Hockey Day in Canada 2009

The hockey equivalent of Christmas has to be Hockey Day in Canada.

Ever since I subscribed to the Center Ice package years ago, I've been treated to coverage of this annual Canadian event. Starting with a quiet setting from a remote, snow-covered, scenic part of the country, CBC builds from a near solemn beginning to small town celebrations across the country. With footage from outdoor rinks and tiny indoor arenas, thousands of people appear on air to joyfully combine their national pride with their love of the chilly sport.

This year, Hockey Day was headquartered from Campbellton, New Brunswick, with satellites in Toronto, Windsor, Carlyle, SK, Cold Lake, AB and Plaster Rock, NB. A lot of the day's coverage is spent exploring the towns, interviewing local teams, and showing games from the regional rinks. There are many interviews of young and old players and plenty of personal interest stories on how a game with sticks, a rubber puck, and ice can somehow bring communities together and be inspiration to deal with and overcome sickness and other remarkable sources of suffering.

Typically, as was the case this year, three games help fill the day with each of the six Canadian squads facing off against each other. It is odd, however, as the games seem almost secondary to the celebrations occurring nationwide. Every year, CBC manages to extract the most, and the best, out of its country's sporting heritage and puts on a fun day of television.