Joy of Hockey

Shut-Outs, Zeroes, Blowouts, Hat-Tricks and Shoot-Outs

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hockey is a sport where anything can happen on a given night, and it usually does. When you attend a NHL game, you can expect to see the best athletes on skates give it their all each and every night. The excitement you experience when attending a gme live cannot be compared to any other sport.

The NHL has some of the best goaltending in the league. Henrik Lundqvist, also known as King Henry, is the netminder for the New York Rangers. Lundqvist gives his all each and every night to stop shots from opposing players and mark wins for the team.You can find a quick rundown here With his impenetrable defense, the Rangers are a force behind play of their great goalie.

Hat-Tricks are also a great aspect of hockey. When a player scores three goal in a game, the fans start throwing their hats into the rink. This melee usually delays the game by a few minutes, but it is a very special ritual exclusive to hockey.

When attending a hockey game, be sure to root loud for the home team. The crowd provides the energy that the players feed off of to play better hockey. In attendance, be prepared for anything and everything.

Stats, Sticks, Power Plays And Penalty Kills

admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hockey is one of the most exciting sports anywhere on the planet. The speed which the players skate up and down the ice is unmatched in any other sport. The players give their all each and every shift trying to score that elusive goal. Each team plays with a heart and determination that is simply missing from every sports.

Hockey is one of the most unique experiences in the entire world. When watching your favorite player take a slap shot from the point or observing a devastating hit, it is clear to everyone watching that this is really cool.You can find a quick rundown here The coaches are barking out instructions from the bench, instructing their players on the best strategy to win the game.

The goalies are amazing. They are some of the most agile, athletic individuals anywhere on the planet. The way they can make quick reflex saves is something that must be watched. When a goalie gloves a slap shot from an offensive player, it is literally poetry on ice. The way the players dive and scratch for every puck makes hockey a battle of will power as much as skill. Once you start watching hockey, it is impossible not to get hooked.

The Frozen Pond: Drills, Exercises And Advice

admin — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you don’t have a nicely smoothed ice rink to practice with the puck. All you really need to practice hockey is a frozen over pond and some skates. Grab a couple friends and head down to your nearest park, the fun starts as soon as you want it to.

There are many different things you can do on a frozen pond. If you’re just starting out it is a great place to learn how to skate in a very casual environment. Just practice your turns and cuts, and before you know it you will be skating figure eights around the competition. Once you have basic skating down you can work on your speed or your puck control. Finally once you think you are ready you can start a scrimmage. Set out some markers for goals and get ready to have fun. Remember that it is still just practice so don’t get too aggressive with your friends.

There are some worries that come along with playing on a frozen pond that you should be aware of. Remember to make sure the ice is thick enough to skate on, the last thing you want is someone falling through. You should also keep in mind that the ice is not as smooth so keep an eye out for ruts and divots.

Hockey Withdrawal? A Few Tips…

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love hockey? Now that the season’s over you’re likely going through withdrawal, watching game after game of old footage on the direct satellite hockey channels and wearing your jersey everywhere. Here are a few of our best tips for keeping the NHL spirit alive during the painfully long off-season…
Start a Street League – Even if you’re too old to play, get some neighborhood kids together for a few pick up games of street hockey. When they’re good enough, speak with other local teams about getting the league together…now you’re a coach!
Have a Party – Host a hockey party for all your guy friends where you’ll eat wings, drink beer and watch game highlights of some of your team’s best moments. Better yet, screen an old hockey classic like Mighty Ducks for a sense of nostalgia.
Fantasy League – It’s never too early to start planning for your fantasy hockey league this year and why not take the reigns? Get involved now and start making rosters and draft lists so you’re prepared when the season hits.

1/3 Season Projections

www.joyofhockey.com — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Well over a third of the 2010-2011 NHL season has already passed us by, giving a substantial enough body of work to make long term projections regarding the season’s outcome. Soothsayers? No. Educated guessers? Indeed. Based on current team trajectories and player tendencies, not to mention a little luck and elbow grease, this is an early season stab at how the standings will shake out, along with an even further reaching forecast as to who will skate away with Lord Stanley’s Cup. Without further adoEastern ConferenceAtlantic Division1. Pittsburgh Penguins2. Philadelphia Flyers3. New York Rangers4. New Jersey Devils5. New York IslandersNortheast Division1. Boston Bruins2. Montreal Canadiens3. Buffalo Sabres4. Ottawa Senators5. Toronto Maple LeafsSoutheast Division1. Atlanta Thrashers2. Washington Capitals3. Tampa Bay Lightning4. Carolina Hurricanes5. Tampa Bay LightningWestern ConferenceCentral Division1. Detroit Redwings2. Chicago Blackhawks3. St. Louis Blues4. Nashville Predators5. Columbus Blue JacketsNorthwest Division1. Vancouver Canucks2. Colorado Avalanche3. Calgary Flames4. Minnesota Wild5. Edmonton OilersPacific Division1. Anaheim Ducks2. San Jose Sharks3. Los Angeles Kings4. Dallas Stars5. Phoenix CoyotesStanley Cup Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins over the Vancouver Canucks in 6 games

Long Term Effects of the Salary Cap

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:14:05 +0000

The issue of player salaries within the NHL has long been an issue. During its early days in the first half of the 20^th century, the league subjected players to salary caps, but these were eventually done away with and forgotten about for several decades. This topic rose to the surface again in the 1970s when the NHL Players Association was created. The issue finally came to a head during the 1994-1995 season and resulted in a lockout and a portion of the season being cancelled. However, the problems solved at this time would only sedate the issue for about ten years. In 2004 a lockout resulted in the entire season being cancelled, which was the first time this has ever happened in a North American professional sports league. However, in the end, negotiations finally resulted in a salary cap agreement. A salary cap per team and per player was set based on revenues of the league. Therefore, in years where the numbers are good and revenue is up, teams can spend more and players can make more. This year the team cap is 59.4 million and the individual player cap is 11.8 million; the highest numbers yet since the agreement. There are a number of specifications and exceptions pertaining to injuries, guaranteed player contracts, and bonuses.So now that you understand the history and basic salary cap policy, the question remains; how has this affected the NHL? One of the biggest changes to come about is the changing equality of success within the league. In earlier years, dynasties dominated the NHL for up to a decade at a time. Where there used to be a much clearer more distinguishable line between the teams you could expect to place well in the tournament and bring home the Stanley Cup, now it seems to be any man’s game. Another trend that is gaining strength is lifetime contracts. Teams are attempting to minimize the effects of a star player’s salary on their team cap by extending it over a long period of time. However, this is leaving teams very vulnerable to injury and early retirement and could cause problems down the road.

Gearing Up for Training Camp

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:08:39 +0000

If you’ve been trudging through the heat of summer, fantasizing about the cold of the ice rink and anxiously awaiting the start of hockey season, it’s almost time. NHL teams will begin season training camps in just over a month on September 12^th. Teams will hit the ice for several weeks’ worth of grueling, exhausting pre-season practice and workouts. What goes on in this short preseason period can set the stage for the entire season. Just 9 days after training camps begin, the 2010-2011 preseason games will begin on September 21^st. At 7:00 p.m. that night, hockey fans around the country will tune in for the first four games of the season. Columbus will play at Atlanta, Carolina will host Florida, New Jersey will travel to Philadelphia, and Toronto will takes on Ottawa with the home rink advantage. The excitement won’t end there, with 5 more games following throughout the evening. The weather may be starting to cool down but inside these arenas things are just starting to heat up. Two weeks later, the regular season will begin on Thursday October 7^th. That weekend, packed full of opening games, is what every hockey fan has been spent the entire summer waiting for.For fans interested in following the progress of their team through training camp, many teams offer web cam videos inside the arenas to keep you up to date with the team’s progress. The NHL website has information regarding each team’s training camp location, preseason information and ticket sales. You can also follow all the latest news and videos of what’s going on in the league.

Best Fights of Last Season

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:59:47 +0000

Though outsiders are quick to bash this element of the game as ruthless or unnecessary, players and referees alike expect and tolerate a few blows under certain circumstances. Though at first glance it may appear to be a brutish bashing of skulls with no real purpose, there are actually a whole list of unspoken rules for an NHL fist fight. Most hockey fans feed off the excitement of team rivalries especially when it comes to blows on the ice, and players never fail to deliver. Each season we see our fair share of fights, but only a few are worth remembering, so we’ve come up with our pick of the top 5 fights of the 2009-2010 NHL season.

Cam Janssen vs. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond: These two turned what would otherwise be a low-profile game into one of the most watched matches of the season, well at least two and half minutes of it. One of the longer-lasting fights of the year, Janssen and Leblond went at it for almost 3 minutes and never seemed to tire, despite the constant blows and action for the duration of the fight.
Matt Carkner vs. Colton Orr: The third and final fight of the season between these two rivals resulted in a victory for Orr, his second, giving him the unofficial title between the two players. A hard blow to Carkner’s head finally prompted officials to step in, demonstrating that there is still control in the mayhem.
Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan: These Canadian rivals went head to head on October 24, 2009 for what proved to be a win for McGrattan but a great fight for all hockey fans.
Evander Kane vs. Matt Cooke: Known to pick a fight and having done plenty of damage in previous brawls and controversial hits, Matt Cooke was put in his place by 19 year-old rookie, Evander Kane. Kane delivered a one-punch knock out to the less-than-adored Penguins player.
Zenon Konopka vs. Chris Thorburn: Despite his smaller stature, Konopka has a reputation for being one of the bravest, if not best fighters in the league, and any fight involving him is guaranteed action. Though there was no clear winner in this brawl, it was certainly an early season entertainer that’s worth watching again.

Be a Part of the Action with NHL 11

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:48:29 +0000

The latest NHL hockey game from EA Sports is only about a month away from hitting stores creating what is expected to be the most impressive pro hockey game yet. Created for XBOX 360 and Playstation 3, gamers will have the chance to step onto the rink and join the excitement of this action-packed sport.The real-time physics engine will create even more life-like plays. Based on actual puck and player reactions that occur within a game, you’ll be closer than ever before to the heart of the game. A new face-off system for the game will add to the authenticity of the match and you can even break your stick with a difficult slap shot. But just like in the real game, play must continue. Take a chance and choose your best move; hustle to the sidelines for a new stick, or if there’s no time, grab one from a teammate. New features even give you the chance to battle it out against fellow gamers. You can prepare for the upcoming championship with practice-mode. Experience the emotions of the junior league as you are scouted by the pros. You can even be called up to the pros, but only the best will make it. So far the game has received raving reviews and appears to have plenty in store for fans. Expectant fans can view NHL 11 trailers at GameTrailers.com. NHL 11 will be available on September 7^th, but until then, fans can pre-order a copy of the game on the EA Sports website or at gaming and electronic websites such as GameStop, EB Games, or Best Buy.

2011 Winter Classic Will Reignite an Epic Rivalry

www.joyofhockey.com — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:42:57 +0000

Years worth of post-season matchups and nail biting victories have brought the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals to blows on the rink. In addition to the team rivalry, there is also constant tension between the captains of the two teams. The leadership styles of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and his Capitals counterpart Alexander Ovechkin vary significantly. Some fans would claim this is currently the best individual rivalry in the league as well. Wherever you draw your battle lines, if you have any interest in the Penguins-Washington history, you’ve got plenty in store this season as the two will battle it out on the first day of the New Year at Heinz Field. The Penguins will host this first game of 2011 in what is sure to be a memorable match up. This event is an annual game played in an outdoor arena, with seating capacity much greater than what NHL teams are accustomed to.This game will mark the first Winter Classic appearance for the Capitals, and the second for the Penguins, who played in the 2008 classic, beating the Buffalo Sabres. The game winning goal was scored by Crosby making him the hero of the match and setting quite a standard for performance for the 2011 contest. Even if you’re not a fan of hockey, this is a match worth tuning into as it truly captures all the best of the sport. Impressive fan bases for each team, dedicated leadership from both sides, and a matchup that is sure to get the blood stirring. Tickets are already on sale through various ticket platforms such as SelectATicket and StubHub. The game will be played at 1:00 p.m. so you’ll have plenty of time to celebrate a victory or mourn the loss with friends after the game.