How to Enjoy Hockey

Although people up north and Canadians (of course) watch hockey like it’s the sport, it usually takes a back seat here in Kentucky where basketball and football are prominent. It’s not that hockey isn’t a fun sport, it’s just that people don’t play it as much in the south.

First and foremost, learn the general idea of hockey. There are six players on the ice including the goalie and the team take shifts, playing 20 minutes in each of the 3 periods. The whole point of the game is to get the puck in the goal just like soccer and about 90% of all sports.

Pay attention to the game! Hockey is a sport where you actually have to watch at all times. Baseball for example: you don’t have to watch the game to know when someone hit the ball because you’ll hear it and most of the time, the pitcher’s the only one doing anything. (I am biased because I don’t like baseball). But hockey is the opposite in that it moves fast since it’s on ice and the players look humongous with all their equipment. Also, a lot happens on the ice considering there are only six people and there could be a fight at any point in time.

Fighting and the level of violence in hockey is the reason some don’t like the sport. It’s definitely not the reason I watch it but to defend the sport, I say that it’s tradition. It’s what they do and sometimes that’s what it takes for a team to wake up and win a game. Some things to consider when watching hockey: a hat trick is when a player makes three goals in one game; playoff beards are also a tradition. (That’s why most people think hockey players are big guys with beards)

All and all, hockey is a sport rich in history, full of traditions, and has some of the craziest fans. It’s worth a try to watch it and I definitely recommend the Pittsburgh Penguins!