Game of the Week: Ice Hockey

 

Ice hockey is not only a game I've never played...I've never even ice-skated: heck, I've never roller-skated to any degree, for that matter.  This shouldn't be surprising in that I've been a Florida resident since before I was one and water tends not to freeze outdoors in this neck of the woods, so unlike with other sports we never played ice hockey in school or as a "sandlot" sport.  And there's obviously no ice hockey presence in Florida athletics, either...but in the National Hockey League we have the defending champs Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers for the Miami area. Over the decades I have kept up with hockey, both in the newspaper by keeping up with the National Hockey League standings and on television by occasionally watching games...especially during the Stanley Cup championship playoffs as they are currently taking place. And now it's down to the final series between defending champs Tampa Bay and the resurgent Montreal Canadiens to determine this year's league title. Hockey has always been difficult for me to follow...I think I have a better grasp on the sport, though, now that I understand its off-side rule where the attacking team has to have the remaining players behind the blue line on its offensive side before they can advance the puck.  I'm still unsure about icing, though, which sometimes seems to be more of a judgment call of the officials.  It's also amazing that any goals ever get scored, what with the goalie sitting there covering the net with all his protective gear ballooning out...I wonder if there's a size limit on goalies, otherwise you could just hire a pro wrestler of Man Mountain Mike's girth and get shutouts every game...I think I remember an insurance commercial where a bear played the goalie! I also think it's funny about the numerous fights that take place during the course of a game...and how, unlike in basketball, football, or baseball, the participants...faces often bloodied...usually don't seem too emotionally involved in it all, as if it's just a regular part of the sport.  No, there are many aspects of hockey that confuse me, but most of all my problem is keeping up with where the puck is at any given moment...