| A professional hockey player will achieve | | | | The veterans of hockey teams across the |
| many goals during their career, and if they | | | | United States find it hard to take certain |
| stay in the game long enough, they might even | | | | shortfalls in stride but still manage to play |
| earn several titles that they can look back | | | | the game of hockey every day of the week |
| on with fondness and pride many years after | | | | anyway. A Stanley Cup victory is an elusive |
| they have retired from the sport. One of | | | | dream at this point in the life of a veteran |
| those titles might be as a member of the over | | | | player who has pursued this championship |
| the hill gang, which old timers of hockey | | | | title perhaps several times in their career |
| take in stride and carry with them with pride | | | | and has never experienced the thrill of it. |
| each time they get on the ice for a | | | | |
| professional level game of hockey. | | | | Getting a playoff berth might relieve the |
| | | | ache somewhat that veteran hockey players |
| Some professional hockey players take this | | | | feel but that pursuit is what makes playing |
| title very seriously because they have spent | | | | hockey so thrilling. The pursuit of forming a |
| a number of years perfecting their game and | | | | championship team will also take players to |
| enjoy being admired and respected by team | | | | the point where most of the tension in a |
| players and the fans. The fans are what | | | | hockey game would escalate to sheer agony if |
| motivate them to play the best games of | | | | the team failed week after week to make the |
| hockey in their life, because the number of | | | | goals and assists that are needed to reach |
| games left to play might be very limited. | | | | that championship status. The use of veterans |
| When veteran hockey players take to the ice, | | | | during the training phases of each hockey |
| they take with them an air of confidence and | | | | season might be the smartest decision a |
| a grain of wisdom that many players will not | | | | hockey coach could make all year. |
| possess. | | | | |
| | | | A veteran hockey player will take setbacks in |
| Some hockey players might spend their entire | | | | stride and try to convey to hockey players in |
| life with skates on their feet and their | | | | their rookie year, just how important |
| parents might swear that they were born with | | | | teamwork each during each game. One player on |
| them. Most hockey players must get accustomed | | | | the team might have an extraordinary game and |
| to the bulky gear that comprises the team | | | | achieve more goals and assists than anyone |
| uniform because it can be quite cumbersome | | | | else on the team. If those goals are counted |
| when they are moving at fast speeds on the | | | | on their own merit, they will not usually be |
| ice. After a time though, the hockey player | | | | enough to qualify a win for the team, and the |
| will take that additional weight of the | | | | pursuit of the Stanley Cup could very well |
| uniform in stride. | | | | end when only a few games of hockey are |
| | | | played. |