It's Back, and Betta Than Ever! - Hockey, Canada's Game

Bring on Don Cherry, Blue and his suits. Bring on the smack talking, the Battle of Alberta and Battle of Ontario. Bring on the fights, pretty goals and team pride. Hockey's back Baby! This is one sport I dig, support, can get behind. I'm not the hardcore, watch every game or my life isn't complete kind of thing, but I won't complain about a hockey game on the tube at home. I haven't always liked the Hockey. I remember back in the day, when Dad would watch Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night, I'd hate it and wish he'd change the channel. Now though, I've grown to love and appreciate Canada's National sport.

When I was in grade 9, I met a friend named Jennifer. I believe her family had season's tickets to the local hockey club, the Vernon Vipers. I would tag along to some of the games with them and we had a blast. The following season I bought my own season's tickets. We always had fun, and it didn't hurt that some of the players were pretty good looking. I don't think anyone I watched made it to the NHL, I don't think any have competed at the Olympic level either. Doesn't matter though, it's a fun memory. Vernon has seen a couple local boys make it to the NHL with the likes of Brent Gilchrist and Eric Brewer. (Though Brent Gilchrist wasn't born in Vernon, Eric Brewer was. Mr Gilchrist's family must've relocated to the Vernon area however. In elementary school, I was friends with one of his nieces, and just after high school, I volunteered at a benefit concert bearing his name featuring The Moffats, Jann Arden and Amanda Marshall.) One of the last games I saw in Vernon's old Civic Arena was the Old Timer's game. That was cool to see some of the Legends. I saw the likes of Guy La Fleur and Tiger Williams. It was a rad experience to say the least.

I think mainly because I grew up in B.C, I've always been a Vancouver Canuck fan. I started to get into hockey with the Pavel Bure Era. (Man, that dude could skate!) In 1994, I watched the Canucks go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. I remember the team wasn't supposed to get passed the first round that year against the Calgary Flames, which they obviously did. The Canucks made it to the 7th Game of the finals against the New York Rangers in a nail biter... At one point, the Canucks were down three to zip and in the third period they started to make a comeback... It was a little too late however, they wound up losing 3-2 in regulation time. After the final horn of the game, Kirk McClean, the Canucks then goalie, stood in his crease with his hands stacked on his stick. Trevor Linden, who happens to be my favorite player ever, slumped into the boards after one last failing attempt for the tying goal. I was heartbroken, and seriously went into my room and cried. The Canucks, unfortunately, haven't made it that far since.

Now that I've been living in Edmonton, I've become a bit of a fickle Oilers Fan... (Brent Gilchrist played for the Oilers at one time.) When I first moved to Edmonton, those 7 and a half years ago, I lived a stones throw from The Coliseum/Rexall Place. I was pretty stoked the first time riding down Wayne Gretzky Drive and seeing where a professional sports team played, where dominance of the NHL in the early '80's was wicked awesome with players like Mr Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffee, Jari Kurri, and Glen Anderson just to name a few. Out front at Rexall stands a statue in tribute to the phenomenon, Wayne Gretzky. (I'm just sorry that the rink is in a rougher part of town, but not to worry - there's a big fight over a new downtown arena. We'll see how that turns out.) In 2006, it was the Oilers' turn to make the run for the Cup. I don't remember much of the beginning of the play-offs, I do remember doing inventory at a job and everyone huddling around the radio to hear what the action was. Towards the end, there were riots of sorts down Whyte Avenue here in the City. The riots made National News and made the fans here look like assholes. Damage to stores and store fronts happened, garbage cans were lighted on fire, just a whole pile of shenanigans went down, and it made us look bad. We were in the finals, and the rowdies made it look like we lost or some injustice had happened. Since then, the Oilers haven't made it as far in the playoffs. Some seasons they sucked so bad, they didn't even make it to the playoffs and were the joke of the NHL. To further that joke, in the 29 years I've been on Earth, and the 7 and a half I've been in Edmonton, I have not seen a single NHL game at Rexall or in any other team's barn. Now that's a sad, sad state of affairs!

I did take in last night's Oilers season opener, and it was a Battle of Alberta with of course the Calgary Flames. I didn't watch the whole thing as I had the control of the remote, but I did flip back and forth to the game. From what I saw, it was an exciting game and was impressed by some of the new, young talent. It was an electrifying 3rd period with the right out come. The "Oil" won with a shut out performance of 4-0. Sorry Flames, better luck next time. I wonder if Khabibulin stayed sober the whole game or had arena beer delivered between periods? Either way, he got the shut out.

Love him, or hate him, a big amusement is Coach's Corner with Don Cherry. Personally, I think the guy is rather obnoxious but what are ya gonna do? The only reason I stick around long enough to see Coach's Corner is to see what outlandish new suit he's got on. Don Cherry seems to be a bit of an Icon in the NHL, as he was briefly a player but spent majority of his time as a Coach. He's been known to say a thing or two to get people riled up, he's been known to do a thing or two getting under people's skin. Like him or hate him, Don Cherry is the face of Coach's Corner, and I'm not sure if anyone else would fit.

Hockey has become a little more commercial of late it seems. Of course you can go out and buy your favorite player/team jerseys, ball caps, key chains, T-Shirts and so on. While I was watching last night's game, they had a segment on in one of the intermissions about Stan Lee. (Ya, Stan Lee as in the Comic Legend, Stan Lee.) I guess Mr Lee is working with the NHL doing something called the Guardians. From what I hear, every team in the league will get their own personalized "Super Hero" geared to their specific team. I guess Calgary's team will obviously have Fire Power, and Philly's Team will have the ability to fly.... Then I get to work this morning, leaf through a paper only to find an ad for a movie... A musical no less... It's called The Score and I guess it's a hockey musical... I don't know guys... I mean I watched The Mighty Ducks when that came out, and I thought that was pushing it. (Cute movie, really liked it... But pushing it.) Slapshot is a classic Hockey movie, I can't find a single person who didn't like it. The re-make on the other hand was a bit more divided.

While in Whistler working the Olympics, the turn out to watch the hockey games were the wildest thing I've ever seen. When I wasn't working I'd go down to one of the bars that was televising the game and join in the festivities. One of the games that stood out was the 8-0 stomping Canada laid down on Norway. There were Norwegian Athletes in the bar where the massacre was witnessed and I felt bad because a few people didn't have much class and got in the Athlete's faces and rubbed it in. That same night, just after the game, a European version of TSN came through the bar then stood out side interviewing insane fans. A few people I was with and I got our faces broad casted across the Ocean, how cool is that? That night there was partying in the streets of Whistler alright. My little group of about 6 - 8 were walking back to grab a bus back to our camp as parties raged on. Another group of 6 or so people were coming in the opposite direction with a huge Canadian Flag they all held over their head. We went between the people and under the flag all high 5-ing each other. As we walked away they came back for a second pass, this time they scrapped off one of our crew. Good times, good times. I've got relatives that still live in Norway and I'd Facebook everything. Even though they had their asses handed to them that day, my Norwegian cousins were a riot and took it in stride.

Although I didn't watch any of the Olympic Hockey live down in Vancouver, I still have memorable moments of hockey highlights. I was in Whistler Village one evening and was headed back to camp... I was mad because a co-worker bailed out on me, so I was just a hoofin' 'er. I look to my right and who do I see? None other than Captain Canuck himself, Trevor Linden. My breathe was taken away, I had been "in love" with him since I was like 12 - 13 years old! I was dumbfounded and awestruck and I called my Mum (who happens to be Trevor's second biggest fan, behind me of course - tee hee.) and started talking a mile a minute. "MUM!!! MUM!!!"   "Lauren calm down, what's going on? You OK?" "MUM!!! I THINK I JUST SAW TREVOR LINDEN!!!!!!!" "OMG Lauren! Go get his autograph! You know he won't say No! Go do it and call me back!" After about 5 minutes of semi-stalking the guy, so I could work up the nerve, my opportunity came... It was now or never, it was go time. Some how, Mr Linden got behind the friends he was with and I had gotten a head of him a little bit. I looked over as he caught up and it went down. "Excuse me? Are you Trevor Linden?" Glances at me, "Yep, I am." (YAAAAY in my mind.) "I have been your biggest fan, since like forever can I get my picture taken with you?" "Sure, but walk with me, I've gotta catch up with my friends." Almost shitting my pants with excitement, I did as I was told. My camera was on the wrong setting, so that was tres embarrassing. Once I got it going, Trevor grabbed it out of my hands, snapped off a pic, kinda grunted "I don't like that one" and snapped off a second one. He waited for me to look, asked if they were alright, which they were. I thanked him, told him he made my life, he said to have a good night and disappeared into the crowd. I walked on clouds as I called my Mum and Dad and headed back to camp. A few people at camp were jealous, but then they saw Trevor at the Our Lady Peace Concert and got pics of their own. (That's the story behind the pic of Trevor Freakin' Linden and I right here on my blog.)

The last thing I'll mention on this long ass Hockey post, the Gold Medal Hockey Games of the 2010 Olympics. Oddly, both the Mens' and Womens' teams had to defeat the USA or accept a silver. I had to work the day of the Ladies' Final but managed to get back to camp with enough time to watch the 3rd period... To be honest, I was tired and hazy at the time but do remember that it seemed like a hard fought battle. In the end though, the Ladies' made this Hockey Nation proud by winning a Gold on Home soil.

The Mens' I remember far better as I took a few days off work and was better rested. I was in Victoria visiting an Aunt and cousins and we had the game on. My Auntie and I couldn't bare to watch, just in case we jinxed them but whenever we heard cheers, we ran inside to watch the goal replay or to see what was up. Finally, the 3rd period came around and we were down to 5 minutes left with a 1 goal lead. On the edge of our seats we silently prayed... Until with 27 point something seconds, the US tied it up. (See, we jinxed...) Cursing the other team, we went to OT and did the same thing of seat edge praying and nail biting... Then Syd Crosby became a national hero as he put the winning goal away. We had our second Gold in "Our Sport". The streets of Victoria went a little nuts afterwards, meanwhile before it was a ghost town because of the game. Everyone was happy and asked if we'd seen the game. (I'm sorry to any Americans reading this following line... I understand that both US teams didn't win silver, but infact lost gold. Trust me when I say I know what it's like to watch your team be second best. Happened to me more than once. The first was in '94 and the second '06 and when the Canadian Hockey teams didn't medal at the Olmpics. But when the Mens' US team - and I think the Ladies' as well - accepted their silver medals, I was pretty disgusted.)

It's not always about me, but I am Canadian and I loves me some hockey! =0)