Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[santiclaws 0]

• ALL the hockey sounds, especially that special echo all empty hockey rinks have: The clack-clack-clack of a stick and puck, the sound of skates cutting into the ice surface, "ding!"
  
• A tap on the shinapds from a player you respect acknowledging a good play
  
• A pass allowing your teammate to tap it in
  
• A long breakout pass that's right on your teammate's tape
  
• Your goalie making a miraculous save on a glorious chance for the other team (especially if you're the one who screwed the pooch on the play)
  
• The feeling of camaraderie that is second to none
  
• The butterflies in your stomach letting you know it's a big game before the first drop of the puck
  
• A clean faceoff win
  
• Watching a teammate scoring a goal to break out of a looong slump
  
• Modern era - waiting for the UPS man to arrive with you new gear
  
• Everything
  

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

• ALL the hockey sounds, especially that special echo all empty hockey rinks have: The clack-clack-clack of a stick and puck, the sound of skates cutting into the ice surface, "ding!"
  
• A tap on the shinapds from a player you respect acknowledging a good play
  
• A pass allowing your teammate to tap it in
  
• A long breakout pass that's right on your teammate's tape
  
• Your goalie making a miraculous save on a glorious chance for the other team (especially if you're the one who screwed the pooch on the play)
  
• The feeling of camaraderie that is second to none
  
• The butterflies in your stomach letting you know it's a big game before the first drop of the puck
  
• A clean faceoff win
  
• Watching a teammate scoring a goal to break out of a looong slump
  
• Modern era - waiting for the UPS man to arrive with you new gear
  
• Everything
  

Oh the joy of opening packages to see what gear they reveal :P

[farhanshak 1]

getting out of a scoring slump

coming up big in the playoffs and elimination games

always being able to smile when i step on the ice

perfectly sharpened skates

seeing your game get better over the years

playing pick up with friends

[fatwabbit 93]

Playing hockey with my son (obviously letting him win) and hearing him say 'I want to be like you Dad'

[HockeyPho85 0]

Laughing when you burn your opponents with speed

Setting up a 3 on 1 play then scores.

locker room talk "what happens in the locker room, stays in the locker room!"

Scoring a breakaway

dekes

shooting at home when your bored or pissed off haha

[LivHockey84 0]

A crisp clean breakout pass & them first few chilly breaths on the ice.

[Wallzy41 9]

Having a pair of twins call out to you during study hall(who have been on skates maybe 3x now): Hey, you going up to the pond tonight? I hadn't planned on it, as i'm not feeling the greatest, but WTH, i'll go anyways. Twins: Alright :) My friends are amazing.5 of us play on a 6th neighbor's pond, and the 5 we have are all different. The twins are not very secure on our skates we have a guy with an amazing shot, but little skate control, I'm very balanced in terms of skating/shot, and a guy who just runs around with a stick, but we just had our first "cup moment". In pens shirts, we all took the ice like it was game seven, and we all celebrated the huge OT winner. Great times. :)

[adam14 182]

6 hour bus trips.

being just as happy on the bench as the guy who scored the goal.

feeding somebody a pass, even though you could have taken the shot, and watching them score.

blocking a shot that should have hurt, but didnt.

fresh tape jobs.

[theWB 2]

Knowing anything negative in my life disappears from my mind when my skates are on.

[SouthpawTRK 1]

Well, after being out sick for over a month, I was able to hit the ice for a stick/puck session this morning :)

Simple pleasures such as:

Skating around

Shooting the puck

Making a goal against one of the goalies this morning

Even though I have to go to work today, my whole day is already set with a smile on my face :D

[Da Beez 0]

Being 44, playing against guys half your age and giving them a run for their money.

[crazylegs_9 0]

Shower Beer

[Fire Walker 22]

A cold beer after a game.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I thought of another...the sound pucks make when they hit fresh/unskated ice totally flat.

[CAmmon 2]

-A tape job coming off in one piece

-The pass you had no business making going through everyone to where you intended it

[chippa13 1844]

I thought of another...the sound pucks make when they hit fresh/unskated ice totally flat.

That makes me think back to my reffing days; the perfect puck drop that hits hard, flat, and doesn't bounce. I always took pride in good puck drops.

[Wallzy41 9]

Knowing anything negative in my life disappears from my mind when my skates are on.

^ This. One of my friends had been dumped(the one twin), and he was bummed. I took him out for some hockey, and his depression turned to a smile. Made my day. The rule I've always played by, and the rule that should almost ALWAYS be followed is this: If you can make yourself smile, you're a good hockey player. If you can make someone else smile, and that in turn makes you smile: You're a great hockey player.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Knowing anything negative in my life disappears from my mind when my skates are on.

^ This. One of my friends had been dumped(the one twin), and he was bummed. I took him out for some hockey, and his depression turned to a smile. Made my day. The rule I've always played by, and the rule that should almost ALWAYS be followed is this: If you can make yourself smile, you're a good hockey player. If you can make someone else smile, and that in turn makes you smile: You're a great hockey player.

Hockey always takes my mind off of stressful things

[Kezetto 0]

Using a new stick for the first time.

Watching the steam come off your body after a hard practice

[Brian Harte 1]

As simple as it is, taping up my blade is relaxing and I love it.

[tareatingrat 4]

Knowing anything negative in my life disappears from my mind when my skates are on.

Yup. Well said.

I'd also have to say the anticipation of playing a game. Waking up and knowing that for an hour later in that day, I'm going to have a lot of fun.

[kklinder 0]

Coming off after a grueling shift, trying to catch your breath, and inhaling the stink cloud of a guy who hasn't cleaned his equipment in the 15 years he's had it. Oh...sorry...wrong thread. <_<

[Jarick 5]

- taping up a stick

- jumping on fresh ice for a game

- picking corners and winding up slappers in warmups

- hitting the tape-to-tape cross-rink pass

- finishing a pretty play

- close games

- post-game beers

[MrWizard 0]

Knowing anything negative in my life disappears from my mind when my skates are on.

I'll second that one.

- A freshly taped stick

- Going bar down on a one timer off the draw from the slot

- Getting to play after my dislocated shoulder heals (hoping in 3 weeks)

[gxc999 7]

Getting new sticks, then using them to score a hard angle, off wing backhander from 20 feet.