Tag Archives: American Hockey League

Episode 48 – What Lockout?


Chris wears a shirt that is destined for ugly jersey greatness, offers to help cheer your opponents into oblivion, and makes an inappropriate comment about his ancestors. Jason is his usual smug, snickering self, but he scores a few points for adding some of Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” into the opening of the podcast.

  • Introduction
  • Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars
  • Sofa Surfer Girl by the Orchid Highway
  • Somebody Approved This: Grizzly Adams Halloween Jersey
  • We don’t really miss NHL hockey all that much
  • Taylor Hall on AHL hockey
  • Abbotsford Heat still don’t get attendance love
  • Jason strokes his own photo ego
  • Time for a Change by the Orchid Highway

Oklahoma City Barons earn split in Abbotsford

Look closely and you’ll see Justin Schultz’s November 10 winning puck frozen top shelf behind Danny Taylor, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks on through his full face shield. For those of you who don’t know about these sorts of things, that’s some pretty fancy photographin’ right there. (Schultz may have done well on his end, as well…) Photo by Kenkoy for Pucked in the Head.

Coming into Saturday’s game, the Oklahoma City Barons hadn’t scored in nearly seven periods of hockey. The streak went back to a game last weekend against the Houston Aeros, and the Abbotsford Heat contributed another five and a half periods of frustration for the visitors from OC.

In between were a massive Aeros comeback to win that game, and consecutive shutout losses to the San Antonio Rampage and this very same Heat squad. As overheard in the media room before puck drop, “Will the young stars show up tonight? Probably, seeing as they’re going to be on TV.”

(Want more pictures, video highlights and warblings from yours truly? You got it. But first, buy this book. Or don’t. Your call.)

Continue reading Oklahoma City Barons earn split in Abbotsford

Fans have lockout options galore, part 1

I said it in our last podcast: to all of those people crying “There is no hockey”, I call you on your bullshit. Our Victoria puckhead Adrian Charlie is putting together a little rundown of some options y’all have to quench your thirst for icy fast goodness. First up, the  American Hockey League.

“The dirty little secret of Canada… Canada isn’t a hockey country, it’s an NHL country.”

Chris Withers (Jason’s note: “That Withers bastard always steals my stuff.”)

The Abbotsford Heat and Peoria Rivermen are just two AHL teams that offer top-tier puck for a fraction of the cost of NHL games. In any given year, this league features solid, fast, entertaining hockey. This year it also features loads of the NHL’s younger players, such as the Oilers Kid LIne. This image (taken by Amy Williams) was stolen gratuitously from the Rivermen website: http://www.rivermen.net/schedule/46-abbotsford-heat-peoria-rivermen/

by Adrian Charlie

Far too many fans have uttered, “I miss hockey.” I ask why? There are loads of worthy, quality hockey games. Everywhere. These posts are inspired by my own need to seek high quality hockey with a focus on Vancouver/Victoria. Of course, you’re not so limited. There are several well-represented hockey leagues underway across Canada and the USA — but even if you’re not in one of these cities, you’ve got minor hockey, college hockey, women’s hockey, hell even roller hockey someplace nearby. Most of them are either free or embarrassingly close to it.

And let’s not stop there. How about finding a community rink, strapping on some blades and going for a skate your bad self? Don’t let Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr steal your game from you.

Continue reading Fans have lockout options galore, part 1