Fans and ‘newbies' alike will love our ice hockey category of the Tripbase Awards. The awards were given - after days of deliberation by our team of judges- to the blogs which demonstrated the crazy infatuation felt by so many ice hockey enthusiasts.

You immediately think of Canada when you hear somebody say ‘ice hockey'. The sport, in which players hit a puck across some ice using curved sticks, is quite violent and is generally played in a modern stadium. Its roots are far more primitive, however, and date back to the Middle Ages when the Dutch played the game of colf (not golf) on icy areas. The first mention of the word ‘hockey' appeared in England in 1799.

The sport is full-contact and injuries are common. The official line on fights within the game is that they are banned, but they are unofficially condoned in North American ice hockey as they are a considerable draw for the public. The sport is shrouded in traditions, including the "enforcers" (also known as the "goons" or the "tough guys") who are expected to respond with violence and aggression if one of their own players, especially a star player or goalie, is attacked or tackled badly.

The blogs we chose to represent the sport of ice hockey weren't just chosen for their information. Of course, their accuracy is vitally important, but we were also impressed by the raw passion that these bloggers have for the sport. The sport has many devotees around the world, not just in North America.