One major difference between hockey and most religion's is hockey's agressive and violent nature.  Violence is one aspect of the sport that does not fit vision of "Utopia" that hockey offers to some. Hockey can also be seen as "this freedom for external forces" which allows us to enter "a virtual parallel existence, outside of regular time and space" (Blake, 65). If we take this mindset, that while playing a game you are apart from the rationality which controls our everyday lives, we can accpet that hockey has its own rules, different from society's, and play is led by the player's passion and determination to win, often at all costs. Games can be "accompanied by a feeling of tension, joy and the consciousness that it is 'different' from 'ordinary' life" (Blake,66). When we take "the leap of faith that convinces us  that it is somehow important that a little black disc cross the goal line" (Blake, 65), it can be argued that we are driven by our passion for the game and for winning. Violence is a result of one's passion and will to win. The lines are often blurred right and wrong when one is soley focused on their will and passion to win the game. 

 

    Tracy Trothen even compared normativitiy of violence in hockey with classical Christian atonement theories in her article "Holy Acceptable Violence?: Violence in Hockey and Christian Atonement Theories."Most religions have had some form of violence in their past, hockey's just happens to be physical violence caused by the passion to win.