Chat-World » hat we might run into this or that. But it just goes to sh

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- While Amrit Gill was growing up in a Vancouver suburb, watching Hockey Night in Canada was a family staple that brought three generations together. Her parents and grandparents were immigrants from India, but ice hockey -- with its similarities to field hockey, one of their native countrys most popular sports -- connected them all, despite the language barrier of the broadcasts.My grandmother did not speak a word of English, Gill said. But she could tell you what a goal was and who was winning or not because the game was just so electric that you do get revved up watching.One day in 2009, the then-teenage Gill heard there was a television broadcast of hockey in the Punjabi language. She didnt quite believe it at first, but it was true. There was a Punjabi ice hockey broadcast -- not English, not French, Punjabi.I turned it on, and for all of us sitting there, it was a moment of shock and almost disbelief because we were watching our favorite sport on TV but hearing it in a language that everybody in the room could understand, Gill said. And my grandmother, who could only understand the word goal in English, could now tell you the difference between a major penalty call and a minor penalty call. So because of Harnarayan Singh and the rest of the broadcasters who were able to explain the intricacies of this beautiful game, I could now have a postgame analysis with my grandmother. And those are some of the best memories for me.Gill now is the social media host for Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition, which is creating and spreading great memories for many more fans with -- and without -- Punjabi backgrounds. They also are helping extend hockey nights beyond Canada.In the last year, the online streaming has really opened it up to global audience as well, Punjabi hockey broadcaster Randip Janda said. Weve got people who are watching in India. Thats great because Canada is associated with hockey, and certain parts of the United States understand and love hockey too. Whereas in India, unless youre in the Himalayan mountains, you dont really [have a place to play ice hockey].There is a rich history of field or grass hockey in India, so thats a link, but there has never been an association between the Punjabi community and [ice] hockey in India. So hopefully this is helping to bridge the gap and show maybe there is a reason to pay attention to the sport.Especially -- as you might have heard during last seasons playoffs -- when Pittsburghs Nick Bonino (Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!) scores a goal.Punjabi, the native language of the Punjab region in northern India and eastern Pakistan, is spoken by nearly half a million residents of Canada, including 20 members of Parliament. Only English and French are spoken by more Canadians, and more than 100,000 are estimated to speak Punjabi in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey.Hockey games in Punjabi began on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) in 2008, along with broadcasts in Mandarin and the Inuit language of Inuktitut. The other language broadcasts did not catch on, but the Punjabi version did.Rogers Communications took over the Punjabi broadcast three years ago and now shows a doubleheader every Saturday on the multicultural Omni Television system, with announcers Singh, Janda, Bhupinder Hundal and Harpreet Pandher providing play-by-play and insightful commentary from a Vancouver studio. All four were born and raised in Canada and learned to speak English and Punjabi fluently. They were passionate hockey fans but never considered that the games would one day be broadcast in Punjabi.As Hundal said of watching a Punjabi broadcast for the first time, Its got Hockey Night branding, and theyre speaking our language: Whats going on here? Oh, my God. Really? That was the first thing. Youre sitting there, Oh, my God. I cant believe this has happened. Now its just a regular thing, but initially it was, I cant believe this. I never thought I would see the day. Who would have thought?It worked. After nearly a decade of broadcasts, the Punjabi show gained enormous attention last year during the Stanley Cup playoffs, thanks to Singhs calls of goals by Bonino. Singh excitedly repeated Bonino! Bonino! Bonino! and then howled Nick Buh-Nee-Noooooooooo!! after key tallies by the Penguins center against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference finals and the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup finals.It was simply awesome. Singhs calls went viral on social media and drew widespread media attention, including from non-sports outlets such as NPR. #BoninoBoninoBonino became a trending hashtag and a battle cry during the Penguins championship run.It was really revved up, Gill said. It was almost like a connecting point. Yes, it was done in Punjabi, but since the call was so elaborate, everyone just jumped on.The calls received so much attention that Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told Singh the team started playing it to fire up the players, who began shouting the call as well. Bonino even suggested that his family should start using it as their ring tones.It was very special, Singh said. When we actually made the call I dont think myself or anyone on the show realized we were going to get that type of reaction from the fans or from the media. I would say it was very memorable and very special for sure. There is nothing more you can ask for as a broadcaster than to have your work appreciated so much, especially considering how the Pittsburgh Penguins players themselves were using the calls in the dressing room. For me, it really hit home during one of the Stanley Cup finals [when] one of the first questions asked of Sullivan was, What are your thoughts on the Bonino call?How incredible was it? Hockey legend and Penguins co-owner/chairman Mario Lemieux told the announcers they were part of history and the Stanley Cup run.Pandher says that when he was still a kid playing video games with his brother, he would provide vocal commentary, mostly in English but sometimes in Punjabi. The current Punjabi hockey broadcasts he and the others deliver have some English wording as well. Team names are in English, of course, as are traditional hockey terms such as icing, power play, offside, cross-checking, goal, puck and others.There are certain things you cant directly translate into Punjabi, Janda said. Like puck. There is no Punjabi word for puck. Sometimes on the previous shows, Harnarayan would use a food item, a thing made out of potatoes called tikki, that he used as a term because it kind of looks like a hockey puck. But we say puck now.Said Hundal: Well use those terms with a nice, fine balance. Well say the word in English and have a little description that also describes it a bit for people who dont know it.The crew provides commentary while watching the live broadcasts of games on their studio monitors. They strive to be as informative, entertaining and energetic as possible, occasionally using Punjabi cultural references. They also are certain to be very fun. For instance, when Tampa Bays Nikita Kucherov scored a goal last year, Singh began singing a popular Punjabi song that rhymed with the players name.He made a reference to The Simpsons in a game, calling San Joses Brent Burns Mr. Burns and using the word excellent, a catchphrase of the animated shows rich tightwad. When a player beats a goalie up high, Singh uses a phrase that translates into English as, He fired it top shelf -- where grandma keeps the treats!We have to be cognizant of the audiences tuning in, Hundal said. There are people who in the past would be like, Ill watch it in Punjabi for a few minutes, but Ill go back to English. Or, [the other guys] are pros, and these guys are just doing it on the side. Thats why we try to focus on being as good and up-to-snuff on the world of hockey as anybody else. Yeah, we might be fun, you might tune in for the novelty -- but youre going to get a good hockey broadcast. And were going to dump information on you. And we know what were talking about.That is important. We want to make sure that we are being the masters of both of those domains. Its important that we have our pulse on what people are feeling and saying.The announcers say the broadcasts are helping grow hockey -- not only in fan interest, but also with Punjabi parents who have their children playing the sport now that they can watch and understand it on TV.The broadcasts are helping connect the Punjabi community with the broader community. When Singh was a growing up in Alberta, his passion for hockey provided an important connection with schoolmates. Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition is helping to create that dynamic on a larger scale.One example was the Bonino phenomenon. Pittsburgh does have not a significant Punjabi community, but the call was so popular that the broadcasters were invited to the Penguins Stanley Cup championship celebration. The four were recognized and cheered by hordes of fans when they took the stage with the Penguins players and did the Bonino! Bonino! Bonino! call.Its just amazing. The whole city knew who we were, Pandher said. Were based in Vancouver and can walk down the street there and nobody knows who we are, but everybody in Pittsburgh knew who we were. We felt like rock stars for the weekend.Thats the amazing thing. In the time that were living, the thought crossed my mind that we might run into this or that. But it just goes to show you there are good people in this world anywhere you go.Hundal says the Pittsburgh celebration showed that he and his partners are playing an important role in breaking down barriers and misperceptions.As they say, If you assume, you make an ass of you and me, he said. We can break a lot of assumptions by doing what were doing. Yes, were broadcasting hockey and were having a lot of fun, but by no means does it stop there.Its not just about us. Its about much more than that. What were doing means so much more to so many more people on a much deeper level. And I think that makes what were doing really special. Its not just another show. I think weve gone into the realm of meaning something important to people. People can appreciate that we enjoy the sport, and they enjoy the sport, and its fantastic. We can all enjoy the sport.No matter your language, no matter your background, sport unites -- even when someone other than Bonino scores the goal. Pat LaFontaine Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Nick Leddy Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. http://www.islanderssale.com/authentic-bryan-trottier-islanders-jersey/ . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Ryan Pulock Islanders Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Billy Smith Islanders Jersey . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.Mercedes protege Pascal Wehrlein has been named as Manors first race driver for the 2016 season. The 21-year-old German has served as understudy to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes since 2014 and last year became the youngest ever champion in DTM, Germanys leading touring car series.Manor had been the only team on the grid not to name either of their drivers for the new season, but with less than two weeks until testing begins in Spain, the Banbury-based outfit have finally announced the arrival of Wehrlein. The youngster had been linked to a race seat at the team ever since they secured the coup of Mercedes engines for 2016. Wehrlein will be the second rookie on the grid after Renaults Jolyon Palmer, and the fourth German driver.Manor Racing is a great place for me to start my Formula 1 racing career - Im very pleased to be here, said Wehrlein. Wehrlein with Manor owner Stephen Fitzpatrick (left) and racing director Dave Ryan (right) Its a small and totally focused team and I soon hope to know everyone. Though its my first F1 season my aim is to help [owner] Stephen [Fitzpatrick] and the guys achieve their goals.It will be a tough challenge but I think we should be able to challenge for points along the way. Its going to be good fun.Wehrlein competed seven test days last season, four for Mercedes and three for Force India, having first driven an F1 car in late 2014. A word for my racing family at Mercedes-Benz, and particularly for Toto [Wolff], who have guided my career thus far and made this opportunity possible, he added. Thanks for the incredible support to help me achieve my dream; now its down to me to grab the moment and perform on track. Who is Pascal Wehrlein? To the Manor born: Introducing the new rookie for 2016 Manor owner Stephen Fitzpatrick described the young German as a sharp driver with a very promising future and believes Manor Racing is perfectly placed to help Pascal make a big impact in his first season.The team are yet to announce who will fill the second seat, the only one still open on the 2016 grid.Two of their race drivers from last season, Alexander Rossi and Will Stevens, are thought to be in contention along with Indonesian Rio Haryanto.Rossi competed in five of the final seven races for Manor in 2015 and told Sky Sports last week things are looking positive in his attempts to secure a full-time drive. Pascal Wehrlein career summary 2011 ADAC Formel Masters champion 2012 Formula 3 Euroseries runner-up 2013 FIA European F3 (three races, one win, two podiums), DTM 22nd 2014 DTM 8th, Mercedes F1 test driver 2015 DTM champion, Mercedes and Force India F1 test driver Manor enter a new era in 2016 following the departures of long-time lieutenants John Booth and Graeme Lowdon.ddddddddddddIn addition to the arrival of Mercedes latest engines, the team have signed F1 stalwarts Dave Ryan, Nikolas Tombazis and Pat Fry as they aim to move away from the back of the grid.Manor have confirmed their 2015 car will be called the MRT05 and make its debut at the opening Barcelona test on February 22-25.Meanwhile, Mercedes now have two of their young drivers in roles at other teams after Frances Esteban Ocon was loaned to Renault to serve as reserve driver. 2016 driver line-upsMercedes: Lewis Hamilton and Nico RosbergFerrari: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi RaikkonenWilliams: Valtteri Bottas and Felipe MassaRed Bull: Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil KvyatForce India: Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio PerezRenault: Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon PalmerToro Rosso: Max Verstappen and Carlos SainzSauber: Felipe Nasr and Marcus EricssonMcLaren: Fernando Alonso and Jenson ButtonManor: Pascal Wehrlein and TBCHaas: Romain Grosjean and Esteban GutierrezThe first Barcelona test starts on Monday February 22 and the Sky Sports F1 Digital team will be providing live commentary from dawn until dusk on all four days of both Barcelona tests while Sky Sports News HQ will also deliver live updates from trackside. Every race live Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Also See: Rossi hopeful of Manor seat F1 in 2016: The driver line-ups ' ' '