It was a dark, cold, and lonely night in mid February of 2005.  I was bored, confused and desperately in need of some Hockey highlights.  I turned on my TV and scoured the networks.Nothing.  I started to panic, but I didn't want to loose my cool.  See I had a bad day at work and when you have a bad day at work you want to escape.  You want a release.  For me that's hockey.

Alas, I searched and searched through one hundred and fifty-two channels but came up short.  There were no hockey highlights to be seen.  A tinkle of sweat cascaded down my forehead.  Could this be true, or is this all just a very bad nightmare?  Just then I remembered the Hockey strike is on.

I became frustrated and agitated, because I needed something.  I put my EA Sports NHL 2005 in my XBOX (shameless plug, but hey) and began to play. A sense of calm came over me.  I had peace.  Although it was a mere knock-off of what I had truly been searching for, I made do.  That peace turned to pain as my thumbs were getting numb after three games.  I was upset.  This still isn't right...Then something hit me like a dear on a highway..

HOW HAS THE HOCKEY STRIKE AFFECTED OUR LIVES!!!  I raced to my computer and poured my heart out.  What if hockey would never come back?  What
would our lives be like?  How is this affecting the psyche of man?  I really felt I was onto something.  I mean, if we took this to parliament, maybe they could to a psychological study on men in Canada, and try to figure out how the absence of hockey has made men feel detached from society.  Heck, when I'm at work, I can't waist the first fifteen minutes by checking the hockey pools anymore.  More importantly, I can't harass my cousin in Toronto about his hockey team. THIS WAS SERIOUS!

So, I formulated a short film about the possibilities without the game
of hockey and its future.  What would happen to us?  What would we do?  HOW
COME WE HAVE SO MUCH TIME ON OUR HANDS?

Puck This is merely a warning system.  A look into the future if we don't get hockey back.  I, for one, am nervous!

Rick Alyea
April 2, 2005