So, it turns out I love hockey. I’ve always thought that I was not a spectator sport kind of girl, but it turns out I just hadn’t found the right game. A lot of my friends like hockey, so I’ve watched/listened to several games on the TV and radio. And I liked it okay. It wasn’t “hate hate hate you’re forcing me to watch sports” but more “this is kind of interesting. what just happened there? what’s a power play? I am interested in this sport but I don’t understand it.”
Charlotte, Nicky and Ray have season tickets to the Sharks, and on Friday, Nicky had the flu and offered me her ticket, so I got to go to my first game. It was the San Jose Sharks vs the Dallas Stars. It was perfect timing too, I’ve been wanting to see a game live, and I had spent a good part of Thursday chatting with both Brad and Charlotte about teams and players and some of the rules. So even though I had been planning to go to OA Friday night, I went to the game instead. And LOVED it.
Charlotte and I drove together and got there about 10 minutes into the first period. They make you wait until play stops before you can enter the arena and find your seats, which took a couple of minutes, and then we got in and Ray traded seats with Charlotte so she could sit with me. Right after we sat down, the Sharks scored their first goal and then there was a fight in the crease (see I’m learning my hockey lingo) that sent 1 Shark and 3 Stars to the penalty box, so I got to see a power play live.
I still spent most of the game saying “What just happened?” and “I have no idea why I’m clapping, but everyone else is clapping so I figured I should too” but I had so much fun. It was such a rush when they scored, and it was easier to figure out what was happening when I could see the whole rink and not just what they show you on the TV. The game ended 6-3 Sharks, so I picked a good game to start with- lots of action.
So I definitely like hockey. I was totally amped when we left the game, and am really looking forward to the next time I get to go. Ever since I saw The Cutting Edge, I have wanted Bobby Hulls’s game sweater. But now I want a Sharks jersey. I can’t believe how expensive they are. I have time to save up for one though, since I don’t have a favorite player yet. I thought it was funny that the two goalies whose names I know- Marty Turco and John Hedberg- play for the same team, which I didn’t know until I got there and Charlotte pointed out Moose (John Hedberg). I knew Turco played for the stars, but I didn’t know Moose did too. Right now it’s between Jonathan Cheechoo and Joe Thornton for my favorite Shark, but we’ll see how I feel as time goes on.
Oh, and I just can’t help but start giggling when the players crash into the walls.