"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
snip
Not me. I watched for good skating, passing and shooting, whether a
slam or finessed with passing. Hard checking and boarding has always
been a part of hockey, and never bothered real hockey players.
Once the gloves came off I was bored, because hockey players fighting
is no more fun to watch than a baseball diamond pile-up.
Sometime in the '70's the fighting was encouraged by official neglect,
and outside of Gretzky the game went to hell.
Might be wrong, because when the "fighters" became the stars I quit
watching.

snip....


I'd like to see the ice surface expanded to International size. That should
help the skating finess part of the game.
After all , the players are much bigger & faster than the old timers...why
not more room for the talented to show their stuff.
A big surface would certainly help Montreal in the current series with
gritty Boston bruins, who seem to be able to block and dog the usually
faster Canadien players.