The Return of Hockey!

My life is not all glum... especially with hockey returning!

It is almost surprising how much I really do enjoy this sport. I have had a couple conversations trying to explain this fascination with hockey to others who don't enjoy, and it is difficult to do!

One thing is that it is a fast paced game, with very little boring time as the game is going on. Football and baseball have boring moments while you are waiting for the set up or for the pitch. I feel like I could have one of those games on in the background while I did something else- not hockey. You have to be watching the puck constantly, as it shifts from side to side frequently in any given minute of the game.

It is an exciting game, because a goal could happen at any moment while the game is going on. Even the last few seconds of a period or a game are crucial- I have personally seen goals scored in these last few remaining seconds. For example, the game we went to on Saturday, the Ducks scored when there was only slightly more than 30 seconds left in the period. Basically, if there is time on the clock, there is time to score.

Even with that said, it is a challenging game. It is a high scoring game if a team gets 6 points in the 60 minutes of play time, and that is a rare occurrence. Usually the teams score 3 points or less, which adds to the excitement, because every point counts that much more.

Also, there is a certain beauty to it, since every shot, block and save is done by players as they skate on the ice. I would bet that it would be much more difficult to do any other sport if the players were also having to keep their balance on ice skates. Plus, it means that even the best players sometimes fall on their own accord- which I am willing to bet is rare in other sports- not pushed, not tackled, just slip and fall.

Another interesting difference, and one that I think is pretty unique to hockey is the amount of time any given player is on the ice before they go back in- it is usually under a minute. Seriously. The announcers start talking about how much they need to switch once it has been over a minute, and I think that this improves the sport in two ways. One, the guys you see on the ice are always at their freshest, best skill level possible. Two, when they are out there, they give it their all, because they know they will get a break soon. I would wager that they skate harder, and play better just because they know they will get to rest soon, and what other sport can guarantee that?

More than anything though, is how invested I get in the Ducks games I watch. This is not something I can explain, it is just a feeling, and one that both Blake and I have had since our first game together. We are emotionally involved with the game. We get frustrated and yell at the TV when the other team scores, or our team loses the puck, and we get excited and yell and high five each other when they do score. A game that the Ducks win gives us a high for the night, where we are both excited and talk about all the best moves in the game that helped us win. A game that the Ducks lose puts us both in a sour mood, and we rehash all of the things that if they were different, maybe they could have won. Point being, we care. Not sure why... but we really do.

No other sport has ever made me care. I have watched a variety of sports over the years, mostly when someone else has them on, or it is the Olympics, but I watch as a passive bystander. I usually don't care who wins, and I'll appreciate the skillful moves, but at the end of the day, no matter who wins, I have already moved on. (Sadly yes, even with the Olympics- I want the U.S. to win, but I generally don't get too disappointed if we don't, I think good for that country).

So, while Grace isn't home yet, we do have hockey back, and the Ducks are doing pretty well! They won their first two games, beautifully, and we were very excited for the season. They had a bad loss last Friday, but they won on Saturday- the game we attended. Oh, and that game was VERY exciting and nerve racking. The two teams were evenly matched, and when the regulation time ended we were tied two to two. So we went into overtime, still no score. Then came the shootout, which the Ducks won! Such a great end to a hard fought game.

Tuesday's game was a bit of a downer, but not too bad. The Ducks were ahead for a good portion of the game, but with a few minutes left in the game, the Sharks scored to tie it. It again went into overtime, and then a shootout, but this time the Sharks won the shootout. However, the Sharks are currently an undefeated team, and the Ducks were the first to make them go into overtime, so it wasn't all bad. Plus, in hockey, if you lose in overtime, you still get a point in the rankings (instead of two for a win), so it wasn't a couple disappointment.

Anyways, next game is Friday, and you can be sure I'll be watching.

p.s. Thank you for all of the kind support and comments on my last post, which admittedly was not my happiest, nor written in the best mood. I am doing okay, I know it will happen eventually, it is just a hard journey, and I decided to write on one of the harder days.