Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[jrhky36 1]

Throwing in a HUGE dip while getting dressed

Throwing in a HUGE dip while getting undressed

Hockey doesn't motivate me much anymore, as you can tell.

you forgot while warming up.

- coaching my 5 year old and watching the other kids improve as well

- hanging out with the guys

- getting to drop in 1.5 hours early so you can get the extra ice time

- testing out different sticks

- picking up "lost" pucks

- the smell of propane

- the drive to the barn

- the smell of gear thats been too long between wash cycles

[roller to ice 0]

i have only been playing ice for bout a month but ive been playing roller and floor for 10 years and i can tell you that all these apply to ice much more than others the early morning fresh ice for 6 am open hockey

a nice game of open hockey where everyones on the same level and giving it everything there is nothing better than when open hockey turns into a great hard game

[phunky_monkey 6]

- rattling the post

- trying on new gloves/skates

- Road trips

- The comeradery a game can bring to a bunch of strangers fighting for an equal goal

[legiahockey 3]

-shaking hands with a dirtbag your team just beat.

-dekin out a d-man one on one.

- toe dragin

-5 hole goals.

-shootout.

-feedin a pass to a beginer for one of his few goals and to see his face.

- first ice in the morning.

- crushing check.

-locker talk.

-pretty much everything but the money it costs me lol

[dalebert 8]

-pretty much everything but the money it costs me lol

Amen.

-Listening to the music that gets you ready for the game

-Seeing a team come together after a devastating game

-Come from behind wins

-Coming off the bench inbetween periods and chatting with people who came to watch you play

-Thanking your goalie for bailing you out on that last play/a great game and win

-Even though stated above Road trips, locker room talk, helping someone get better, good competitive hockey.

However aside from seeing a beginner get better with your help my favorite is:

-Going down the line after a game win or lose and being able to say to the guy shaking your hand "Great game." and meaning it.

[whizod 0]

I love the feeling of making that perfect stretch pass, or that no look pass to complete a play

The first step onto ice surface

and of course I'm totally happy when I'm done waxing off my stick :lol:

[LkptTiger 1]

Dropping the mitts to stick-up for a buddy.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Sneaking in lower for a perfect one-timer on the power play top shelf.

Big hits

Running the line after scoring a goal

Hearing your name over the PA, and hearing the other team boo when on the road.

No look straight back pass after going around a defenseman and then realizing you have chopped off most of your angle, followed by a teammate scoring and the Dman wondering how he got burned twice.

Not much beats hockey for me

Zach

[WSjo22 1]

- My superstitious cup of hot chocolate from local gas station on the way to every skate

- The smell of a nice stinky locker room

- The sound of taping the shins

- Sound of pucks hitting the ice at the beginning of practice

- Spending countless hours working on the twigs to get them just right

- Seeing a young kid fall in love with the game and having it bring back all the memories from when I was that little

[adam14 182]

taping my sticks.

the sound your skates make at 7 am in an empty arena.

catching guys cut through center with their head down

scoring a penalty shot

getting the GW assisst insteat of the goal, even though not as much credit is given.

hitting the water bottle on a one timer, once in teh second game of the season, and still be talking about it at christmas.

grinder goals.

getting whacked in front of the net to make a play

being on the ice in teh last minute of a tight game.

scoring from the point.

team mates

coach

parents. and all they do

that pissed off feeling you get when you either fan a shot, or break your stick, and yet, if its at practice or a game, you know that no matter the score, a team mate or your coach is laughing at it, and manages to slide a joke out about it.

[Zamboni 6]

Booking early ice for young kids, arriving an hour early to get extra ice as your first scheduled that day....and seeing most of the kids already on the ice.

Nobody arrives early for soccer practise :P

[hamstercaster 2]

As a goalie:

- A Water free crease where you only need to scrape it a bit with your skates

- Having players on your team who truly understand what a goalie warm up is all about

- Making that last minute desparation save to keep your team up by one

- Robbing the guy with a glove save as he whistled one aiming top shelf

As a player:

- Nice sheet of ice with no bumps, cracks or water

- That perfect top corner shot that it's the post where it joins the crossbar to score

- A nice hard pass down the middle from my end to send someone on a clean breakaway

Both:

- Locker room talk and camaraderie

- Nice cold beer

- Nice warm shower

- Putting new gear on for the first time

[Chadd 916]

My famous long, cross ice passes that go behind the guy, bounce off the boards and end up on his tape to spring him for a scoring opportunity. I love making those plays.

[eric42434224 1]

Just being able to play again. Lost Hockey in my life for over 23 years, and out of the blue decided to play again, and actually at the suggestion of my wife. Sometimes on the ice, I think how easy it could have been to never play again for the rest of my life. I feel it is a second chance, and at 40, I have quite a few years left.

Also:

-That first smell of the rink and ice, with the cold gust of air, as you first walk in the arena.

-The fun banter in the locker room.

-Taking brand new beer league team from 3 wins in season 1, to 5 wins in season 2, to 5-0 so far in season 3.

-The sound and feel of the blades digging in to the ice on a hard turn.

-A quick gain of possesion in our end, and a crisp outlet pass.

-Stopping a 2 on 1, or 3 on 1 all by yourself.

-thant first ice cold beer.

[Jordan 13]

--Watching my son play

-- going to the outdoor rink on a crisp sunny day, and monkeying around with my 8 year old

--watching a shinny game break out and watching the little guy play with much older guys and keep up

Personally, getting on a really good sweat in fast game with my buddies and being in on of those 4 or 5 pass combinations that happen so quickly and naturally that you didn't even think about it...it just happened...magic!

[interpathway 9]

Someone mentioned an empty rink with a bucket full of pucks, but I personally love an empty rink with just one. There is nothing like having to chase it down the rink when you miss a shot. Really makes you work on hitting that net. And if the lights are dimmed, oh yeah!

[chippa13 1844]

Fun from beer leagues...............

-downing a "pregamer" in the room while taping a stick

-yucking it up from the bench with stripes and the opposition

-beating that opposing goalie whom you'll be drinking with later and knowing its killing him

-those guys who had their cup of coffee in real hockey tossing out kudos to the regular joes for this play or that play

-watching said above guys play a shift together and seeing how the game is supposed to be played

[mgoblue 0]

That really is cool - when you've got some top-flight skill on the ice out there together.

Makes you wonder who proclaimed soccer as the beautiful game.

[Johnny Law 0]

Getting back in time to thwart a break away - the further behind you start from the guy your trying to catch the better it gets.

Seeing a teammate progress on something you know they were working real hard on

Making that impossible play through nothing but hard work

Well contested games between old friends

That unlimited energy feeling your legs get when you cross the blue line with space

[mgoblue 0]

"Get water."

...during a bag skate.

[Chadd 916]

When you have one of those shifts where everything goes "just right". Where you just know exactly where the other guys are and you're all thinking the same thing at the same time. Not showing off or beating up on less talented competition, just having everything go right, even if the puck doesn't end up in the net.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

-those guys who had their cup of coffee in real hockey tossing out kudos to the regular joes for this play or that play

I gotta admit, that feels really good. Even if it's just a tap on the shin, but getting encouragement from someone who's been playing the game for a long time and maybe even been somewhere with it, makes the extra effort more than worth it. Those are the guys that really appreciate the hard backcheck or a blocked shot.

[dsjunior1388 81]

-Retaping a stick or relacing skates and getting it just how you want it

-The moment where you know you have your skates/gear broken in exactly how you want it and you can stop working it

-Walking out of the rink and seeing a couple of elderly guys dragging their gear in, praying to myself ill still be skating at that age

-Anybodys first time on ice

-The few times my non-hockey playing friends have asked me to help them get in the game

-Watching pavel datsyuk and his infinite patience in the corners until the play catches up and he can make something happen.

-Watching the warriors like Yzerman who would give anything for this game

-The magic that is Wayne Gretzky behind the net

-Anytime i can talk my dad into skating with me and my brothers

-Sitting in my gear for a few extra minutes before and after a game

-Anytime someone recognize that Im wearing a North Stars, Nordiques, or Atlanta Flames hat

-Opening my bag to realize, I do still have some hockey tape

-anytime a discussion comes up about individual quirks, techniques and superstitions

[All Torhs Team 0]

-getting to the rink and no one's on before you, and the ice is already zambonied

-hearing someone from the other bench say "nice play" or "good shift" on your way to the bench

-cold beer

-hot shower

You dont find places with hot showers to much in Illinois <_<

And Id have to say the first thing to comes to my mind reading this thread is the Miracle scene with the lights off.

Hey I think this thread is what Modsquadhockey is all about. I love it.

[mgoblue 0]

Miracle reminded me of another favorite - the anxious moments between warm-ups and the first drop of a huge game when you're all dressed, have a light sweat worked up, and every second feels like an hour.

All you want to do is come out flying.

I get chills just thinking about it.