Happy New Skating Year 
Do hockey peeps worry about blood? I dunno, seen some horrible youtube's and late night TV of Hockey matches and assumed would be used to it! I also just watched Goon 2 which has made me feel the need to go watch a Live hockey match. They are not really allowed to bash each other up are they ? lol
You need to distinguish between non contact rec hockey, where checking and intentional contact is not allowed, and league hockey where contact is part of the game. When I fell over while tackling a huge chap, I carried on using my stick to control the puck, but he stopped, looked down and asked “Are you alright Sir?” On another occasion I was skating slowly, when an opponent at full speed went straight into me, sending me flying. After the game he looked very sheepish. I think he thought he’d killed “the old chap”.
Generally we make sure someone is okay and play often stops until we are sure.
Sadly fighting is part of the professional game. I’m sure some people go to watch the fights. I used to love the fights when I lived in Montreal 25 years ago, but today I find they spoil the game. Apparently many pro players also hate the fighting, and dread having to get involved, in part because of the risk of serious injury but also because they are not thugs. The authorities are supposed to be cracking down on it. And of course there is aggression. Some of the tackles are very scary.
Blood does sometimes appear unexpectedly. One player nearly lost his life when a skate accidentally cut his throat open. You can see in the match video blood spurt out as he skates to the exit. And given that a slap shot can propel a puck at over 100mph, puck related injuries are not that rare.
If you want to see a good game, watch the women’s ice hockey final in Sochi 2014, an absolutely cracking game with the most exciting and nail biting finish I’ve ever seen. And no fighting.
I saw the Goon film and loved it!
