National Pastime…Canadian Style
I’ve decided to take a break from baseball, and all of this Yankees talk, to spend some time enjoying Canada’s national pastime, Hockey!!
An annual holiday tradition up here is the beloved World Junior Hockey Championship. The tourney starts on Boxing Day, and runs until the Gold medal game on January 5th. Now I can’t think of another country who takes any interest in this tournament, but for us here in Canada, this is probably the most watched sporting event of the year (OK, maybe 2nd to the Grey Cup). It might have to do with the fact that we will be gunning for our fifth championship in a row, and that it is being hosted on home soil in Ottawa, Ontario.
This tournament features the future stars of the N.H.L. like last year’s 1st overall pick, Steven Stamkos. Over the years, it has also introduced us to such stars as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and past great like Peter Forsberg, Eric Lindros, and even Wayne Gretzky. This year will be no different with players like Sweden’s Victor Medmen, and Canada’s own John Tavares battling for the gold, and for the right to be chosen 1st overall in the 2009 NHL entry draft.
So it’s time for me to get my case of Molson Canadian, sit in my recliner, and watch some hockey on the NEW big screen TV (hint, hint, Santa!!!)
Gotta work it in before Spring Training starts!
The Baseball Igloo 
Iceman – while it isn’t nearly the same, here in the Boston area we have the Beanpot Tournament – 4 college hockey teams (Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and my alma mater – Northeastern University) spend the first two Mondays in February battling it out. Enjoy your tournament and have a wonderful Christmas!
Julia
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Sounds pretty cool. Nothing beats those rivalry games. I don’t know much about US college hockey, but from what I remember, Boston College would be the team to beat, right? No offence to Northeastern of course!! Take care, and have a great holiday season.
I hope you get your big-screen TV from Santa, Iceman. Let us know. As for hockey, it’s my husband’s favorite sport (he’s a Rangers fan). I’ll never forget the year they won The Cup with Mark Messier leading the charge. My husband still watches the tape. Have a great Christmas and keep up the great blogging.
– http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
Did you get the big-screen TV, Iceman? Enquiring minds want to know!
– http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
Haha…no I think I’ll be doing some bargain hunting during boxing week. Mrs. Clause said something about taking care of the kids at Christmas. I guess she meant the ‘little’ kids. Who knew??
They have the “Frozen Four” now for college hockey in the U.S.A. Doesn’t get that much attention, probably because all the best hockey players play Junior in Canada, even sometimes the American ones.
This years Junior will be as fun for me to watch as the BCS bowl games that are going on. I’m really excited for both. However, what will also be exciting, 2010 in Vancouver. Canada has to reclaim that gold medal from Torino where Sweeden won. We didn’t even medal, I couldn’t believe it!
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