Hockey Word Association 1.17

Now that the 2006-07 NHL season is over, and Lord Stanley's cup is bound for the Left Coast, we'll bring a close to these word-association drills.

So, until September, feel free to keep your mind sharp with these offerings:

1.) Anaheim Ducks =
2.) Scott Niedermayer =
3.) Ottawa Senators =
4.) Teemu Selanne =
5.) Training camp =

And, as always, thanks for playing.

Hockey Word Association 1.16

With the Anaheim Ducks out to a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators in the Stanley Cup finals, we could be facing only two more games this season, Oh, the horror!

Rather than crumbling into a ball of howling, hockey-mad blather, why not divert your attention and play along:

1.) Hershey Bears =
2.) Travis Moen =
3.) Panic =
4.) Mike Sullivan =
5.) Undisciplined =

Hockey Word Association 1.15

Here we are, down to the final two teams playing for Lord Stanley's Cup. It's too bad, though, that we must wait until Monday for Game 1.

In my bid to provide superior customer service, feel free to engage in the following exercise to help bide your time:

1.) Home-ice advantage =
2.) Jean-Sebastien Giguere =
3.) Superstitions =
4.) Daniel Alfredsson =
5.) Next coach fired =

Hockey Word Association 1.14

First off, please accept my most sincere apologies for forgetting last week's installment. Secondly, feel free to pick up where we left off two weeks ago:

1.) Desperation =
2.) Ryan Miller =
3.) Five on threes =
4.) Chris Pronger =
5.) Choke artists =

Hockey Word Association 1.13

What? No takers on last week's installment. I certainly hope it's because your attention has been captured by the playoffs. If not, there's only one way to make amends:

1.) Best-of-three =
2.) Shane Doan =
3.) Hart Trophy =
4.) Jay Pandolfo =
5.) Playoff beards =

Hockey Word Association 1.12

The randomness of blogging and the ability to set into print one's most immediate thought brings a sense of adventure to my otherwise mostly-sunny-with-a-high-near-85 days.

With that approach in mind, feel free to play along with these offerings:

1.) Scary good =
2.) Scott Mellanby =
3.) Tired goalie =
4.) Tom Renney =
5.) Diver =

Hockey Word Association 1.11

It's gut-check time in the playoffs, with some teams on the brink of advancing to the next round. The Rangers, my early season pick to win the Eastern Conference, swept the Thrashers.

With wins tonight, Ottawa, Anaheim and Vancouver can all advance to their conference semifinals.

Until then, though, jot down the first word or phrase that pops into your mind for the following suggestions:

1.) Sweep =
2.) Chris Drury =
3.) Litterbugs =
4.) Doug MacLean =
5.) Sin bin =

Hockey Word Association 1.10

Here we are, at my favorite time of the year -- the opening rounds of the NHL playoffs. If your favorite team has made it, this is what it's all about. If your team didn't make it, well, then, there's always baseball.

Either way, here are this week's words:

1.) Upper-body injury =
2.) The Sedin twins =
3.) Afternoon naps =
4.) Sudden-death overtime =
5.) Jonathan Cheechoo =

Hockey Word Association 1.9

Is it Thursday already? Wow! Where does all the time go?

1.) 50 goals =
2.) Claude Julien =
3.) Presidents' Trophy =
4.) One and done =
5.) Alex Kovalev =

Hockey Word Association 1.8

As we roll toward the end of the 2006-07 regular season, see if you can detect a theme:

1.) Late-season call-ups =
2.) Martin Biron =
3.) Spoiler =
4.) Biggest flop =
5.) John Tortorella =

Hockey Word Association 1.7

With a trip to Tampa to hound the Devils less than eight hours away, this week's exercise, in the interest of time, will have a New Jersey flavor:

1.) Lou Lamoriello =
2.) Red, green and white =
3.) Kansas City Scouts =
4.) Martin Brodeur =
5.) Elizabethtown =

Hockey Word Association 1.6

Are we having fun yet? If not, play along:

1.) Mike Modano =
2.) Detroit Red Wings =
3.) Fading fast =
4.) Chris Simon =
5.) TV timeouts =

Hockey Word Association 1.5

You should know the drill by now.

If you don't, track down you're fifth-grade English teacher -- the one with the blue hair and the aqua horned-rim glasses -- and ask her for help:

1.) Blocked shots =
2.) Vinny Lecavalier =
3.) Playoff beards =
4.) Roberto Luongo
5.) Golfing in April =

Hockey Word Association 1.4

In light of the recent trade deadline day, this week's words will follow in that theme:

1.) Fire sale =
2.) Todd Bertuzzi =
3.) Adding depth =
4.) Ryan Smyth =
5.) Biggest winner =

Hockey Word Association 1.3

I know it's late. I know I'm weary. And I hope your plans don't include me.

If they do, though, here are this week's suggestions:

1.) Cross-ice pass =
2.) Peter Forsberg =
3.) Road trip =
4.) Breakaway =
5.) Jordan Staal =

Hockey Word Association 1.2

Sorry for the delay, but I've been busy being a Daddy today.

Here are this week's suggestions:

1.) No-touch icing =
2.) Wayne Gretzky =
3.) Bring it on =
4.) Momma's Boy =
5.) Brett Hull =

Hockey Word Association 1.1

You know the drill. If you don't, get that thumb out of your mouth and jot down the first word or phrase that pops into your mind for the following:

1.) Goalie masks =
2.) Penalty shots =
3.) $7.50 beers =
4.) Boston Bruins =
5.) Hotel security =

Hockey Word Association 1.0

Because I get bored easily (too easily, probably), I've always been a fan of mental exercises. During these idle moments, I'll run numbers through my head or I'll rewrite song lyrics or I'll play connect the dots with items within my surroundings.

Hell, I even came up what I believe to be the world's shortest, though sophomoric, logical argument (I know there's a word for this, but it escapes me now) during a drive along New Hampshire's Rye Beach at low tide one afternoon:

Fish poop.
Poop stinks.
Fish poop stinks.

Most times, though, I resort to word associations. You know? Someone says a word or phrase and, provided you're not too busy or zoned out on Lord knows what, you provide the first word that comes to your mind. Pretty simple, eh?

Please know, too, that I don't expect answers in comments. Just jot your answers down (using, of course, a fresh blue Sharpie) on a scrap of paper, the palm of a hand (doesn't have to be yours) or some freshly painted wall.

Let's give it a try (my responses; no copying):

1.) Gary Bettman = (Who's kidding who?)
2.) Nashville Predators = (Take 'em seriously)
3.) Composite sticks = (Too brittle for the bucks)
4.) Hockey blogs = (very few like mine)
5.) Kick saves = (are always beauties)