Cue Gary Glitter’s "Rock-n-Roll"- also now known as the Hockey Song- or, if you are a huge fan of "Happy Gilmore," as am I, you will recognize it from the hit movie. Nicklas Grossman looks a bit more like a wise guy than a Swedish NHL player and is compelling and intimidating on and off the ice.
The lights are flashing, the crowd has been ignited, the announcer is doing a Michael Buffer (ring master for boxing)-style introduction of the home team. Out of the chute (or tunnel) they come, walking stiffly, padded from head to toe, balancing on blades a mere 1/8 of an inch wide. Once they hit the ice, however, you are treated to a portrait of ease and grace.
Gliding effortlessly, the players run through drills as they warm up prior to the game. The challenger enters quietly and with little fanfare. If it’s me, there is generally someone on the opposing team of which I am a big fan. Similar to my feelings about the NFL, I tend to follow my favorite players around the league- enjoying their prowess regardless of where or with whom they are.
Hockey, like soccer, is generally a low scoring game, but UNLIKE soccer, it is extremely fast paced and there are more shots on goal (shots which do not make it into the goal- though shots that do make it in are also added to this statistic). You can count on fights, and because it is a much smaller playing surface, there is less back-and-forthing and more interaction between the players.
The ice is approximately 200 feet long, 85 feet wide and is divided, like basketball, into two identical halves by a red line called the red line (Clever, eh?) This is center ice- where the game beginning face off (see below for definition) takes place. Now, on either side of the red line there are blue lines called blue lines. These divide the ice further, creating three zones. You now have an attacking zone, a defending zone and a neutral zone.
The area between the blue lines and the goal are the attacking and defending zones- depending upon whether you have possession of the puck or not. The space between the blue lines intersected by the red line is the neutral zone.
There is another red line running just behind each goal and this is called the goal line.
To the right and left in font of the goals are end zone face-off circles.
Similar to other sports- the lines on the ice help to control the movement of the puck- and there are rules based on whether a puck or a player can lead over the line without stoppage of play.
Assuming you have never seen a game, the playing surface is ice, the lines are painted below the ice and the ice itself is surrounded completely by plexi-glass. On either end of the ice are goals. Cracks me up to think of Happy Gilmore saying- “Is this goal regulation size or what?” Four-feet tall and six-feet wide, by the way- and yes, they are regulation size.
In order to win the game, one team will have to score more goals than the other. A goal is scored when a player maneuvers the puck into the net.
The equipment in hockey is a stick, which is used to handle the puck, and a puck. The players- six on the ice per team at a time- one goal tender, two defensemen, a right wing (offense), a left wing (offense) and a center (offense).
The game is played is in three 20-minute periods and the time is counted down. Goals are called at the time on the clock. For example- Sergi Federov scored at 13:10 in the first period. There is a 17-minute intermission between periods, which is not quite enough time to both potty and get another beer. If you are very CLEVER you will use the restroom and find the beer guy roaming on your way back in so as not to miss a second.
The game begins when a puck is dropped by the referee in between two opposing forwards at center ice. This is a face-off. The forward who takes possession of the puck creates the offense and that team pursues the attacking zone.
A “C” will be found on the chest of the captain and two other players will feature “A”s. This does not mean assistant, it means alternate, and the alternate is afforded all rights of captain when the captain is not on the ice.
Two critical aspects of play are icing and offside. If two teams are at even strength (six on six)- and a puck is hit from behind the red line beyond the opposing goal line and retrieved by the defense, icing is called. If a linesman feels a defensive player could have played the puck prior to the puck passing the goal line, the icing can be “waved off,” resulting in a continuation of play.
If icing is called, a face-off in offending team’s defensive zone will begin play.
Now, this is not called if a team is short-handed (down a man or two due to a penalty)- they are allowed to clear the puck (shoot it down the ice) without penalty.
If a player precedes the puck into the offensive zone- offside is called and a face-off in the neutral zone begins play after a stoppage. If a pass goes from one blue line, across the red line, a two-line pass or offside pass is called. A face-off will begin play closest to the origination of the pass.
If a team is short-handed and they score- it is a short-handed goal. If the team with the man advantage scores, it is called a power play goal.
I'm pretty sure Dallas is the only team with Ice Girls- yes, Ice Girls, but even if your home team does not have scantily clad chicks who clean the ice or parade about handing out T-shirts, I'm certain there will still be a fair amount of amusement for all.
These are the critical aspects of play. In the next NHL post, I will discuss the roles of each player- job description, so to speak. Tomorrow we are going to have to unpack where your wedding will take place- what city? On Thursday, I am thinking about the process of elimination- when is enough ENOUGH in an interpersonal relationship?
I think you mean "chute" not "shoot"...different word and a different meaning! Just trying to be of service!
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