Outside Hockey

Despite the really mild temperatures lately, the outside ice at the Nordegg rink is in really good shape.  Talking to Tom, the guy that looks after it, they only got the ice in at the beginning of December, and have only had four outside game nights so far.

Every Wednesday and Saturday night there is a drop in hockey game at the outside rink.  They have a heated change shack, decent boards and lights, and even a heater on the bench.  It was my first time out this year on Saturday December 16th.  I was a few minutes late getting there, but there were two goalies.  Sadly there were only four skaters, including me, and the guys were really glad to see me show up.  We played two on two for almost two hours.  

I must say it is really nice to play outside, under the stars, with the mountains all around.  By game time the temperature had dropped down to about +2 so it was really comfortable being outside for that long.  It is also nice to play against guys that are my age... and older... and play at my skill level.  I must have scored at least ten goals during the play.  By contrast, when I play with the Renegades in Beer League, I am among the oldest players in the league, and can not keep up to all the young guys.  Some of them are just 18, and a number play or have played junior hockey at a fairly high level.  I don't think I've scored a goal with the Renegades in at least five years.

I wear shin pads and hockey pants when I play outside.  I'm not all that worried about a stick or a puck to the shins, as that just results in a bruise.  But my poor old knees and hips don't take all that well to crashing to the ice.  I usually don't fall down, but when I do, it is often at speed and fairly heavily.  I try not to play too aggressively as many of the other players are as old as me and older, and some are not all that skilled.  Its all about having fun and I only wear the gear so that I don't do any serious damage to myself.  I just leave this gear, along with my pair of old skates and some old gloves, permanently out at Nordegg so I'm always ready for a game whenever the opportunity arises.

I still love playing hockey with the guys, and will continue to play as a spare with the Renegades for a little while longer.  But I also really enjoy these outside games, and will go our for a skate whenever I'm around Nordegg on Wednesdays and Saturdays.