Could you ever imagine a square wooden puck? What about frozen seafood? Legalized drugs? Some teeth and hairy faces? It is all about Canada’s national game. Let’s check further enjoyable information to get closer acquainted with hockey and gain priceless betting background.
So many cool things you may not know
Do you think you are a real ice fan and know everything about this game? Bet you don’t. If you hear about at least a half of the following, you are a true hockey geek or you have spent too much time searching the Internet.
Key facts worth paying your attention at
1. Original appearance of a puck
Initially, it was square in shape and wooden. And even earlier, hockey was played with an ordinary rubber ball, which was very difficult to control and therefore it often flew off the field and hit the audience. But then the idea came up to trim the upper and lower parts of the ball, making the puck flat and square. Therefore, the first prototype of the modern puck appeared.
2. Unexpectable variety of ice game
In addition to the usual hockey, there are underwater and even underice types of this game. In the first case, players must throw a puck sinking in the water into the opponent’s goal, while underwater game players are not equipped with scuba gear – they just hold their breath. In the second case, the puck moves along the surface of the ice, but not from the outside, but from the inside of the ice field.
3. Toothless stars
Almost 70% of professional players have lost at least one tooth in the arena. That is, 4 out of 5 game players have at least once parted with a tooth during the match.
4. Mini-ocean on the field
In order to completely fill the playing field, it will take 30-60 tons of water. And the thickness of the ice is about 7-10 cm, which is thinner than a standard ice rink. This is necessary for better sliding during the game. At the same time, the field must be maintained in perfect condition and the surface must be constantly restored. There is a specific machine for this, which is called a resource facer. During the year, it passes about 2000 miles.
5. Women matter
Don’t forget about the Stanley Cup, on which twelve names of ladies are engraved. These women are namely the team executives or owners of hockey clubs.
6. Thanks to the fisherman
The net on the gate appeared due to the enthusiasm of a fisherman, Francis Nel Non. He did this so that there would be no disputes: did the puck hit the goal after all or not?
7. Fall-penalty
Until 1917, goalkeepers were forbidden to fall on the ice, including in order to catch the puck. This action was punished with a great fine.
8. Superstitions in hockey
For the most part, hockey players are quite superstitious. A special feature of many of them is the replacement of shoelaces at the end of each period and at the end of training. There is an idea that this brings some success. Many hockey players grow a mustache and beard, as they consider shaving a bad omen.
9. Such a score!
Officially, the largest score in ice hockey is 92:0. It happened in the match of South Korea against Thailand in 1987. The first period of the match ended with the score 36: 0 in favor of South Korea, the second-24: 0, the third-32: 0. The Koreans scored goals on average every 39 seconds.
10. One dollar Man
Kris Draper is treated as a “One dollar Man” because of the deal signed in 1993, when the Detroit Red Wings sold him for just one dollar. He brought his team 158 goals during 17 seasons of playing.
Know data-bet money
So, here we go. Don’t you think hockey has such surprisingly interesting reality? Now, you are well-educated about this sport and you can easily call yourself a “desperate fan”. Moreover, now you can take a great bettor’s risk gambling on hockey. Thorough knowledge and inside understanding are useful helpers in case of profit bets.