June 11th, 2012.
That was the last time I watched a live hockey game.
It was a game where I saw my Devils lose the Stanley Cup to the Kings and while it was a tough pill to swallow, everyone had a feeling that it might be a while before the next hockey game.
It has been 202 days since then.
This is my first blog post in a long time mainly because I was sick of writing about the endless meetings between the NHL and the NHLPA that never seemed to accomplish anything.
Us hockey fans have sat watching as close to fifty percent of the scheduled games this year were being cancelled.
Sure some people have come up with ideas of boycotting NHL stores and discontinuing their fandom of this league, but we all have to be realistic. As soon as this lockout from hell ends, all of the real hockey fans will be back in those seats waiting for the drop of the puck.
One statistic that solidifies my aforementioned point is that the recent Canada-Germany IIHF World Juniors Classic, a tournament that runs every year by New Years featuring the countries' brightest stars, drew in an average viewing party (in Canada) of 372,000 viewers even getting as high as 575,000. The game started at 4:30 in the morning. That means that all those houses were so hungry for live hockey action that they woke up in the wee hours of the morning to watch Canada blow out the weak German team 9-3.
If 575,000 viewers tune in to that game so early in the morning, I'm 100% confident they'll be running right back when the NHL comes around.
In America, the World Juniors is a completely overlooked tournament. Usually the NHL is heating up around now with the Winter Classic rapidly approaching. Being a Canada Hockey fan, I usually follow the tourney from a distance, not getting too involved.
But this year is different. This year this is all we have at the moment.
When I saw this Canada-US game was slated for 4:30 I doubted if I would actually wake up to watch it. But as the date approached, I got so hungry for some good hockey action that I couldn't resist tuning in. So I set my alarm, and went to bed hoping that I'll go through with my plans.
I woke up this morning and stumbled out of bed, threw on my Brodeur jersey, and sat in my cold den, watching the pre-game show.
I was distantly aware of some of the story lines going into the game. Canada goalie, Malcom Subban, was untested thus far and it was going to be an interesting game for him. The two suspended players on team Canada, forcing them to play the game shorthanded. The US hadn't scored an even strengthed goal in their last game versus Russia. And of course the story of US goalie John Gibson playing phenomenally in net.
Once the game started, I got really into it. This tourney is all about the raw talent of these young players and both teams were pushing it early on. The familiar names along with the unfamiliar ones were skating fast and moving the puck well and playing very physically. Something us hockey fans have been living without for the past few months.
Canada was starting to control the game with guys like RNH, Anthony Camara, and Jonathan Drouin playing hard. The line of RNH, Mark Scheifele, and Jonathan Huberdeau was just unfair. 3 guys all on the NHL level, all high draft picks, lining together in a Juniors tournament. Nugent-Hopkins first goal was on a sick shot and as the announcers put it, "no reason for Nugent-Hopkins to be so wide open there (for a shot). I don't care if he's going to a drinking fountain, the US has to send someone with him."
In the meantime, Subban was disproving any doubt people had going in as he was answering the US's chances with many nice stops.
Then Ryan Strome made it a two goal lead on a great individual effort by Brett Ritchie who flew around the net before feeding a wide open Strome on the doorstep. US's top defenseman, Seth Jones, had a good view of the goal, just standing in front as he let the puck go right by him as he left Strome all alone.
During the first Subban and Gibson were going back and forth trading dazzling saves. Everything was just wonderful.
The second period was pretty flat in general.
The US finally broke through in the third on a sick play. After a failed odd man rush by Canada, the US had an odd man rush of their own with Jacob Trouba finishing it off.
After that goal, the US was flying. Subban made a nasty leg save just moments later that saved the lead. After that, however, the game began getting out of hand. The US got over anxious and ultimately committed 5 consecutive bonehead penalties, pretty much taking them out of the game.
The change of events was incredible. After scoring, the US had literally all the momentum in the world before getting sent to the box for uncharacteristic penalties (the US had been highly disciplined up until this contest).
They got lucky surviving the disadvantages and somehow drew a penalty with less than 2 minutes to go in the third. However, Canada's defense was just too strong today and pulled away with the 2-1 victory. The finish was incredible with America getting several more chances, including a play where Alex Galchenyuk had a wide open net with 15 seconds left but just couldn't corral the bouncing puck.
Holy geez. After the game I just sat there, dead tired, appreciating such a great game. Hockey is our favourite sport and we're losing it and it's such a frustrating occurrence. There were so many pure hockey moments in this game that just touched a bone in my body.
Canada's first powerplay was incredible with their stacked team. They moved the puck so well and got so many great chances.
John Gibson was unreal for America keeping them in the game after giving up 2 goals.
Malcom Subban answered his critics with a great effort.
One such moment really got to me as a hockey fan.
In the second period, the US had a faceoff deep in Canada's zone. JT Miller of team America was tossed out of the faceoff circle. The camera zoomed in on Mark Scheifele who was taking the faceoff for Canada. Scheifele looks up with a huge smile at Miller, now set up on the side of the circle, and cracks a joke at him.
This one moment is a microcosm of this tournament. The teams play with intense passion at such a high level yet they still have that fun, laid back attitude that's synonymous with our sport.
Now someone asked me why I woke up at 4 o' clock to watch hockey.
The answer is within the question. In a time when we're hungry for NHL action, there aren't many ways to cope. The KHL is only watchable for so long, the AHL can get boring, and EA's NHL 13 isn't the same. This tournament is a wonderful thing. Not only does it give us a look at the young stars who'll grace us with their skill in the future, it also has the ability to unite both the US and Canada in a time when we need hockey. When I woke up today I wasn't only watching as a team Canada fan. I was watching as a hockey fan.
That was the last time I watched a live hockey game.
It was a game where I saw my Devils lose the Stanley Cup to the Kings and while it was a tough pill to swallow, everyone had a feeling that it might be a while before the next hockey game.
It has been 202 days since then.
This is my first blog post in a long time mainly because I was sick of writing about the endless meetings between the NHL and the NHLPA that never seemed to accomplish anything.
Us hockey fans have sat watching as close to fifty percent of the scheduled games this year were being cancelled.
Sure some people have come up with ideas of boycotting NHL stores and discontinuing their fandom of this league, but we all have to be realistic. As soon as this lockout from hell ends, all of the real hockey fans will be back in those seats waiting for the drop of the puck.
One statistic that solidifies my aforementioned point is that the recent Canada-Germany IIHF World Juniors Classic, a tournament that runs every year by New Years featuring the countries' brightest stars, drew in an average viewing party (in Canada) of 372,000 viewers even getting as high as 575,000. The game started at 4:30 in the morning. That means that all those houses were so hungry for live hockey action that they woke up in the wee hours of the morning to watch Canada blow out the weak German team 9-3.
If 575,000 viewers tune in to that game so early in the morning, I'm 100% confident they'll be running right back when the NHL comes around.
In America, the World Juniors is a completely overlooked tournament. Usually the NHL is heating up around now with the Winter Classic rapidly approaching. Being a Canada Hockey fan, I usually follow the tourney from a distance, not getting too involved.
But this year is different. This year this is all we have at the moment.
When I saw this Canada-US game was slated for 4:30 I doubted if I would actually wake up to watch it. But as the date approached, I got so hungry for some good hockey action that I couldn't resist tuning in. So I set my alarm, and went to bed hoping that I'll go through with my plans.
I woke up this morning and stumbled out of bed, threw on my Brodeur jersey, and sat in my cold den, watching the pre-game show.
I was distantly aware of some of the story lines going into the game. Canada goalie, Malcom Subban, was untested thus far and it was going to be an interesting game for him. The two suspended players on team Canada, forcing them to play the game shorthanded. The US hadn't scored an even strengthed goal in their last game versus Russia. And of course the story of US goalie John Gibson playing phenomenally in net.
Once the game started, I got really into it. This tourney is all about the raw talent of these young players and both teams were pushing it early on. The familiar names along with the unfamiliar ones were skating fast and moving the puck well and playing very physically. Something us hockey fans have been living without for the past few months.
Canada was starting to control the game with guys like RNH, Anthony Camara, and Jonathan Drouin playing hard. The line of RNH, Mark Scheifele, and Jonathan Huberdeau was just unfair. 3 guys all on the NHL level, all high draft picks, lining together in a Juniors tournament. Nugent-Hopkins first goal was on a sick shot and as the announcers put it, "no reason for Nugent-Hopkins to be so wide open there (for a shot). I don't care if he's going to a drinking fountain, the US has to send someone with him."
In the meantime, Subban was disproving any doubt people had going in as he was answering the US's chances with many nice stops.
Then Ryan Strome made it a two goal lead on a great individual effort by Brett Ritchie who flew around the net before feeding a wide open Strome on the doorstep. US's top defenseman, Seth Jones, had a good view of the goal, just standing in front as he let the puck go right by him as he left Strome all alone.
During the first Subban and Gibson were going back and forth trading dazzling saves. Everything was just wonderful.
The second period was pretty flat in general.
The US finally broke through in the third on a sick play. After a failed odd man rush by Canada, the US had an odd man rush of their own with Jacob Trouba finishing it off.
After that goal, the US was flying. Subban made a nasty leg save just moments later that saved the lead. After that, however, the game began getting out of hand. The US got over anxious and ultimately committed 5 consecutive bonehead penalties, pretty much taking them out of the game.
The change of events was incredible. After scoring, the US had literally all the momentum in the world before getting sent to the box for uncharacteristic penalties (the US had been highly disciplined up until this contest).
They got lucky surviving the disadvantages and somehow drew a penalty with less than 2 minutes to go in the third. However, Canada's defense was just too strong today and pulled away with the 2-1 victory. The finish was incredible with America getting several more chances, including a play where Alex Galchenyuk had a wide open net with 15 seconds left but just couldn't corral the bouncing puck.
Holy geez. After the game I just sat there, dead tired, appreciating such a great game. Hockey is our favourite sport and we're losing it and it's such a frustrating occurrence. There were so many pure hockey moments in this game that just touched a bone in my body.
Canada's first powerplay was incredible with their stacked team. They moved the puck so well and got so many great chances.
John Gibson was unreal for America keeping them in the game after giving up 2 goals.
Malcom Subban answered his critics with a great effort.
One such moment really got to me as a hockey fan.
In the second period, the US had a faceoff deep in Canada's zone. JT Miller of team America was tossed out of the faceoff circle. The camera zoomed in on Mark Scheifele who was taking the faceoff for Canada. Scheifele looks up with a huge smile at Miller, now set up on the side of the circle, and cracks a joke at him.
This one moment is a microcosm of this tournament. The teams play with intense passion at such a high level yet they still have that fun, laid back attitude that's synonymous with our sport.
Now someone asked me why I woke up at 4 o' clock to watch hockey.
The answer is within the question. In a time when we're hungry for NHL action, there aren't many ways to cope. The KHL is only watchable for so long, the AHL can get boring, and EA's NHL 13 isn't the same. This tournament is a wonderful thing. Not only does it give us a look at the young stars who'll grace us with their skill in the future, it also has the ability to unite both the US and Canada in a time when we need hockey. When I woke up today I wasn't only watching as a team Canada fan. I was watching as a hockey fan.
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