as the Canadiens played their first game on January 5, 1910. The crowd gathered at the Jubilee Rink had no idea of the history that would follow, when the team from Montreal (wearing blue back then), led by Jack Laviolette, beat the Cobalt Silver Kings 7-6 in a thrilling overtime win. The win was a fitting start for a team that would dominate the game for so long afterwards, but the first season was not a great success. The team was sold after a disappointing first season, in which they only won 2 games out of 12, and their colors were changed to red.

In 1914, a precursor to the greatest rivalry in hockey would have it’s first championship installment, as the Canadiens met the Toronto Blueshirts for the Stanley Cup. In a two-game, total goals series, Montreal won game 1 2-0, before losing 6-0 in game 2 to lose the series. The Blueshirts would later be at the middle of a controversy that would cause the NHA to fold, and the NHL to take over. Toronto would eventually be represented by the Maple Leafs. The Habs and Leafs have since met in the playoffs 15 times, with Montreal winning 8 of those series to Toronto’s 7.

The Canadiens would get another chance at glory in 1916, when they finished in first place in the NHA standings. They would meet the Portland Rosebuds, who finished first in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, for the Stanley Cup. Led by player/coach Newsy Lalonde, who won the NHA’s scoring race that year, the Canadiens defeated the Rosebuds in 5 games. It was the first time that a 5-game Stanley Cup final had gone the distance. Montreal lost game 1 before rebounding to win games 2 and 3. Portland forced a decisive final game by winning game 4. In the final game of the series, the Rosebuds jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but could not hold on. “Goldie” Prodgers became the first Montreal Canadien to score a Stanley Cup winning goal, beginning one of the greatest winning traditions in sports.

The Canadiens once again won the NHA championship in 1917, but lost the Cup to the Seattle Metropolitans, the first ever American team to win the Cup. After this season, the NHA owners disbanded the league, and set up the NHL. The first NHL game was played on December 19, 1917, in Montreal, but it was not the Canadiens who played. The Montreal Wanderers defeated the Toronto Arenas, 10-9. The Canadiens played later that same day, and beat the Ottawa Senators 7-4, bolstered by 5 goals from “Phantom” Joe Malone, who scored 44 goals in 20 games that year. In goal for the Habs that day was Georges Vezina, the first great NHL goaltender. Vezina tended the net for Montreal for 366 consecutive games, before leaving a game in 1925 with an illness. He would die of tuberculosis months later.

In 1924, a new face would emerge as a superstar for the Canadiens, as they claimed their second Stanley Cup, and first as an NHL franchise. The Habs defeated the Vancouver Millionaires of the PCHA to win the Cup, with Billy Boucher scoring the winners in both games. They would then defend their championship against the Calgary Tigers. A rookie phenomenon named Howie Morenz would lead Montreal in the Calgary series, scoring hat tricks in both games. Morenz would go on to dominate the NHL for his entire career, becoming the first NHL superstar.

Known as “the Babe Ruth of hockey,” the “Stratford Streak,” and “the Canadian Comet,” Morenz was the first player to win the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player to his team, in 1928. He would remain a vital part of the Canadiens’ team forever. On January 28, 1937, Morenz rushed the puck up ice when he was met by Earl Siebert of the Chicago Blackhawks. Morenz was knocked off his feet and he crashed heavily into the boards, breaking his leg. Legend has it that the sound of his leg snapping could be heard throughout the Montreal Forum. On his way to the hospital, Morenz said. “I’m through. This is the finish.” He died of a coronary embolism only weeks later, but those who knew him said he died of a broken heart, due to the end of his hockey career. Morenz’s legend, however lived on, as thousands of fans filed past his casket, which was laid out at centre ice at the Montreal Forum. It has been said that the “Ghost of Howie Morenz” haunted the Forum from that day forward, helping the Canadiens win. In fact, no other team won the Stanley Cup at the Forum until 52 years later, when the Calgary Flames defeated Montreal in game 6 of the finals.

A new hero would emerge for the Canadiens’ faithful in 1944. Having failed to win the Cup since 1931, the Habs were due for some heroics, and it came in the form of a local boy named Maurice Richard. Fighting blatant discrimination from the English aristocracy of hockey his entire career, “The Rocket” made himself a star by scoring a hat trick in game 2 of the 1944 finals, and 5 goals overall in the series, helping Montreal regain the Stanley Cup. Over the next 15 years, Richard would become the greatest player in Canadiens’ history, scoring a total of 544 goals and 965 points, while amassing 1285 penalty minutes. He was the first player to score 50 goals in a season, scoring number 50 in the 50th and final game of the 1945 season. He was also the first player to score 500 career goals. Always playing with style and skill, The Rocket retired after scoring the 1960 Stanley Cup winning goal, sealing his 8th Cup victory. The intensity displayed by The Rocket every night was contagious, affecting both his teammates and the fans. He was at the centre of the most infamous incident in Montreal Canadiens, and possibly, hockey history. On March 13, 1955, Richard got into a fight with Hal Laycoe of the Boston Bruins. A brawl erupted, and in the melee, Richard dropped linesman, Cliff Thompson with a powerful fist to the face. NHL commissioner, Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. At the next Canadiens’ game, Campbell was pelted with eggs until a tear gas bomb was thrown in his direction. The game was cancelled, and the Detroit Red Wings won via forfeit. As fans spilled onto St. Catharine’s Street, they showed their displeasure by looting and vandalizing shops to the tune of $500,000. The Richard Riot was a showing by the people of Montreal that they would stand by their hero, who had done so much for them. 41 years later, upon the closing of the Montreal Forum, The Rocket received a rousing 16-minute standing ovation, moving the man with the devil in his eyes to tears.

The last of 5 straight Cups came the same year that Jacques Plante changed the face of hockey forever. After being hit in the face by a Andy Bathgate slapshot against the New York Rangers, Plante returned to the ice with a broken nose, and a flimsy leather mask. Canadiens coach Toe Blake was against the idea, thinking the mask obstructed Plante’s view, but as the Habs continued winning games, he wavered. Plante would win his 5th straight Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie.

The 1960 Stanley Cup was the last of 5 straight. It was the end of the Richard era, which made the Canadiens the most dominant franchise in the game. They were not done there, however. Their next Cup would come in 1965, with Lorne “Gump” Worsley backstopping the team to 2 shutouts in the finals. The first ever Conn Smythe Trophy, for playoff MVP, was awarded to Jean Beliveau, who would win a total of 10 Cups with Montreal. Beliveau is second on the all-time list to Maurice Richard’s younger brother, Henri, “the Pocket Rocket,” who won 11 NHL championships, all with the Canadiens.

The 1970s began with a new coach and a new goalie, but the winning ways continued. In 1971, Al MacNeil, the new coach, started a rookie goalie named Ken Dryden in the playoffs. Dryden had only played 6 games in the NHL, but MacNeil had faith in the kid. That faith paid off, as Dryden led the Canadiens to their 17th Stanley Cup championship, winning the Conn Smythe award.

The following season was the beginning of another new era, with the addition of Scotty Bowman as head coach, and the emergence of Guy Lafleur as a superstar and fan favorite. Winning 5 more Cups in the ’70s with Bowman at the helm and Lafleur’s golden hair flying down the wing, the Habs dominated the expansion era of the NHL, the same way they had dominated during pre-expansion.

New dynasties emerged in the 1980s in the form of the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers, but the Montreal Canadiens would also have their say. After four straight Stanley Cups by the Islanders opened the decade, the Oilers won two in a row. Then, in 1986, Montreal made it back to the top, defeating the Calgary Flames in 5 games. The Habs were led, once again, by a rookie goaltender. Patrick Roy, who would become one of the greatest goalies in hockey history, became the youngest player to win the Conn Smythe award, at only 20 years old.

The 24th Stanley Cup in team history came in 1993, as Roy once again captured the Conn Smythe, and the Canadiens defeated Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in 5 games. The Habs won a record 10 overtime games during the playoffs that year, and the finals were immortalized by Marty Mcsorley’s illegal stick penalty late in game 2, which Montreal tied on the power play and won in OT. It also marked the 9th consecutive decade in which the team had won the Cup.

As the Montreal Canadiens take to the ice tonight, in the 100th Anniversary game, and every other night, history is not only being celebrated, but it is being made. Each goal, each win adds to the legend of this team, which has grown from an agreement between two businessmen to the most storied franchise in this or any sport.

The Rangers were back home last night but the Garden faithful couldn’t help a team in a need of offense. Oh wait the Rangers did manage to score two goals last night but yet again it was by there only offense Marian Gaborik scoring both of the Rangers goals.

Don’t let the first paragraph of the article fool you the Rangers were very much in this game up to the last 10 minutes of play in a 2-2 battle. Strong on the puck winning battles but the defending champs know how to win big hockey games. But when Mike Rupp buried his second of the night with 8:46 left with a wrist shot that went over the glove of Lundquist it was good night Garden.

With under five minutes to play Sidney Crosby would deflect a Mark Eaton Slap Shot from the point and it would get by Lundquist for a two goal lead. Mike Rupp would finish off his hat-trick with an empty netter and the Penguins would win both games against the Rangers in the home and home series.

Sidney Crosby totals over the last two games equaled to 8 points with 5 goals and 3 assists. Sid the Kid did his thing to keep this elite team moving and stay atop the Atlantic division.

Last night’s game was a good one to watch with Gaborik and Crosby scoring with the two also involved in a shoving match in front of the Penguins goal.

Rangers had deflating moments in this game after Gaborik made it a 1-0 game and the Rangers fans cheering it only took eleven seconds for the game to be tied when Crosby put in a beautiful backhand top shelf goal to even the score.

As bad as the Rangers have been playing lately they are finally a .500 team. 13-13-1. They are currently on a three game losing streak and have been out scored 18-6 in those games. It’s been a really pain full last three games to watch as they didn’t get a point out of any of them.

The Rangers next game is not until this Saturday night against the tuff Sabers in Buffalo. Then onto Detroit and Chicago. As you can see the schedule isn’t getting easier on from here and if anyone don’t start scoring besides Gaborik this season will slip away fast.

Rangers have the next four full days off. I would hate to be one of those players at those practices as Tortorella will try to regroup this bunch.

Rangers season recap http://www.puckvideo.com/rangers-2009-10.htm

This is an article I entered in a Canada-wide competition through the Globe & Mail. I am still awaiting the results.

For generations, millions of Canadians have spent the long, cold winter months playing hockey on frozen ponds, lakes, rivers, and backyard rinks, ignoring the throb of frost bitten toes, the tingle of a numb face, and the burn of stinging ears to spend one more moment, one more rush chasing their dreams. The pond is the great Canadian equalizer, our field of dreams. No matter the skill level, everyone is welcome, and everyone is equal. Inside, competition reigns. The ice is smooth, the pace fast, the tension high. Outside, any sheet of ice will do. It needs not be smooth. It needs not be clear of snow. Every frozen extremity, every bruised shin serves only to widen the smiles of the participants. In late 2005, pond hockey offered me a taste of home in a strange place and an air of familiarity among complete strangers.

Every Christmas, the city of Davos, Switzerland, situated in the midst of the breathtaking Swiss Alps, doubles in size. Exiting the train station after a spectacular ride from Zurich, through the snowbound mountains, to the highest city in Europe, it is easy to see why. On one side of the tracks is Switzerland’s largest ski and snowboard resort. On the other, lies the Vaillant Eisstadion, venue of the oldest club hockey tournament in Europe. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is hosted every year by HC Davos, who invite top club teams from around Europe to challenge for the trophy. Along with the club teams, Team Canada is represented by a select group of Canadians who play for other clubs around Europe.

Until 1978, the Spengler Cup was held on an outdoor rink, which still lies only steps away from the entrance to the Eisstadion. Although Switzerland is not one of Europe’s hockey powers, it is rising, and the Swiss have an unmatched enthusiasm for the game. Each day, as I walked the icy streets, down the hill to the rink in temperatures around -25ºC, locals would stop me to chat about hockey. To them, walking along, skates hanging from the blade of my rented stick, wearing an old Roots Canada jacket, I was a hockey expert. On the rink, I was a superstar. Everyone wanted to play hockey with a Canadian. My skill level did not matter – I was Canadian. Language mattered even less. I speak no Swiss, no German, and no Swiss-German. Many of them spoke little or no English, but we found common ground – frozen ground. The crunch of my skate blades digging into the ice was a universal invitation. The slap of a tape-to-tape pass was a meeting between two friends.

Inside, Europe’s top professional club teams would do anything to win. Outside, a group of people came together, everyone a winner. The Spengler Cup offers more than just top level professional hockey. It offers a chance to take part in the great tradition

of pond hockey in one of the

most awe-inspiring settings in Europe.

In keeping with this week’s topic, Punkbox-Screen’s first post is looking at winter sports, and how they are portrayed on the big screen. We chose five films to look at, ranging from contact to stylish in their adversity, while maintaining the added spark of numb fingers and a slippery surface.

Cool Runnings

The phrase “based on a true story” is always a good place to start with a film like this one. Following the desperate struggle of Jamaica’s first bobsled team into the winter olympics, Cool Runnings is a delightfully engaging film, full of amusing accents, dialogue and the odd uplifting song. And, on top of this, the realistic hardships of the life-threatening sport are addressed with stark clarity. We hear in detail what each of the members of a team is for, and right to the end we see the values of teamwork. It might be cheesy, but it’s light, amusing and great fun to watch, as well as addressing the dangers of the sport. And don’t forget… you walk Jamaican, talk Jamaican and IS Jamaican, you sure as hell better bobsled Jamaican!

Vertical Limit

Does mountain climbing count as a sport? Maybe not for some, but this driven thriller does vividly explore the limits of endurance athletes have to face. Add to this the dangers and unpredictability of mother nature and you’ve got something even more treacherous. Cracking ice, thinned air, maybe even the odd wild animal to contend with. When you’re several thousand feet in the air and trapped in a tomb of snow, suddenly snowboarding doesn’t seem so dangerous…

Ice Princess

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Must be a dreadful film with a name like that. But far from being the wishy-washy dribble of a teenage girl’s anguish, the issues in Ice Princess have some depth, and so does the skating. Buffy’s Michelle Trachtenberg and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere flawlessly portray the disastrous world of competitive skating, from the bruises and blisters to the sacrifices and social politics that go with such an intense sport. The skating may be the platform for a diverse and engaging story, but it’s a hell of a stable platform.

Balto

It might be an animated film shot from the perspective of a dog, but it’s a great insight into the world of competitive sport from what was once a less noticeable area. Sure, nowadays we have Snow Dogs and Eight Below, but these focus more on the humour and the tragedy behind a relationship with the pack. On the other hand, Balto gives a more accurate insight into the reliance on dogs in more remote areas of the planet. The races are intense, often driving the communities they are held in, and beyond that there is a real sense of culture, dependance and a different perspective on survival than most of us see. Who wouldn’t want a dog as loyal and strong as Balto? If you like dogs, anyway.

Happy Gilmore

Okay, so technically by the end of the film it’s more about golf than ice hockey, but this film does look at a variety of sporting values, such as teamwork, sportsmanship, having the determination to succeed, and even at how you need to practice to become better. Happy’s skills are intense enough for him to leave the world of hockey behind, but he only has to do so because he is a weak skater, highlighting how important it is to be good at every aspect of a sport to be as successful as he is. He eventually accepts this himself, of course, but not before a decent slanging match with the golf ball when it stubbornly refuses to be putted.

Sport can be approached in many different ways, be it serious or light, realistic or exaggerated, there’s something about it that gives depth to a film. And when it’s a snow sport like skating or skiing, all the more exotic. It’s not every day you can pop out for a quick snowboard around the block. This is probably why we are so fascinated with it. Besides, with winter setting in, it’s a topical choice for a film to watch. Though watching it under a thick blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate is definitely permitted.

Kirsty Watkinson
Punkbox@mail.com

Not for the faint hearted this one, but we’ve all seen something horrible happen to our heroes on the pitch.

These are the very worst sports injuries.

10. Djibril Cisse

The flamboyant Frenchman is one of the most unfortunate players around as he has not one horrific leg break but two, one on each leg, very unlucky.

However, if you look at how spindly his legs are, then you can maybe understand why they are so brittle.

Here’s leg break number 1

and number 2

9. Sid Vicious

Not the dead Sex Pistol, but a wrestler who decided to rip off the name.

It’s another leg break, watch it flapping freely.

8.  Wayne Shelford

The famous All Black rugby hard man was a bit of a headcase, as proven when during a game against France in 1986.

After a particularly vigorous trampling at a ruck, “Buck” as he was known suffered a split scrotum and ended up running about with one of his testicles hanging out.

Blood, screaming, hospital you might think, but not Buck.

“Stitch it up mate” he said to the phsyio, who did as he was told, by the side of the pitch.

Five minutes later Buck was back, proving the theory that rugby is indeed played by men with funny shaped balls.

Sadly, there’s no video for this one.

7.

Owwww.

Check out this massive weightlifter whose leg simply can’t take the strain. CRACK.

There’s also some amusing ice-hockey fights here too.

6. Eye Gouge

This is in Australian rugby league, apparently, it’s not as bad as it looks, which its pretty bad.

5.

Phil de Glanville

The young Bath rugby player was playing for the South West against the All Blacks in the 1990s when he found himself on the floor in a ruck.

Next thing you know 20 odd pairs of massive boots worn by a group of mean, heavy men have pumped into his face, leaving him with blood streaming from an horrific eye wound.

There’s no pics of de Glanville sporting stitches across his eyelid but being the All Blacks they got away with it.

No pics or video of this one either sadly.

4.

Kickboxing injury

Another broken leg here, not only does it look unimaginably painful, but he’s also got his wounded pride by breaking his leg by kicking someone.

3. Eduardo

Broken ankle this time and the Brazilian Croatian’s foot is very much hanging on by a small piece of bone.

Watch how hard defender Martin Taylor gets him.

2. David Busst

The poor Coventry defender suffered the worst broken leg football has ever seen in a game against Manchester United in and has had numerous operations on his leg.

Massive United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel had to have counselling after seeing the injury close up.

1. Richard Zednik

Viewer discretion advised.

This is the horrific moment when ice hockey player Richard Sednik’s throat was cut by a flailing skate.

Horrid. It’s one of his team mates as well.

so that’s the top ten, but I’m interested in something I’ve heard about an athlete who tried to dry the sweat off his face using a crisp packet and ended up slicing off his retina.

If anyone knows about that one, please put up info, or even better a vid.

It goes without saying that being a NHL fan in Australia presents some challenges when it comes to following the sport, especially when it comes to watching the games.  Things are certainly much easier courtesy of the multitude of news sources via the web, however, its not quite the same as watching the game.   All the more since Foxtel plays around 10 games a week (admittedly this is better than zero, and a number are available in HD as well).  With that in mind, I decided to pony up for the NHL Gamecentre package for a month to see what it was like, and was rewarded with an immediate HD feed of the Pens vs Rangers game that was going on at the time.  I can not say for certain that I would get a year subscription (yet) but if getting it from the start of the season, then quite probably.  Regardless of the damage it would do to the bandwidth quota.

The alternative  solution is obviously moving to Canada.

Some people wanted to go skating tonight. Like ice skating. I haven’t been ice skating since I was 10 or so! And yesterday at the ice hockey game I saw just how skilled you need to be to pull of the real moves. Check out this video from last night (not that it shows awesome moves but still) …

But then I found at that this had to be the REAL Christmas event of the year in Toronto. As you might have read earlier on my blog I went to the illuminite event on Dundas Square some weeks ago to see the lightening of a Christmas tree. And that was so disappointing.

This time it was much better! A real tree and very nice live, Christmas music + classy skating rink.

This event ended with some of the best fireworks I’ve ever seen! It was very well put together with the rockets going off in sync with the music. It was all in front of the new city hall in Toronto which is a very fancy building in itself. With the fireworks all around it, firing from the bottom of it and off of the top it looked amazing!

So now, even though I’m not staying for New Year’s Eve, I got to see some fireworks in Toronto

P.S. It seems that when I watch the videos the quality isn’t that good – Sorry! Hope you still can sort of feel it

Hey

Scroll Down for The Great Snow Maze Cheats. Or Click Here

After a very long time the Ice Rink has been brought back to Club Penguin to replace the Soccer Pitch.

Waddle On

Eddersm

Had a pretty nice day yesterday. Except for being yelled at in a shore store. I was getting a refund for a pair of boots that I had changed my mind about and the sales guy claimed that I had worn them outside – and I really didn’t! He kept on “finding” evidence on the boots but finally I obviously got him convinced and he gave me back my 300 dollars!

Later I had class from 6.30 to 9.30 that turned out to be a nice social event! Our teacher took us out for food and beer afterwards, great! See, that never happens at CBS!

I actually had to leave a bit early because I had an appointment with Emilie and some of the other international students about going to Panorama Bar – a bar at the top of the Manulife Centre building, the 51st floor that is.

The view was soooo pretty!

Got home at 1.30 am, went to bed and as usual got up too late today after fighting with my alarm for an hour or so. It’s like a curse. Now the rest of the day will be about my final paper for my prof. Babin. Then at 6 pm. I’m going to see an ice hockey game with the Marlies – a less famous but good ice hockey team. That’s going to be fun

Once more another viral marketing commercial- this time for Samsung Mobile. Fortunately, its a good one. See an amazing hockey shot!

Manchester Phoenix 3 MK Lightning 1
Altrincham Ice Dome
22 November 2009

Lachowitz 7.36, Hagelberg 46.26, Courtenay 59.55

Carr 55:45

Rob Lachowitz scores the home side's opener - manchesterphoenix.com

The biggest game of the English Premier League season so far came a day after its most surprising result.

On Saturday evening top-of-the-table Manchester Phoenix crashed to an 8-3 defeat away to Romford, the league’s worst side. Milton Keynes Lightning, hot on the heels of Phoenix, cruised to a 7-1 home victory over Guildford Flames.

Both sides were able to put out full-strength sides and the game started at a ferocious pace: Ed Courtenay ripped a shot into MK keeper Barry Hollyhead’s midriff as Phoenix put together crisp pass after crisp pass in the final third. The visitors broke forward well but Phoenix’s Steven Fone was far better protected by his defence than on MK’s last visit to Altrincham and had to deal with fewer shots than usual in the opening period.

Phoenix deservedly opened the scoring on the power play after Hollyhead could only parry a strong shot from Jaakko Hagelberg; Rob Lachowitz knocked the puck home before MK’s keeper could smother the rebound. The pace of the period continued until the end and words were exchanged as the sides left the ice.

The goalless second period was scrappier, but no less intense. Both sides had 14 shots saved as the game got chippy; tempers frayed as Phoenix’s excellent Greg Wood took a swipe at Lukas Zapotek following a tangle, both taking 2 minute minor penalties for roughing. Hagelberg and Lewis Christie then exchanged delay of game penalties after a tussle, but the noisy fans inside the Ice Dome had to wait until midway through the third period before the gloves came off: the energetic Iain Bowie scrapping with Lightning number 9 Grant McPherson.

By this point Hagelberg had made it 2-0 Phoenix when he banked the puck in off Hollyhead’s legs six minutes into the final period; it was almost 3-0 soon after when Adam Walker lashed a shot against the inside of the post. A few minutes later Hollyhead received a 10-minute misconduct penalty (served by Jacob Heron) for repeatedly complaining to the officials, but his side halved the lead when captain Adam Carr, returning from a 2-minute spell in the penalty box, picked up a pass to leave Phoenix outnumbered.

Assisted by the import pairing of Monir Kalgoum and Andre Smulter, a neat move saw Fone outsmarted and Carr pass the puck into the gaping net with the clock reading 04.15 to play.

A tense few minutes inevitably followed, during which Lightning called a time-out as they enjoyed a power play when Phoenix player-coach Tony Hand was sent to the box for hooking.

Pulling Hollyhead for the end of the power play made it 6-on-4, and upon his return to the ice Hand missed the open net by inches from his own half. The league’s top scorer Ed Courtenay was more assured, and broke away down the right to seal the victory, and Phoenix’s top-of-the-league status, with just five seconds to play.

It was tense, pacy, close-run, and skilful: the biggest game of the season so far was also among the best the Altrincham Ice Dome has seen in its near-three years of ice hockey.

Well, what a proud mum!!  Tears almost came when the U10’s walked their walk to the bench before the start of their first game this afternoon.  Aged from almost 10 down to about 5 – they looked so cute!  The opposition were rather well polished, but our players certainly put up a hard fight.  They should be very proud of themselves.  Unfortunately due to our team not quite having the 16 required on the bench – I think we were short by 1 person, they had to forfeit the game, and therefore it became a challenge game and the other side automatically got an 8:0 win.

During play, it did highlight a few things that need to be sorted out in training, but I think the guys and girls, enjoyed themselves despite not getting any goals – though there were a few near attempts!  A few more game tips & a few more practice shots to the boards, and a bit more defending & protecting the goalie, and sending the puck down the other end of the rink, and they should be set for their next game!!

All in all a very good game for a first one – they should be proud of themselves – I hope all the other parents are!

So, next game 5th December – a bit of a trek but I’m sure I’ll cope!  After all, I’m a hockey mum!!

No 31 - T Andersen

Cohen Adair lays on the ice after a hard Hurricanes check. He would return to the game later.

A night after a 8-0 loss in Waterloo, the Guelph Hurricanes bounced back and posted a character win by beating  the slumping Stratford Cullitons 6-3.

“They showed a lot of character to come back after a tough loss last night. This club has a lot of heart and I am proud of them.” says Hurricanes Head Coach Jim MacEachern

The win moves Guelph’s record to 8-15-2 for 18pts., while the loss which was the 10th in a row for the Cullitons, moves Stratford’s record to 12-12-0 24pts..

Six Hurricanes players each collected 2 pts. (Luca Penzo, Dan Mohle, Martin Kudla, Mike McFarlane, Ken Rolph and Mike Iacocca) and Chris McDougall returned between the pipes to 28 of 31 shots.

• Although Chris McDougall’s rights were traded earlier this week from the Kitchener Rangers to the Peterborough Petes, he will remain playing with the Hurricanes for the time being.
• Also, I received word from the Hurricanes trainers that injured Kitchener Dutchmen defenceman Brant Nicolson was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Last week he crashed into the boards and was carried off on a stretcher.

The Hurricanes next game is this coming Thursday as they seek revenge from the Waterloo Siskins at The Sleeman Centre. Please note the game time is 7:45pm.

Overall the Toronto Maple Leafs played with confidence while avoiding fancy moves that previously led to turnovers. Only goal scored against was by Ovechkin, Toronto goalscorers were Hagman and Kessel, with Hagman getting a goal in regulation and in the shootout. Kessel scored first however, in the shootout. Toskala made some impressive stops against Ovechkin early on and shut down the Washington Capitals in the shootout to secure two precious points.

The day finally arrived!  Nervous as anything today.  Having not been able to train this Monday due to feeling dreadful, made it somewhat nervewracking, combine that with the fact that the club we were playing are renowned for being pretty darn good, plus – yes there’s more, much much bigger ice than we have at our home rink!  Scary stuff!

We were lucky though to have 13 of us (lucky 13), still not enough for 3 lines – but two and a couple of us oddments to help fill in!

The day started off fairly hectic, trying to make sure I ate enough of the right stuff – not sure if I did – but I seemed to last through what ice time I had.  Last night I made sure I had protein – actually didn’t manage to get any pasta like I was planning too!   Instead I had a very strange concoction, of scrambled eggs, avocado, and olives, finished off for desert with some yoghurt with those wholemeal grains in them.
Then this morning, I made my porridge (which had fruit bits in it), very scrummy.  So come lunch time I wasn’t feeling all that hungry!  I did manage to eat some more of the wholemeal yoghurt though before heading out, and managed to get a small pasta & chicken salad from the garage on the way up – combined with some fruit smoothies & then nearer the rink / hour before the game – some lucozade sports drink.

In the morning I was busy making sure I’d got my kit all together, wishing I’d done it the night before like I was planning – but, as I was busy creating the U10’s programme for tomorrow’s game – I didn’t quite get around to it!   I also put together my ‘Bench Bag’ (though I think I need to find a better  bag to hold everything though – this time it was my lunch bag !).  So, armed with everything under the sun, sock tape, stick tape, arnica cream, nurofen, scissors, tweezers, skate stone, spray on iodine, penknife, notebook, wet wipes, screwdrivers and anything I thought may be useful.  As it turned out, scissors were extremely useful, as well as the arnica!

At the rink, which felt at bit chaotic – am so glad that ours is a small one!, all the team gathered together.  It was good to see everyone.  I think nearly everyone was feeling a bit nervous – especially the first timers & the second timers!!   So, all in the changing rooms, some good banter & joviality.  The aim is to get out on to the ice and have fun!    And I think we did.

The clock ticking – we didn’t seem to be allowed to get on the ice until face off time – but we were allowed about 10 minutes warm up, so we did a bit of a skate around & then concentrated on warming up our goalie.  I stupidly decided to try out some different insoles in my skates without having tested them previously (tested them in other boots but not my skates!), and was wobbling about all over the place!  Disasterous!  Just couldn’t skate properly at all.  So all through the warm up just wanted to get off.  Not a good start for me!  Managed to wack the puck in the right place though so that was the only saving grace.  Once back on the bench however, they came out!!  Normality resumed!

For this game I wasn’t set on any line -  I was an oddment – to be called in when required.  Bit disappointing but I think it worked out ok.  The first line got off to a cracking start scoring a goal in the first shift!  Closely followed by a second goal & not much longer after a 3rd!!!  The opposition were looking a bit pissed off   I don’t think they were expecting any goals from us!  I managed to get one shift I think on this period – certainly not very many.  Ha!  The end of the first period we’d gotten 3 & the opposition 2.

The second period didn’t go quite so well, as we guess the other team got a bit of a bollocking, we had to make sure we stayed in our positions as that’s when we played the strongest.  We scored one more goal in this one, but the Firebees took their score line up to 8.  They did seem to use some nasty tactics though that strangely enough the refs didn’t seem to see.  Whacking our sticks, loads of shoving and skating into us, skating infront of us and for some poor people, sticks in ribs!  Not nice at all – I believe our goalie was even punched at one point!!  During this shift we had a few problems with line changes and suffered a penalty for taking too long!   Something we need to work on methinks!  Though it’s hard to know where you need to be, when all these face offs happen in different places, and you’re playing in a position you don’t normally play in!  But I guess it will come, with practice.  Frustrating all round though.  I managed to get the puck a few times, and get in the way of the other side from time to time – so all wasn’t lost

So, final period, we were one man down as they had to go back to the home rink, but we carried on.  The opposition managed to get one final goal in, but we did give them a run for their money.  The third period though seemed to carry quite a few injuries, sprained wrist, pulled tummy muscles and an asthma attack.  I tried really hard to mark people and did succeed, apparently, getting in the way & stopping the puck a few times.  I even managed a rebound off the boards!  Never been able to hit it hard enough to manage one of those!!   I also did a nifty pass apparently – though I cant remember if it was one of mine that I tend to do between my skates & shoot it backwards – it actually ended up where I needed it too – only the whistle blew as it got to it’s destination.
With 10 minutes left of the game, I started to get a bit worried, as I couldn’t see the left hand side of the clock and I had the zig zag vision that comes with my migraines.  It kind of got a bit worse, but i managed to get on the ice, and played through it and it seemed ok – thank goodness.  Though it was a bit touch & go when on the ice!
Well, the period finished – and a respectable loss of 9-4.

Our second (really our third by we forfeited our last one due to not enough players) game under our belts.  Feeling a little more confident now – at least we know we can play on a larger pad – which is good.  It is a bit more knackering but it just needs slightly different placing & plays.

We even had some loyal supporters who came all the way up to watch us play which was super cool.

So, after the long drive home, I’m now aching all over (despite a lovely hot bath), got a bit of a headache, so I guess I’ll need to drink a bit more.  Have one very tired little boy, who fell asleep on the way home, who has his first real game tomorrow!  So, we’ll have to do this all over again, though thankfully, I won’t be on the ice!

So, a fantastic match played today – it wasn’t quite so bad as expected – a few more under out belts and we’ll be a force to be reckoned with !

Right, I have to finish off the U10’s programmes for tomorrow, and get my legs up as they hurt!
Well done girls!  Brilliant – everyone did so well.  We should all be extremely proud of ourselves!

Come back soon!

With the Devils and Penguins leading the Division with 28 points, the Flyers, Rangers and Islanders are all tied with 23. With that being said the whole division is only separated by five points.

All though we are only a quarter of the way through the NHL season, if it would end today the whole division would make the playoffs along with the North East Division leader Buffalo Sabers and the South East Divisions Washington Capitals.

The Devils are on their game and proved to be a tuff road team with a record of 9-1 away from their building being lead by Z. Parise with 24 points and the legend M. Brodeur between the pipes holding down a 12-5 record and a 2.21 Goals Against Average. With Parise and Brodeur on their game and their great road record you can see why they are tied on top of the Atlantic with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins .

The Stanley Cup champs picked up where they left off by winning it all last season they started this season off at 9-1. They lost E. Malkin for a few games and hit a skid but got back on the winning track with him back in the lineup winning their last two and hold that top spot with Devils with a 14-7 record.

The Philadelphia Flyers stand at 11-5-1 and were the first team to hand the New Jersey Devils their first road loss of the season. The Flyers also have games in hand on every team in the division with two games in hand on the Devils they have four games in hand on the Penguins, Rangers and Islanders. Flyers are lead by one of the best if not the best defensemen in the league Chris Pronger. Jeff Carter leads the team in scoring with 19 points as Pronger and Mike Richards both have 17.

The Rangers who started off the season hot at 7-1 have cooled off as of late since. Even though the Rangers have been on the losing side of their games of late they’ve been in all of them. Lead by M. Gaborik with 27 points he is currently in second place in the league lead for points over all with 15 goals and 12 assists. If the Rangers can get the rest of their guys going and stay healthy they will be a threat as well.

The surprise of the division has got the fans excited in Long Island again. Starting the season off they couldn’t get a win but they managed to get points in a bunch of games losing in over time. The Islanders started their season off at 1-4-5 getting their first win of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes in a shoot out they finally got their first win on the season in regulation against the NY Rangers and have gone 7-2-2 since that win. The Islanders are getting the job done with their youth explosion of John Tavares number one pick over all in the 2009 draft and with M. Moulson and K. Okposo connecting. Goalie D. Roloson has been getting the nod of late between the pipes and has a 6-1 record in goal with a 2.77 G.A.A. Their captain D. Weight is out of the line up along with goalie R. DiPietro. This team will get some leadership back when those two suit up again and the Islanders kids should only get better.

In a nutshell this division could be up for grabs, but at the moment the Penguins, Flyers and the Devils look to be the tuffest. With the Rangers and Islanders right there this will be an interesting race to watch as it unfolds. It’s very tuff to pick one but you really can’t deny the debth of the defending champs team.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article as we hit the mid-way point of the season in early January 2010.

Watch Live HD Streaming of ICE Hockey NHL Matches : 19/11/2009

Toronto at Carolina , Boston at Atlanta , Pittsburgh at Ottawa , Phoenix at St. Louis , New Jersey at Nashville , Columbus at Dallas , Chicago at Calgary , Tampa Bay at Anaheim , Philadelphia at Los Angeles.

The Thrashers look for a fifth consecutive victory Thursday night as they host the struggling Bruins, who are hoping to have Milan Lucic and or Marc Savard back on the ice. Lucic is coming off a broken linger, meanwhile, Savard is returning from a broken foot. Boston is hoping to return one or both players to help snap a three-game losing streak.

This season, the Bruins have failed to score more than one goal in nine games. They also rank last in the power play, converting just 12.9%. However, they haven’t fell below .500 because of a strong penalty kill, not allowing a power play goal in six straight games.

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