I-Sockey

iSockey

I can safely say that I know a lot about a lot of sports. I could hold a genuine conversation about all the main ones and most of the rest. At some time or another I have watched (or heaven forbid, played) almost every sport there is. But when I was invited to a game of Ice Hockey yesterday, I found my knowledge of sport left me wanting. This was one game I had never watched, and I didn't know the rules! Of course I knew about the Stanley Cup- it's hard to miss, but especially because it featured on an episode of Boston Legal once- but the only teams I had really heard of were the Canucks and the Penguins- what a great name for a sports team! Anyway, I happily accepted the invitation, eager to augment my all-round sorting knowledge! I have a couple of friends who are Ice Hockey buffs, but it's pretty rare here in New Zealand- most of them are ex-pats. My year 8 maths teacher was Candian and loved his Hockey, though I didn't like him and very little of what he said- about Hockey or Maths- rubbed off onto me. So, not wanting to be completely clueless, I actually went and looked up the rules online. Yes, I'm that sort of person. It was complicated by the fact that there are differing playing conditions, but I did get a greater grasp of the way the game was played, which served me well in the end.

The Rink

So Sunday afternoon I headed out to the Paradice rink in Botany, to watch the local boys the Botany Swarm take on the Southern Stampede, from Queenstown. I am very grateful to my girlfriend for inviting me- she had gone to her first game the day before and loved it, so she decided to go back and bring her friends! On her (very sound) advice, I dressed very warmly, with seemingly a million layers, plus scarf and beanie. As soon as I got inside I realised how sound that advice was- it was pretty arctic in there! As soon as you sat down, you felt the cold settle in- right down to your marrows! But it was well worth it to see the game!

Millions Of Pucks

The action is amazingly fast-paced; these guys were pros, some of them imports, so they were very good at what they did. It was impressive seeing how natural skating was to them- even the referees! The players warmed up for a bit before the game, which was a show in itself. Seemingly a million pucks appeared out of nowhere and all at once they started speeding around, passing and shooting at will. During the game you only have 6 guys out there, but everyone was warming up now so the rink was packed! The Swarm goalie was really good though and they hardly got one past him- until they all mobbed him at once!

The Restart

Pretty soon the game proper got under way- at lightning speed. It took a while to get used to following the puck around, it moved so quickly! Some of the passing was incredible, especially the way they used the sides and the back of the rink- I can't think of any other sport that allows that sort of freedom. It certainly was a physical game- sure they had padding, but they needed it. Every time two or more players were heading towards the side of the rink, you could tell someone was going to get smacked into. They didn't seem to mind it too much- all part of the game! There were a couple of nastier moments when guys carried on a bit, and one time a player raised his elbow to another's head- each time they were sent to the naughty boy's corner, the penalty box. 

In The Naughty Corner!

We were lucky enough, as newcomers to the game, to be sitting next to some friends who could explain all the facets of the game- the tactics, the penalties, the signals etc. One of them was actually a Canadian import who plays for the Swarm, but he was currently injured and had retreated to the stands to offer 'support.' He was certainly very vocal- he certainly let the referees know when they were wrong. He even mentioned that one was 'fresh from the zoo' in his black and white stripes, which I thought was rather funny. He was really helpful though and gave some insights into the team and the game.

Face/Off

The game itself was pretty impressive; the Swarm got out to an early 2-0 lead, after dominating much of the early stages. The Stampede worked their way back into the game and were quite effective on the counter-attack. Their first goal came just seconds after the Swarm almost scored again at the opposite end. The Swarm struck back to have the score at 3-1, going into the final period. They scored again right at the start of the third period, which was lucky because they had a bit of a meltdown towards the end. Two late goals saw an anxious last few moments, with the Stampede pushing for an equalising goal. The Swarm held out, however, and registered a well-deserved win.

Transformer Goalie!

The goalies were probably the coolest players out there- they looked like mini-transformers with all their pads on. Despite the huge bulky adornments, they managed to be amazingly flexible. More than once they had to go down on all fours, or do the splits just to save a goal. It was impressive watching  them warming up- which doubled as

Doing The Splits!

a manoeuvre to rough up the ice! Before every period the big zamboni would come out and do wheelies on the rink, but it made it a bit too slippery for the goalies! They tried to avoid having to hit the ball at all really, though they had a really cool oven-glove-like mitt that they could actually catch the puck in- they certainly made some amazing catches! Other times they would dive forward and smother the puck to kill the play!

I really had a fun time at the game- it was fast an exciting and more than made up for the cold and the hard seats! Never before had a hot chocolate tasted so good than when I had one during the break. They must make a killing with those! Anyway after the game we made a speedy exit and went out for a really nice dinner to cap off a pretty exceptional day! Here are some more photos!

The Zamboni

Stuck In The Ice?

Celebrating The Win!

Some Nice Sportsmanship!