Starting to be Able to Follow Ice Hockey Games

The other night I was watching the National Hockey League game between the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings, taking place at Madison Square Garden and broadcast on NBC Sports (local Cox Channel 33).  I've written before about how difficult a time I've had trying to to follow the flow of the game, seeing how the small puck is so elusive and often hidden.  In spite of that, though, I was surprised to be able to better keep track of its movement...and actually enjoyed the game.  I wasn't pulling for one team over the other, although since I've been to New York once, and the hotel I stayed at is a short walking distance from the Garden, I tend to think of the Big Apple as almost a secondary home town.  The Rangers did pull out an overtime victory, 1-0, and I thought that the reduced three-on-three setup in overtime served to make the action more exciting...and should be extended to the entire game...

One other reason that I have had for not getting into watching ice hockey is that I've never played the sport...not even in its alternative form of field hockey.  Also, I've never ice-skated before, and therefore cannot easily imagine myself in the skates of those athletes in these games...unlike, for example, soccer, where I can sense the limitations of the players based partially on my own personal experience in this sport.  Also, I'm still a little lost at some of the rules of hockey...especially concerning off-side calls.  Still, I'm looking forward to watching more...I'm sure I'll pick up on what's going on eventually...

My home state of Florida has two NHL teams: the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.  Both are having good seasons this year, and the Lightning made it to the Stanley Cup finals last year.  However, although I'll probably end up rooting for them when I'm watching their games, I just don't have that level of fan loyalty built up yet...