The Prairie Post

Index

Interviews Each month we choose a candidate to take the hot seat of some interesting and unique questions (As We Imagine It)

Editorials Our views on some current events in the news.

Tumbleweed Of The Month. We sometimes pick them from a hat because we cant decide who should have the honor of this monthly role.

It’s the Good Ol’ Hockey Game

I want to make perfectly clear that the title of this piece did indeed quote from Stompin’ Tom Connors and I hereby give him full credit and acknowledgment for same. Mr. Connors is apparently somewhat sensitive and litigious when it comes to the use of his intellectual (who is he kidding) property so I wanted to make sure I gave him full credit up front.

Now, let’s get back to the game. Sure as God made little green apples (do I have to credit anyone for that), it’s the best time of year for Canadians and any other nationality that follows the exploits of the hockey heroes of the NHL. It’s playoff time baby, the Stanley Cup Playoffs! This is as close to a national religion as it gets for Canadians. What other event can you think of that would bump Pastor Peter Mansbridge from his usual hour? There are nuclear missiles headed for Iran! We’ll tell you about it later but right now it’s back to Hockey Night in Canada. The Oilers and the Wings are tied after three and we are going into overtime! Don’t ya just love it? This year, of course, playoff time is all the sweeter for having suffered through the lockout hockey drought last season in our winter and spring of discontent.

I have to admit feeling a little schizophrenic at this time of year because as many of you might know, I spend part of my year in the Tampa area, home to the last Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. They have now become my second “home” team as it were and nobody was cheering harder for them to repeat their Cup performance from two years ago than I was. Alas, as I write this, the Ottawa Senators have ended the playoff hopes of the Lightning. And, if I was honest, I’d have to admit that the better team won and good luck to Ottawa.

But my one true hockey love is still the Edmonton Oilers and “How about them Oilers!” Wow! Is it not sweet watching them confound the Detroit soon to be “Dead Things”? Even better, the possibility exists, if the stars align, and the Stars decline, we could have an Edmonton Oiler-Calgary Flame series. How great would that be? Sorry Flame fans but I would just love to see your highly overrated hockey humiliated and humbled by the Edmonton Oilers. And before the emails start arriving, just count the Cup banners hanging in the Saddledome and compare that with the number of banners hanging in Rexall Place. I rest my case.

One of the results of last year’s lockout and return to play was a set of new rules governing play in the NHL and I have to say that overall I like this new version of the greatest team game in the world. Finally, the skilled teams are allowed to demonstrate their talent on the ice and not constantly be held, hooked, and tripped. It makes hockey even faster and more exciting to watch especially in the playoffs. If you don’t have good specialty teams in the new NHL, you are not going to win.

That being said, I just wish the referees could decide on a standard of enforcement. Fine we have the new rules and let’s stick to them but let us not go overboard. How many penalties have you seen called this playoff year for just being in the same neighbourhood as the opposing player? Contrast that with the shocking stick to eye of Saku Koivu and no penalty was called. How can two referees miss that? It seems impossible especially when not two minutes later, Montreal was penalized on a phantom infraction. I want a consistent standard of enforcement so that all players know what to expect and don’t have to play a guessing game as to what constitutes tripping or holding.

In the mostly hockey ignorant southern United States it can be a real challenge to find where and when the games are televised. It’s not like back in Canada with the rock solid knowledge that CBC and TSN will cover the games. And once your team is out, good luck finding updates in your local sports reports here in Florida. Thank heavens for the internet! And with satellite radio, I can even hear the excited game call of the voice of the Oilers, Rod Phillips. Ain’t technology wonderful?

Even though the Tampa Bay Lightning are now eliminated, this is still one of the best playoff years for a long time in my humble opinion. Maybe I just didn’t realize how much I missed the action after last year’s dismal spring with no hockey. But that is all behind us now and let us bask in the glory and excitement (not to mention the odd brew or two) of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs! Go Oilers go! Exit Flames exit! I’ve got to go now as Buffalo and Philadelphia are just about to face off and there is more hockey later tonight. God I love this time of year! Hand me a cold Canadian and get your hands of the remote. It’s the good ol’ hockey game and it’s on the tube now!

Go! Oilers Go!

Use Advanced Search