Box Off-ICE Hits

Over the years hockey has had a flare for the dramatic. But making a quality hockey movie takes impressive action shots, which are not always easy to come by. That is why there have been very few hockey movies that are worth noting. With that said it was still hard to break it down to the three best. Here we go the best movies of all time for the coolest, fastest sport out there…

3. Mystery, Alaska
The setting is a small town in Alaska who lives, breaths and eats hockey. Only the best of the town played for the team. Team captain and town sheriff, Russell Crowe leads Mystery on the ice against the opposition as well as winter’s vicious bite. After Sports Illustrated comes to Mystery to write a human interest piece the team ends up getting the opportunity to play the NHL’s New York Rangers as a publicity stunt. The town and team rally together to welcome the NHL’s best. In the biggest day of their lives Mystery pushes the Rangers to the brink. It is a really fun movie that shows some of the hockey culture that the average person isn’t able to see.

Quote: “Look, I play hockey and I fornicate, because those are the two best things to do when it’s cold outside.” Skank Marden

2. Miracle
Unarguably the best moment in sports history was when the 1980 United States Olympic team shocked the world when they defeated the Soviet Union in the Medal Round of the Winter Olympics. “Miracle” is the movie that follows the ragity bunch of college kids who are united under the tyrannical yet inspiring coach Herb Brooks. He taught them to believe in themselves and he changed the way that the US played hockey and it was the team who taught the world to change the way they think. This movie captures the drama of the time period as they show the escalation of the Cold War and the despair that accompanied it. It showed how thirsty the country was for a victory, a sliver of hope. Unlike other sports movies when they teach actors how to play the sport, “Miracle” took hockey players who could act. This made the action shots very realistic. The climax of the movie is Herb Brooks’ speech before the game. It sends chills up my spine every time I watch it. The movie ends with one of the most memorable calls in sports history, the call by Al Michaels, “Do you believe in MIRACLES?! YES!”

Quote:
Eruzione: “Mike Eruzion, Winthrop, Massachusetts.”

Brooks: “Who do you play for?”

Eruzione: “I play for, the United States of America!”


1. Slapshot
If you have ever made of hockey with the cliché, “I went to a fight and a game broke out” it is probably Slapshot that you are referencing. The ultimate hockey movie features hockey, girls, fights and comedy. The Chiefs are a two bit minor league hockey team in desperate need of a winning season. Head coach and captain Reggie Dunlop leads the Chiefs to a great season behind the Hanson brothers. The triplet terrors physically dominated every opponent and became the face of the movie. In the Federal League championship game the Chiefs had to take on the murderer’s row of the Syracuse Bulldogs including Dr. Hook and Ogie Oglethorpe. The team wins because of some unorthodox means that will never be forgotten. You can’t mess with slapshot.

Quote: No quotes available that satisfy FCC regulations.

TRIBUTE TO THE GODS: The Mighty Ducks
You have to love the fun the Ducks have. As they always face the same predicament and then come to the idea that hockey should be FUN and then of course win.

Quote: “QUACK, QUACK, QUACK---GO DUCKS!”