by Alyssa, Staff Writer – Sports & Entertainment, AllHabs.net
MONTREAL, QC — On September 15th the NHL announced an official lockout, making it the second the league’s seen in just six years. Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price recently stated that “both sides are very stubborn,” when talking about the lockout. This unfortunate situation affects the players, the fans, and the league—not in a good way!
Players lose the opportunity to play the game they love and an upcoming hockey season is taken away from die-hard fans. There is a lot of outrage on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, noticeably from men more than women. The media also has more male hockey analysts and reporters covering the lock-out than women. Does this mean women just don’t care? After doing a quick survey, I discovered that is not the case.
Like men, women love hockey. Not only is it a staple in this city, but for many women it is a passion. So, what will women do, now that there is no hockey to watch? Some say they will read much more into the lock-out, analyzing both sides to the story and supporting their local QMJHL team. Others say they will be watching a lot of AHL games.
Concordia student Sierra D’Agnillo explains its much more than “just hockey.” “I haven’t watched hockey since January, being in Australia and all. I was looking forward to it! I feel less Canadian with it being gone,” she says. Some women say they will flat out boycott.
From a personal standpoint, I’ve been watching hockey for years and I’ll never forget the first lock-out. When the game came back I thought it was here to stay, but I was wrong. The evenings are empty without yelling at Tomas Plekanec or Price through the screen, hoping they will hear you. The streets of downtown Montreal are full of life when hockey is around, as are the restaurants and bars. It gives strangers something to talk about on the subway ride to work or during their morning walk.
Whether you’re a man or woman, the lock-out affects everyone, but let’s not forget the hockey moms and passionate female fans!