ICE HOCKEY
People who play Ice Hockey, and fans of the sport, are part of a unique culture or community unlike any other sport. There are lots of factors for this: where the sport originated, the need for ice which limits access to the sport for so many, the unique combination of skills needed to play the game, and cost to name a few reasons. The hockey community is small and close knit, and something I have been a member of for over 40 years.
At this point in 2020 we all know how much the pandemic has altered our normal way of life. We also do not know when, and in some cases if, life will return to where it was pre-COVID 19.
I was in Boston for my son’s hockey playoffs in March when the country started to close. His season was cancelled and like most every other hockey player he could not get on the ice to train, or in a gym, for two or three months after things were shutdown. I witnessed him, and his friends do whatever they could to train and prepare for the upcoming unknown new season. I have also experienced the new rules and protocols being put in place to allow players to get back on the ice playing and fans in to rinks to watch. Rules which vary state to state and county to county.
I chose to create this gallery because I felt the images were good examples of the changes and loss of connection, we have all had to deal with this year. People like being part of something, belonging, and being accepted. With sport we get that with our teammates and fellow fans. The tests of competition often mirror life outside sports. These images highlight some of the things we are missing and documnet some of the efforts to get those things safely back again.
BOS DSC 5304 3-09-20 - Bedford, MA - Pregame ritual before EHL Playoff game
BOS DSC 5422 3-09-20 - Bedford, MA - "Banana Jim" longtime rink attendant
BOS DSC 6802 3-09-20 - Bedford, MA - EHL Playoff game
BOS DSC 7540 3-10-20 - South Dennis, MA - Pregame EHL Playoff game, The Boys and Banana Jim
BOS DSC 5601 3-10-20 - South Dennis, MA - EHL Playoff game
BOS DSC 8237 3-10-20 - South Dennis, MA - East Coast Wizard celebrate after advancing to the next round of the EHL playoffs, the EHL would cancel their season within 48 hours.
BOS DSC 8275 3-10-20 - South Dennis, MA - One of the greatest traditions of hockey, the handshake line after a playoff series is over.
CA DSC 5843 1-13-20 - Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game
CA DSC 5861 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game. #28 Amanda Kesell and Captain Kendall Coyne
CA DSC 5871 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game. #9 Megan Bozek, #16 Hayley Scamurra, #6 Kali Flanagan, & #24 Dani Cameransi
CA DSC 6140 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game. Captain Kendall Coyne
CA DSC 6501 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game. #28 Amanda Kessel , her brother Phil plays in the NHL
CA DSC 6285 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game. #27 Annie Pankowski grew up playing in Southern California for the Lady Ducks who hosted the scrimmage
CA DSC 6291 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game.
CA DSC 6299 1-13-20- Irvine, California - USA Hockey Women's Team scrimmage game.
NHL DSC 03712 1-29-20 - Los Angeles -
NHL DSC 04228 2-01-20 -Los Angels - #19 Alex Iafallo , Bob Halfacre Equipment Staff
NHL DSC 04377 2-01-20 - Los Angeles -
NHL DSC 04383 2-01-20 - Los Angeles - Jonathan Quick
NHL DSC 04480 2-01-20 - Los Angeles - #27 Alec Martinez. Martinez played in over 600 total games for LA and scored the Stanley Cup clinching OT goal in their 2014 Championship, he would be traded to Las Vegas on 2-19-20.
NHL DSC 04453 2-01-20- Los Angeles - Kyle Clifford with his family before his last home game as a Los Angeles King. A fan favorite, and two-time Stanley Cup Champion with LA, he would be traded to Toronto on 2-05-20.
NHL DSC 05253 2-22-20 - Los Angeles - Colorado Avalanche's #49 Samuel Girard and #41Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
NHL DSC 05426 2-22-20- Los Angels - #29 Nathan MacKinnon
NHL DSC 05237 2-22-20 - Los Angeles - Colorado Avalanche pre game
NHL DSC 05328 2-22-20 - Los Angels - #29 Nathan MacKinnon
NHL DSC 05424 2-22-20- Los Angels -
NHL DSC 05645 2-26-20- Los Angels - Fans watching the Pittsburgh Penguins during pre-game warmups.
NHL DSC 05624 2-26-20- Los Angels - Pittsburgh Penguin's #71 Evgeni Malkin
NHL DSC 05639 2-26-20- Los Angels - Pittsburgh Penguin's #87 Sidney Crosby
NHL DSC 05759 2-26-20 - Los Angels - Pittsburgh Penguin's #87 Sidney Crosby
NHL DSC 05826 2-26-20- Los Angels - Pittsburgh Penguin's #87 Sidney Crosby
NHL DSC 05677 2-26-20 - Los Angles - Fans watching the Pittsburgh Penguins during pre-game warmups.
NHL DSC 05830 2-26-20- Los Angels - fans and Pittsburgh Penguin's #87 Sidney Crosby
NHL DSC 05866 2-26-20- Los Angeles -Pittsburgh Penguins at the end pre-game warmups.
NHL DSC 05865 2-26-20 - Los Angeles -Pittsburgh Penguins at the end pre-game warmups.
CA DSC 5338 7-13-20 - Los Angeles - Rental skates which have hung unused for four months. For me another reminder of the impact of the Covid shutdown, for both kids and businesses.
CA DSC 00433 5-22-20 - Los Angeles - Players forced to dress in the stands because
CA DSC 5063 7-06-20 - Los Angeles - My long time friends Craig and Brad (We played together in the old Valley Hockey League in the 1980's) watch our sons in a summer skate.
CA DSC 5070 7-06-20 - Los Angeles -
CA DSC 5461 7-13-20 - Los Angeles
CA DSC 5729 7-20-20 - Los Angeles - Brent & Brendan, both were on the same Mini Mite team about 16 years ago. During the pandemic Brendan was a first round 2020 NHL draft pick and a member of the USA gold medal winning team at the 2021 World Junior Campionships and is now back playing for the University of Michigan this year. When photographed them it was uncertain if there was going to be a college hockey season or the WJC. The NHL Draft was held virtually and the WJC was played in an empty arena.
CT DSC 5992 8-08-20 - Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL Main Camp with no outside scouts.
CT DSC 7960 8-07-20- Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL Main Camp
CT DSC 7747 8-07-20- Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL Main Camp with social distancing barriers. Coming fom California we had to get a rapid COVID test just prior to flying to New York and another rapid COVID rapid test as soon as we arrived in Danbury to be allowed in to the rink. Danbury was hard hit in the initial wave of the pandemic and they inacted strict rules for reopening because of that.
CT DSC 8078 8-08-20- Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL Main Camp
CT DSC 8064 8-08-20- Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL Main Camp , several on ice official chose to wear masks.
CA DSC 7106 8-30-20 - Los Angeles - Beer League weeknight pick up game
CA DSC 7107 8-30-20 - Los Angeles - Beer League weeknight pick up game
CA DSC 7121 8-30-20 - Los Angeles - Beer League weeknight pick up game
CA DSC 7161 8-30-20 - Los Angeles - Beer League weeknight pick up game
CA DSC 7187 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules prohibit getting dressed inside the rink.
CA DSC 7192 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules prohibit getting dressed inside the rink.
CA DSC 7221 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules requiring masks on the ice
CA DSC 7229 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules requiring masks on the ice
CA DSC 7241 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules requiring masks on the ice
NHL DSC 04345 2-01-20 - Los Angeles - Jonathan Quick
NHL DSC 04487 2-01-20 - Los Angeles - Dustin Brown
CT DSC 8059 8-08-20 - Danbury, Connecticut - NAHL main camp game
NHL DSC 05421 2-22-20 - Los Angles - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare tossing a puck to fans. Bellemare, born and raised near Paris, France, is rumored to be one of the NHL players pressured by NBA players to boycott playoff games. This led to the NHL & NHLPA voting to suspend play for August 27th and 28th to focus on social justice issues.
CA DSC 7161 8-30-20 - Los Angeles - An image for me which is symbolic of all the Youth Hockey players impacted by the Covid closure rules.
CA DSC 7244 9-01-20 - Simi Valley - Ventura County Health Department rules requiring masks on the ice