MY CANADA #6A
Hockey - It's a Canadian Game
This is a post I've been palnning to do for a while. The reason for the delay...there is so many aspect of the sport that is generated from the game, like all large 'fan' based sports, and I want to cover the lot. So here goes.
The game
The game is a winter based sport but played out, at the top level, in enclosed sports domes. I have had a taste of a 'live' game and it makes me want more!!!!

The match was at Calgary Saddle Dome, which is the home ground for the Galgary "Flames", at the national level and the home ground for the "Hitmen" at the WHA level. This was the team I saw play. These are good games to watch for it is from this level players for the national level a picked, so they 'go hard'.

There are three period of play, each 20 min's long and then there is a 20 min' break between each period. Total time = 100 min's. However, if a game is at a draw at he end of a game, you go into overtime which is set in lots of 20 min's. The first team to score, wins the game. However, if at the end of overtime it is still drawn, you go into another 20 min period. The first team to score wins the match. However, if at the end of this extra overtime the game is still drawn, you go into another 20 min period. This whole routine goes on till eventually someone scores. I watched a game like this last week. It was between the Edmonton 'Oilers' and the San Jose 'Sharks'.
The game went 12 mins into the 3rd overtime period. That's 112 mins on the ice and a total game time of 192 mins. The Oilers won!
The national league is made up of teams from both Canada and USA. They are playing for the Stanley Cup. We have just gone through the quater finals of the national league for the season, which is called the 'Play-offs'. Each team in the Play-offs plays 'the best of 7' games against one other team. Canada has only one team in the semi's. GO THE OILERS!!!