1. There's no time like the present. After the 04-05 season was canceled by a lockout, the NHL has been searching for a new identity. It found it in the first true superstars in the game since Gretzky, and yes I mean that. There have been great players since the Great One retired, but none more accessible than Penguins center Sidney Crosby (pictured, left) and Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin (also pictured left). Conveniently, both are engaged against each other in their conference quarterfinals right now, with Ovechkin's Caps up 2-0. Even more conveniently, both had hat tricks (that's three goals in the same game for those of you completely uneducated in the sport) in a thrilling game two last night. Watch one of their games, and you will come to love one and hate the other. New fans generally lean toward loving Ovie.
2. The games are a lot closer. Of course, when both teams combine to score about seven goals per game, the score is likely to be a lot closer than when teams combine to score almost 200 points per game, like the NBA. Games can be dominated by one team in terms of time of possession, but not in the scoreboard. Breakaways and goalies in hockey are the great equalizers. No matter how poorly your team is playing, if your goalie is playing lights out, you're going to be in that game by the end. If you get lucky and make a quick substitution, or get a guy out of the penalty box at the right time, you can get a breakaway, too, which gives you a better scoring chance than any offensive set ever could.
3. Hockey players and fans care. Most hockey players are either from Canada or Europe. Well, I don't know about most, but a significant number are. I love America as much as the next guy, but the average immigrant to the U.S. works harder than the average U.S. born guy. I'm sorry, there are obvious exceptions, but this is a blog and you're reading mine. It shows with hockey. These eastern Europeans don't care about star power. They care about hone thing: hockey. The average NBA player just lacks the general insanity that the average NHL player has. Players constantly crashing into the boards, sticks flying everywhere, goalies sprawled out in every which direction (see picture of Capitals' Varlamov, right), the passion for the game is evident. And, hockey crowds are awesome. The sport is deprived of money, so ticket prices (especially those in the playoffs) aren't cheap. People paid good money to get there, and the places are packed. When a home team player scores, you can barely hear the announcers.
4. Hockey in HD looks better than anything else in HD. Well, maybe Planet Earth has it beat. But that's it. I'm serious. You have to see it.
(Photo Credits: AP)
