Nova Scotia hockey players' shinny game caught on video

Nova Scotia's hockey heroes don't take summers off.

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon, Boston Bruins' Brad Marchand and Philadelphia Flyers' Andrew MacDonald train and play shinny at local rinks, and independent sports reporter John Moore has been invited there to watch it.

"It's sunny and hot outside, and yet these NHLers are going in, and they have an hour and a half of ice — and it's not simply to skate," he said.

"The intensity just, just leaps off the ice at you. They're competitive, and it doesn't matter whether it's an NHL game in overtime in Pittsburgh or if it's a shinny game."

Practices caught on video

The long-time journalist runs the hockey news site Sports and Moore, and has announced Halifax Mooseheads games for almost two decades. Those years of working the beat have given him exclusive access to players that can bring thousands out to Stanley Cup parades.

He mostly recently filmed a practice held at the BMO Centre in Bedford last week. The footage, with no commentary, is far from the media coverage the men try to avoid in the off-season, particularly questions about their personal lives.

"I've covered them from a very early age, and they trust me," Moore said. 

"They know my work, and they have a relationship with me, therefore, they're willing to let me in."

'Want to win'

That relationship dates back to Moore's covering Crosby as a young player for the Rimouski Océanic in Rimouski, Que.

On the ice, the players are competitive, but also friends, Moore said.

"They want to win, and it's pretty evident that they all have that competitive fire," he said.

Marchand 'as fiery as ever'

Sometimes that breaks into "a little push and shove in the corner," Moore said, often involving Brad Marchand, a player known for on-ice scuffles.

"Brad is as fiery as ever, and he competes hard," Moore said.

"But there's no, certainly, hard feelings. They enjoy getting together — really, they've become friends even though they play for various teams, and they're rivals in many ways."

'Fit together'

Moore said Marchand works particularly well with Crosby, causing him to speculate whether the duo might make a good pair for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.

"Sometimes players seem to fit together, and certainly on that given day, they could do no wrong. They were dominating," he said.

'Where they grew up'

Crosby and MacKinnon have a close friendship, as well, Moore said.

Overall, the practices appear to foster mentorship between the more senior players and younger ones, he said.

'It's a great group," Moore said. "They thoroughly enjoy coming home, being here where they grew up, and getting to play."