I am a hockey addict

There is no other sport that can make me emotional like hockey does.

Hockey gives me something to believe in. I believe in my team. Even if we’ve lost 9 games in a row I believe in these boys. I believe in my goalie that he can stand on his head. The feeling you get when there’s an unexpected hero. The knowledge that the entire league will stand together in solidarity in the darkest of times will get you through a loss more devastating than that which happens on the ice. 

Hockey is more than just a sport. It is the reason you get through the day. It is the moments in hockey, the ones that take your breath away or keep you on the edge of your seats, that makes you watch every game, makes the chills run through you. It is the final shoot out. It is the Cup being lifted. It is the family you create with other fans, the fellow season ticket holders, the watch parties, the conversations as you all stay up for that West coast game. 

Hockey is the feeling when your team scores a goal or wins in overtime or a heartbreaking loss or they’re on a losing streak. The smile on my face when my boys play a great game or when they advance in the next round of the playoffs. The holiday greetings from players that turn into hashtags and t-shirts. The inside jokes and nicknames within the league, The betrayal when a player is traded to that team. 

I am an addict because there is nothing like when I see the crowd jump up and cheer when we score. When we stand together in a silent arena as a beloved player's number is retired to the rafters. When I listen to the captain speak to the crowd when they clinch that playoff spot after a six season drought. When I hug the strangers next to me when they win that first playoff game at home - because we aren't strangers anymore. 

Yes, sometimes, it hurts to be a fan. Sometimes it doesn't help you escape life. During the playoffs, it becomes your life. A loss for your team is devastating. Watching a favorite player crash into the board and see his leg snap sickens you. When, despite the grit and determination and the fight the players have through the game, and they still get slaughtered, it hurts. When you stay up until one in the morning and know you have to drag yourself to work on only a few hours of sleep, you question your own sanity. When a player with a heart problem goes down on ice, there's nothing to do but cry with the other fans in the arena. 

We are a hockey family. We would prefer to stay in on the weekend because we wouldn't miss any game. We wear our jerseys proudly, even if it is 110 outside. We are the people that are more likely to cry over a playoff elimination than a breakup. We are the family that will watch old games in July because we miss the game. We love the the blaring goal horn and the crack of that slapshot. We love the smell of the ice. We love the chill in the air, even if it is snowing and icy outside. We love the knowledge that this is home. 

There is nothing else like hockey. That is why I love it.