Sportsong of the Week #34

"Good old hockey game"

Stompin' Tom Connors

1973

Sportsong of the Week #34 is played in NHL arenas in all of Canada and America: Stompin' Tom Connors' 'Good old hockey game'. It's not hard to guess what this song is about and it's one thats fits the sportsong category like a goalie's glove!

It was originally written in 1973 by Canadian folksinger Stompin' Tom Connors, as it appeared on Connors' album, fittingly called, Stompin' Tom and the Hockey Song. But it got very popular in 1992 when the Ottawa Senators played it at their game. Pat Burns, then coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, insisted it be played in Toronto as well, and almost all arenas followed!

The verses of the song are split up so that each one describes a period of play in a typical hockey game. In the first verse Connors sings, "Someone roars, Bobby scores!". This was probably done because many popular players in the NHL at the time were named Bobby, namely Bobby Orr, Bobby Clarke, and Bobby Hull. In the last verse Connors sings that it is the last game of the playoffs and the "Stanley Cup is all filled up for the champs that win the drink". He later also sings "The puck is in, the home team wins!". In concert he would sometimes change "home team" to an actual team based on where he was playing. In this live version he sings Canada for instance!

Lyrics 'Good old hockey game' - Stompin' Tom Connors

Hello out there, were on the air

it's hockey night tonight!

The tension grows,

the whistle blows,

and the puck goes down the ice.

The goalie jumps,

and the players bump,

and the fans all go insane.

Someone roars:

"Bobby Scores!"

At the good old hockey game!

(chorus)

Oh!The good old hockey game!

Its the best game you can name!

And the best game you can name,

is the good old hockey game!

Second Period.

Where players dash,

with skates a-flash,

the home team trails behind

.But they grab the puck,

and go bursting up,

and their down across the line.

They storm the crease,

like bumblebees

,and they travel like a burning flame.

We see them slide the puck inside,

its a one- one hockey game!

(chorus)

Oh!The good old hockey game!

Its the best game you can name!

And the best game you can name,

is the good old hockey game!

Third Period.

Last game in the play-offs too.

Oh take me where the hockey players

face off down the rink,

And the Stanley Cup,

is all filled up,

for the champs who win the drink!

Now the final flick,

of a hockey stick,

and a one gigantic scream:

"THE PUCK IS IN! THE HOME TEAM WINS!"

At the good old hockey game

(chours repeat 3 times)

OH!The good old hockey game!

Its the best game you can name!

And the best game you can name,

is the good old hockey game!