HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE: NEW YORK CITY

Where to Eat, Drink & Play the Only Game That Matters

If the genre of hockey tourism has not received much attention, it’s because Evan Gubernick has just invented it with this guide, the first in a new series: HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE: NEW YORK CITY [The Countryman Press; on sale March 13, 2018; $14.95; Paperback].

Packed with everything you need to immerse yourself in New York City’s unique hockey culture, HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE is a must-read for local fans, beer-league devotees, youth hockey-obsessed families, and visitors alike.  Find out:

• Where to show up for the best pickup games, and where to grab a beer after the game
• How to get your skates sharpened at the tiny fifth-floor shop only the locals know
• How to find outdoor rinks that aren’t crowded with tourists holding hands
• Where to cheer on the Rangers, the Devils, and the Islanders (and even the women’s team that plays out in New Jersey, the Metropolitan Riveters!)
• Where hockey fans hang out off the ice, from sneaker boutiques to bike shops to beer gardens
• Where to root for non-New York teams among fellow transplanted fans — including the one place in New York City where it’s acceptable to cheer for Boston

Organized around major hockey hubs like Madison Square Garden, the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, and the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, this guide offers deeply opinionated recommendations on where to eat, drink, sleep, and shop like a New York City hockey fan.

Stay at the urban dude ranch run by a retired hockey pro, buy hard-to-find jerseys from the best vintage shop in town, and grab a King Henrik coctail at the Tribeca bar co-owned by Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist.  Eat at the Italian restaurant recommended by the Zamboni driver from Madison Square Garden, or the Chinatown noodle shop where the NYU hockey team refuels late at night.

This is a take-along guidebook that will be pored over, referenced, and most importantly, fiercely debated in locker rooms across the city.

EVAN GUBERNICK is the founder of Snipetown NYC, a magazine devoted to the hockey subculture of New York City, and creative director of 485 Creative.  He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

1999. The year of the cyber athlete.

EA Sports’ eighth installment in the NHL series of video games. Released in North America on the Sony Playstation, and Microsoft Windows on September 30, 1998 and for the Nintendo 64 on October 1, 1998, NHL 99 was the only EA Sports-made hockey game to appear on the N64 console.

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Tonight (or tomorrow depending on your time zone) will mark a massive milestone in hockey broadcast history. This will be the debut of Roger’s version of Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC), a sports media staple since November 1931, that broadcasted on the Canadian National Railway radio network. Later of course it would shift to the CRBC, and to television on the CBC.

While the program will continue to air on the CBC, and still feature Ron and Don in Coach’s Corner, it will reset a precedence of hockey-mad Canadians and internet savvy international fans (and some of you US residents on the border).

While I have to work through the early game, and some of the late game (which I will be DVR’ing as it features a nice matchup of the Canucks and Oilers), this will be a first impression for HNIC.

For those watching, note your take on this. Whether predictions or criticisms (positive and negative) of how Roger’s presents this cultural Canadian media phenomenon. Generations of Canadians have spent countless hours enjoying hockey with the CBC. We are upon the doorstep of a new era.

What do you think?

12 Player NHL Collision Physics

For the first time in any sports game, real-world physics affects every player through every on-ice collision with the new 12 Player NHL ® Collision Physics. Utilizing the power of the next generation consoles, and building off the critically-acclaimed NHL Collision Physics system, every player on the ice is governed by physics at all times. Feel the hard-hitting chaos of NHL hockey through true-to-life secondary collisions, net scrambles and player pileups, capturing the desperation of every shift.

Real Puck Physics

The puck is one of the most complex items in the game to authentically replicate and it finally gets its due in NHL 15. Completely rebuilt puck physics result in a more realistic feel to every puck interaction. Everything on the ice, including the ice surface itself, is live which leads to the unpredictable and authentic puck spins, rolls and bounces seen in a real NHL game.

Authentic Player & Equipment Models

The Next Generation Hockey Player has been rebuilt from the ice up. Now player models have three distinct layers – the body, equipment, and jersey. Each layer interacts independently, making every contact with the puck or other players even more realistic. Dynamic Cloth technology adds an extra layer of realism as it reacts to the player’s movement as they explode up the ice, helping bring the speed of the game to life.

Unprecedented Player Likeness

Powered by the same technology that brought the most realistic representation of the athlete to EA SPORTS UFC, NHL 15 delivers groundbreaking player likeness, emotion and animation. From the strides a player takes to get up the ice to the emotion on their face after scoring a game winning goal, the players are as real as they’ve ever been.

Superstar Skill Stick

Now all the tools of an NHL superstar are in your hands. The revolutionary Skill Stick has evolved to give even more control to the player. Protect the puck, receive passes without breaking stride, and discover an arsenal of sweet new dekes, all with an intuitive right stick control scheme that is easy to use but packed with depth.

Authentic Arenas

There is no feeling like being there, and we are giving you the best seats in the house. The power of the next-gen consoles finally allows the NHL franchise to capture every detail of an NHL arena. Unique arena elements from 19,000+ seat capacities to lighting and player entrance tunnels are captured with a level of detail not possible on the previous generation. Now those home games will truly feel like home.

New Commentary Team

New voices for a new generation. NHL 15 welcomes the NBC Sports commentary team of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Eddie Olczyk to the broadcast booth. TSN analyst Ray Ferraro will provide game insights at ice level. Combined with Real Life Broadcast Integration that will feature real-world pre-game video commentary with Doc and Eddie set against in-game visuals, NHL 15 takes a revolutionary step forward in sports videogames; where the lines between the real world of sport broadcast and the game are blurred.

NBC Sports Game Day Presentation

The most realistic broadcast package in a video game to-date is possible because of a new partnership with NBC Sports. Set the scene with the NHL on NBC crew welcoming you to the city during the game intros and immerse yourself in an experience that matches what you see on television with NHL on NBC graphics and branding.

Living Crowds

NHL 15 sets a new standard in videogames with over 9,000 individual crowd models with 4x the animations of previous generations. Take a look through the glass and you’ll see fans hold up signs with your name on them, costume wearing superfans, or even sections full of team rivals rooting against you. Feel their behavior change after dropping the gloves, landing a big hit, or scoring a clutch goal. The crowd is alive.

Vision AI

An elevated level of player intelligence, Vision AI features evolved awareness with players reading and reacting to potential plays. Scoring area recognition, pass anticipation, and enhanced team breakouts all improve the flow of the game.

EA SPORTS NHL 15 will be available this fall with the preceeding features on Xbox One and Playstation 4.  Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions will also be available.   Pre-order now!

EA SPORTS NHL 14 is partnering up with the NHL and the NHLPA with the common goal of driving awareness to the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative.

NHL 14 will be doing its part by integrating a Hockey Fights Cancer collection into the Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) game mode. Exclusively throughout the month of October, gamers will have the opportunity to show their support by collecting rare Hockey Fights Cancer player items in HUT.

Most importantly, EA SPORTS NHL 14 will be donating $10,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer cause.

Player items featured:

• James van Riemsdyk – Toronto Maple Leafs
• Steve Ott – Buffalo Sabres
• Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
• Erik Condra – Ottawa Senators
• Erik Gudbranson – Florida Panthers
• Justin Abdelkader – Detroit Red Wings
• Patrice Bergeron – Boston Bruins
• Dion Phaneuf – Toronto Maple Leafs
• Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens

HUT in NHL 14 invites gamers to build their own on-ice fantasy squad from a stable of international players and superstars before putting their teams to the test against others online. Teams grow and improve as gamers find and collect their favorite stars and enlist them for in-game action.

For more information on EA SPORTS NHL 14 Fights Cancer, CLICK HERE. For more information on the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, CLICK HERE.

Returning Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) 13 users who create a team in HUT 14 will be eligible for a one-time bonus of up to 150,000 EA Pucks in NHL 14. Learn how your EA Puck Bonus will be calculated.

NHL 14 is now available in stores, only on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Order your copy today.

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