Tag Archives: hockey

Articles, Hockey

Last-Minute Gifts for the Family Hockey Fan (Lockout Edition) – Part 1

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Each and every year, people clamour about various malls and websites, frantically trying to find those perfect gifts for loved ones. If those family members, friends and lovers are hockey fans, things are pretty easy, really: depending on your budget, you could get them game tickets to see their favourite NHL team in person. Or you could lay out some green for a variety of logoed merch, from key chains to car seats, from team socks to customized skates. You’ve got the choice between jerseys, herseys, shirseys and underpants. The sky really is the limit.

This year, of course, the game is different. Or, rather, the game… isn’t. Such is the general disdain for the NHL/NHLPA shitshow that many tried and true hockey fans are boycotting any and all NHL products, even at deeply discounted prices. One of my friends recently found out his fiancée bought him a pro quality vintage Vancouver Canucks jersey — something he’d been salivating over for a couple of years now — and insisted she return it from whence it came. He said he’d rather get nothing under the tree than know a couple hundred bucks had flowed into NHL franchise coffers.

So what do you do? After the jump, check out the first Last-Minute Gift Idea for the Family Hockey Fan, courtesy of Pucked in the Head.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Last-Minute Gifts for the Family Hockey Fan (Lockout Edition) – Part 1 →

Articles, Hockey, Uncategorized

Five Hole for Food – a hockey team worth following

Richard Loat (@mozy19 on the mighty Twitter) and the rest of the Five Hole for Food crew set to go bigger and better yet again in 2013. Photo ripped indelicately from the FHFF Facebook timeline.

In a year overshadowed by the greed and stupidity of hockey’s biggest players, let’s focus on the admirable work of less prominent, but far more important, hockey teams.

Like this one that generates thousands upon thousands of pounds of food for folks who need it most (not to mention at least that many smiles along the way!) Okay, okay, it sounds cheesy — mmmmmm, cheese — but in this case, it’s true. Five Hole for Food has quickly become one of Canada’s most inspirational charitable drives, and it encourages each and every one of us to get up off the couch and pick up a hockey stick to make the deal even sweeter.

Main website: http://www.fiveholeforfood.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiveHoleForFood
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fiveholeforfood

Articles, Hockey, Uncategorized

Somebody Approved This: EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams

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Jersey: The 2012 EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams Hallowe’en jersey.

Years worn: 2012, one game only.

Reaction: “Ha! Look, the bear’s brains are showing!”

Most famous players to wear it: Niko Dimitrakos had a good run in the NHL. Kai Hospelt is the lone Wolfsburg player to have played in the Vancouver Olympics.

Why it’s great: Wearers of European hockey jerseys tend to resemble NASCAR vehicles more than hockey players. On this jersey, however, the advertising is pleasingly subdued. The jersey also has a huge zombie bear with a scythe. And more zombies in the background. And a font that drips blood! If you love Hallowe’en, it’s impossible to dislike this jersey.

Why it’s garbage: Less is supposed to be more, when it comes to design. The crew throwing this thing together leaped on the space freed up by the reduced advertising like an American on the local 7-11’s last remaining Twinkie and used it to cram in every piece of clichéd Hallowe’en imagery they could think of. “Hey Helmut, you forgot about the witch on the broomstick flying across the moon!” “Ah scheisse, sorry Jürgen! The right shoulder’s free, see if you can squeeze it in there!”

Haiku to describe Chris’s feelings whenever he sees this jersey:
Braaaaaaaaaaaainnnnnnns
BRAAAAAAAIIIIINNNNNNNNNSSSSSS
Zombies suck at poetry.

Other jerseys we can’t believe somebody approved:
New York Islanders third jersey (rumoured), 2012
Seattle Sounders third jersey, 2012
Vancouver Canucks alternate jersey, 1995-1997

 

 

 

Articles, Hockey

Maxim Shalunov – 1G, 1A in game 6

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Maxim Shalunov put in solid performances in the WHL leg of the Subway Super Series, including a goal and an assist in the final game in Victoria Thursday night. This guy is a dangerous skater, a real pleasure to watch. Here below be the pic I snapped of him at game 5 in Vancouver.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked Maxim Shalunov in the fourth round of last year’s NHL draft. If the Subway Super Series is any indication — and if the big league decides to play at some future point in time — they may have turned that 109th pick into a bit of larceny. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Articles, Hockey

Brossoit outshines Makarov (or, “Nail who?”)


Everyone wanted to talk about Nail Yakupov. And don’t get me wrong, the #1 overall pick in the 2012 draft was every bit as dangerous as his billing. He’s explosive with the puck, and hungry for it, each and every single time he steps on the ice. There’s little doubt that if the NHL ever decides to play again, the Edmonton Oilers will cash in on this fellow, yet another young gun to add to their Halls and Eberles and Nugent-Hopkinseseses. Eses.

But the show on Wednesday didn’t belong to this superstar in waiting. It belonged to the goaltenders, who backstopped their teams to a scoreless draw after 60 minutes of fast, tough, hard-fought hockey in Vancouver.

So here’s to you, Laurent Brossoit and Andrei Makarov. You made great saves when you had to — Brossoit in the first 35 minutes, and Makarov in the final 25 — and you completely deserved the Player of the Game honours.

All photos are by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head. All rights reserved.

Laurent Brossoit makes a pad save on Mozer in the second period of Game 5 of the Russia-CHL Super Series in Vancouver. The goaltenders were perfect through 60 minutes, with the WHL stars winning in a shootout. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

More pictures after the bump.

Continue reading Brossoit outshines Makarov (or, “Nail who?”) →

Articles, Hockey

Winterhawks shred Giants

The good news: the offensively-challenged Vancouver Giants scored five times against the stingiest defense in the WHL. The bad news: the Portland Winterhawks scored nine goals themselves, catapulting Vancouver into the league’s worst goals-against position and embarrassing the G-men in front of 7,318 fans who packed the Pacific Coliseum on Friday night.

Portland Winterhawks captain Troy Rutkowski got an assist, but somehow managed to notch a -3 on the night, as his team trounced the Vancouver Giants 9-5 in WHL action November 9. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Portland Winterhawks captain Troy Rutkowski got an assist, but somehow managed to notch a -3 on the night, as his team trounced the Vancouver Giants 9-5 in WHL action November 9. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

It’s not an altogether surprising result: the Winterhawks have lost just three games in regulation this year, and sit tied for second in the W with the Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen. They came into the game riding a nine-game win streak, where the Giants were considering a 3-3 split in their last six games a moral victory. On paper, then, Portland should win this game.

Continue reading Winterhawks shred Giants →

2012-13 Season, Articles, Hockey

Victoria Royals 2012-13 home opener

At the Victoria Royals home opener Adrian Charlie met a real estate agent by the name of Mark Donnelly. One can only assume he doesn’t wear the cummerbund during open houses. Anyway, this Donnelly fella apparently sings anthems for a hockey team or two in his spare time. Photo courtesy of Adrian Charlie.

Well, I was wrong. After letting in 5 goals on 17 shots in Friday’s opening night loss at the Pacific Coliseum, Giants goaltender Liam Liston did not ride the bench in the next day’s rematch. He performed better, but got the same result: a loss to the Victoria Royals. Pucked in the Head’s new friend Adrian Charlie (@Adrian_Charlie on the Twitter) was in the building, and offers this game recap:

Victoria Royals 3, Vancouver Giants 2 – September 22, 2012

by Adrian Charlie

The Victoria Royals played host to the Vancouver Giants on Saturday in the team’s home opener. The Royals carried momentum going into their second game of the season after defeating those same Giants 6-4 the night before.

2012-13 Season, Articles, Podcast

Episode 45 – When Millionaires Fight Billionaires

Gary Bettman winking when he said "We hope to avoid a lockout."
Double, double, toil and trouble.

After way, way, WAY too long, we at Pucked In The Head have finally found the time to not only record, but actually edit a podcast and upload it to the server. Yes, thank you. We’re a little out of practice, so forgive us as we get a little ranty about the current NHL labour situation. Continue reading Episode 45 – When Millionaires Fight Billionaires →

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Articles, Hockey

Rogers Arena, BC Place and the Canucks’ Culture Conundrum

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On Saturday, I took advantage of a pretty rare opportunity: I got to see Vancouver play Montreal in two different sports on the same day. After an off-season that stretched seemingly forever, the Vancouver Whitecaps finally got to show off their revamped squad against the Montreal Impact at 3pm. Then, at 7pm, the Habs made their only visit of the year to Rogers Arena. I’ve been to my share of Canucks games in the past, and I was at all but one Whitecaps home game last season, but I’ve never been able to so directly compare the atmosphere in the two stadiums.

It couldn’t have worked out better, frankly. The Habs always inspire one of the liveliest affairs (off the ice) you’re likely to see at Rogers Arena, while the home opener in any sport is usually a noisy one. I even got to take in the games from a similar vantage point in each stadium. So how do the two events stack up? Read on to find out. Continue reading Rogers Arena, BC Place and the Canucks’ Culture Conundrum →