HOCKEY IS BACK! That’s right collegiettes; Pucks are being iced, skates are being sharpened, sticks are being taped and fans are breaking out their jerseys and face paint. Whether you’re a Red Wing’s fan (RIP Gordie Howe), a Penguin’s fan probably still wearing your Stanley Cup Champs t-shirt, or a Blue Jacket’s fan (Stay positive, guys!), the wait is over!
For those of you who aren’t a member of the hockey world just yet, we have our very own ice hockey club here at Kent State. You can catch the team at the rink on campus starting with it’s home opener this Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m! If you’re new to the sport, here’s a cheat sheet on some of the lingo you may hear at the rink:
Barn:Â Another word for the ice rink/arena
Twig:Â What the rest of the world calls a hockey stick
Line: Usually consists of a R winger, L winger and Center (a.k.a. the forwards)
Line Change: A rotation to keep fresh legs out on the ice during the period
Flow: Most hockey players’ hairstyle of choice allowing their hair to “flow” out of the bottom of their helmets
Gordie Howe Hat Trick: When a player scores a goal, records an assist and gets in a fight all in one game (best case scenario: in a single period)
Dangle:Â Using puck-handling skills to school the opponent in order to get to the net
Celly: Short for “celebration” following a goal
Blue Line: Line separating the attack/defense zone, which is by either goal, from the neutral zone, which is the middle of the rink.
Zamboni: The big box-looking vehicle that resurfaces to clean the ice when you’re using the bathroom between periods
Puck Bunny: The kind of girl in the rink you never want to be. Know your stuff, ladies.
Still not convinced it’s worth your Friday night? Brendan Shanahan put it into perspective for all you skeptics out there with a single quote: “Is hockey hard? I don’t know, you tell me. We need to have the strength and power of a football player, the stamina of a marathon runner and the concentration of a brain surgeon. But we need to put all this together while moving at high speeds on a cold and slippery surface while five other guys use clubs to try and kill us. Oh yeah, did I mention that this whole time we’re standing on blades 1/8 of an inch thick? Is ice hockey hard? I don’t know, you tell me. Next question.”
Boom.
Can’t make the game Friday? Follow the team on Twitter at @KentStateHockey for the latest and greatest or check out www.kentstatehockey.org for the full schedule.