Last week I was in Vancouver to cover the first potential meeting between two danish hockey players in the NHL. Unfortunately one of the guys suffered a pulled groin just days before I left so the odds was against me but I took the trip anyway. The guy didn’t get ready so I only got pictures of one of the guys.

Anyway as I’ve been raving about before the light here in Denmark is horrible so it’s always a nice change to go to an arena where the lights are actually a priority.

Plus when you’re shooting at ice level they have cut out holes to shoot through.

It leave you with clear photos and no blur caused by the glass or anything.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/800sec, ISO800. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

I also got to shoot my first fight… I was actually lucky enough to get a fight each of the two games I covered. I was hoping for it when I was in Manitoba last year where I got none, so this was a nice change of events.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/800sec, ISO800. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Yes indeed. It’s that time of year again. The time where I start flooding the blog with hockey photos for your pleasure. The Mighty Bulls have started their preseason games getting ready for game one of the 2008-2009 season, starting Friday September 12th.

Friday they hosted Troja/Ljungby, a team from the Swedish Allsvenskan division. A pretty intense game ending 2-1.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

This past month I spent three of the four week on vacation, recharging the batteries for the next couple of months which are usually the hardest during the week. The vacation was much needed!

As promised the other day, here’s the slideshows I did for the playoffs.

It’s a mix of danish and english comments so for you non-danish guys, sorry you wont understand it all.

1st round playoffs - Game 3
1st round playoffs - Game 4
1st round playoffs - Game 5
1st round playoffs - Game 6
1st round playoffs - Game 7

I think this photo sums up everything.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/250sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

I’ve made a couple of slideshows throughout the series. I’ll post links to them one of these days…

So the Mighty Bulls lost game 4 and are now down 3-1. I guess everything’s on the line Friday or the season will end way too soon. Here’s a gallery of photos from last night’s game.

As always, click image to launch.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

So three games of the first round of the playoffs is in the bag. Roedovre Mighty Bulls is down 2-1, after getting the first win Sunday. Tonight game 4 is on and I’ll be traveling to Frederikshavn to cover the game. Hopefully Roedovre will take game 4 to equal the standings instead of being down 3 games to 1.

Here’s a shot from Sunday’s game.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

The local hockey team secured the Regular Season Championship, which means a lot less road games as they’ll have the home team advantage throughout the playoffs all the way to the final - if they make it that far. They should though. At least the semi finals anyway.

After a long regular season I can’t explain how much I’m looking forward to the playoffs. I’m sure any other sports photographer who’s been following a team all the way through the season and into the playoffs, know what I’m talking about.

Everything picks up.. The speed, the intensity, the emotions…. And last but not least.. the importance of every game… Hopefully my photography will keep up the pace!

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

If you follow hockey or sports in general you should have heard of at least one nasty blood spill this past weekend, where Richard Zednik of the Florida Panthers got hit in the neck by a skate cutting his artery, leaving a massive trail of blood after him on the way to the box.

The day before that, a referee got the heel of a skate blade in the face, leaving him with a broken nose (I’ve also heard something about jaw fracture) and several stiches needed.

Last night I covered a hockey game with the local team and one of the opposing players took a puck square in the face, fired from the blue line. Three chipped teeth and a cut lip was the result of the encounter with the rubber.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/320sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/320sec, ISO1600. (Photo: Brian Poulsen)

No way a visor would have helped this guy as it struck him in the mouth region, but a mouthpiece would probably have saved his teeth.

Yes yes I know I should probably change the name of the blog to “hockey picture blog” or something. I haven’t really shot anything exciting other than hockey, so here’s another selection of shots. This is from Sunday’s game.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM @ 95mm, f/2.8 1/250sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/320sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/400sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/250sec, ISO1600.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2.8 1/250sec, ISO1600.

It doesn’t happen too often, I get something extraordinary at a hockey game. There are always decent shots but nothing exiting. For the second game in a row I covered I got something with great action in it.

Mighty Bulls forward Christian Larrivée is tripped as he makes a pass.(Photo: Brian Poulsen)
Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/320sec, ISO1600.

Mighty Bulls forward Juha Riihijärvi is tripped as he goes by Totempo defenseman Jesper Duus..(Photo: Brian Poulsen)
Canon EOS-1D Mark II n, EF 300mm f2.8L IS USM @ 300mm, f/2,8 1/4000sec, ISO1600.