Jamarquan

Got Islanders tickets for my family's annual Christmas party, against a good team (Columbus) and in the unobstructed seats, no less. Now I have to wait until February...

I don’t know much about finance, but if hockey stores, especially local hockey stores, were getting from 20 to 40 percent margins on sticks I don’t think we’d have a problem with the shortage of local / smaller stores. I could be wrong (or I could have misread).

I actually have family in the Albany area, and I did do a private lesson or two up there a few years ago, so it's possible that I've actually seen you before.

Our school has two hockey teams - one for the super good kids who play all the other really good schools in the area and consistently goes to the state tournament (varsity), and the team for kids who aren't quite good enough yet but they get experience playing in the coaches system and get to have their growth monitored (Junior Varsity / JV). It's a pretty similar dynamic to the NHL and AHL if that makes sense. I also apologize for hijacking the thread.

Of course I love the game, it means a lot to me and it's taught me many a lesson, but I got into the sport late and am certainly not the most athletic guy, but obviously that is most certainly not an excuse. The coaches talk to everyone who comes to tryouts 1:1 after the last session and they told me my puck skills and "Hockey IQ" were good enough to land me on JV, but my skating was going to get me hurt. I plan to go in tomorrow to see if there's anything I can do to work out and practice with the team because I don't have another place to play all winter. I have a good understanding of what needs to improve (keeping my head up, backward crossovers, tight edgework, and most definitely flat out speed), and I think with some structure and intensity I can get myself to Varsity by next year. If it doesn't pan out, the rowing program I play (is play the right word?) for has an intense winter workout program to gear everyone up for the spring season (we've gone to nationals the last few years), and there's no ice time involved, but I will come out faster, stronger, and more agile than I was, and there's always public skate.

My school's hockey program bought one and they seem to really like the product - consistent, quick, portable sharpenings, with little knowledge or experience required? Great! Unfortunately, I can't use it because I got cut from the team, due to my skating ability :(

That's the worst offense right there.

Uh oh.

Your post says you were interested in trying the 1N or Super Tacks. For (roughly) the same price you can get custom skates shipped to you from True Hockey. You send in a drawing and measurement of your feet (or they can do it, I believe), and the skates will be built to fit that measurement including a few customization options. Quite a few users here have them, and everybody seems to be happy about them. If you still want an off the shelf skate, try the RibCor 70K in a EE width - correct me if I'm wrong but they should be flat, wide, and mold to your foot well with their construction. They will also cost a fair amount less than other top end skates like the 1N ($700 USD vs 950).

Our Sunday afternoon game that wasn't originally on the schedule game got cancelled 10 minutes into the first period because the rink wasnt fully enclosed (the actual playing surface was fine, but the walls of the arena were partly mesh fencing) so the ice was covered in fog. I was playing well in that game too, dammit.

Never heard of using heat to take off stickers, water maybe, but usually just pecking at it with my fingernails.

Uh oh.

No. Bad.

Got the first win of the (short) season! Had to score an empty netter, but we got it done.

No haha - shouldn't have posted college football stuff on a hockey forum.

Life is good.

Wasn't even thinking of that, but yes. Add Andrew Ladd to that list. And Snow.

The New York Islanders. Why do I like this team.

I'm surprised that straps aren't even more prevalent than they have become in the last few years, but I'm also not a goalie.

One step closer to that level one ref money, however much it is. But in all seriousness, I am excited.

After traversing the stupid USA Hockey website, I finally got my referee handbook and manual in the mail! Just need to attend the seminar and take the exam until I'm ready to go.

*looks at profile pic* That checks out.

Sort of totally insane he even got to October before he signed. Also weird that he went to the Flames given everything that was said about his list of wants, especially low taxes.

College Football

Whatever's going on at ESPN.