NHL

Importance of Skating Skills Graeme Townshend

June 22, 2008 By murphyhockey 1 Comment

Listen to the NHL San Jose Sharks Skating & Skills Coach Graeme Townshend explain the importance of working on skating skills when you are young. Graeme says “skating is to hockey as putting is to golf”. Tiger Woods spends time perfecting his putt; hockey players need to take time perfecting the art of skating!

In a nutshell; this Coach sums up the importance of not neglecting your skating skills! I attend a couple of power skating sessions a week. I can tell you from my experience that power skating class, in addition to your regular team practices, really does pay off.

Filed Under: Beginning Hockey, NHL, Training, Video Posts Tagged With: graeme townshend, murph, murphhockey, NHL, power skating, San Jose Sharks, Youth Hockey

The Saints Win~ My First Saints Hat Trick ~ Olli Jokinen is a Phoenix Coyote

June 21, 2008 By murphhockeymom Leave a Comment

Tonight during the first period of my game against the Admirals; my Dad came over to the bench and told me that Olli Jokinen was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes. Then he said to me “how about three goals tonight?” I am not sure if it was the excitement of hearing Jokinen was coming to Phoenix or that my Dad challenged me to score three goals; because, before I knew it … I had the three goals. My first hat trick for the Saints.

I just moved back from Florida and by far Olli Jokinen and Ville Peltonen were my favorite Florida Panthers players. Believe it or not, I even went to school with both their daughters. One day last year, while I was home from school sick; my mom said she had a surprise for me before heading to the doctors. She took me to the Ice Rink to watch the Panthers practice. It was just the two of us sitting against the glass and Olli shot the puck all the way around the boards, it wrapped the glass and went up and over the netting and into my lap. WOW! I grabbed the puck and was so excited, I looked up at Olli and he gave me a wave. I think he wanted to thank me for being a fan and coming to watch him practice! I was really bummed about leaving Florida, but now that some of Florida has come to Phoenix I am very excited! It has been a “win ~ win ~ win” kind of night. The Saints won the game, I had a hat trick and Olli Jokinen is coming to Phoenix!

Filed Under: House, NHL Tagged With: coyotes, Jr Coyotes, murph, murphhockey, Olli Jokenin, panthers, patrick murphy, Ville Peltonen

Murph Named Assistant Captain of Saints

June 18, 2008 By murphyhockey Leave a Comment

Murph Gets Game Puck

They say playing House Hockey over the summer is good fun and about building friendships, I believe this to be true. I however take it just as serious as playing travel hockey. My team “The Saints” has a great Coach, his name is Dominic Luzi. Coach Dominic is a hockey player from Detroit, MI and a BIG Detroit Red Wings fan! Our team did not look real good when we first started but with his coaching, the players are understanding their positions and learning the game of hockey. This is Dominic’s first time coaching a team, I am so excited to be a part of that.

Recently, Coach polled all the players in the locker room and they voted me Assistant Captain. I was so excited driving home, I called my Grandparents and family back in Pennsylvania to share the news. It was one of the biggest highlights for me as a hockey player. I get to wear an “A” on my jersey … what an honor! Just like me, NHL player Pavel Datsyuk is a Center and the Assistant Captain for the Red WIngs. I hope my season is as good as his! I have been using a Reebok Sickick Red “Datsyuk” hockey stick for a few months now. The Saints Captains even wear our jersey letters on the side that the Red Wings wear their letters! Hopefully that luck will lead us to the Championship at the end of the season … like the Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup.

Filed Under: House, NHL Tagged With: Hockey Captain, NHL, Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings, Reebok Sickick Red, Stanley Cup

Murph and Jeremy Roenick

June 11, 2008 By murphyhockey 1 Comment

Murph and Jeremy Roenick

Jeremy Roenick is my favorite NHL player. He is also my hero. This past year he became the third American born player to score 500 goals.

Jeremy is a leader and the hardest working player on the ice. He is a play maker and a scorer.

I wear Roenick’s number 27 on my Saints and Jr. Coyotes teams.

I met Jeremy a few times. I was so happy when he signed with the Sharks last season. My Mom and I watched almost every Sharks game last season.

Jeremy is from Worcester MA. I lived in Worcester before moving to Arizona in 2004.

Filed Under: NHL Tagged With: coyotes, Jeremy Roenick, murph, murphhockey, NHL, patrick murphy, Sharks, Youth Hockey

Travel Hockey Tournament in Dallas

June 5, 2008 By murphyhockey Leave a Comment

Dallas Tournament 2008

Going to Dallas, was the BEST! That tournament was my favorite so far. Being on a travel team, you usually attend a few out of state games. We went to Dallas in January 2008. It was really cold! Our games were held at the Dr. Pepper Star Center. This tournament was so much fun and so organized. We started the MLK weekend off by attending a pin swap ceremony on the ice. Players bring their team pins and trade with other players. It is a chance while skating in warm ups, to meet other players and get to know each other before the tournament begins the next day. I came home with a nice collection of pins.

This tournament was really exciting for me as a Mite, I was playing against my old teammates from the Phoenix Polar Bears . It was great seeing my hockey friends and coaches again, but hard to be playing against them. This game was so much fun! I scored 2 goals and my team the Jr. Panthers won the game. We finished the tournament in second place.

The highlight for me however, was attending a NHL Dallas Stars game. It was OVER the top!! Dallas fans are crazy about hockey. The arena was so LOUD and the way the star drops down and the players come out onto the ice, was so awesome. It was the best NHL experience I have had yet. Nothing beats seeing Marty Turco upclose. I think everyone should experience a Dallas Stars game at least once in their lifetime, I am happy I did.