I always try to find the game deciding or game changing moment when I shoot sports. Usually that means the game winning goal. If I don’t get that, reactions are always a secondary option.

Earlier this week the local hockey team was playing a game against the neighboring team and after two periods we were down 1-2. Two really bad periods. It’s hard not to let the flow of the game affect my photos for some reason. A high energy game with hits all over the ice and great goals is always a motivator for me and great shots are usually in the bank automatically.

I almost called it the night after those two periods. I got some decent shots, but nothing spectacular. I shoot from different locations throughout a game to get different type of shots, but I walked to ice level to shoot from between the player benches for the third period. Turned out to be a good decision.

About four minutes into the third period Roedovre tied the score at 2-2 and instantly after the goal Michael Smidt who scored the tying goal was crosschecked in the face, giving a five minute major. Two goals were scored during those five minutes and Roedore ended up scoring six goals in the period winning the game 7-2.

Michael Smidt of Roedovre Mighty Bulls gets crosschecked to the face just moments after scoring the game tying goal. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)
Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/320sec, ISO1600.

Thursday December 6th I went to Winnipeg, Manitoba to cover two hockey games in two nights. I would be gone from Thursday and arrive back in Copenhagen on Monday the 10th. A pretty rough trip. But hey, I’m a hockey freak so I was just excited to go.

No I didn’t just spend some 11 hours in flight and some five hours in airport to cover two random hockey games. Manitoba Moose and the opponent Houston Aeros each have a danish hockey player on their team. More specific, they are both local boys, playing against each other for the first time ever.

Danes Jannik Hansen (white #17) and Morten Madsen in action against each other for the first time ever. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)
Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/640sec, ISO1000.

I arrived in Winnipeg some 12 hours late due to mechanical problems with the first plane, forcing me to spend the night in Chicago instead of going straight to Winnipeg. Walking out of the airport in Winnipeg I took a deep breath thinking ‘yay I’m finally here’, but my lungs were quick to remind me what an idiot I was and that I had completely forgotten the -20 degrees that I just walked into. From now on I’ll think twice before complaining about the danish weather which is usually around freezing point during the winter with the occasional 10 degree drop now and then.

It was so cold in Winnipeg I got a fucking nose bleed from it! We’re not talking the kind of nose bleed you get from taking one to the face. Instead of a yellow substance coming out when I wiped my nose, it was red. Nasty!

Enough about the cold weather.

Walking into the MTS Centre where the Manitoba Moose play, was wonderful. The bright 15000 capacity arena was quite a difference from the 3500 capacity dungeon I usually shoot hockey in back home. To add to the wonderful conditions, I also got to shoot from the catwalk under the rafters. I’ve always wanted shots from a place like that. Be it remotes or whatever. There’s no such thing as a catwalk in the arenas in Denmark. The arenas are simply too small to have one! Damn what a disappointment it’ll be the next time I have to shoot hockey in Denmark again.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/1000sec, ISO1000. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM @ 108mm, f/2,8 1/1000sec, ISO1000. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM @ 108mm, f/2,8 1/500sec, ISO800. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM @ 200mm, f/2,8 1/1000sec, ISO1000. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)