Originally published in The Hockey News in 2005
By Lucas Aykroyd
I haven’t seen the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 1999. I missed such dramatic events as Keith Primeau’s quintuple overtime winner over Pittsburgh in 2000 and Minnesota’s 2003 rally from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate Vancouver.
But that’s OK, because I’ve had some […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2002
By Lucas Aykroyd
Bullfighting, bolero, castles and cathedrals are not the only glories of Spain. This nation of 40 million citizens grabbed the sports world spotlight ten years ago when Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics. There, roller hockey featured as a demonstration sport, and Spain has competed successfully against the likes […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000
By Lucas Aykroyd
For the first time since Peter Forsberg in 1998, an Electronic Arts hockey simulation game features a European-born player on the cover.
Granted, Owen Nolan of the San Jose Sharks doesn’t exactly rave about how being born in Belfast, Northern Ireland influenced his rugged approach toward the game. But […]

By Lucas Aykroyd
Everyone’s got a little bit of a control freak in them. And when it comes to hockey success, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Scotty Bowman and Wayne Gretzky always wanted to know what was happening on the ice at all times.
For computer and console gaming buffs, the Electronic Arts Sports […]

 
Originally published on IIHF.com in 2003
By Lucas Aykroyd
It’s the afternoon of June 5, 2003. A heat wave grips Vancouver, Canada. This is a long way from the cold, crisp, intense atmosphere at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, where the USA achieved its 4-3 “Miracle on Ice” victory over the favored Soviet Union.
But at the PNE […]

By Lucas Aykroyd
When it comes to Vancouver’s burgeoning reputation as a venue for world-class events, “synergy” is more than a corporate buzzword or name for a high-tech hockey stick. Since being awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics, this scenic, multicultural city of 2 million has also earned the right to host the 2005 Grey Cup, the […]

Originally published in The Torch in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
Anyone entering Bill Gaston’s office in the University of Victoria’s Fine Arts Building would need a novelist’s eye for detail to discern how much the man loves hockey. Granted, the 54-year-old Writing professor displays the hockey cards of two Junior A teammates with the 1970s Vancouver […]

Originally published on GettingIt.com in 1999
By Lucas Aykroyd
Penalty box mayhem is a hockey tradition. Hulking, sulking, testosterone-addled players with big sticks and sharp skates have never been easy to cage. Bad-boy antics have been known to escalate within the confines of that 5- by 14-foot prison, providing memorable moments when penalty box attendants like […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
It’s fitting that Home Hardware has sponsored the CHL Top Prospects game since 2000. Hockey players need to be good with their hands, after all, whether they’re snipers, stay-at-home defensemen, quick-reacting goalies, or enforcers. Some CHLers, past and present, even show a talent for using the tools […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2005
By Lucas Aykroyd
On a chilly winter night, there’s nothing like curling up by the fireside with a good book. So why not choose something about the world’s most exciting sport?
Long gone are the days when hockey was stereotyped as the refuge of gap-toothed illiterates. Art Farrell, the author of the […]