We’ve counted down and it’s finally here.
Positions have been set, opponents decided and enemies created.
Tickets have been bought, face paint chosen and pom poms shaken.
Tomorrow it begins!
The next two days shall feature the best of the best in the AIHL (Australian Ice Hockey League for the uneducated among you). Four teams are in the finals covering three states with teams coming from Newcastle (the Insinki North Stars) Sydney (the Penrith Bears), Adelaide (the Adelaide Avalanche) and Melbourne (THE MELBOURNEEEEEEEEEE ICE!).
My own team the Brisbane Bluetongues missed out by 3 points (one win) after suffering a crushing defeat by one goal in the final 5 minutes on Sunday.
But this weekend brings hope! (Go Ice, Go Bears)
Jordi and I shall be meeting bright and early tomorrow morning at 8 30 am (myself travelling down from Brisbane and her up from Melbourne) and the weekend shall be spent watching hockey, engaging in much merriment (there’s a team dinner to be attend and a pub with margarita jugs between our hotel and the rink) and good natured heckling.
And when we return! We shall report!
Friday, August 31, 2007
HLOG does the AIHL Finals
Friday, August 10, 2007
The Brisbane Bluetongues
If one ignores the lack of naturally frozen surfaces in our country, Ice Hockey seems to be an incredibly Australian sport. Not only is it fast and highly skilled, but the players routinely flatten each other into the ice, the boards and often each other.
Well They’re a unique bunch to say the least. Through out the season I’ve had the chance to get to know the team, on and off the ice. From the too cool Tyrone Garner, who lists his biggest secret as being a black hockey player and finds Kangaroos extremely exciting, to the extremely talkative Josh Sands, the only player to have his name on a seat in the penalty box, the team covers both ends of the spectrum. The team’s youngest member, Alex Hall, a scrawny blonde kid who looks like he’d be more at home in the water rather than on the ice, plays on the Australian Youth Team as does his Brisbane teammate and the team’s back-up goalie, Brenton Cooney.
The team hail from all over as well, many coming here for a season or two from Canada, while others having come to Australia, never left, ending up Australian citizens as well as members of the Bluetongues. Occasional goalie Milan Novysedlak hails from Slovakia and now a permanent citizen is helping grow hockey within the area, training local players into the Bluetongues of the future.
Mike Gough (reportedly the long lost brother of Team Captain Mark Rummakinen) was born here in Australia, but grew up in Canada, where he learnt the game, playing at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where he shared a line with Jon Kress, another Canadian member of the team.
The pride of the Bluetongues this season however, is Matt Amado, a graduate of Notre Dame College in Indiana. The league leading scorer, 23 year old Amado who hails from Langley in British Columbia, was third in team scorer last season with the Chicago Hounds of the UHL. It hasn’t taken Amado long though to settle in here in Australia, providing a one two punch with Martin Pacquet that many teams are finding hard to combat.
Within Australian players, the team features Mark Rummakinen, a Canberra based player who after being sent to Brisbane for work, joined the team here and now flies up for every set of game (the teams home games always played in sets of two due to the distance travelling team’s must cover). He also reports for duty on a regular basis as a member of the Australian Ice Roo’s (now coached by ex-NHL’er Steve McKenna another Canadian who arrived and never left).
There’s so much more that could be said about this motely crew such as their love of simpsons marathons on the road, Mark Smith’s wicked sense of humor, Johnny Bale and the Las Vegas cap that he matches with everything, Mike Gough’s stomach, and the imported boys love of cheap goon.
But I’ll leave that for another day.
For now, that is the Brisbane Bluetongues, Brisbane’s AIHL team, and the number one team in my heart.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
and this is how the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper
Stanley Cup Game 5.
An adventure involving one hockey obsessed 18 year old, her hockey loving dread locked room mate, 5 bars, countless orange juices, and a few tears.
It was 9 30 when I trooped out of the apartment this morning, toeing behind me by much abused room mate, complaining that I’d dragged him from his coffee (if he had got up on time it wouldn’t have been a problem). Our first stop was The Fox Sports Bar, two blocks from our inner city apartment, but alas it was not open. Neither was the sports bar in Jupiters Casino ( a further block from our apartment , and then across a bridge) much to our chagrin (we could bet there!) so we tramped on. Another bar later (finding they were showing The French Open) we finally stumbled/ran/ strided towards Jimmy’s on the Mall (ALL HAIL the BAR). 20 meters from it I spotted the white ness of the ice, and a hockey stick and started jumping running cheering (much to the amusement of half of the Biggest Open air mall in the state).
We had found Ice Hockey.
Much to our joy, the stuff at the mostly empty bar/restaurant (open air, right in the middle of the mall) turned the speakers from music to the tv, letting us enjoy the commentary as we drank our breakfast juice and sadly sadly watch our team get decimated (in the company of a nice lad from Toronto, who was equally as L). There was shouting, there was crying, there was cheers, and much laughter from nearby American army boys who thought it was hilarious how “animated” I became, and the staff who had no idea what was going on.
Second intermission we relocated from our seats to the now open Union Jacks (home of every Australia pay tv channel, and Ice hockey on a projector screen). It went down hill from there, vodka found it’s way into the orange juice, and tears were shed (much to the amusement of the staff) as Ray Emery (who I may have called some not very nice things) promptly fell apart.
The playoffs this year, have rekindled my love of hockey (never lost just much mangled) but the finals series left me sadly disappointed. I wanted 7 games! I wanted competition! I wanted more being able to see them play since I’m now legally old enough too!
But alas, Alack, it was not to be.
I must say though, when it came down to the wire, as the team fell apart, Alfie stood tall and showed not only to Ottawa but the NHL, that he is a captain to be reckoned with. His two goals, in desperate attempts to salvage a season, to present what now seemed inevitable, show the strength of his resolve, his sheer will and determination and for that he will gain enormous respect, and hopefully quiet the nay sayers.
I now encourage you all as hockey in North America draws to a close, to pick your AIHL team (BRISBANE BLUETONGUES) because even though we only play twice a week, you get no coverage and we’re about 15th rate compared to the NHL. We’re still playing!
Till September!
And I am closing with a quote I found in my book today. I thought it was relevant.
No victory, nor yet defeat is chalked against the players name. But down the roll, the final scroll, shows only how he played the game.
Grantland Rice.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
repping australia.
This post is in honour of pirated HNIC Tivo and my first NHL Playoff game this season.
So last night i got to watch the Ducks (*insert booing and hissing of chris pronger*) vs Sens (*insert cheers of Patrick Eaves's fabulousness, some serious awesome playoff beards, and dany heatley's hair*). Admittedly the broadcast quality was terrible! and the only way we knew where the puck was, was thanks to the movement of the player with it, but it was still hockey!
Admittedly the game, to me wasn't all that exciting, it was GOOD end to end action, but there was far to little scoring for my liking. Yes Yes. I know.
But beside the Sens loosing, a good night was had by all (myself, wendy a fellow australian hockey fan and her hockey loving husband) as we cheered on both teams, argued heatedly about anything to do with hockey (i felt so normal with people who KNEW what i was talking about!)
I must say though, Mike Fisher's beat down of corey perry, including losing his helmet and going after him again, was one of the highlights of my night, in addition to Dany Heatley's minor tussle with Chris Pronger, which had me going "Now lets think this through. Good idea? No. Didn't think so"
In AIHL news, (That's the Australian Ice Hockey League for all those who don't know) The Brisbane Bluetongues (my homeboys! and the team I do fanclub photography for) recorded a win and a loss on the weekend against the Sydney Ice Dogs (the bottom of the ladder team, seemingly made up of half of the Australia IceHockeyrooos.)
Stars of the Weekend include Martin Paquet, Matt Amado and Tyrone Garner, Former Oshawa General and once Calgary Flame, 3 of the teams Imports.
The team play again on the 2nd in Newcastle, against reigning champions the North Stars (Who they've recorded a 1 - 1 mark this season against, the hangover after the first win the reason for the second loss) and on the 3rd the Sydney Bears.
The team next home game is the 23/24 of June versus the Melbourne Ice,
Hey Jordi, Bets on who's team wins? Yours or mine? :-) (You should have so come to visit, You could sleep on my couch)
