Blue Zone Hockey [without playing cards]

'Blue Zone Hockey' is the third in our 5/6 System range of replay simulations, the others being 'The Beautiful Game' (soccer) and 'Rugby World'(Rugby Union), both available from www.owzatgames.com. It is also, incidentally, our first foray into the realms of North American sports, so it is with some trepidation that we launch this latest project, with phrases like 'bearding the lion in his own den'carrying coals to Newcastle' and, perhaps more appropriately, 'trying to sell ice to the Eskimos' springing to mind. But anyhow, despite what our great leaders tell us to the contrary (starting wars in other people's countries obviously excepted) life has to have some element of risk, so here goes.

This is a case of the title saying it all. 'Blue Zone Hockey' concerns itself only with the action in and around the net, strictly blue zone only. We wanted a quick-playing simulation - you already have some great detailed hockey sims out there in the lions' den - but we also wanted to capture at least a little of the excitement of top-grade ice hockey so we have adapted the 5/6 System to produce a game that takes only 6-8 minutes to play an entire match but one which also provides some blue zone commentary, covers such aspects as sin-binning, Power Play, Short-Handed play, injuries, Overtime and Empty Net situations as well as suggesting ways to identify goal-scorers and assists and even goal times if you want that detail.

What we don't provide are team and player details, you will need to do that for yourself. We have no intention of getting involved with the US/Canadian laws relating o the use of such information which, in this country thankfully, would be regarded as being 'in the Public Domain' and therefore not subject to the payment of Royalties. And long may it remain that way. We do explain, however, how you might go about all that.