This week, David, submitted a blog posting as a guest. Here is a quick profile of David:
David Aldridge is a freelance sportswriter who has written for various publications, including USA Today, Bleacher Report & Duke Report.
In addition, David is a fellow UGA Grad and blogger who runs a blogging site, called "From Ballparks to BBQ." If you get a chance, check it out.
The focus of David's blog is primarily food, sports, and travel. Whether it's a restaurant review, a game preview, or what to do in a city, David covers it.
I don't think it's any secret that Jeremy and I are not the biggest fans of hockey. Thus, we felt bringing in an outside perspective from someone who at least values hockey could diversify our blog. Here is what David had to say:
"Nothing Like Playoff Hockey"
I couldn’t care less about the NHL for 10 months out of the year. I don’t know which divisions are home to which teams. I can’t name 10 players in the entire league. And I have no idea how the point system works.
Then, for two months out of the year, none of that matters.
When it comes to the NHL playoffs, I’m completely captivated.
The speed and physicality of the game make it extremely interesting to watch for any sports fan. Unlike every other sport where players are becoming more sensitive and soft, hockey still demands toughness from each individual on the ice.
Playoff hockey keeps me on the edge of my seat.
It could be the incredible toughness of the players, who will throw themselves in front of a puck that’s traveling near 100 mph to make sure it doesn’t reach the goal. These same players show their borderline insanity when deciding to take the ice despite dealing with injuries such as broken ribs, dislocated appendages, and missing teeth.
It could be the unpredictable nature of the NHL playoffs, where it’s not uncommon to see a No. 8 seed knock off a top seed, or a road team steal home ice only to see it taken away from them in the very next game.
Maybe it’s the fact that all the teams are competing for the most sacred trophy in sports. Lord Stanley’s Cup was commissioned in 1892 and there’s a certain mystique around this trophy that you won’t find in any other league. Unlike the other sports in North America, a new cup isn’t made every year for the NHL Champion. The winner retains the cup until a new champion is crowned, and that new team takes ownership of the cup. There’s a reason hockey players are so superstitious that they won’t touch the cup unless their team has won the trophy.
And there’s nothing quite like overtime in postseason hockey.
Sudden death overtime in the NHL playoffs will take your breath away. A team can gain possession of the puck and have a shot on goal in a matter of seconds, and it only takes that long for an entire series to change.
Last season’s Stanley Cup Finals showed how quickly momentum can turn.
With 1:46 remaining in Game Six of the series, the Boston Bruins held a 2-1 lead over the Chicago Blackhawks and appeared to be poised to send the series to a seventh game. Then, the Blackhawks scored an incredible two goals in a span of 17 seconds to take the lead and clinch the series, giving them their second Stanley Cup Championship in four seasons.
In the amount of time it usually takes an NBA team to take one possession, or an NFL team to run a single play, or a pitcher to make one pitch, the Blackhawks mounted a miraculous comeback that gave them a title.
Boston fans experienced the optimism of victory followed by the agony of defeat in the blink of an eye.
If you’ve never watched playoff hockey, I encourage you to give it a try. Don’t worry if you don’t know who the players are and aren’t sure about which team to root for. Just sit back and enjoy watching these incredible athletes play the game hard and give it their all.
If you’re a true sports fan, I promise you’ll be entertained.
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