Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

Member warned, suspended for three days.

[Grinder 2]

Knowing you're practically immune to food poisoning, because if that mouthguard you keep forgetting to wash doesn't make you sick, nothing will.

[maxamillion 3]

some more from my morning skate today:

-Sliding the puck smoothly across the ice off a backhander. 5 hole to boot

-scoring a goal that barely crosses the line and dies before it hits the back of the net.

-Short side high, right under the bar.

-Ringing it off the post, and the echo it creates on an empty rink.

[Apes44 7]

I would say the team aspect, no other team is like a hockey team.

But the best thing I've experienced is my best friend since high school always wanted to play and our company has a team and he decided to join, we went to open hockey and stick and puck for months, teaching him to play. Right before the first game he played in he comes up to me with the biggest smile on his face and said thanks. Still waiting for his first goal

[thejackal 46]

Haven't seen the kids I coached for a month until practice yesturday. I got to the rink early to prep my stuff and was really excited to start the season with them again.

[lampliter87 8]

Scoring from not on your feet... knees, stomach, flying through the air, hell Ovechkin does it from his back.

[Shtrsdad 0]

Watching my boys work to get better.

Seeing my oldest smile because his team mates and cocahes are starting to respect his game.

Listening to the younger one REPEATEDLY tell the story of how his big brother fed him the perfect saucer pass for a defelected top shelf goal and then mimmick the goalies startled reaction!

Seeing both of them enjoy the game.

[KABAROV 0]

scoring the game winning goal late in the 3rd against the team whos goon just tried to introduce your head to the boards! so sweet!

[adam14 182]

getting pumped for every single goal you score. something about people not celebrating a goal is disappointing.

[AnthonyJTa 0]

Christmas morning skate before the whole neighborhood wakes up

What about Christmas night street hockey under the lights at the supermarket? We've been doing it for the last 2-3 years as we got older, just a throwback to back in the day when things were much simpler. The town is dead and its just 6 or 8 of us, it's amazing. We usually draw a cop or two wishing us a nice holiday, and that's that.

Must be a Massachusetts thing.... haha. We do that every Thanksgiving for the last 12 years or so.

As someone who started at an older age, I'd have to say there isn't one simple aspect that I don't love.... so my list could be lengthy- from being able to skate with your brother, 2 cousins, and uncle (hoping to get dad out for at least a few turns someday), to just having the sheet to myself.. Love it all.

[dalebert 8]

getting pumped for every single goal you score. something about people not celebrating a goal is disappointing.

I agree with you but the one thing I'll say is there is really no reason to celebrate if you're up by something like 6 goals or if you just scored with like 23 seconds left and your now down only 5 goals.

[adam14 182]

no understandable, but like the 1-0 1-1 2-1 even the 3-1 could be celebrated.. as long as its a atight game, why not go crazy? just keep it in the realms of sportsmanship.

[chippa13 1844]

In beer league you are ragged on for celebrating goals.

[Chadd 916]

In beer league you are ragged on for celebrating goals.

By your teammates

[adam14 182]

yea, ok. but like im playing junior hockey, so at my age i guess its still ok...

[HattrickSwayze 3]

It's fine in juniors. It's just all the guys around here are like "whatever, it's only beer league" and frown upon celebrating. I don't think a one knee fist pump is necessary, nor is an Ovechkin suicide glass jump. But hey if you score, feel free to raise the arms and yell, especially in a close game. Just cause it's rec/beer league doesn't mean you can't have fun with it.

[reyno2ac 0]

Like other people have said:

Being the first person on the ice

Scoring a goal to win

Making an amazing pass

Knowing that you tried your hardest and it paid off

[chippa13 1844]

yea, ok. but like im playing junior hockey, so at my age i guess its still ok...

As Brett Hull said about scoring goals, "Act like you've done it before and intend to do it again and often."

[adam14 182]

tell that to ovechkin. he brought the goal celebration back. :P

but i dont go crazy when i score. if its a goal to take the lead, a stick raise, a woo a pump the fist, then the five come together, if its the 9-0 goal, whatever.

[DoublinUp 0]

-the smell of the ice rink

-Lacing up my skates

-Having a rebound come Right to me

[sturdy22 26]

The smell of the rink when you walk in the door, always the same.

That first step onto the ice from the gate.

Watching the sauce pass you just made hit the tape as your teammate turns up ice.

Seeing the water bottle bounce on top of the net.

[JoeyJ0506 191]

One I forgot about as its been awhile since I've seen it, but saw it first hand yesterday. The look on the faces of the guys who have never played pick-up on a pond before when the ice pops/cracks. Its just the natural sound of the ice, but when everyone just stops in their tracks and their eyes get huge... like it says, simple pleasures.

[dsjunior1388 81]

wearing a Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nrodiques, or my personal favorite atlanta flames hat and meeting someone who remembers those teams.

[wc19 1]

noises of stickwork and skates when outside the rink

smell of the rink

and of course the cheering when you score the GWG in OT

[Leafsrok 0]

wearing a Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nrodiques, or my personal favorite atlanta flames hat and meeting someone who remembers those teams.

100% agreed, I feel the same way every time someone notices my Oakland Seals hat. I always get those looks of revelation on someones face when they realize what team the hat is for.

I have one to add and it's early morning games. Get to the rink at 7:00, you and the rinkys are the only guys there, the ice is fresh as it's ever gonna get... reminds me of my days back in Novice. Gives me a reason to wake up, too bad we usually only have them in tournys :(.