Remember hockey? Yeah, I do too! I know many of us Sharks fans are disappointed beyond words about the NHL Lockout, but we are also a resourceful bunch, and will find other things to keep us busy. Here is my list of things you can do to occupy your time when you would normally watch a game:

Read about hockey

The library has it all whether you are a history buff, want to read about your favorite player, or are sharpening your own skills on the ice. One of our newer titles, Hockey’s Greatest Stars: legends and young lions, profiles some of the greatest players in NHL history as well as new hopefuls.

For those new parents who are wondering, “How do I possibly introduce hockey to my child in a meaningful way? Especially if they can’t even stand up to ice-skate?” The library is your source for early literacy through hockey. Christopher Jordan’s My First NHL Series includes Hockey ABC and Hockey Animals.

Go to a hockey game

Support the San Francisco Bulls inaugural season by attending one of their games at the Cow Palace. The Bulls are part of the ECHL and are an official affiliate of our SJ Sharks. They recently traveled to the South Bay to play a game at The Tank and brought in over 12,000 hockey fans. 

Support local hockey

There is still hockey going on!  Check out Sharks Ice where youth and adult leagues are still on the ice. Take lessons, join a team, or even try out one of their drop-in hockey afternoons.  

Support local businesses

Without more than 17,000 fans hitting the streets of downtown San Jose several times a week, many local businesses are feeling the effects of the lockout too. Come downtown and visit your favorite eats, bars, museums and retail stores.

Today playoff season begins for our very own San Jose Sharks. In celebration of what will be their road to Lord Stanley’s Cup, here are some quite interesting facts about hockey, the Sharks, and anything else related. 

• The Stanley Cup is the only professional sports trophy that is passed from team member to team member of the winning team.
• The Montreal Canadiens have won the most Stanley Cup titles… 24!  Their nickname, “Habs” comes from “les habitants” a name given to the first settlers of New France during the 17th Century.
• “Sharks” was actually the runner-up name for the team.  The initial name for the team was going to be the Blades. 
• Coach Todd McLellan tied former NHL coach Mike Keenan with 152 wins in his first three seasons with the Sharks.  McLellan’s former job was as assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings.
• The Junior Sharks 12 U girls hockey team won the first national title for the programbeating the New England Jr. Falcons on April 2nd. 

Let's Go Sharks!

At about 8:15 this morning, the HP Pavilion lost power, delaying game-day practice for the San Jose Sharks and visiting team, Detroit Red Wings. According to a Pavilion spokesperson, the quality of the ice should be okay as long as power to the refrigeration system is restored between 6-8  hours. The game will still start at 7:30pm. 
 
But there is another place where the ice is ready to skate on; San Jose’s Downtown Ice is now open!  Be sure to enjoy some skating on December 4th and 11th where you can skate with our very own Conroy Cougar! He’ll be there from 12-2pm the next two Saturdays. 

Show them your SJPL library card and you’ll receive $2 off 1 ice skating admission. 

And for those interested in seeing how an ice rink is made... take a look!