National "Bring a Friend to a Hockey Game" Day

December 11th 2010

A friend in need is a friend indeed, especially when that friend isn't a hockey fan. And while a friend with weed may be better, and friend who takes a friend to a hockey game is Awesome!

We all have them, the neighbor, the co-worker, the spouse who every time you try to talk hockey to them they do that head tilt thing dogs do when you think they actually understand human speak. So what's a hockey fan to do? We hope to cure that with National "Bring a Friend to a Hockey Game" Day.

A fan movement by hockey fans, for hockey fans and soon to be hockey fans.  “National Bring a Friend to Hockey Day” is a fan based movement to bring more people into the sport of hockey. The goal is to spread the joy and excitement to those who have yet to experience all there is about hockey and being a hockey fan. We know that peer pressure is sometimes a pain, but it can be a great ally in spreading some hockey love. But we can't do it alone, we need your help!

Whether it’s your best friend, co-worker, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, neighbor, offspring or even your pet dog, we don't really care, we would just like you to introduce someone new to hockey, hopefully sparking their interest in the sport and pointing them down the road to fandom. It could be just one person, a family, golf buddies, or even your whole platoon. It doesn’t matter, as long as the good will and love of the sport can be passed along.

And so will your friends...Make the Jump and find out more!!

Perhaps one of the best ways to measure your hockey team is via their performance against a division rival. For the Bears, that would be the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins. They’re close in proximity (really only about a 2 hour drive along Route 81), the hatred runs beyond the AHL (look at their parent clubs), and for quite a few years, they’ve been the crème de la crème of the Eastern Conference. However, if you only look at the surface of the matchups this year, you’d say Hershey is off to a rough year while Wilkes Barre is setting the AHL on fire. 

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Your local Target is trying to start something.

A recent visit to the retail superstore for contact solution, Archer Farms coffee and 'Dear John' on Blu-ray turned into (as always) a trek throughout the store looking for 20 additional items I definitely didn't need. Venturing up the last isle of the store put me in the kid's toys/sporting goods section of the store. The sporting goods section at Target (or any such large retail store) is like the Island of Misfit Toys; baseball gloves in all forms of plastic, footballs in every color of the rainbow, yoga equipment with an expiration date and tents guaranteed to let in every known species of biting insect. But where this section has always been an embarrassment is in its supply of hockey gear.

When "sports" stores such as Modell's, Dick's and even The Sports Authority think that hockey players should be outfitted in head-to-toe Mylec street hockey gear, it's hard to expect Walmart or Target to succeed in outfitting hockey players. Being a beginning skills coach, I'm always frustrated by the number of kids who show up to their first on-ice practice with a street hockey stick and an ancient, dry rotted helmet that's been sitting on a shelf for 5 years. With the Caps being consistently successful, more and more kids are taking up the sport. Unfortunately, their parents are finding it hard to find the right gear for them.

So imagine my surprise at seeing a familiar face staring at me from the sporting goods isle.

HI OVIE!!!

More, after we play some mini hockey.

As many people know, I am the proud father of a 10 month old boy who loves random colors, lights and sounds Caps hockey. During last year's playoffs, he cried right along with his parents at the Caps early exit from the post season (it could have been the poop in his diaper, but I'm blaming the Habs). The little guy is a veteran of many NHL games already, his first game coming 6 weeks after his birth, against the New York Rangers (thanks to Uncle Reza for the upgrade to the 100 level!). He's been to enough games now that when he starts crying midway through the 2nd period, we know the Caps are going to blow the game in the 3rd (so far, he has a prediction rate of about 80%... it's kinda creepy).

But you can't simply grab a baby and head down to Chinatown. There is a lot of prep work that goes into bringing a youngster to a Caps game. Fortunately enough, I'm here to detail some ways to help make your experience a good one.

Find yourself a good diaper bag.
The standard 'mommy bag' is fine if you're going to the mall with friends and have a stroller to throw it on, but for a Caps game, you need something slim enough to fit under/beside your cramped-legroom seat. Oh, and make sure it's red and has room for a Caps patch.

More, after we find a changing station.

Two days ago, Caps senior writer Mike Vogel reported that Anton Gustafsson (the Capitals' first round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft) would be returning to Sweden because "he is not enjoying hockey at this point in his career."  This may come as a surprise to some, that such a highly touted prospect with such strong ties to the organization would be leaving North America.  In retrospect, it is not such a big surprise, especially after watching Gustafsson in Development Camp and Rookie Camp.  Baby Gus showed all of the skill and hockey sense that got him drafted, but his heart wasn't in it., as evidenced by his lack of attacking the puck and lacsidasical forechecking.  It also didn't help that he had such lofty expectations to live up to-  bearing the name Gustafsson carries a lot of weight in both Sweden and in Washington, DC.

A look at Gus' short-lived hockey career, after the jump.

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When Mike Knuble signed with the Washington Capitals in the summer of 2009, he mentioned his desire to go someplace with a strong future, a winning attitude and a place he felt wanted. "It was everything I wanted in another team," Knuble said. "I think this team is on the verge of something good, maybe even something great."

The same thoughts passed through my head in making the decision to give up my small, solo blog and join the team here at RocktheRed.net. Being a 'free agent' I also wondered about my salary and was told there were stickers involved.

Sold.

For those who know my work, thanks for following me here to my new home. For those who have no idea who I am, I'll try to make a good first impression by being as informative and entertaining as possible.

Kevin Bryant, AKA 'Jumping the Glass'

It’s Friday and if you’re an AHL fan, that means its hockey time! If you’re a Bears fan, you’ve been waiting 4 months for this weekend to come, the weekend of the home opener. Fear not, for you have only 1 more day to wait!

On the schedule this weekend:

Friday - Hershey Bears @ Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senator’s AHL affiliate)
Saturday - Rochester Americans (Florida Panthers AHL affiliate) @ Hershey Bears

Probable Lines:
Greentree-Aucoin-Gordon
Bouchard-Perreault-Willsie
Kane-Beagle-Pinizzotto
Rome-Joudrey-Kugryshev
G. McNeill-Bruess-Rechlicz

Nycholat-Miskovic
Finley-Fahey
Wellar-Collins
Souray-Kroll

Friday: First thing first. Hershey head coach Mark French told Tim Leone earlier this week that it was possible that three-time NHL All-star defenseman Sheldon Souray (right) could make his debut in Binghamton tonight. Since he joined the organization after training camp and wasn’t up to speed, this could be a big night for the Bears' defense, who already have a different look after the graduations of Karl Alzner and John Carlson as well as the departures of Bryan Helmer and Greg Amadio. No matter how long Souray is with the team, I'm excited to see what sort of impact he'll have on the young blue-liners in Chocolatetown.

Speaking of new arrivals, the B-Sens are going into their third game of the season tonight under their new head coach, Kurt Kleinendorst. According to the Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin, coach Kleinendorst has been stressing to his team that to beat Hershey, they just have to play "honest for 60 minutes" and that there's "absolutely nothing major" that the B-Sens need to be aware of in going up against a team that has beat them 14 out of their last 16 meetings.

While it looks like Braden Holtby will get the nod in net for the Bears, the starter at the other end is not so clear. Binghamton starting goalie Mike Brodeur still hasn't returned after suffering a concussion last weekend, and while all signs point to 19 year old rookie goaltender Robin Lehner - he may not be in Bingo by puck drop. With Ottawa's Pascal Leclaire leaving the Canes v. Sens game early last night with a lower body injury, Lehner may be recalled to Ottawa. If he is indeed recalled, goalie Barry Brust would get the nod.

Saturday: If you're going to the game, be in your seats earlier (the organization is suggesting 6:15) than usual, as the Banner unveiling/Ring Ceremony will preface the Bears' home opener. Tomorrow night, the 11th Calder Cup Championship Banner will drop from the rafters at Giant Center, and that's something you don't want to miss. The Bears will face the Rochester Americans for the 2nd time this season, and both teams will be wearing the special edition throwbacks to pay homage to the AHL's 75th anniversary.

The goalie situation in Hershey on Saturday is not as clear cut as Friday. While the coaching staff has no qualms about playing Holtby on back to back nights, with only 2 games this weekend, it could be a good break for him and a good opportunity for the Bears to put Todd Ford (left) in net. However, with Dany Sabourin on waivers - if he clears today [Ed. Note:  Sabourin cleared at 12:30], Ford would likely be reassigned to South Carolina, which could mean Sabourin may start on Saturday.

In keeping with the goalie-centered theme of the weekend, 20 year old rookie goalie Jacob Markstrom could be a possible starter for Rochester on Saturday. He made some pretty big saves last weekend against the Bears to keep his Amerks in the game, and all signs point to him being called upon to do so again. The Panthers are pretty excited about thier young Swedish prospect, and I have a feeling that we may see him facing the Caps in a few years if he continues to progess. Rochester has already turned out one pretty successful goalie with patience and AHL experience, and they're looking to do the same with Markstrom. Oh, who's that other guy? You may have heard of him. His Sabres jersey has "Miller" and the number 30 on the back.

The Washington Capitals 2010-11 season opener started with a bizarre turn of events, as the Atlanta Thrashers watched their young goaltender Ondrej Pavelec collapse to the ice. There was a 20 minute delay as medical staff worked to place Pavleec on a stretcher and cart him off the playing surface, as both teams looked on with concern. Reports out of Atlanta are that Pavelec regained consciousness and, in stable condition, was kept for observation overnight.

Following the delay, the Thrash easily could have let the game get away from them. Unfortunately, it was the Capitals whose play seemed distracted by the events earlier in the evening. Washington went up early on a tally from Brooks Laich, set up by a nice feed from Tomas Fleischmann, but the score was quickly evened when Evander Kane capitalized on a weak outlet pass. Newly acquired Andrew Ladd deflected a shot from Johnny Oduya to put Atlanta up 2-1 late in a second, and Kane was able to add his second goal of the evening on a penalty shot following Mike Green being flagged for covering the puck in the crease with his hand. The Capitals were not able to convert on two man-advantage opportunities in the third, but Mike Knuble was able to bring his team within one when ATL's defenders moved to cover Alex Ovechkin. Fredrik Modin was able to close out the night for the Thrashers, picking up the puck when Nik Antropov out-dueled Dave Steckel in the face off circle.

No, they're not playing Twister. Make the jump to learn more about the game!

I had the pleasure of sitting in on the Kids' Panel at the Capitals Convention this past Saturday.  The reviews last year were nothing short of rave, and I missed out (hey, they scheduled it during the Hershey Bears Panel), so I made it a point to be there this year.

By now you may have seen the video of Brads and Fehr singing "Happy Birthday" to a sweet young girl named Mackenzie, followed by Ovi doing the same in Russian.  This video epitomizes the reasons for this panel.  The young fans are given a chance to interact with their heroes while learning the things that interest them – like the players’ favorite animals, or what they like to eat.

Because I’m not a highly skilled stenographer, below are the notes on some of the questions I really enjoyed, as well as the answers (paraphrased, for the most part).  Also of note, I wonder what kind of preparations the team did with Matt Bradley.  He did a fantastic job of keeping Ovechkin on task and g-rated.  And, if you’d like to add a question you liked in the comments section that I may have missed, or if you’d like to correct me (because hey, I wrote fast and semi-illegibly), feel free to fill in the blanks for us!