I hope I've enticed you a little to watch some hockey. Playoff games start next week and they're always intense. Stakes are high, reputations are made, and the excitement is palpable.
One way into the sport is to learn who a team's star-player is and then watch him. Even when he's not near the puck he'll be doing something purposeful. You'll grasp this as you see plays unfold.
To "hit the back of the net" and not the "pipe" you should learn some hockey lingo. It's fun and you'll suddenly understand what the heck the announcers are saying.
- "Hit the back of the net" - Score a goal. You'll hear this said a dozen times every game
- "Pipe" - A metal goal-post. It clangs when struck by a biscuit
- 1st/2nd/3rd "frame" - Frame means period; there are three, each 20 minutes long
- "Barn" - The arena where the game is played. Beloved home-ice
- "Biscuit" - The puck. "Please pass me the biscuit" is communicated by banging your stick on the ice
- "Bucket" - A player's helmet. Comes off during fights
- "Chirping" - Talking trash to an opponent to disrupt his concentration. "Does the coach know you're out here?"
- "Sweater" - A player's jersey. Fans wear replicas which are absurdly expensive
- "Five-hole" - The space between a goalie's legs. An embarrassing place for a shot to go through. Oops!
- "Flow" - A player's long hair, gloriously cascading out the back of his bucket
- "Spitting Chiclets" - A player getting his teeth knocked out. Devils veteran Ondřej Palát had it happen to him a month ago. Ondřej caught a high stick in the mouth during the second period. He went into the locker-room, had his mouth stitched up and returned to the ice in the third period to score another goal. Hockey players are tough!
Yay! Another hockey nut who is also an LGBT person! My favorite team was (and hopefully will be again) the Hartford Whalers. The eeeevil nemesis is the Boston Bruins. If you'd to check my blog out, it's emilysvirtualrocket.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteGo Florida Panthers!
Nice to meet you, Emily! We share a mutual nemesis. I get angry just thinking about Brad Marchand. :)
DeleteMy favourite is "up where Mom keeps the cookies" for one of the upper corners of the net.
ReplyDeleteI'll be watching Boston's games (sorry, Emily and Ally!!), starting tonight!
Yes, I like that one too and almost included ;it. Good luck to your team.
DeleteI thought one of my greatest countrymen, Jaromír Jágr, was the only one with a real "flow." But apparently I just need to watch more hockey. :)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Prague!
There are others as well! All looking glorious. :)
DeleteThese are fun! Wincing at the teeth one though!xx
ReplyDeleteThe whole point of watching sports is (or at least should be) to have fun. To delight in the physical talents of the rare few who are athletic enough to compete at the highest level. I never played hockey in my life, can barely skate without falling but find joy in watching others do what I can't. Not only that but the Devils are about to win a playoff series! After years and years of last-place finishes this is call for jubilation.
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