AGirlintheSouth is the lead Houston Astros writer for Aerys Sports. During this baseball offseason, she’s trying to learn the one sport missing from her repertoire, Hockey, by following the Houston Aeros. This article is part of her quest to understand the game, appreciate the players and fill the baseball offseason. She may not be a hockey expert yet, but she’s got some interesting observations! Join her in her quest to determine if loving Hockey is like cheating on her first love.

Get your mind out of the gutters. I’m not telling YOU about that first time. I’m talking hockey. Remember, I’m the baseball girl who’s adopting hockey as my “offseason” sport, so I have some learning to do.

Last Sunday’s Houston Aeros game was my first time at a hockey game. Well, that’s not completely true. It was my first time at a hockey game while I was sober. My mother will be so proud.

The good people of the Houston Aeros have seen fit to hand me a press pass and so I got the lovely distinction of sitting in “press row” at the back of section 108 in the Toyota Center with the real reporters. They all spoke the whole game in history and numbers and terms I had no clue how to interpret, but I smiled, nodded my head and pretended to understand.

Here’s what I learned at my first hockey game. I really love when hockey players fight. I swear I’m not a violent person, but oh.em.gee. that is really fun to watch! First I sort of yell, “Oh!” and then my heart starts racing and I want to get up and cheer them on. I got so into each fight that I felt as if it was me out there on the ice. Then, when the fights are over, it’s like I’m in a lovely post-coital bliss.

This was one of many fights. I think I might be in love.

Is there a 12 step program for people who love hockey fights? I might need that.

My hockey tutors from over at the Third Intermission Blog were close by the whole game, so I was able to ask my silly questions and get clarification. There was even one point that I was able to clear up a question for them!

It’s true! Delay of game was called and they couldn’t figure out why. Turns out there are six, yes 6, reasons why delay of game is called in hockey. Can you name them all? I can (I’m sticking my tongue out at you as I say that).

1. A player intentionally shoots the puck out of the playing area.
2. A defensive player in the defensive zone shoots the puck directly (without being deflected) over the glass. This penalty only applies if the player shoots it over the glass. If the puck is shot into the bench, no penalty is assessed.
3. A player or goaltender intentionally knocks the net’s goalpost off its moorings, which stops the play. If the net is intentionally knocked loose during a breakaway, the breakaway player is awarded a penalty shot.
4. The goaltender plays the puck out of the trapezoid behind the net (in leagues with such a rule).
5. The goaltender freezes the puck rather than passing it on to a teammate when no player on the opposing team is within sufficient distance to apply offensive pressure to him/her.
6. Any skater other than the goaltender who uses their hands to make the puck unplayable (sometimes known as closing your hand over the puck). **** taken from Wikipedia****

Lookie there…I can come in handy sometimes!

Anyway, back to my first time…at a hockey game. I was impressed with my ability to keep up with the puck. I was worried the pace of the game would seem really really uberfast and hard to follow after all of my years of watching pitchers go through routines between each pitch.

But it turns out that fast paced is fun! Plus the intermissions give you the time you need to breathe and check Twitter. ;D

So, I think I’m going to like watching hockey. It didn’t hurt that the Aeros beat the Chicago Wolves 4-1 in their season opener and it didn’t hurt that I got to interview a player after the game…nothing like a hockey player in his skivvies!

But all kidding aside. I can see the attraction to the sport. What these guys accomplish on ice skates is more than I can do on solid land in a pair of trainers! It’s almost poetic at times watching them race around the rink with control of that puck….right up until they get slammed into the boards.

Yea. So far, I just really like the fights.

Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can read her Astros blog at www.talesfromthejuicebox.com, email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her on twitter @agirlinthesouth.

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