Hockey Weekend in America...is this on anyone's radar?

It's on my radar ... or at least the game being broadcast on NHL Network in the States tonight. Plus the little ceremony preceding it.

Granted, no 17 laundry here. Will have to make do with 10 or 30.

 

It was NBC.

NBC doesn't start showing games on Sunday until January or later. I believe the Wings-Bruins game was NBC's first this year, possibly second. (Not including the Jan. 1 outdoor game).

 

I nearly asked -- and I guess I should have -- is there were different rules that tended to keep the puck in play.

Thanks for the pictures Gutter. Now I can see that there's a little bit of a snow berm to keep pucks in play if they stay along the ice.

So the "net" is just a couple of inched high, is that right? Is it regulation width, and is their a designated goalie or not?

 

Width is regulation I believe--6' There are no goalies. I think it depends on the tourney but some games are three on three.

No face-offs other than to start the game. Team scoring has to go back to their side of centre ice. Team scored on just starts up the ice.

No icing and usually no offsides.

 

No.

 

It's actually regional coverage at 12:30 ET (Caps-Sabres, Flyers-Rangers and Wings-Wild), then a Stanley Cup Final rematch at 3:30, then Heritage Classic on Versus at 6. Not bad for a Sunday.

 

The temperature in Calgary for the Heritage Classic could be as low as minus 21C or minus 6F. Ouch

 

Wear Your Cup

 

I was thinking "Sandy's Brigade"

 

Hard to Kill
Easy to Beat

 

That pond hockey event looks cool. Those goals sure beat the two boots we used to use when I was a kid.

And if you guys are playing in the "skating in quicksand" speed division, count me in.

 

The most encouraging stat (well, if you're a hockey fan) is this:

Participation throughout the United States has increased from 195,000 male and female players of all ages registered with USA Hockey in 1990-91 to 475,000 in 2009-10. Earlier this year, it registered its 100,000th player at the 8-and-younger level.

The problem still remains that hockey can be an extremely expensive sport, particularly for elite players.

Hell, the goalie equipment for my son cost over $3,000 ten years ago.

But for younger kids there are places where you can buy second hand stuff relatively inexpensively. You can outfit a ten year old for about $300 or so but for a lot of families that's still a lot of coin