OT: Off-Topic, again.

[PredsV82]

Went to our first Fort Wayne Komets game last weekend, it was a blast. Not as much fighting in the minors these days, but still highly entertaining. Paying $60 for our family of four to sit in the lower bowl is also a HUGE plus. Only downside is being an Oilers affiliate, but I guess I should be happy they're not with the Hawks!

The Thunderbolts are in the SPHL which i suppose is a step below the ECHL so no NHL affiliation. There were no fights but I assume that's because it was kids day and they were probably told not to.

The flow at this level is obviously choppy and the passing is pretty bad but still fun to watch.

 

[Adz]

Sitting in an Evansville Thunderbolts game with my 3rd grade daughter and her class and an education day game. Great to see live hockey. They are playing the Peoria Rivermen, who i thought was still and AHL team.

I loved it when the Preds did that;. They really made it educational, too. I'd always told the kids that hockey was a blend of geometry and physics (pool and bowling, too!) and the handouts they gave the kids backed me up.

 

[Legionnaire11]

The Thunderbolts are in the SPHL which i suppose is a step below the ECHL so no NHL affiliation. There were no fights but I assume that's because it was kids day and they were probably told not to.

The flow at this level is obviously choppy and the passing is pretty bad but still fun to watch.

I like the SPHL too, I went to games in Huntsville and Birmingham, Memphis too but that was when they were a different league. Somehow never made it to Knoxville for a game.

I think fighting is just down across all levels of hockey, the leagues don't want to be liable for head injuries and link fighting to them, so refs are instructed to break them up pretty quick if the players aren't immediately out of gloves and throwing punches.

But yeah, there's not really a bad night at the rink at any level of professional hockey, but watching them does give you a great appreciation for what the NHL players do on a daily basis.

 

[adsfan]

Sitting in an Evansville Thunderbolts game with my 3rd grade daughter and her class and an education day game. Great to see live hockey. They are playing the Peoria Rivermen, who i thought was still and AHL team.

It has been about 10 years since the Rivermen were bought by Vancouver from St Louis and moved to Utica.

 

[Predsanddead24]

The ECHL has been making strides to become more of a developmental league versus something out of Slap Shot. A lot of that has been rules to limit fighting (suspension after 10 fights in a season and a game misconduct for any fight immediately after a faceoff are the big ones). I've really only watched the ECHL for ~5 years since I moved to a city with the team but even in that time frame there's been a shift towards skill over goonery.

 

[BigFatCat999]

 

[Adz]

Matt Mitchell is a Southern treasure.