Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[Jarick 5]

- Fresh tape jobs

- Well-sharpened skates

- Clean, smooth ice

- Crisp passes

- A close win

- 3rd/4th line scoring goals

- Stealing the puck for a breakaway/rush

- Pretty goals!

[Stampeder 2]

Line Brawls with rival teams

[phunky_monkey 6]

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.

That's a good one. I'm always nervous before the first drop of the puck, then as soon as it drops you forget about it completely.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Happend a few weeks ago...

Threaded a pass through x2 sets of legs, right on the tape, my guy burns the goalie five hole on the pad stack!

then, directly after the goal...

I win the face off, pull the puck back, our main D man from BC UFO's the puck into the zone, I follow the pass in, just clip it with a heel chip and volley the puck gently over the goalie's right shoulder on a semi sprawl.

Something I personally love is trying a new piece of gear out for the 1st time. New gloves are awesome, but to take a slapper or top shelf a shot with a brand new stick is awesome! On a side note I HATE new skates, unless they fit and perform out of the box like my ONE90's. lol.

[SidCaeser 0]

• pulling back the red curtain at JLA
  
• cutting that perfect sheet of ice and being pissed because you aren't going to skate on it
  
• making a pass to the slot from behind the net then watching it cross the line
  
• doing something stupid only to make up for it on the same shift
  
• running the scoreboard for a mite/squirt game
  
• watching high school players delay getting ready to watch the mite or squirts play
  

[whizbang 0]

showing up 2 hours before a game so your all alone at the arena...

just sitting on the bench and taking in the sounds, smells and taste of the rink.

its the only time i can clear my head.

[Doctor Hook 0]

Waiting for the f'n Zamboni to finish and lining up.

Fresh ice.

Slappers that had more zip than you thought you put into it.

Goalies who invested in artwork for their mask.

Poke checks to break up a one on one.

Going to random pickup ice and becoming a regular because the dudes who show up get it.

[bustedtrigger137 1]

- The exhaust fumes from the Zamboni as you take the ice.

- Hearing your name called over the PA system as a starter. The blue line never seemed to far away.

- The girls who would storm our lockerroom door as we got off the ice after games. Win or lose, they didn't care how sweaty you were, they fawned all over you.

-Bus rides with your best friends. Throwing in lippers, eating and drinking on the bus, harassing other motorists on the highway.

-Tourneys that required staying in hotel rooms. Stealing the Rook's mattresses, blankets, everything. Watching your coach getting drunk at the hotel, while trying to not show that you were drunk as well.

- A hot shower after 2 solid hours of powerskating. Team dinners after.

- The lockerroom. The talk, the hiding of people's shit, blaring loud music, everything.

But the best one:

- Returning to the rink you played throughout your HS career for a game with your Midget BB team. Skating at the same ice time as your old squad. All your friends and parents in the stands. Your buddy, the Zamboni driver, watching the game. Having the same Refs call the game that you have had your whole life. Really sent a chill up my spine.

[hockeynick1234 0]

-Being on the top team in an organization, and practicing with the Mite team twice a month

[mgoblue 0]

You're a forward in the defensive zone on a penalty kill.

One of your teammates smacks the puck off an opposing player's stick and out toward the opposing team's point man.

You jet towards the point man, waiting to see how he handles the bouncing puck coming towards him.

It bounces over his stick.

You're gone.

[interpathway 9]

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

+1. Walking around campus in my Property of NBH shirt and seeing someone in hockey gear as well, or someone asking me about it. Perfect.

[number21 3]

For I guy like me who took up hockey in his mid-20's, getting a "good shift" or "way to mix it up" comment from the guys who have been playing since they were a kid.

Bunched up by the door joking around waiting for the zamboni to finish up.

The ache in my legs after a good game.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Me and my two buddies always showed up to practice super early just to sit in the locker room and bs..We'd always go over to the rink straight after classes in highschool..spent all day in school talking hockey, got to the rink and talked hockey, then played hockey. The perfect day (aside from class!)

My favorite though, which I only ever did once, was scoring a shorthanded goal.

[adam14 182]

hearing your coach give your number for third shot in the shoot out, scoring to win :D

Coach sending you on the ice when your shorthanded 5-3, and him tapping your shoulder saying great shift when your back on the bench scramblng for breath.

[dsjunior1388 81]

seeing the Stanlley Cup handed to the players, not some guy in a suit who wrote checks.

[ronnychencharik 0]

-slap shot, bar down

-diving to tip a pass before it gets to the red line to avoid an icing

-playing stupid music in the locker room before practice

-having a player you coach finally do what you tell him

-locker room pranks

-6 pack before drop-in

-the smell of sex wax

-forgot to add the crowd that boos you

[bustedtrigger137 1]

Being taunted and harassed by the opponent's fans. Nothing motivates you more to step up the physical play.

[krwwc6 0]

Shoveling a foot of snow off the local pond at 7am and skating until the sun goes down at 430pm. Best game of 2 on 2 hockey i've ever experienced. The only sounds you heard were sticks, pucks, and skates, nothing mattered that day.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Being taunted and harassed by the opponent's fans. Nothing motivates you more to step up the physical play.

Nice...representing da Yak...I did that for a couple of years.

[bustedtrigger137 1]

Nice...representing da Yak...I did that for a couple of years.

Ohh really? Who did you skate for?

That rink feels like a second home to me, all the time I've spent there.

[legiahockey 3]

Being taunted and harassed by the opponent's fans. Nothing motivates you more to step up the physical play.

reminds me of a time in overtime during highschool playoffs i was late skating up to the faceoff and caught an edge and fell right at the dot. the whole other teams crowd was laughin and screaming. maybe 15 seconds later i skate it in and score. it was silent.......one of my favorite hockey moments

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Nice...representing da Yak...I did that for a couple of years.

Ohh really? Who did you skate for?

That rink feels like a second home to me, all the time I've spent there.

Wait, you mean Yack Arena in Wyandotte?

Oh, I thought you meant the Yack as in Pontiac.

[bustedtrigger137 1]

Yeah, I meant Wyandotte. I didn't know there was another "Yack", is it a hockey club or?

Funny story relating to falling:

Freshmen year, our team had to start a 3rd-liner (sophmore) because we had a few kids who were sick. When he was called over the PA right before the National Anthem, he "tripped" over our blue line, and through the neutral zone and into the opponent's zone. Kid never lived it down. :D

[cbj05 0]

Ringing that first shot in warmups off the crossbar and into the netting.

Winning the opening faceoff.

13 inches, blocker side.

Chewing on my mouthguard.

Stepping inside the penalty box.

[#44wannabe 4]

Dropping the other teams tough guy from the opening face off infront of 500 of their fans.