Well it's Saturday night, that means millions of Canadians will soon be gathering around their television sets to watch Hockey Night in Canada.
It's an institution here, much like Sunday Night football is in the United States.
The games changed over the years, there's less fighting now in the sport and the players today are younger and quicker. That doesn't mean it's not still action packed.
One thing hasn't changed, you still have to be tough to play this game. With 200 lb men flying around on a frozen surface trying to hit eachother, the potential for injury is around every corner. Also they weild sticks and play atop razor sharp skate blades ofcourse.
I'm sure most people have seen hockey players smiling to reveal missing teeth. Often times they don't bother to replace them until after their careers are over, because they'd probably just get knocked out again so why bother?
Fighting is rarer but it still occurs, nothing like back in the day though. While some people miss the excitement..the new game is still action packed and nasty injuries do occur.
The worst injury to date was in 1989, when Buffalo Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuck took a skate to his neck that split his jugular.
Players and fans watched horrified while the goalie nearly bled out on the ice. If not for the trainer's quick actions, and sticking his fingers in the goalies throat to pinch of his viens, the player would have died on the ice. Clint took over 100 stitches to repair the damage!
Often times players still lace em while still dealing with a myriad of injuries. They always want to be in the lineup to help their team win so broken bones, torn ligaments and tons of stitches doesn't mean they'll sit out and watch from the press box.
Some may think it's crazy to hoot and holler at grown men chasing a frozen puck around the ice while trying to kill eachother, but I just call it another weekend of good old Canadian fun! 😎
Thanks for reading,
