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I just went to my first IceCats game tonight, and thought I would share some observations and photos. Hockey in a desert is still a huge novelty to me, so bare with me and feel free to throw rocks. I've got a hard head...

UofA lost to the wretched Sun Devils 3-2 tonight, but it was a great game all the way around. Both goalies played suprisingly well, and most of the goals scored were off of garbage in the middle of scrums around the crease. A couple of observations about big-time (I'll get to that later) club level hockey:

(1) The talent gap is a lot more apparent than I really expected. It seemed like most of the kids playing on both teams had rocks for hands, and they were just slapping at the puck when it got near them. Still, they all play their butts off out there, which I can thoroughly respect since they aren't on scholarship.

(2) The atmosphere is a bit dead (no bands, etc.), but people really get into the games. I really thought a bunch of desert dwellers weren't going to really be there for the game, but they really were. Its kind of funny, though, because the locals themselves make fun of it as "desert hockey." My favorite crowd cheer: after the announcer gives the players involved in the goal, the entire crowd yells: "He shoots he scores! Hey goalie - YOU SUCK! It's all your fault! Its all your fault! Its all your fault!" Really wasn't expecting crowd chants here, but it was fun to witness.

(3) It is a lot of fun to see kids so interested in the game. There were a lot of kids there, and I didn't notice kids running all over the building like they do in BG (not that that is necessarily bad). It was just neat to see them genuinly trying to follow what was going on.

Outside of that, people in Arizona LOVE hockey! I thought I was going to get thrown out for yelling at a hockey game, but these people cuss like sailors here! And people think the language at BG games is bad...

Here are a couple of pictures from the game (if I can figure out how to post them), and although you might not believe me, there were well over 3000 people there tonight, and it was a small crowd (the arena holds 12,000). I kept saying: "man, we don't get that many for most BG games - and we're D1!"

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I also work with the team's faculty advisor, so I got to go down and meet the coach with her after the game. Although he looks like he's asleep, Leo Golembiewski is a great guy and was a netminder for the Blackhawks.

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OK, I'll stop now, because I know no one cares, and everyone is probably thinking "why didn't this sonofabitch put this in the other schools forum?" Well, I guess I just figured that no one wants to hear about club hockey in the other schools forum (unless it involves T&A - wrong IceCats...), so bite me.

I will say that I miss BG hockey like you wouldn't believe, but this is a good diversion on Friday and Saturday nights! Oh, and I did wear my BG sweater tonight, and in return recieved several shouts of "GO FLYERS!"

**edit** - OK, no pictures. Apparently I have to put them on a website according to the FAQ, and if we had about four days I'd explain to you just how far that is over my head...

Not to belabor the point, but I forgot to mention the best part:

As I was leaving the game tonight, someone from a pizza company handed me a free 16" pepperoni pizza! It was hot, too! I have no idea what the deal was, and I'm pretty sure I just got lucky, but I'm having fun pretending that they feed you after a hockey game down here.

Oh yeah, and the sell beer at the games because it is off campus at the Tucson Convo. Center. Beer - mmmmmmm. 8)

I am glad you posted this here! It's the appropriate place for it, since it's hockey related. I think the "Other Schools" forum is usually when people get rambling about OSU and other unimportant stuff. Sounds like you had a great time at the game!! I am glad you found hockey out there as I knew you would be missing it dearly!! Your observations are interesting when comparing to club hockey here....basically no comparision. Sounds a more like going to minor league games!!

GO HOCKEY!!!
HOCKEY ROCKS!!!

I could add some pictures from our IceCats if you want to spruce up your thread I have yet to go to a UK hockey game. It is hard with 3 kids to stay awake until 12:00AM to make it to a game. The arena is pretty close to my house though, and near my local bar so maybe I'll send the fam away one weekend and go. I really appreciate folks who go and support club sports. The UK icecats get good crowds from what I hear. From having played Water polo for BG its sometimes hard to get into games when the only people cheering are your teammates (Though tourneys at Miami (OH) and Notre dame had maybe 50 people). Those of you in BG should stop by the club game December 2nd and 3rd when UK comes up.

Bleeding Orange wrote: (1) The talent gap is a lot more apparent than I really expected. It seemed like most of the kids playing on both teams had rocks for hands, and they were just slapping at the puck when it got near them. Still, they all play their butts off out there, which I can thoroughly respect since they aren't on scholarship.

I am not surprised to hear you say that.

A few years ago BG had this kid named Roger Leonard. Leonard played three of his four years, then left the team (or was kicked off. I was never clear on what happened and whether or not it was an amicable split).

Anyway... Leonard stayed the fourth year and finished his degree. He played on the club team that season and annihilated every scoring record the league had. You could see he didn't belong and it was very easy to pick him out on the ice.


And if you really want to see hands of stone, you should watch me trying to handle the puck!

Bleeding Orange wrote:Leo Golembiewski

GREAT hockey name!!

PGY Tiercel wrote:From having played Water polo for BG its sometimes hard to get into games when the only people cheering are your teammates (Though tourneys at Miami (OH) and Notre dame had maybe 50 people).

BG has/had a Water Polo team? I never knew that!!

Yep, its a club team. Usually just enough people on a team to have one. We used to get a few swimmers to play after they used up their eligibility, but still hadn't graduated yet.

ya when i was an undergrad i played club, and the games in kentucky are crazy since they are at midnight, everyone comes wasted and its a pretty hostile crowd compaired to home games when just our friends came, lol