I have now been introduced to the awesome that is ice hockey...

Fassa Albrecht · #1 04-03-2011, 12:31 PM

Damn, never realized hockey was so interesting. Caught a random hockey game and gave it a watch. This stuff is damn awesome. The speed, the action, the quick pace of the scoring, the skill of the players on the ice.....I ended up glued to the screen.

I want a pair of ice-skates now....and I want to play ice hockey.

Any good hockey websites out there for fixtures/results?

stratovani · #2 04-03-2011, 12:48 PM

First thing you're going to need is basic knowledge of the game - hockey 101 stuff. Start with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey

You'll need to learn the rules, how the ice is layed out, equipment used, etc. Later on, read up on the history of the game - how it started and grew, the colorful characters who played the game, historic matches, pretty fascinating stuff.

Selta · #3 04-03-2011, 12:53 PM

Ice Hockey is my favorite sport. Now you need to pick a random team to like while you start really getting acquainted with the sport and such (as strat above pointed out)

**pacojas** · #4 04-03-2011, 12:56 PM

Fassa, you should go to a live game.

it's INSANE!!!

jonathan_matos5 · #5 04-03-2011, 12:59 PM

hockey rules indeed!

stratovani · #6 04-03-2011, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacojas

Fassa, you should go to a live game.

it's INSANE!!!

Absolutely! I don't know if they still have professional leagues in the UK, but if they do, go catch a game. You'll get a perspective on the game that TV simply can't match.

bassrique · #7 04-03-2011, 01:06 PM

Are there live games in the UK? Does the UK have an Olympic team?

Fassa Albrecht · #8 04-03-2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stratovani

Absolutely! I don't know if they still have professional leagues in the UK, but if they do, go catch a game. You'll get a perspective on the game that TV simply can't match.

There's the Elite Hockey League over here, yeah. The National Ice Centre (where the match I was watching was being held) was sold-out, the games are that popular.

Also:

This is my 'local' hockey team, the Newcastle Vipers.

sarcastro83 · #9 04-03-2011, 01:15 PM

Sweet! Welcome to the greatest game on God's Earth. Meet the face of your new God, former Toronto Maple Leaf Wendel Clark:

He wasn't the fastest, he didn't score as often as a lot of other guys, but, next to Gordie Howe, this is the face of a man who represents everything that makes this game awesome.

Fassa Albrecht · #10 04-03-2011, 01:31 PM

Tsal · #11 04-03-2011, 02:33 PM

Good thing is that there's a couple of good leagues in Europe as well, and NHL and Europe have slightly different play styles. A bit more physical in slightly more narrow field in NHL, a bit faster and more skill-oriented in Europe.

Russian KHL is the second big-money league after NHL, and their games are starting to get broadcast in Europe too. Then you have the Swiss league that offers bit more cash and Finnish/Swedish/Czech/Slovakian leagues that form the big ones in Europe. They've been trying to get a proper "Champion's League" going in Europe for a few years now, let's hope it succeeds, so far there's been some limited versions of it.

machine gewehr · #12 04-03-2011, 02:35 PM

Hockey is awesome. Wish we had it here. I'm going to wisit Canada some day,I'll make sure to watch it live feeling the cool breeze of the ice.

It's so awesome that fighting is a part of a match.Almost as good as boxing,not close to Muay Thai though.

Fassa Albrecht · #13 04-03-2011, 02:40 PM

^reminds me of a quote from Law and Order: '''Went to a fight and an ice-hockey match started''.

MakiSupaStar · #14 04-03-2011, 02:54 PM

I am not a fan of hockey but I think I'm going to be a fan of this thread.

Fassa Albrecht · #15 04-03-2011, 02:56 PM

I want some skates now. Want to head off to the local rink and PLAY some darn hockey!

basstotheface · #16 04-03-2011, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

I am not a fan of hockey but I think I'm going to be a fan of this thread.

I will +1 this. And reserve everything else I want to say.

Hawaii Islander · #17 04-03-2011, 03:11 PM

Go Bruins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiCdntbwO5c

They also played some hockey that game.

We beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-0 in the rematch.

tplyons · #18 04-03-2011, 03:12 PM

Greatest sport on this Earth... there's nothing like Hockey out there... and there's certainly nothing like a bunch of drunk hockey fans.

Fassa Albrecht · #19 04-03-2011, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

Go Bruins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiCdntbwO5c

They also played some hockey that game.

We beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-0 in the rematch.

Owch...some nasty punches being thrown there! >.<

Jim Campbell · #20 04-03-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

Damn, never realized hockey was so interesting. Caught a random hockey game and gave it a watch. This stuff is damn awesome. The speed, the action, the quick pace of the scoring, the skill of the players on the ice.....I ended up glued to the screen.

I want a pair of ice-skates now....and I want to play ice hockey.

Any good hockey websites out there for fixtures/results?

there are several leagues in europe and the scandinavians,ruskies,czech's etc play a good game.....the larger ice surfaces make for a more wide open game ......

playing it yourself may be a tough thing to do as just learning to skate takes a long time,and gear is pricey.....decent hockey skates can be several hundred bucks,and i doubt that england has much of a second hand market like here...they need to be properly fitted by someone (tho' you can order them custom with diagrams of yo' feets) who knows what he's doing..a pro here will go through at least 2 pairs per season of custom made skates.....sticks are not cheap and they tend to break regularly .....to outfit a player is probably a thousand bucks easy..... your lack of winter does not allow for outdoor ice to play on.....for months each winter most of us here played for hours every day outside from age five or six and there really is no substitute for lots of time on the ice.........

ball hockey in the spring,and summer leagues honed the stick handling/passing/strategy skills......

try youtube .....there are probably many sites that explain some of the rules and finer points and there are tons of dvd's (if you can find a region 1 player)of classic games/championship series available here....also check out lacrosse.....the indoor game is played in a dry hockey rink and very similar in strategy,sans skates

some names to google.....ccm sports,bauer,koho,sherwood,ccm tacks,jofa......and we have some big box hockey stores here,hockey world comes to mind,royal sports winnipeg......