| Hockey north of the US Canadian border seems | | | | man advantage after pulling their goalie. |
| to carry more sway than any political, | | | | Usually it resembles some kind of train wreck |
| national or international moment. Hockey is | | | | in front of the goalie, with shot after shot, |
| far more than a sport to most Canadians, it's | | | | as the goalie goes down and up time and time |
| a catalyst for memories of our youth. | | | | again. Defensemen sliding desperately, |
| Whether it's playing hockey on a frozen pond | | | | risking injury to stop the puck, in the |
| after the snow has been shoveled to the | | | | hopes, that the final seconds will elapse and |
| edges, or playing on the street in between | | | | the hockey game will be theirs. |
| cars and until the street lights come on. | | | | |
| Hockey brings back crystal clear memories for | | | | The Great Ones and The Great One |
| most Canadians. Used to be mostly boys, but | | | | |
| times have changed, and with the rise of | | | | Those nostalgic memories of hockey are not |
| women's hockey, many grown women for this and | | | | just of our own epic battles played between |
| future generations will be sharing those same | | | | the street curbs and mounds of recently |
| memories. And, that's why hockey means so | | | | shoveled snow. There were of course the |
| much more than just a sport to most of us. | | | | hockey legends themselves battling against |
| It's a nostalgic reminder of a less troubled | | | | one another. Hockey night in Canada is truly |
| past, and a reminder of a happy youth. | | | | as much a national treasure, as any to this |
| | | | nation. During our formative years watching |
| Not Just A Sedimental Journey | | | | the great hockey teams and their rivalries |
| | | | were both a patriotic right and a duty. And |
| Hockey is great sport first of all, for a | | | | then reliving those times in our own backyard |
| variety of reasons. It's truly exciting to | | | | rinks and streets, as we assumed the |
| watch. Because of the ice surface it's | | | | persona's of our favorite teams and players, |
| played on, very few sports can match the | | | | to crush the opposing neighborhood kids with |
| speed at which the players move about the | | | | spectacular hockey moves, only to be followed |
| field of play. It moves as a game, really | | | | only be even more spectacular goals. Truly |
| moves! Both the players and the puck. The | | | | times to be remembered, and cherished. |
| tide can turn quickly in a hockey game, and | | | | |
| you really can't let down your guard down for | | | | It's Not Just Our Game |
| a moment. There can be long periods of no | | | | |
| scoring, with lots of back and forth action. | | | | The game is shared now. With other players, |
| But then, in a heart beat the other team | | | | and other nations. Everyone plays, and their |
| scores, and maybe a second or third goal | | | | current and future generations are building |
| shortly after, and fortunes have been | | | | their own great hockey memories. Andthat's |
| reversed. I can think of no other sport that | | | | OK. I just wonder, if those memories will |
| causes such heart-stopping, breath-holding, | | | | rule their hearts and nations one day as they |
| sheer intensity as when another team is | | | | do ours. |
| pressing for a goal during a power play or | | | | |