Slap Shots
It’s been about 5 years since I shot my last pro hockey game, back down in Tampa. It was always freezing walking into the arena from the heat. You’d always have to bring extra layers and take a little bit of time to acclimate.
That’s not the case in the middle of winter in Boston. Walking into the Garden, with snowbanks piled up high and temps hovering near freezing, it feels downright balmy indoors.
But quips about weather aside, here’s some shots from yesterday’s Bruins game as they took on the surging San Jose Sharks. Things didn’t go so well for the Bruins, nor for me, as a matter of fact — 5 years off from pro hockey has left me more than rusty at a sport I’ve never been particularly adept at photographing.
Oh well. Here are some frames I was lucky enough to stumble into. My frustrations aside, I’ll admit, it was pretty fun to get back to shooting hockey, through the little hole in the glass and to track the action. Practice makes perfect, I guess!

Boston, Mass. -- Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara fights of San Jose defenseman Niclas Wallin, right, in the corner on Feb. 5, 2011. The Sharks won, 2-0.

Boston, Mass. -- Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid gets taken off his feet by San Jose forward Joe Thornton on Feb. 5, 2011. The Shaks won, 2-0.

Boston, Mass. -- Bruins forward Tyler Seguin gets muscled off the puck by San Jose defenseman Niclas Wallin on Feb. 5, 2011. The Sharks won, 2-0.