Golden Medal Hockey

Richard Lautens/Staff Photographer

 

When I speak to my friends about covering Olympic hockey, the usual response is ‘Lucky-that must be awesome’, and frankly it is on one level. 

It is also a huge amount of hours and work to be successful at covering it.

Yesterday I was at the women’s gold medal hockey match.  It is a big deal for my paper and our country.

I thought I would outline a typical day here at the Olympics.

 

My colleague Rick Madonik has a rest on the bus from our hotel around 7:45am to the Main Press Centre.

 

After the bus we head to the Skytrain that is almost deserted at that time as we head down to the arena.

The arena is quiet after we clear security.  It is important to get there so early to grab a good spot for the action.

Photographer André Forget both guards his spot and catches a nap 6 ½ hours before the puck drops.

The game finally begins and now it is a combination of standing on milk crates, shooting shoulder to shoulder and massive panic to send back 10 pictures in the 15 minute break between periods.

 

Of course I send back some action pictures

Goalies always are part of the story

 

Celebrations after a goal

With 10 minutes left in the game, I had to go down and wait in a tunnel for the game to end to be able to go on the ice for some celebration pictures.  My colleague Rick Madonik stayed on the shooting platform to be able to see and shoot the end of the game.

My view of the end of the game.

 

Shoot some of the players celebrations, then hustle to a spot right on the centre line for the traditional team picture at the end.


The captain and her team celebrate

Not as dramatic as many of the pictures, but definitely tells a story.



Finally, after a half hour of furious filing of images, noises came from the empty arena as some of the players came back for their own celebration photos.  Quickly shoot and file some more pictures.

 

By the time we are finished, it took approximately 13 hours to cover the 2 hour game.  I still feel lucky to be there, lucky but tired.

For more pictures of the game, go to http://www.thestar.com/fplarge/photo/771840

Richard Lautens/Toronto Star

Comments

[bouke]

great, great job with both the pics & giving us a glimpse of a typical day in the life of a pro photographer @ the olympics. your pics have been significantly stellar throughout these games - keep up the great work, richard!

[gerard kwiatkowksi]

nice pics is boris spreemo (sic) still alive

[Patti Henderson]

I couldn't agree more. The shots are fantastic and the inside scoop on what it takes to get these shots is appreciated! Great work and I'm looking forward to your post after the closing ceremonies. Thanks for sharing.

[Nik Fiorito]

Best pic of the women's celebration i've seen yet. Great job, I too enjoy learning the behind the scenes stuff; i'll keep learning and maybe we'll rub shoulders some day!