GO "OWEN SOUND ATTACK"

After returning our rental car to Barrie, a town about 2 hours away, we went to Dianne and Jim's for tea. Dianne works with Trace and Jim is a retired fisheries officer and my new fishing buddy. After a lovely dinner prepared by Dianne and Jodie ( an Aussie girl who they befriended in '04 whilst on an ITF ) we headed for our first ice hockey game at the Bayshore Community Centre here in Owen Sound. It's quite an impressive stadium, seating about 10,000.

The Owen Sound Attack were playing the Windsor Spitfires. We needed to win to keep our play-off hopes alive. The competition is 1 level below the National Hockey League ( about equivalent to VFL in footy) so it's quite a good standard. Most players are 17 -19 years old and have hopes of making the NHL. Coaches are paid about $100k. Players are not paid a salary but are given jobs or an education and the chance to get to the NHL and maga bucks. One star Toronto player was just re-signed for $132 million so there's plenty of incentive to perform.

It took at least the first period to actually be able to follow the puck as it whizzed around the ice so fast... Jim explained the rules as we went along and gradually got to understand the game by the end ( sort of). It's a great spectacle and so fast and skilful. We also got to see what we went along for ..a couple of brawls ( see photos ). After leading by a couple of goals into the last period ( there are 3 periods of 20 min + lots of stoppage time) scores were tied at the end, so 5 minutes extra time with no further scores and then a sudden death penalty shootout. Both sides missed or saved the first 6 shots then the Spitfires scored so we lost 7-6. BOOO! It was a great night out. We'll go again.