I’ve been a hockey fan for a very long time, and I find it incomprehensible that others do not find it as entertaining to watch. The majority of people where I attend school do not watch hockey or are familiar with players’ names like Lemieux or Gretzky, which is unfortunate (I know).
Though it was right towards the conclusion of the regular season when I brought my roommate back up to Pennsylvania this past spring break. In addition to getting to witness a lot of hockey over that week, including young hockey, he also got to see what actual hockey fans are like.
People may easily grasp why hockey is the most thrilling sport to watch if they just watch a few games or hang out with some real hockey enthusiasts.
Here are the top 5 factors that make hockey the most thrilling sport.
1. Constant motion the only continuous sport is hockey.
There are whistles here and there, but the action quickly resumes. Additionally, 7-9 minutes of whistle-free, fantastic, quick hockey were available to see throughout every Stanley Cup finals game. You cannot get this from any other sport. The final 20 seconds of a basketball game may take 15 minutes due to timeouts, and we all know why baseball is sluggish. Football takes a 40-second breather after every play.
2. Hits.
Nothing motivates you more than seeing a teammate pass a friend to another teammate in the midst of the neutral zone, only to have the defender catch him square in the chin with his shoulder. Although hockey has some of the most spectacular impacts I have ever seen, football does have more hitting.
Playoffs, third. The bulk of hockey supporters are already speculating if their side will be in contention for the Lord Stanley’s Cup in April come the season start this year. Hockey in the playoffs is a whole different sport. It is faster, harder hitting, and has some of the most thrilling games to watch because of the atmosphere in the cities and venues.
3. Everyone likes the playoff beards, which is why this is No. 3 on the list.
There is nothing better than watching Sidney Crosby attempt to grow a moustache (Go-T)? Simply seeing the young and senior players develop jungles on their faces is entertaining.
I too do the same thing, and this year I was finally able to admit that I had a beard. It was a fantastic moment, let me tell you, when other people recognized it as such.
The Moves
4. He tricked a man out of his shoes, I hear you say.
Who cares about football, you can split the D and score goals with a toe drag back through the skates. You can’t tell me that you don’t think to yourself, “Holy s**t that was fantastic!” if you see one of those manoeuvres used by a player to score on a list of the best 10 plays in hockey, even if you don’t follow the sport. The actions are made even more impressive by the fact that they are performed at high speeds while using 15 other body parts in addition to the usual foot, hand, and leg motions used in football.
5. SET SMART GOALS. Growing up, I seen some of the most horrific things.
My favorite has to be Lemieux’s first goal ever, scored on his first shift in his first game. I wasn’t yet on Earth, but I have a video of it that gives me shivers every time I see it. There have also been many more spectacular goals, such as Rick Nash’s goal from last season, in which he used four toe drags to separate the two defenders before kicking the ball back off his foot to score. Although I will never write about this guy since I have the worst dislike for him, I will give him credit for his goal, which was scored by Ovechkins sliding, or whatever you want to call it, with one hand.
Keep in mind Crosby’s goal against the Panthers, when he just blasted by them, fell, and scored. Additionally, his incredible backhand against the Coyotes as he was tripping over (go and try this sometime, and you will realise just how much strength it takes to lift a shot with speed and accuracy with not help from your legs).
Goals are what make the NHL entertaining to watch and what will keep fans coming back for more. Even those who are not hockey enthusiasts will eventually come to appreciate the game and what these players accomplish since there will always be incredible goals.
The top 5 reasons why hockey is the most thrilling sport in all of sports are as follows. Are you still of the opinion that your sport is wrong? I’m sorry, but you are incorrect, and the only thing you can do is accept this about yourself. Make your buddies watch the sport if they do not like it or prefer not to do so.
I don’t care if you have to coerce them into it or duct tie them to the wall. They will get engrossed in a game as soon as they realise how fascinating it is. They’ll be grateful that you had them watch some fantastic hockey while tying them to a wall for three hours.