Ice Hockey
- Thread starter Spie
- Start date
The Czechs take their hockey pretty seriously and they're 5th in the world rankings above the USA.
I've not been to a game but it's something I have thought about doing, it sounds good fun. On Spie's recommendation I'll have to look at when Slavia or Sparta are playing next
I've not been to a game but it's something I have thought about doing, it sounds good fun. On Spie's recommendation I'll have to look at when Slavia or Sparta are playing next
Basingstoke Bison fan here, been watching ice hockey since about 1978 (Southampton Vikings in those days).
Top British league is the Elite, with teams from (alphabetically) Basingstoke, Belfast, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Hull, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
To really appreciate how hard and fast it can be you really need to see it live, TV does not do it justice.
Top British league is the Elite, with teams from (alphabetically) Basingstoke, Belfast, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Hull, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
To really appreciate how hard and fast it can be you really need to see it live, TV does not do it justice.
Yep, an awful lot. One of the best sports in the world.
Excellent, I've been a Bruins fan since, well this will show my age, before mandatory helmets. I still regard those days as the best, glued to Channel 38 or going to the games with my Dad (A Canadiens fan who thought Guy LaFleur was the second son of God). The days of proper enforcers like Stan Jonathan. I still remember Jonathan breaking the much bigger Bouchards face into smaller pieces in one of the Canadien/Bruin Cup games in '80.
Other names I remember with fondness for their "reputations" were O'Reilly (obviously), Cashman (who could skate) Larry Robinson, Behn Wilson, later on Probert, Playfair, Nylund and although he was clearly on the wrong team, one of the hardest monsters there was, Clark Gillies.
Just a reminder why hockey is great value for money
:Went to see NY Rangers v Penguins back in March when I went over for Paddy's Day. Was great fun, it's such a good atmosphere and it's amazing to watch live.
Used to watch the London Knights when they were still going, shame they disbanded. Tend to get my fix from the odd bit on ESPN when it's showing freebies and the odd late night show. Devils fan at heart, go Devils!
Used to watch the London Knights when they were still going, shame they disbanded. Tend to get my fix from the odd bit on ESPN when it's showing freebies and the odd late night show. Devils fan at heart, go Devils!
Man of Honour
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Lapland new forest HAHA!
Anyone here saw the NHL season opener at the O2 arena? I would've loved to have gone!
I stayed in Montreal for quite a while, saw them play. The whole experience completely blows going to a football match out of the water. Brilliant atmosphere, any pauses or intervals they involve the crowd and a band starts playing. The pace of the game means there really is no such thing as a dull 0-0 wigan v hull.
You get far more entertainment for your money. Its more of a family event. Getting into the stadium was a pleasure, fantastic under ground network that took you right under the stadium.
I remember sitting behind the goal with my eyes at the level of the top of the shielding hoping a puck wasn't coming my way. Then when they hooked pucks into the crowd in the warm up I didn't fancy my chances of catching one
Best sporting event I've ever been too. Even the kids in the intervals battered the hell out of each other.
You get far more entertainment for your money. Its more of a family event. Getting into the stadium was a pleasure, fantastic under ground network that took you right under the stadium.
I remember sitting behind the goal with my eyes at the level of the top of the shielding hoping a puck wasn't coming my way. Then when they hooked pucks into the crowd in the warm up I didn't fancy my chances of catching one
Best sporting event I've ever been too. Even the kids in the intervals battered the hell out of each other.
Guy Lafleur is the second son of God
Got the final game of the '77 Finals on a DVD here (initially a videotape recording from the TV broadcast stuck onto DVD at a later date, got the '76 final game as well). Might watch that tonight to see those dirty Bruins lose
I remember sitting behind the goal with my eyes at the level of the top of the shielding hoping a puck wasn't coming my way. Then when they hooked pucks into the crowd in the warm up I didn't fancy my chances of catching one
Best sporting event I've ever been too. Even the kids in the intervals battered the hell out of each other.
The last game i saw (Bruins vs Leafs) i sat directly behind the goal, front row. Amazing place to sit, and fun when they are warming up and shooting at goal and constantly hitting the plexi thats about 2ft from where i was sat
I only got hit by the puck once, and only when it dropped over the plexi, so it was fine! Though the plexi wall really gives when the players hit it 
Heard about that - you don't generally associate NC with anything cold - they grind to a halt the moment snow turns up on the forecast (they don't expect things like snow that far south).i go to Raleigh NC quite a lot and the local team won the stanley cup a few years back. They keep promising to take me but not pulled through yet
Anyway, company I work for used to have an office in Raleigh so I've been out there several times. Then we closed that office and I thought I was done going ther, but now we've bought another company with an office in Raleigh, so maybe not. Like you, no invites to any games yet though.
In answer to the OP,
GM Place 26-Mar-02: Vancouver Canucks vs LA Kings
Madison Square Garden 15-Mar-04: NY Rangers vs NJ Devils
(I had to go look in ticket e-mails to get the details, my memory is that bad)
I don't remember either game coming to fisticuffs.
It's great, when we were over in the US for our wedding last year I couldn't stop watching it on the telly 
I used to play skater hockey (and have just started again 'a few' years later lol) and one of our players brother was the goalie for Cardiff so used to go and see a few of their games once in a while. Our guy then went and played for them for a bit too.
I used to play skater hockey (and have just started again 'a few' years later lol) and one of our players brother was the goalie for Cardiff so used to go and see a few of their games once in a while. Our guy then went and played for them for a bit too.
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Soldato
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Seen some of the UK stuff but it's nothing compared to the NHL to be honest.
I've seen the Flyers back in the day they had Leclaire and Lindross, you could almost hear the pain they caused! Cross-checking is WIN!
I've seen the Flyers back in the day they had Leclaire and Lindross, you could almost hear the pain they caused! Cross-checking is WIN!
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I've only seen a live game once in Finland, it was quite a good laugh but the local team seriously outclassed the opposition so it finished about 9-1 which is surprisingly not all that interesting, they're apparantly a bit of a yoyo team - too good for the division they are in but not quite good enough to stay in the next division up.
If I was going back to Canada and had the chance to watch a game I probably would but not the NHL, the juniors games are supposedly more exciting as the players are trying their hardest to make it into the NHL and the big money that awaits them.
If I was going back to Canada and had the chance to watch a game I probably would but not the NHL, the juniors games are supposedly more exciting as the players are trying their hardest to make it into the NHL and the big money that awaits them.