As an organization, the New York Islanders are known for a number of firsts both on and off the ice. One of the more controversial decisions on the Island concerned the introduction of the "Ice Girls", scantily-clad young ladies who come out onto the ice during stoppages in play to handle basic ice maintenance.
With the Ice Girls, it seems as if you either love them or hate them, and the feeling has only spread as other squads have sprouted up around the league. Now it looks like you can count the New York Rangers among those who aren't exactly fans. From Newsday:
With the Ice Girls, it seems as if you either love them or hate them, and the feeling has only spread as other squads have sprouted up around the league. Now it looks like you can count the New York Rangers among those who aren't exactly fans. From Newsday:
During commercial breaks, teams of three Ice Girls clean loose ice known as "snow" in the goal and the blue-painted goaltender's crease in front of the goal line. But Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist declined to move and used his stick to whack the squeegee Kelli Higgins, 23, was using to push the snow into a pile during the first TV timeout, knocking the butt end of the squeegee stick into her stomach.Another ice girl, Chanel Benson, reported that a Rangers player spit on her as she skated by the Rangers bench on her way off the ice. I think it's important to note that the ice girls don't pick and choose where they shovel snow, they only go where the linesmen tell them to.
"I said 'Excuse me' maybe two or three times," Higgins said Wednesday. "He didn't move and didn't say anything, so I gave up and went around him. "The tip of my squeegee kind of hit the tip of his stick. I don't know if he thought I did that on purpose or whatever, but he took a big windup and slashed the squeegee pretty good. It startled me a little bit. It didn't feel great, but I wouldn't say I was injured or in a ton of pain. I was shocked."
As for Lundqvist, he told reporters Wednesday that he prefers to remain in the crease during stoppages, and could never recall being asked to leave the crease before when playing on Long Island. Then again, as the above photo taken on December 26, 2006 on Long Island seems to attest, Lundqvist has had to make room for the Ice Girls before.
Developing as they say...
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Eric,
Remember, it was those crazy Czechs that came up with the idea :)
http://jesgolbez.blogspot.com/2004/11/update-machine-my-christmas-list.html
Henrik - What the hell? Is he frigid or what?
The Ice Girls aren't a detriment at all, I find. What else is there to do during TV timeouts besides be subjected to some stupid in-house contest or giveaway? The Ice Girls are a nice bit of eye candy and they do their jobs quietly.
Who's idea was this anyway? Ice girls??? If the rangers hate them, good. Get rid of them. Who needs these skanky looking women in christmas outfits. Do people actually think that attendance is going to go up by having those girls prancing around. They are surely mistaken. I go to watch hockey not the sideshow freaks.
Skanky? I've seen worse outfits on Saturday morning cable. I suppose because you think the idea is stupid, that these girls deserve this treatment? Grow a set, moron.
ice girls are stupid
is there any kind of entertainment left in america that doesn't somehow involve scantily clad girls? is it even much of a novelty anymore? i mean, if you're a grown man, is it really still titillating to see some plastic barbie dolls in so-called "sexy" outfits every time you turn on the TV or watch a game or something? enough already. any grown man who is turned on by that has obviously yet to be introduced to this fun little tool called "the internet."
There parents must be proud. I hope they didn't go to college for that. Leave them on the Man Show & let it go with that.
Guys, the issue is not that they are stupid, or that it's a trashy "sex sells" attitude. The issue is that Rangers players attacked a teenager for trying to clean up some ice shavings from the ice and that another young girl was spit on by players on the bench.
No matter how you spin it, it's Effed up and should never have happened in the first place.
Their parents must be proud. I hope they didn't go to college for this.
we love our ice girls...they do a great job
and well the way certain reporters are trying to twist it and make it the girls fault is a shame
the rangers are pigs- any man that would do that to a female regardless of where they are - is a pig
if you approve of it- just shows your mentality
I personally don't like the ice girls and find them pointless. However, I don't think they should be treated poorly because you don't agree with their job.
They are just doing a job. How would you feel if people spit on you at your job. Have the hockey player barbarics become so acceptable that they can hit people and spit on people not even playing the game.
Well put Gina. Are hockey players so far above other people that they should spit on them? Spitting on another person would be considered assault outside of a hockey rink. If it was me in the crease, I'd welcome a little visit from a beautiful woman. I'd be chatting them up and getting some phone numbers. Maybe the players are afraid of spitting on another man, so they spit on a poor defenseless woman. Go figure.
Lundqvist was never asked to move before and the linesmen backed him in 1st period until later when the ref got involved it was a harassment job on the islander part but he acted like typical euro-dushe and should apologies,as far as the spiting, who saw someone spit on her? she works with ice shavings. but if someone did spit on her he should be dealt with harshly. and not for nothing pulling a hat trick with the ice girls is the best phsyc move ever.
that player is just a jerk
I didnt know that other teams dont have someone come on the ice and clear the goal area. They should. That picture of the Ice Girl in a santas suite was from a previous Isles/Rangers game. Ok Bobby? The ice girls wear either a white belly shirt w/ Isles Logo and blue spandex pants or a orange skirt like you would see a figure skater wear...b/c these girls are local figure skaters!!! Congrats Henrik, you just solidified yourself not winning the Vezina Trophy this year. Not that you really had a chance, theres no way you were going to beat Brodeur.
1. Girls scraping ice is retarded, we have zamboni machines for that.
2. A good Goalie is very protective of the area in front of the net, if he wasn't he wouldn't be very good at his job would he?
3. I'm all for womens equality with men, and having them be subserviant by cleaning ice in skimpy clothes is stupid and naive.
4. Hockey is a MAN"S game, theres a reason there's no cheerleaders in the sport. After I see a girl take a side check into a wall at full skate maybe I'l gain some respect but I'm still waiting on that.
GO SHARKS.
If you are male and are complaining about the ice girls then you must have something wrong. It's called new age entertainment. Get over it lol. And anyone who takes a kid to a hockey game that includes hitting and fighting, well then I think women in hot outfits should be the least of your worries. 'nough said!
Is it still allowed to use the word "Gay" in America?
Because anyone who backs this idiot must be gay.
Those girls are beautiful and hockey pretty much sucks.
Everyone moans that hockey needs to promote itself better and when a team attempts to do it everyone gets pissed.
Old schoolers will say "what about tradition?"
Well in my America beautiful young ladies showing a little leg is tradition.
this is absoloutly rediculous. as henrik said, he likes to stay in the crease to maintain focus...do people honestly believe that the ice girls weren't over there trying to distract him? sure...cleaning the ice is there job. but i'm sure they would say things and try and get him to lose focus.
good for henrik.
and as for getting spit on? what a silly girl...you're half naked on an ice rink. and you work with "snow". but hey... saying you got spit on will definetly make a better story.
the ice girl claimed that she was spit on from the bench while getting off the ice. How could any player have spit on her without being seen.