Week of February 4 - Battle of the Titans-Round 3

Week of February 18 - No Love for WIHO...

Like Kissing Your Own Sister...

Week of March 4, 2007

Well it normally isn't as nice as James Voight makes it look but hell, when it's Angelina Jolie, who cares! Yes, kissing your sister, it's a woman but there's no gratification in it.

In HKAHC action, WIHO Goose were back from a long layoff down South with a not so convincing win over Blizzard. It started off ugly as Blizzard drew first blood; however, the Goose responded with a goal by Joseph the Melon Man Kiu 8 minutes later. In the dying minutes of the first period, Blizzard were called for a tripping and the "New Look" Goose Powerplay unit made them pay with a goal by Cindy Chu with 34 seconds remaining.

The Goose just couldn't pull away as they continued to pepper the Blizzard with shots. Blizzard ties up the game early in the second period but once again, Goose respond with a blast from the point by Aggie "I still got what it takes" Chin. Another killer goal by Blizzard with 40 seconds remaining tied the game once again. Goose would pull away for good when Henry "that's what I do" Tong nets the winner from a scramble in front at 14:23 of the third period. 46 shots by Goose and 30 shots by Blizzard. Goose remained tied for 1st in the Regular Division. It wasn't a gratifying win but a win is a win and we'll take it.

The Moose return to action next week against the first place Rock.

In Asiasports Action, the Toonies were in action against the kids from Asiasports. It started off close with the game tied at 1-1 in the first period on a goal by Henry Wu. However, the Toonies just didn't have the legs to keep up with the kids and couldn't get any quality scoring chances. Final score 4-1 for the kids from Asiasports. 20 shots by Toonies and 18 by Asiasports. Toonies remain at the bottom of Division 3 but they are only 1 point away from Nortel for 5th place.

The Loonies were looking to beat up on Nortel again but it ended up another see-saw affair. Darryl "Superman" Agon opened the scoring for the Loonies but Nortel soon tied it up. It was one of those nights where the Loonies just couldn't pull away as the two teams kept on trading goals. Loonies were looking disorganized for most of the period and a lucky break allowed Henry "meat and cone diet" Tong to score the eventual game winner. An insurance goal by Vivian "if I'm quiet I can score" Low rounded out the scoring. It was another non-gratifying win as the Loonies expected to dominate Nortel. 20 shots by Loonies and 14 shots by Nortel. The 3 stars: 1) Darryl Agon - 2 goals 2) Grant Coleman 3) Henry Tong. Loonies remain in 3rd place but only 2 points behind second place GI Japan.

On the Juice

Week of March 11, 2007

WIHO teams making some power moves and picking up some intensity after a slow start last week.

In HKAHC action, WIHO Goose were playing their last regulation game against the Kings. Last time these teams met, the Kings had dominated the play and won. This time a slow start cost the Goose dearly as they were down
2-0 at the end of the first. A quick goal by the Dynamic Duo of Cindy Chu and Pearl Lam cut the deficit by 1 but Kings responded 3 minutes later to go up 3-1.

History was looking to repeat itself until Kings ran into some penalty trouble. The Goose were lethal on the powerplay as the Squirrel and Becks scored on the next two powerplays to tie the game.

Early in the third period, a timely goal by Henry "that's what I do" Tong put WIHO up for the first time in the game 4-3. Another Kings penalty and another lethal powerplay as the Dynamic Duo scored again to take a 5-3 lead. Joseph "Mellon Man" Kiu rounded out the scoring as the Goose ended with a more decisive 6-4 win.

Some big power moves for the Goose: First overall in Regular Division (until the Rock finish their final game), a massive 50% (3/6) on the Powerplay and a big 3 point night for Cindy Chu. One more week to go in the Regular Division to determine the Playoff schedule... stay tuned!

The Moose return to action Sunday against the Rock.

In Asiasports Action, it was Loonies vs Toonies Part 4. Unfortunately one of the WIHO teams had to lose but it was still a spirited affair nevertheless. Ali "the Squirrel" Li made her debut between the pipes for Division 3 after a lengthy layoff. Loonies drew first blood as Vivs opened the scoring on a rebound at the side of the net. The scoring streak continues for the line 3 combo of Vivs and Tong who continue their point streak at 3 games. Minutes later, Darryl "Superman" Agon powers Loonies to a 2-0 lead by the end of the first period. Superman continues on the road to lead the league in Goals and is just 1 point shy of second overall.

In second period action Toonies managed to get onto the board with an almost perfectly planned double deflection by Sam "no, the other Sam" Wong. Toonies made it an interesting game with some quality scoring chances. The Squirrel made a fantastic save moving backwards to deny Mei Tse of a sure goal fired from point-blank range. How the Squirrel survived that one we don't know but we've seen Sammy "Superstar" Wong injure herself on a similar save.

The third period was all Loonies as Laputa scored two quick unanswered goals assisted by Darryl "Superman" Agon for a Final score of 4-1. It was a big 3 point night for Darryl "Superman" Agon who moves into 3rd overall in points, a 2 point night for Laputa who cracks the top 10 in points and Vivs who continues her point streak to move into 36th place. Most important of all, the Loonies, currently in 3rd move 1 point closer to second overall in the league.

A Game of Inches

Week of March 18, 2007

Close games, close goals that was the story this week in the WIHO world of hockey.

In HKAHC action, WIHO Moose were finally back on ice after a lengthy layoff. This was a game that had a lot on the line, if the Moose won: they would be out of the basement and would not have to play the first place team; a tie and the Goose take over first place but the two WIHO teams would meet in the first round.

The Moose had a lot to prove after they were hammered 9-1 by the Rock the last time these two teams met. A new game plan, a new Powerplay line and a new goalie for this one game: Gerald "Iceman" Tang and the two teams were set for an epic battle of David vs. Goliath

The game plan was simple: defense play tough, limit the shots and get the puck out of the zone, and forewards forecheck hard and shoot lots. Moose started off quick with Jeff Cheng scoring off the rebound on the powerplay 2 minutes in. Moose were disciplined all game frustrating the Rock at every move. At the start of the second, Norman Bo scored to take a commanding 2-0 lead. The Moose were looking like they were on a roll as they controlled the majority of the play. However, some unfortunate bad bounces cost the Moose dearly. An unfortunate goal mouth scramble with the puck on the line and somehow the Rock managed to poke the puck in. One minute later, a knuckle ball from center ice handcuffed the Iceman and the Rock suddenly tied the game 2-2.

The tie did not dishearten the Moose as they continued with their game plan and dictated the play into the 3rd. With 3 minutes left, sensing they were going to lose, the Rock called a timeout. This seem to add some life to the Rock as they quickly scored the game winning goal seconds later. Final score, a very close 3-2 loss - a bounce either way and the game could have been WIHO's. In this writer's eye's, it was a WIHO victory all the way!

The Rock victory resulted in a tie in points but they take first place overall due to goal differential - close for the Goose but not enough this time. Into the playoffs, it's Rock vs Moose and Goose into the round robin vs. Blizzard and Kings.

In Asiasports Action, it was the WIHO Div 4 team up first. After several close losses, it was time for a victory from WIHO. Only 4 points separate 2nd - 5th place and a victory would mean a jump into 3rd and only 1 pt behind 2nd place. A fast start by WIHO with a goal from Alain "The Controller" Foster to put them up 1-0. Moments later it was a breakaway goal from Henry "that's what I do" Tong and WIHO was in a commanding 2-0 lead.

Icewolves kept the game close as they hammered WIHO with shots and breakaways. Eric Wai was astounding in net as he kept on turning away shot after shot. WIHO managed to get some breathing room as Betty Lai converted a one-timer. Final score, a 4-2 victory for the WIHO team and a move into 3rd place.

In Monday night action, it was the Asiasports Kids vs Loonies. The Kids are on a roll lately and haven't lost since Chinese New Year. The standings are tight as 6 points separate 2nd to 4th place. This was a special night as it was the long awaited reunion of Nelson "the Hair" Hau and Henry "that's what I do" Tong. These two haven't played together since they first entered the league. It was another fast start for WIHO as Henry "that's what I do" Tong scored 5 hole with the Hair playing decoy far post.

The action was fast and furious with the kids breaking in and setting up some beautiful plays. But WIHO was going to have none of that with Vivs scoring in her 4th consecutive game to put WIHO up 2-0. The Loonies looked like they were in control but the young legs and finesse of the kids quickly tied the score 2-2. Not to be outdone by the Kids, Nelson "the Hair" Hau converted a pass by Tong and somehow squeezed the puck past the Asiasports goalie. No one realized it, but WIHO was back up 3-2. Rounding out the second period was a quick blast by Denny Tsang to put WIHO up 4-2.

The kids just wouldn't go away as they kept the game close. Laputa Poon and Willard "the Stick" Li scored two more goals to round out the scoring for WIHO but still the kids managed to pull within one goal with 1 minute left. A crazy last minute scramble for the equilizer by Asiasports but WIHO walked away with a close 6-5 victory. The meat and ice cream diet continues for Henry "that's what I do" Tong (3 points) and Ali "The Squirrel" Li (1 point) as they continue their point streaks. The Loonies remain in 3rd place but only 1 point behind GI Japan but most important of all they gain a 6 point advantage over the 4th place Asiasports Kids.

The Toonies were up against the first place Peng Peng team. Needless to say this was going to be a tough game. The Toonies kept the score close 1-0 by the end of the first but couldn't generate enough offense. The best chance of the game was a shot off the crossbar by Alex Ngan - from this writer's perspective, it was in ;)

Into the second and third it was Peng Peng all over the Toonies. Alex Ngan had the best chance with a brillant one timer up close but robbed once again by the Peng Peng goalie. Final score 5-0

It's Not About Being the Best .....

Week of March 25, 2007

With all of our WIHO teams heading down the regular season stretch with playoff glory in mind, I just want to remind all our players this:

"It's not about being the best "....well, this comment is true..and not true... Let me explain:

"It's true "....because everyone has to realize that each player (each component) of this big machine called the team has a specific role to fulfill for the machine to work well. Maybe because of someone's age, experience, size or skill level, he or she may not be the BEST player on the team...And you know what?.. that's ok.

Heading into the playoffs, each player (with the help of the coach or the captain) will need to identify his/her role on the team. No role is considered "small" or "big". Everyone just has to do his/her job for the team to succeed. There is no "I" in TEAM and no one player is greater than the sum of the team. I know these are cliches, but very true nevertheless.

"It's not true "... in the sense that the player has to accept his/her role and execute their role with a total commitment (physically, mentally, and emotionally). In that respect, you, as a player (having total understanding of your role on the team and knowing that role everytime you take your shift on the ice) have to be the BEST at what you have been asked to do. Each player needs to contribute in his/her own special way to help the team achieve its goal. Your role can be from winning face-offs or fighting for the pucks in the corners or taking abuse in front of the opposing net to screen the goalie or even killing a penalty. It's not always just about the scoring or the saves! Remember that.

If each of our WIHO teams take this to heart, any outcome in the playoffs will be sweeter, regardless of the result. You lose as a team and you win as a team.

Good luck, guys. Have fun. I wish you all the best from Vancouver. Bring home the cup! I'll be there in a few months to celebrate the victories -Sammi

Redemption

Week of March 25, 2007

WIHO teams with a lot to prove: the Moose losing a close one to the Rock meet in a playoff rematch, the Loonies playing for second place against GI Japan, the Toonies gain ground on Nortel with a win.

In HKAHC action, WIHO Moose, who lost a real close one to the Rock in the final game of the regular season, were back up against the first place team for the opening round of the playoffs. It was time to prove the last game was no fluke and the Moose are the darkhorse of the playoffs.

The Rock continued with their puck luck and scored a goal by throwing an innocent shot towards the net. This didn't disappoint the Moose as Andy Yeung walked in from the point 1 minute later to tie the game. The goal by the Big Man seemed to spark the Moose as Mark "I only want to score one goal" Longhurst scored the go ahead goal 1 minute later. 2 minutes later, Mark "I only want to score one goal" Longhurst scores his second goal with a wicked one timer to lead the Moose to an improbable 3-1 lead!

A scary moment in the first period when Andy "Big Man" Yeung collides with Billy Tang resulting in a nasty cut above the nose. The Moose showed their flexibility as Tyson quickly filled in on Defense and continued the tough play of the Moose. The Big Man comes back in the second period to continue his stellar play, blocking some key shots and providing a physical presence on the blueline.

The Rock continued to chip away at the Moose lead by scoring a goal in the 2nd and eventually the tieing goal in the 3rd. OT didn't resolve anything and it went into a shootout to decide the winner.

First round of shooters: Mark Longhurst, Jeff Cheng and Andy Yeung for Moose and Wayne Tsui, Andy Cheung and Jeremy Lui for the Rock. It proved to be an exciting shootout as Wayne scores the only shootout goal for the Rock. Both Mark and Jeff missed earlier so it was up to Andy "Big Man" Cheung to keep the Moose hopes alive. Needless to say, the Big Man delivers again with a shootout goal! Next up: Norman Bo, Betty Lai and Aman Leung. The Normster made it look easy as he closed his eyes and scored another shootout goal for the Moose which sealed a victory after another exciting Iceman save.

It was a great moment as we saw the Moose jumping up and down chanting WIHO. This one was a classic for sure and a moment for the Moose to savour. Truly a team effort in every aspect as everyone stepped up their game. However, we need to give special recognition to Andy "Big Man" Yeung who despite a monster hit and getting cut, came back to continue his stellar play and score the tieing shootout goal. A win or a lower score tie and the Moose move into the finals!

In Asiasports Action, the Loonies were looking at moving into second place overall with a win over GI Japan. These games have been close affairs with one goal victories by GI Japan in the last two.

GI Japan were ready for playoff hockey as they made their physical presence felt. This seem to stymie the offense of the Loonies as they were not able to get any quality shots on net. Best chance came on the powerplay where the Loonies had a few good cracks at Izumida.

In the end, it was a disappointing 4-0 loss to GI Japan. Hopefully the Loonies can get their act together for a long playoff run. The last game of the season will have no impact on the standings which sees the Loonies lock up 3rd place overall.

In Toonies action, their woes continue as they fall to Nortel 4-2: Nelson Hau and Mei Tse scores for the Toonies. The loss means the Toonies will end in last place resulting in an all WIHO first round playoff.

April Fools

Week of April 1, 2007

All WIHO teams lose in a critical week of play. A cruel April Fool's joke..., we all wished but it was a week of missed opportunities and heartbreak.

In HKAHC action, WIHO Moose, had the opportunity of moving onto the finals with a tie or a win during regulation time over the Rock. The Moose, riding into the final game of the semis with all the momentum and confidence, looked as though they were going to be the dark horse of the playoffs. However, it wasn't meant to be as the Rock showed up with their "A" game and shutout the Moose 4-0. Either way, WIHO is proud of the Moose as they surprised many with their play down the stretch. Great season Moose!

WIHO Goose started their series in a tough draw. Not only have they not played for three weeks, they were playing a team that just played last week and needed a win to move into the finals. It was a tight checking affair as each team played conservative hockey -- neither willing to take a chance. The first period ended in a 0-0 draw as Blizzard Goalie Benny Fok had the hot hand saving 14 shots.

Midway through the second period, Nelson Hau opens the scoring for WIHO to lead 1-0. The Blizzard respond in the last 3 minutes to tie the game 1-1. Despite being outshot in the second 18-11, the solid goaltending of Benny Fok keeps the Blizzard in the game.

The tight checking continues in the third period until the Blizzard's Derek Hu scores on an end to end rush to lead 2-1. That was about as close as WIHO would get as the Bilzzard added an empty net goal to win 3-1. With that loss, the Blizzard move into the Finals to meet the Rock and the Goose enter into the Consolation Round. It was a season of high hopes for the Goose after finishing tied for first overall but Lady Luck was not on their side this time.

In Asiasports action, the Toonies were up against GI Japan. With the win, they would gain ground on Nortel to setup a final showdown for last place on April 16. Game summary courtesy of Asiasports:

The WIHO Toonies just couldn’t keep up last night as GI Japan steadily built up their lead throughout regulation to finish the game with a 3 – 1 victory.
The WIHO Toonies got themselves in some penalty trouble, taking 5 separate minors throughout the game.  While GI Japan never capitalized on the opportunities, it did break WIHO’s rhythm and keep them from generating any offence up front.  GI Japan was first on the board with a pair of goals early, the first by Ogai and the second just over five minutes later by Tomei Wan when he redirected a pass from Kitamura on the far side into the roof of the net. GI Japan wasn’t able to build any more on the lead during the second period, but WIHO didn’t gain any ground either, managing only 3 shots on goal during the entire 12 minutes.  GI Japan managed 11 during the third alone and earned their third goal of the game off the stick of Saeki to make it 3 – 0.  Izumida sent the puck up to Saeki and earned his 2nd point of the season on the goal. All WIHO had left was a last ditch effort to break the shutout which paid off with just under 2 minutes to go.  Alex Ngan picked up the goal unassisted to get his team on the board.  Izumida was only called on for a total of 12 saves in the win, while Bengy Hui stopped 22 in the other end.  The 3 Stars of the Game – 1) Ogai 2) Izumida 3) Tomei Wan

In other Asiasports action, the Loonies were tuning up for the playoffs with a game against Peng Peng. Although the outcome would not effect the overall standings, a win would be a great emotional booster for the team. Game summary courtesy of Asiasports:

Norm Chin had a big night with a hat-trick, but the game will be remembered for his goal with just 15 seconds left on the clock to break the tie with the WIHO Loonies and take PengPeng to a 5 – 4 win.
Chin’s counter point on the WIHO Loonies was Darryl Agon.  He also netted a hat-trick in the WIHO’s effort to overturn the league leaders PengPeng.  It was Agon who opened scoring when he blew up the ice after the opening face-off and with a little help from Adrienne Li, got his team on the board just 24 seconds into the game.  It was a big boost for WIHO, but Chin responded very quickly with a goal just over a minute later to tie it up.  Late in the first, PengPeng found themselves in the box and Agon was quick to capitalize on the man advantage to gain the lead once again at 2 – 1.  But Chin was right there again with a comeback and blew one by Gerald Tang less than a minute later to draw even at 2.  The pattern repeated itself throughout the game, in the second Agon gave WIHO the lead only to see it evaporate, this time to Jason Chan of PengPeng.  Nero Lam slapped in a rebound to gain the lead one final time for WIHO, but once again PengPeng tied it up, this time with a slapshot by Fei Di Choi from the point.  In addition to the goal, Choi picked up three separate assists throughout the night.  It seemed that WIHO simply couldn’t hold on to a lead and the game was destined for a shootout.  But, with just 15 seconds left Chin decided to complete the hat-trick.  15 seconds wasn’t enough time for WIHO to mount a comeback and they dropped the contest by a final score of 5 – 4.  Bengy Hui stopped 15 shots in the PengPeng win, while Gerald Tang stopped 24 for WIHO.  The 3 Stars of the Game – 1) Norm Chin 2) Darryl Agon 3) Fei Di Choi

It was a bitter week for the WIHO teams but the cruelest joke of all was the playoff standings were decided this night and the first round matchup: WIHO Toonies vs WIHO Loonies.... life is so unfair.

Keep Feet Moving...

(Article from www.bchockey.org)
by Steve Serdachny

A player's ability to explode and pull away from his opposition is essential for high performance hockey. Explosive speed is a dynamic skill that requires refined technique, quickness, strength and balance. All these characteristics must work together like a close-knit family in order to achieve maximum performance. Players like Vincent Lecavalier, Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester all possess these attributes. They can explode away from their opposition both on and off the puck.

When watching players of this calibre you must realize that they are at the pinnacle of the game and in order to get there you must learn, listen and work harder than everybody else.

Understanding Mistakes

When players are skating they typically lose momentum and speed with several common errors. This errors are very counter-productive to developing explosive speed. Players must maintain speed and specifically accelerate on demand in order to be totally effective.

Players often make the mistake of not moving their skates enough when they are off the puck. This means they are gliding and not physically prepared to accelerate on demand. The second error is players inefficiently using their upper bodies. This is typically evident is inefficient side to side motion. This motion is not only counter-productive but drains valuable energy that could be used to pull away from your opposition or score the big goal.

Speed Techniques

The primary rule that players must consider in developing explosive speed is develop proper technique. Proper body position is key for efficient skating technique. This cannot be attained without professional instruction by a qualified skating coach. If a reputable skating coach is not available, you can watch television shows like Hockey Academy or buy Instructional DVDs, which can be valuable resources.

Key Thoughts

Something important to consider is you need to maintain a low centre of gravity from the hips down. Ensure you do not wide-track when accelerating or striding forward. This means you want your ensure your power base is available for efficient and powerful skating. Something to work on immediately is to keep your skates moving. Using momentum to your advantage is key to explosive speed. A player in motion tends to stay in motion.

Stay Low to Go: When you are skating off the puck you must be ready to accelerate at all times. I always tell my students, ”You have to stay low to go” – it is a simple idea that can dramatically improve your skating ability and speed.

Drive Forward: Use your body to propel yourself in the direction of travel. Help yourself develop speed, use the energy that you work hard to create in a positive way. Eliminate side to side motion that wastes your momentum and energy.

Speed Drill

We are going to start with a great drive drill from my new DVD Explosive Speed for Hockey Volume 2. This drill can be practised alone or in pairs. Players will practice accelerating toward the net from various distances. In the next step, the players will add the puck with both one- and two-handed skating on the puck techniques. Make sure to practice both the Crossover and Velocity starts when accelerating. Ensure player work from various distances starting at 20 metres and working in15, 10 and 5 metre increments. You can add a partner to add a competitive dimension to the drill.

Become Quicker,Stronger and Faster. Work on your skating to dominate. Practise and have some fun.

Playoff Time

It's that time of the year again! Although the HKAHC Teams are winding down their playoffs and into the Consolation Round, the Asiasports WIHO teams are just beginning their playoff series. The unfortunate part was one of the WIHO teams had to lose as the series pitted the Loonies vs the Toonies in the first round.

First in HKAHC action, WIHO Goose ended the first round of playoffs with a shootout win over the Kings. Into the Consolation Round, it was the Kings again but with a slight twist. The Kings, short a goalie, had to call on the Squirrel to fill in between the pipes.

Although the Squirrel was playing for the Kings, she wasn't going to give up goals very easily. The first period was held to a scoreless draw as both goalies were solid in net. Into the second period, the game play opened up as Nelson Hau scored on a 3 on 1 break. However the lead was short lived as the Kings tied up the game 2 minutes later. In the dying seconds of the second period, Johnny Wong (who we temporarily traded for the Squirrel), banked a shot off a Kings player to take the lead 2-1.

The Goose would never look back as they padded their lead with two more goals into the third. The final goal coming as Aggie Chin sprung Pearl Lam for a breakaway goal on the Squirrel. Final score 4-1 Goose.

In Asiasports action it was the WIHO Division 4 team vs Coors Light after a long layoff. WIHO was without its top scorer, Alain Foster, and had to step up its game. So who would step up their game to fill the void? Well, the Normster was up to the task as he opened the scoring to give WIHO a quick lead. Into the second period, Peter Ho would score his first goal after a deflecting a Betty Lai shot from the point.

The Coors Light team wouldn't go away quietly as they closed the gap to 2-1. But it was the Normster who sealed their fate as he scored the final goal giving WIHO a 3-1 victory over Coors Light.

Into the first round of the Asiasports playoffs, it was the third seeded Loonies vs sixth seeded Toonies. The Playoffs are a whole new ball game and anything can happen. The interesting story here is not the people who were expected to score but who would step up their game. As expected, the Loonies dominated the game with the majority of the shots and the 4-1 win. The usual suspects had points: Darryl - 1goal, 1 assist, Laputa - 1goal, 1 assist, Ali - 2 assist, and Alex 1 goal for the Toonies. However, it was Becky Chin with the big night as she didn't disappoint after being inserted into the top line. Becks opened the scoring after burying a pass from Darryl and ended the night assisting on her linemate's goal. Not bad for someone who normally plays defense ;)

Keep Feet Moving...

Article from www.bchockey.org)
by Steve Serdachny

02/12/2005 -

A player's ability to explode and pull away from his opposition is essential for high performance hockey. Explosive speed is a dynamic skill that requires refined technique, quickness, strength and balance. All these characteristics must work together like a close-knit family in order to achieve maximum performance. Players like Vincent Lecavalier, Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester all possess these attributes. They can explode away from their opposition both on and off the puck.

When watching players of this calibre you must realize that they are at the pinnacle of the game and in order to get there you must learn, listen and work harder than everybody else.

Understanding Mistakes

When players are skating they typically lose momentum and speed with several common errors. This errors are very counter-productive to developing explosive speed. Players must maintain speed and specifically accelerate on demand in order to be totally effective.

Players often make the mistake of not moving their skates enough when they are off the puck. This means they are gliding and not physically prepared to accelerate on demand. The second error is players inefficiently using their upper bodies. This is typically evident is inefficient side to side motion. This motion is not only counter-productive but drains valuable energy that could be used to pull away from your opposition or score the big goal.

Speed Techniques

The primary rule that players must consider in developing explosive speed is develop proper technique. Proper body position is key for efficient skating technique. This cannot be attained without professional instruction by a qualified skating coach. If a reputable skating coach is not available, you can watch television shows like Hockey Academy or buy Instructional DVDs, which can be valuable resources.

Key Thoughts

Something important to consider is you need to maintain a low centre of gravity from the hips down. Ensure you do not wide-track when accelerating or striding forward. This means you want your ensure your power base is available for efficient and powerful skating. Something to work on immediately is to keep your skates moving. Using momentum to your advantage is key to explosive speed. A player in motion tends to stay in motion.

Stay Low to Go: When you are skating off the puck you must be ready to accelerate at all times. I always tell my students, ”You have to stay low to go” – it is a simple idea that can dramatically improve your skating ability and speed.

Drive Forward: Use your body to propel yourself in the direction of travel. Help yourself develop speed, use the energy that you work hard to create in a positive way. Eliminate side to side motion that wastes your momentum and energy.

Speed Drill

We are going to start with a great drive drill from my new DVD Explosive Speed for Hockey Volume 2. This drill can be practised alone or in pairs. Players will practice accelerating toward the net from various distances. In the next step, the players will add the puck with both one- and two-handed skating on the puck techniques. Make sure to practice both the Crossover and Velocity starts when accelerating. Ensure player work from various distances starting at 20 metres and working in15, 10 and 5 metre increments. You can add a partner to add a competitive dimension to the drill.

Become Quicker,Stronger and Faster. Work on your skating to dominate. Practise and have some fun.

(Steve Serdachny is the Skating coach for the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Roadrunners. He conducts Power Skating and Hockey Schools worldwide. His power skating and skill systems are highly effective in developing maximum performance on ice. You can catch Steve on the national television show” Hockey Academy” on the NHL Network. For more information on camps, schools and DVDs, visit www.elitepowerskating.com or call 1-877-30-SKATE)

Three-Peat!

The WIHO Selects once again repeat as Champions of the Women's Division of the World Ice Hockey 5's. The gals from Hong Kong breezed through round robin and quarter final play but not without some controversy. In the Quarter Final matchup against the Manila Ice Vixens, the WIHO Selects were given permission to use a male goalie (well more like a "boy" goalie) after Zulia Mitchell went down with an ankle injury. However, the referees and the Ice Vixens were not informed about this. Despite losing convincingly to the WIHO Selects (12-1) the Ice Vixens wanted to replay the game but with WIHO using a female goalie.

A lengthy discussion ensued but in the end, the score stood and there was no need to replay the game. However, in the Semi Final matchup, WIHO would have to use a female goalie from the lineup to rectify the previous mistake. In the Finals, WIHO would be allowed to borrow another female goalie (Kirsten Rendell) from the Wendigos Women team.

Making her International debut as goalie for the WIHO team, Ali "the Squirrel" Li backstopped the WIHO women to victory. This was not an easy victory as the Malaysia Slayers significantly upgraded their team with some speed and toughness.

In the end, the WIHO Selects knew they would be facing the Japan Red Bullets in a repeat of the 2005 World Ice Hockey 5's Final which WIHO won 1-0. The following is a commentary provided by an anonymous third party at the following site: http://www.gzexpat.com/2007/06/fathers_day_hoc.html

The second game was the championship of the women's division between Hong Kong's WIHO and the Red Bullets from Japan.  Again, although the WIHO team was from Hong Kong, its members were predominately from Canada...but all the girls were Asian (I am assuming transplanted Hong Konger's that grew up with a love for the sport), except their goaltender, who was very good in net.  The Red Bullets were an all Japanese team.

What was noticeable from the start of this game was the precision and discipline of the WIHO team during workouts.  Everything was choreographed and very well done.  The Red Bullets skated and warmed up their goaltender in a relaxed manner.  The uniforms of the WIHO team were crisp...new...well coordinated with the shorts and helmets.  The Red Bullets uniforms seems a little old and thin.  Looks can be deceiving.  After the game started, there was an edge to the Red Bullets play that I noticed right away...throwing that extra elbow in after the whistle blows...skating and brushing by an opponent during line changes...the little things.  This was a team full of Matt Cooke's!  And they had the wheels and the skills to play the game.  The WIHO team took some early tripping penalties because they couldn't keep up.  The Red Bullets were skating well...and the WIHO team appeared out classed...but, they had Luongo in goal (at least it seemed that way). Kirsten Rendell was big and imposing in the net...when she crouched in the butterfly, she took up a lot of space. 

The game went on for 3 periods with momentum slowly shifting towards the Red Bullets through some tough play.  This team was aggressive and they took some bad penalties as a result...but, their message was being sent and the WIHO team was becoming timid in the middle as a result.   But, after 3 periods, it was deadlocked  0-0.  WIHO caught a break quickly into OT with Adrienne Li breaking on the left side, collecting a rebound and shoving it into the goal for the win (pictured at the left), sending the girls on to the ice in a mad celebration.  Part of me thinks that they all knew how lucky they were to win that game while being outshot 12-7 and out played in most aspects of the game...it all comes down to a lucky bounce or a break in OT.  This was a fun game to watch, for some reason when women play men's sports (yeah, yeah...give me the sexist comments OK?!) they really play with a passion and a drive.  These women all wanted this game badly and they played like it.

David beats Goliath

Week of June 3, 2007

Our Loonies overcame unimaginable adversities to win a battle of biblical proportions...

After surprising the Division 3 world by upsetting the second seed, Tomy Japan, in the semi-finals, the Loonies knew they had a Big Whopper of a challenge against the heavily favored Peng Peng team. "Against All Odds" is a great song by Phil Collins, but not a great tune for the Loonies because even before the start of the final series they had lost 4 top players to Europe. No, they didn't get drafted by a European Super League team....Henry "Meat & Cone Diet" Tong couldn't postpone his nuptials in the papal state of Vatican. Adrienne "the Squirrel" Li and Becky "Chris Pronger" Chin had to fufill their duties as flower girls for Henry & Mia's special day. Vivian "Chilli-Pepper" Low was in the UK on official business.

So, the remaining 8 players and Gerald "Iceman" Tang had to summon their inner 'David" strength to find a way to defeat the Big, Bad, "Goliath" Peng Peng team.

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Game 1 [Summary courtesy of Darryl Agon] proved to be a nailbiter, as expected. Laputa "Speedy Gonzales" Poon, whizzed by the defender on the right wing and flipped the puck over a Bengy Hui, who was in net for Team Goliath. Peng Peng countered with Mike Lam sending a floater that deflected off one of our defenceman and trickled past "Iceman". Play was pretty even until Darryl "Superman" Agon picked up a loose puck in the opposing zone and backhand flipped a shot past Bengy. After the Loonies got the go-ahead goal, "Iceman" shut down the door for the rest of the way. In the dying minutes of the game, with Peng Peng's net empty for the additional attacker, Alex Ngan and Darryl double-teamed Mike Lam in the defensive zone and got the puck to Cheryl "Smiley" Kong. She calmly deked around Div 2 defenceman Fei Di Choi and sent the puck in the yawning cage to seal the deal for Game 1.

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Game 2 (Summary courtesy of Asiasports - Dylan Cook). The undisputed favourites entering the series, PengPeng amassed an 18- 2 – 1 record throughout the regular season to walk away with first overall.  The Loonies by contrast were only 11 – 8 – 2 going into the post season and were up against GI Japan in the first round.  After rolling by their sister team the Toonies and big an upset win over GI Japan, they earned themselves a place in the finals.  They pulled out a win over PengPeng in game one, but truly showed what they were made of in game 2.  It was PengPeng who struck first, Alfa Li sent it in from the blue line to Kevin Ng who beat Tang up high to open scoring, but it was the Loonies who got the last laugh.  Five minutes after that first goal the Loonies had tied it up.  Darryl Agon assisted Laputa Poon on the tying goal.  It was an extremely defensive game for WIHO and though Tang was making all the crucial saves, a big part of the win was the WIHO defence who were clearing rebounds away faster than PengPeng could get their sticks on them.  Agon came through for his team once again early in the second to hand them the 2 – 1 lead.  It would prove to be enough for the Loonies to hang on for the win and the 2006-2007 Coors Light Division 3 Championship title.  Tang stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win while Scott Yang snagged 19 of 21.

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WIHO is extremely proud of the Loonies (Jamieson, Betty, Nero, Denny, Laputa, Darryl, Willard, Cheryl, Gerald) and Alex & Nelson for gettting WIHO's first ever Division 3 championship in its 14-year existence!

Oh yeah, and big thanks to those who were in Europe during the finals (Henry, Ali, Becky and Vivs), if the four weren't absent...we probably wouldn't have won it! Thanks for not showing up ;).hehe

Let's celebrate!

"Samson" Powers WIHO to Victory

Week of July 8, 2007

The flowing mane of Nelson "Samson" Hau helped to defeat Sam Wai in the inaugural WIHO game on the big ice. Nelson "Samson" Hau, known for his scoring prowess - which we believe comes from his hair, started where he left off by scoring two goals (one being the game winner) and receiving the Star for the game.

It was a difficult game as both teams had to familiarize themselves with the big ice and playing five-on-five. The play was slow and sluggish at times but the WIHO team was disciplined taking no penalties during the game.

The scoring opened in the second period as Nelson "Samson" Hau stripped the Sam Wai defensemen of the puck behind the net and scored at an impossible angle. I tell you folks... it must be the hair.

Sam Wai tied it up early in the third period but once again it was "Samson" who responded with the winning goal. Brian Ho added the insurance goal midway through the third giving WIHO victory in their opening game.

Patriot Power!

Week of July 22, 2007

The Summer Hockey Season finally begins for all teams. This summer we have one team in the HKAHC League and two teams in the Asiasports League: WIHO Canadiens and WIHO Patriots.

In HKAHC action, it was the WIHO team up for their second time at the big rink. This week's game was against the Winter League Champions: Blizzard. The WIHO team decided not to pick up players although they were short benched and opted to go with 2 centers instead of 3.

It was a conservative game to start as neither team wanted to give up too much ice. The scoring opened in the second period as Annette Kerr one timed a faceoff pass from Mei Tse. The score would hold until the beginning of the third as the Blizzard tied it up 1-1.

This game was a close one as both teams were playing well defensively. However, the fog started rolling in which made it difficult to see the puck. With 3 minutes to go, Joseph Kiu scored off a pass from Bryan Robinson to go up 2-1. It looked like WIHO would be victorious but with 1 minute to go, Blizzard scored off a point shot. The Squirrel didn't even move and only knew the Blizzard scored from the "thump" of the puck at the back of the net.

In Asiasports action, it was the opening games for the two WIHO teams. The WIHO Canadiens lost 4-0 to the Wendigos. It was a tough loss but let's attribute it to opening season jitters. The WIHO Patriots were the last game of the night and it would be interesting to see what this team could do. There were a lot of new faces on this team from the Sam Wai HKAHC team: Thomas Poon, Kevin Ng, Jackie Chan and Theo Wong.

The game started off quick as the first two WIHO lines were dominating play in the Asiasports Team's zone. Theo Wong was dominant throughout the night as he would open the scoring for WIHO on a goal that happened so quick, no one saw it go in! Moments later, Theo would setup Henry Tong on the powerplay for a 2-0 lead.

That would be all the Patriots needed as they went on to a dominant 6-1 win. Goals were scored by Theo (2), Jackie Chan (2), Henry Tong and Nelson Hau.

Next week, it's the battle of the Canadiens vs. the Patriots.... stay tuned!

Learn from the Best, Learn from Beck

WIHO is excited to announce that former New York Ranger's captain (1981-1986), Barry "Bubba" Beck, will be running Tuesday night practices in July and August!

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is arranged by WIHO's long-time partner and supporter, the Hong Kong Amateur Hockey Club (HKAHC) for which we are eternally grateful for. Coach Barry will also be running training sessions for the Hong Kong Academy of Ice Hockey (HKAIH) out of the Dragon Center Skyrink on Sunday nights.

This is a chance that ice hockey players in Hong Kong alike (regardless of age & skill level) should not miss! It is rare to learn directly from a hockey legend who eventually retired with 104 goals, 251 assists and 355 points in 615 NHL game appearances. His illustrious career was highlighted by his appearances in 5 NHL all star games, 1979 Challenge Cup, and
1981 Canada Cup and an inductee to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame.

He has amounted much respect from hockey peers and fans because of his no-nonense, hard playing defensive style of play. He is still one "tough cookie" on the ice. Be ready to have some fun, learn alot and work hard!

Goose Egged

It was an ugly week for WIHO hockey as the scores for both games ended up being 2-0. Well one of the games was WIHO vs. WIHO so we knew someone had to lose.

In HKAHC action, it was the WIHO team up against the "new look" Kings. The Kings upgraded significantly this year with some key acquisitions. It was another slow start as WIHO just didn't have any jump in their legs. We knew it was going to be an ugly night when Henry Tong scored on a feed by Jackie Chan and the ref didn't see it go in. On top of that, the Defense cupped the puck with their hand to stop it and no penalty shot was called! Let's just say this was a "stinker" all around as WIHO gets shut out 2-0. Lucky next week is a bye so WIHO has a chance to regroup.

In Asiasports action it was the first meeting of the two WIHO teams. As usual, it was a spirited affair. The game was characterized by the strong D of the Canadiens with superb goaltending by Gerald "Iceman" Tang and the puck movement of the Patriots.

The play started out fast and furious as both teams wanted to get an upper hand on the other. The Canadien's D were active and pinching in to try and force an early goal. Although the Patriots moved the puck well, they kept on getting "stoned" repeatedly by the "Iceman".

The highlight of the first period was the goal by Theo after the vicious hit by Grant "I got a bad knee" Chan on Adrienne "Squirrel" Li. Actually, it was more like Grant just standing there and the Squirrel bouncing off of him like a rag doll.

The player of the night had to be the "Iceman" as he stopped three breakaways and made impossible point-blank saves - all of this while being sick! Who knew what the score would be if he was healthy? In the end the Patriots would only add one more goal by Jackie Chan making it a 2-0 victory for the Patriots.