Our Wonderful Game of Hockey
by webbo26 on Sep 5, 2010 6:14 AM EDT
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PrintLast night saw the opening game of the British Elite League, and one of the games saw my boys at home, the Nottingham Panthers, take on the Belfast Giants (yes, the team thats going to be hosting the Bruins in a month's time).
Naturally, of course, I had to attend this sure-to-be-classic opening game - last year the Panthers won the Challenge Cup, and the Giants won the playoffs, and these two teams, along with the Coventry Blaze, are favoured to top the league throughout the season.
It proved to be an excitingly close game! We came out of the gates well, strong and defensive against the feared Giants' offence. Our new goalie (who, incidently, happens to be an old Hurricanes 2000 draft pick Craig Kowalski! Does anyone remember him? He's way before my time lol) let in two softies in the first five minutes which only proved to be a good thing in the long run as he and the rest of the team played near perfect hockey (well as near perfect as our league can get =P) to take the game into overtime with a score of 3-3. A tense period of overtime resulted in no goal so it went down to a shootout which took 7 rounds before the Panthers took the game winner! The building was going nuts, the players were elated, and the Giants got to sulk! What a perfect way to start the season! (Even if we had a clear goal in the 4th round of the shootout disallowed by a questionable ref - unfortunately we don't have the privilege of video replay!)
In all, I just wanted to express my love for this great sport, and after a long and tedious summer I am overjoyed that I can revel in it again! I just hope that my fellow Canes fans have a speedy last month so you can join in on the marvel that is live hockey! Traverse City and training camp not too far away now, and Helsinki is nearing fast! Three cheers for hockey!
Canes and Panthers for the win!! =D
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highlights- i can't find any
please explain all the teams and leagues in Europe
does Elite teams play in swiss – finland countries?
lol highlights? Hockey is still virtually unknown here, there is only a handful of cities with decent sized teams, and therefore fanbases. Last season only just saw the beginning of British ice hockey being broadcast, and that was only a select few league games (less than 10 I think) and they are on some discreet sky satellite channel. We do, however, have fairly decent text-based game reviews on each teams’ websites and then the league’s website.
For example here is our team’s review http://www.panthers.co.uk/modules/News/SEFS/ID.1686/SEFE/ViewNewsItem.asp
And the league’s website can be found at www.eliteleague.co.uk which covers all games.
As far as European leagues go… well I’m going to be honest – I don’t have a clue lol. Our teams will have the occasional pre-season match with a European team but other than that we have very little to do with any other countries (apart from claiming their players).
But yes, you’re right about the other Elite teams, there are a number of Elite leagues throughout Europe – Germany and Sweden come to mind, not sure about Finland and Switzerland though. But, as far as I know, the “Elite league” name only signifies that they are the highest/most prestigious league within that country, they have no connection with each other. At least, thats what I assume. News and info is not as plentiful as it is in the States and Canada, and thats why I started following NHL =D
Gee am i
ever late getting in on this post !! I have a friend who works at the IHQ of the sally Ann In London and he asked me what to look for as I was under the impression that he was either going to watch that game or was possibly going on holiday and was possibly going to that game…i haven’t heard back via twitter or email yet but when i explaned to him that it was like “foote” but on ice and small sides on the playing area…all he replied back was “spot on!! I’m going to love this” …BTW he’s a MU fan and myself when i can catch them on the telly here is Celtic…but that aside…have fun and please do try and keep us updated…after all it is Hockey you know !!! :)
And if it Aint Hockey,It Aint Nothin !!
That Checkers 3rd Sweater ROCKS !!!
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