It is clear that I am a HUGE hockey fan and that I love everything about our favorite sport.
With that said, this article is about what the word hockey means to me. The word is important to us hockey fans, and when we think about the game, we end up thinking about the following words:
Teamwork: Hockey is all about teamwork. It takes all five players on the ice to put the puck in the net, play defense, create scoring chances, and more.
Sure, there are some that have an abundance of individual talent, but in our minds, hockey is a team game. This is especially the case in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Just look at what both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Flordia Panthers – this year’s Stanley Cup finalists – have accomplished to this point. They have played well in every aspect of the game, and because of that, they are four wins away from capturing hockey’s Holy Grail.
Sacrifice: Hockey is a game of sacrifice. These players dive to block shots every night, use their bodies to give a hit and take a hit, and go all out every night to help their team win a hockey game.
Again, the playoffs are a perfect example of what it means to sacrifice in the game of hockey. The players put it all out on the line every night in hopes that they will have the chance to lift the Cup when all is said and done.
Sportsmanship: These players may be tough on the ice, but when all is said and done, they have mutual respect for one another. There is no better example than the handshake line after a playoff series ends.
It is during the handshake after a playoff series that we see firm handshakes, pats on the back, a comforting look, etc. It is one of the most beautiful things about our sport.
Passion: This word really describes the fans of the game. Hockey fans respect and love the sport every single day, and they do it with pride.
These are the words I think of when describing our sport. What words come to your mind when you think of hockey?
Excitement, fast-paced, unify, and unity.