Not zero. Multiple zeroes. Shaped a bit like a puck, but mostly not a good hockey number. Unless you're a goalie. Last Thursday was my annual old-timer league Christmas tournament. Over 2 hours, the 4 teams in the league each player each other, a 3-game round robin of 15 minute games. 6 games in total. …
Category: oldtimers
The Code…No, Not That One, The Other One
Much has been written about "the Code" in hockey. That tribal, primal, element that is the secret sauce of keeping order in the hockey universe. At its simplest level, it's "beat up our guy, and we'll beat up yours" or "Hurt our guy, even accidentally, and you better be ready to answer the bell". But …
Waking Up Sore
Today is Tuesday. I played Sunday night and I played last night. Both were wonderful skates and I was tired at the end of each. This morning, when it seemed as dark as it could get and when my first somewhat coherent but still foggy thought was that I wished the dog was not a morning person, …
Like The Masters, But Without The Patrons
To be fair, the WOHL's year-end tourney usually does have some fans show up. Not as many perhaps as those that make the trek to Augusta National in the spring, but hey, a golf course is far roomier than an indoor rink so it's not really a fair comparison of the popularity of these two …
The Golden Boot – 2020
So...here we go eh? Another year in the W has passed and the season ending tourney played out in all its sporting glory. Even in these strange times, the show must go on, no? Buckle up boys, and I'll do my best to chronicle how this year's event went down. There were some moments that …
Lizard Liquor, Racoon Roadkill and The Great Pumpkin
Charles Schulz would have been proud if he'd been in Elmira today. The creator of the Peanuts comic strip was an avid hockey fan. However, as well as creating Charlie Brown and his merry band of carousing guy buddies, his colourful pooch Snoopy and some pretty saucy young dames, he also gave life to …
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A go-to Beer
Heard an interesting comment from a fellow player recently. We were discussing the joy one gets from a post-game beer. Now this cat is one who knows, and loves, beer. I forget which one he was describing (I am an oldtimer after all and this conversation didn't happen today) but he called it his "go-to …
The New Guy
I played pickup with a gang in St. Jacob's last night. I've played with these guys once or twice before but that was a couple of years back and I definitely felt like the new guy in the room. However, being the new guy isn't all bad. You get to listen to a bunch of …
To Play Or To Celebrate One’s Wedding Anniversary?
This is a true story. As captain of the blue team for the second half of the season, I have the privilege of organizing spares when one of the regulars cannot make it. Last night, one of our regulars was unable to make it and I had arranged earlier in the week for spare who, …
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The Speed of the Game
It is said that hockey is the fastest game in the world. Maybe, but I think perhaps that doesn't apply to old-timer hockey. I was sitting on the bench last night as one of our defenceman came off for a change as the puck moved out of our end and up ice. He sat …
Rink Tales 