Some things never change. Even with the NHL locked out, hockey fans in Vancouver are wondering just who will be the #1 goaltender for the home team.
No, not the Canucks — pretty much everyone agrees, for better or for worse, that Roberto Luongo’s days are numbered around here — I’m talking about the Giants. Newly-acquired third-year netminder Liam Liston didn’t inspire much confidence during the 2012-13 home opener Friday night, giving up five goals on 17 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Victoria Royals. Rookie Tyler Fuhr will almost certainly get the start in the second half of the back-to-back in the capital Saturday.
Opening day on the road is always a tough game. Wolfsburg found that out on Friday as they traveled north to Hamburg to take on the rival Hamburg Freezers. Packing the O2 World Arena Hamburg were 10,183 rabid, flag-waving fans, and the home team sent them home happy, defeating Wolfsburg 4-2. 
With the prospect of an NHL lockout looming, Pucked in the Head is taking measures to ensure our hockey nerdery can continue unabated. So it is that we delve into the hitherto unexplored realm of European hockey. Jason has chosen the Belfast Giants of the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League to tide him over. Having German heritage on my mother’s side, I’ll be turning my attention to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. For the duration of the lockout, and maybe even beyond, I’ll be following the (let’s face it, hilariously named) EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams. Finally, a chance to use that first year German course I took in 2001. 
