How hockey season can help you score in Vancouver’s dating game

What do you think about when you hear the words NHL and dating?

No, I’m not talking about suited-up hockey players hanging out at the back of the Roxy with a beer in one hand and a blonde in the other.

Consider, for a moment, that hockey season might be the best wingman you’ll ever have.

Before you scoff, or say how much you hate sports and can’t be bothered to watch a single game, the folks at Vancouver’s Executive Search Dating have some tips that could work for you.

Their “NHL Hockey Season Dating Guidebook” is based on a simple premise: Canucks hockey is life for many people in Vancouver and catching a game is guaranteed to give you 82 designated pickup nights in what can be a stretch of cold, gloomy, and lonely fall and winter months in the city.

Here’s the loosely termed guidebook:

”¢ It’s not about the game: don’t let your limited knowledge or enthusiasm for hockey deter you”¦ being there IS the game. A little cheering, complete with beer and appetizers, can be fun AND a great way to connect with fellow singles, hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike.

”¢ Season tickets NOT required: although watching a hockey game live can be fun, it can also get expensive. Also, a large 20 thousand person arena full of rabid hockey fans is actually NOT a great place to mingle and meet new people. Instead, try any one of the many sports lounges and pubs around the city”¦ besides the more relaxed atmosphere, the hockey fans tend to be a little bit less focussed on the game and therefore more open to chatting.

”¢ Knowledge is power: no, you don’t need to be Don Cherry (or even Ron MacLean), but arming yourself beforehand with a little hockey knowledge (such as key players to watch, basic statistics, etc.) can do two things: it will enhance your enjoyment of the game, and give you a couple of natural conversation starters should you meet someone new.

”¢ The gift that keeps on giving: unlike the NFL football season, where most games take place on weekend afternoons, the NHL hockey season offers 82 evening opportunities to watch your home team live on TV. Away games, which often start at 4:30pm local time, can be a great ”˜after work drinks’ opportunity; whereas home games offer 2 benefits: the 7pm local start time fits in well for an evening out, plus you get the added benefit of 20 thousand (hopefully victorious) Canucks fans streaming into the cities hot spots once the game is over.

”¢ Take the first shot: waiting for someone to approach you and say ”˜hi’ can be a frustrating way to meet people in any city, particularly in Vancouver where singles are often a bit reluctant to approach new people. Try the following can’t miss approach line this hockey season: ”˜Hi, are you enjoying the game?’

So, what should Vancouver singles who’ve never watched a game but still want in on the action do?

Just pick a night and go. As the guidebook says, it’s not about the game. Even with limited hockey knowledge, you can still grab a beer and cheer along with the rest of the crowd.

But word to the wise: don’t ask inane questions during the game, and remember that you haven’t fooled anyone with your over-the-top cheering. We know you’re not a fan, and that’s okay. Just sit there, look pretty, and feel free to flirt to your single heart’s content—during intermission.

Taking in a hockey game at the pub will also be a kinder hit to the wallet than tickets to the game—not to mention the fact that the 20,000 screaming hockey fans at the arena are not really going to be paying much attention to you while the game is going on.

Of course, if you happened to have tickets, it’s certainly not going to hurt your efforts to secure a first date with that cute fan you met the night before while watching a game on screen.

Whether you never miss a game, consider yourself a casual fan, or are just figuring out that the Swedish touch in hockey has nothing to do with a massage, this season might help you land your very first hat trick in Vancouver’s often lacklustre dating scene.