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Gold Coast Ice Hockey
(A hockey site for all Hockey lovers in SE Queensland
and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales)

 When Hell freezes over, I'll play hockey there too. ~ anon

Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept.  ~Doug Larson

Visitor count
 

Gold Coast Ice Hockey is a non-political site serving all players, family and fans of the coolest game on Earth in the South-East corner of Qld and the Northern Rivers of NSW.  All are welcome.

Ice Hockey is the second most fun thing to do in cold weather, according to an un-named source.

You are welcome, stay a while, register to participate in a forum, choose to be a reporter (the lack of pay makes up for the long hours!.)

 

Bookmark this site,.. visit often.  The more hits we get, the bigger our Game becomes in the SE Corner.

An open invitation is extended to all clubs and Ice Hockey oriented associations to either mirror or host (subsite) on this site with your own forums etc available.  Just email me for details at admin@goldcoasticehockey.com.

What's on, what's news?

THIRD SOUTH PACIFIC CANADIAN FRIENDSHIP TOUR 2009

The "Canadian Moose" are hosting a third Friendship Tournament in Toronto, Canada from Friday, February 6 to Sunday, February 15, 2009. The proposed tour is for 10 days.

The tour is open to both male and female players of all ability levels. Team entries, individual player entries, and all supporters are welcome. Supporters and players will need to sign a tour contract (see website). The Moose can provide a goalie or extra players if needed.

>> Full tour details in PDF format <<

 

DETROIT WINS!!!!!

The Detroit Red Wings take the Stanley Cup for 2008!!!

In an incredibly tough and hard fought series laced with clean, big hits, fair play from both sides and more than a little input from that fickle sixth skater (#0 - Ms Luck), experience was probably one of the greatest factors in Detroit's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take the 2008 Stanley Cup 4-2.

Naturally, Michigan is in chaos tonight with a sea of red and white jerseys as far as one can see in the city centre and around JLA.  Things are no doubt far more sedate in Pittsburgh, but Pens fans have no reason to feel less than elated with their team's amazing efforts.  In three short years the team has reaped a solid crop of young players with more talent than is fair; forged a team of skill and determination and forced a sixth game competing for the Cup.

The one ingredient they can not buy, teach or impart is the X factor; in this case, "X" being experience.

The Red Wings are a formidable team in an average year.  This year, Mike Babcock, now setting his own records as the most successful rookie coach ever, had a talented team of stars.  In fact, he had 32 starters he could dress for any game and went into the playoffs on top of their wave and with few injuries. The franchise, one of the original 6, has a dominant presence in the Hall of Fame, with many of the living legends, including Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman still suiting up and teaching the younger players a few tricks.

One winger deferred hitting Gordie, was forced to tell him he did not want to hit an old guy, or words to that effect, and was over the barriers in the next play, courtesy of the old guy.  Mr Hockey still has wheels!

As a lifelong 'Wings fan, the entire season was one of proud wonderment at the feats being perpetrated upon the rest of the league by Hockey Town's favourites.  To those valiant, amazing players and those behind the scenes - from this fan - THANK YOU!

I had a tear in my eye as Nick held up that 35lb talisman of Glory.  It was also great to see Scotty Bowman on the ice and some of the past 'Wings, now with other clubs (Brett Hull for example) behind the scenes congratulating former team mates and welcomed as brothers.

To those men of the Pittsburgh Penguins, thank you too!  The Eastern Conference was richer for your efforts and sacrifices.  If ever Hockey Town felt kinship with a rival, Pittsburgh is definitely a Brother in Arms.  The fair, hard & skilful play play exhibited in this playoff series by the 'Wings and the Pens have embodied what Ice Hockey is all about to many of its followers.  I look forward to seeing the rematch next year.

Yes, you heard it here first,.. I am again tipping early - Detroit Vs Pittsburgh for the Cup in 2009.

Who is your hockey hero?

Please help me get a series of pages together on the heroes of Hockey.  Email me with your thoughts on who is the greatest player of all time in your opinion (after Gretsky of course!) and why?

Or place a well written thread in the forum and I'll integrate these into a Heroes Page.

For my pick, the four in this photo sum up my thoughts of what Hockey Heroes are;


WRIGHT\Detroit Free Press
(MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)

Former Pittsburgh Penguin Mario Lemieux and former Detroit Red Wing Steve Yzerman drop the first ceremonial puck to Pittsbughs Sidney Crosby and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom to begin the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday, May 24, 2008 at Joe Louis Arena in Detoroit. MANDI
 

Player safety (see video below!)  Top of Page
FACE CAGES & VISORS

A more debated and opinionated subject amongst players I know not of!

Simple fact; You can not re-grow eyes.  A face cage will protect your eyes under all but the most unlikely impact scenarios.  Teeth come under the same heading.  I have seen too many preventable but permanent injuries in my practice and they sicken me.  Wear face cages folks!  If you are a very experienced player, and hate the cage, wear a decent visor at least.

Especially newer players or in games with newer players who have not yet learnt how to manage their stick under all conditions.  The chances of inadvertent (accidental) high sticking is vastly increased.  A face cage should be worn.

A detached retina (blindness following impact) has stopped some very prominent careers (like Al MacInnis, then leader of the Blues).  A visor or cage would have saved them in EVERY case!
 

PREVENTABLE CONCUSSIONS

We see helmet chin straps hanging loose all the time, right?  A loose chin strap allows mal-positioning of a helmet during impact; the result - potentially life threatening and often debilitating injury.

Please gang, do up your chin straps for two reasons;

1.- It will stop you getting hurt by allowing the helmet to do its job, and;

2.- it will set a good example to younger and/or more inexperienced players to make this sport as safe as it can be without new rules being forced on us all.

Watch the images below - if the helmet is loose, the first hit moves it, the second is the one that means a concussion!  Most NHL players do 'em up after one or two concussions threaten their career.  Why wait?

Why you need a well secured helmet!   Top of Page

Who will be hailed the NHL's Greatest Coach?  Top of Page
If you'd asked me that question two years ago, Scotty Bowman would have been right there,.. no question.

Based on performance, player dedication, results and grit, my nomination for the NHL's greatest coach,....

Mike Babcock - Head Coach - Detroit Red Wings
Mike Babcock ended his third season in Detroit, where he's led the Red Wings to back-to-back 50-plus win seasons, earning a Presidents' Trophy in 2005-06 with 58 wins, and setting a new NHL record with 31 road victories, passing the mark previously set by New Jersey (28 wins) during 1998-99. Entering his fifth season as an NHL head coach, he has compiled an impressive 177-97-54 record. Oh-yeah, he also WON THE CUP!

In 2006-07, he coached the Red Wings back to the Western Conference finals, the first time the club had reached the  final four since 2002.

Babcock, 44, is part of an exclusive group of NHL head coaches that have led their respective clubs to back-to-back 50-win campaigns. He joins Scotty Bowman (Montreal), Tom Johnson (Boston), Mike Keenan (Philadelphia), Glen Sather (Edmonton) and Fred Shero (Philadelphia).

Prior to joining the Red Wings, Babcock spent two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks where in his first season as an NHL head coach, Babcock led the Ducks to their first ever Stanley Cup finals appearance. The Ducks became the second post 1990's expansion team to reach the Finals (Florida in 1996; also Tampa Bay since) and the fourth team since 1926 from the Pacific Time Zone to play for the Stanley Cup.  In addition, Babcock became the first rookie coach to reach the Finals since Florida's Doug MacLean in 1996 and the first ex-McGill University Player to coach in the Finals since the legendary Lester Patrick did so in 1937.  With a four-game sweep over Detroit in the first round, the Ducks became the first team since the 1952 Red Wings (over Toronto) to sweep a defending Stanley Cup champion.

In his last foray into international competition, Babcock helped lead Team Canada to a victory at the 2004 World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. Selected as an assistant coach by Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, Babcock later served as head coach. Under Babcock's direction, the club posted a 7-1-1 overall record in the tournament to capture the gold medal after defeating Sweden 5-3 in the tournament final. He is the only Canadian coach to serve as bench boss for the both the World Junior Championships team (1997) and senior World Championship team (2004).

Prior to the Mighty Ducks 2003 playoff run, Babcock led the team to the best regular season in club history with 40 wins and 95 points (40-27-9-6).  Anaheim was the most improved team in the NHL, finishing 26 points higher than they did in 2001-2002 (69 points increased to 95).  Babcock became one of only eight coaches in league history to lead a team to an improvement of 26 points-or-more in his first season as an NHL head coach.  Babcock's team-first approach also led to club records for best goals-against average (2.32) and fewest goals allowed (193).

Prior to joining Anaheim, Babcock spent two seasons as head coach of the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (2000-02), the primary development affiliate for both Detroit and Anaheim in the American Hockey League. While with Cincinnati, he led the club to a combined 74-59-20-7 record (.547 winning percentage), including a franchise-best 41 wins and 95 points (41-26-9-4) in 2000-2001.  The team qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs each season.

Babcock moved to Cincinnati following a successful six-year run as the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (1994-95 through 1999-2000).  While with Spokane, he had a regular season record of 224-175-29 (.557 winning percentage).  He was twice named WHL Coach of the Year (1996 & 2000) after taking the franchise to the league finals both seasons.  Additionally, he was the head coach of the 2000 WHL West Division All-Star Team.  In 1997, he earned the honour of coaching the Canadian World Junior Team, leading the club to its last gold medal in the tournament.

In Canadian University play, Babcock won a national championship and was named the Coach of the Year in one season with the Lethbridge Pronghorns in 1993-94.  He began his WHL career as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors from 1991-93.

In 1988, Babcock was named head coach at Red Deer College in Red Deer, Alberta. He spent three seasons at the school, winning the Alberta College Championship and Coach of the Year Award in 1989.

A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Babcock played in the WHL for Saskatoon (1980-81) and Kelowna (1982-83), where he was team captain.  In between, he spent a year at the University of Saskatoon. Babcock also played four years at McGill University (1983-87), twice being named an All-Star defenseman and team captain. He earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and attended graduate school in sports psychology at McGill.

Away from the rink Babcock is involved in several charitable causes. Most notably, he donates two tickets to each Red Wings home game to a child battling cancer and meets with him or her prior to the game. He is also a spokesperson for the Jeffrey Thomas Hayden Foundation, which was created to increase awareness about paediatric brain tumours and provide education and support to affected families. The JTHF was created by Tim and Cindy Hayden after losing their 12-year old son Jeffrey to a paediatric brain tumour in September 2004.

Mike and his wife, Maureen, have three children: Allie, Michael and Taylor.

Gear maintenance  Top of Page
  We all know that you tend to sweat a lot playing hockey; if you don't, you're not trying hard enough!  Maintenance of your hockey gear's hygiene is critical, and simple.

  Air it out as soon as you get home.  Job #1 - Lay out your gear to dry out thoroughly.  We all know what gear that has been left in the bag for a week smells like.  That smell is bacterial and fungal infestation.  The bugs feed on the skin flakes, oils and other residue you leave behind in your gear during the course of everyday play.
 

  Even something as simple as an ingrown hair under an elbow guard can become a big deal if the wrong sort of bacteria is introduced to that break in the skin.

  Regular washing and sanitising will give your gear longer life and not endanger your health.  Use a diluted solution of clothes washing detergent and Canesten laundry rinse (an anti bacterial and anti-fungal product).  Mix in a spray bottle and liberally douse and rub it through the foam of all pads; rinse thoroughly (the hose works well here) and dry it out well.  You are done! 

IHA rules for younger player's gear.  Top of Page
Given the welcome influx of younger players wanting to step into the senior drop-in games, it is worth reminding all of IHA's rules specific to younger players:

5.2. Mouthguards – With effect 1 March 2002 the wearing of a mouthguard is compulsory in IHA for all players born 1980 or later. Mouthguards are to be worn whenever a player is on the ice (training or game). Mouthguards are highly recommended for all other players.  
5.3. Face-cages - With effect 1 March 2002, a full face-cage is compulsory for all players in IHA aged 20 and under. The player is to continue wearing the face-cage until the day of their 21st birthday, irrespective of the competition in which the player is playing.
 

5.4. Throat Guards - With effect 1 March 2002, a throat guard is compulsory for all players in IHA aged 20 and under. The player is to continue wearing the throat guard until the day of their 21st birthday, irrespective of the competition in which the player is playing.  
5.4. Throat Guards - With effect 1 March 2002, a throat guard is compulsory for all players in IHA aged 20 and under. The player is to continue wearing the throat guard until the day of their 21st birthday, irrespective of the competition in which the player is playing.

GCIH's recommendation is that all players train and compete with full face cages.  You only get one set of eyes and teeth, protect them!  Especially in the development levels, stick discipline is still developing and inadvertent injury is more than possible.

 
   

Our intention is that this site will end up a central discussion point for all Ice Hockey players and fans living in Queensland's South-East.

To have your favourite team included in our forums or have an information page included on this site, just email me or message me (Witchdoctor) in the forum.  Want to start a forum?  Email me!

     Cheers,.. Craig

 

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