Hockey Chat:  2008-2009 season marked the first time in the 82 year franchise history that every game of the Chicago Blackhawks was televised.  This moved was a big change from the “blackout” ruling that had been in place from earlier ownership.  With the new ability to watch the games came a great interest in the sport making the Hawks games the highest attended of any hockey venue for the entire season.

Hockey Chat:  Although hockey pucks are hardened by the vulcanization process in which they are made, the black biscuits are kept frozen during an NHL game to stop them from bouncing on the ice which gives better control.  Sometimes the refs swap thawed pucks out with chilled pucks during stops.  It takes a little extra attention to keep them hard but it makes for a better playing puck.

Hockey Chat:  A regulation size hockey goal opening is 24 square feet.  A fully armored goalie covers approximately 18 square feet of that space leaving only 6 square feet of open net and that’s with the goalie standing still.  It takes practice and determination to get the puck into the mere 25% of the goal that is uncovered while that padded guy is hopping around in front to stop it.