NHL 19 Review: 4 Ups & 2 Downs

3. Pond Hockey Is Fast & Fun

Seeing the snow lather huge peaks and valleys as you and some pals merrily ping a puck around is one of NHL 19's simple joys. This, much like the dimly-lit buildings examined in the intro, makes outdoor play one of 19's best features. It kinda' makes up for the lack of a Winter Classic. Kinda'.

Through World Of Chel, you'll be able to play break-neck games of Threes (returning from last year, which is good) and the new Ones mode. This is where this reviewer has spent the bulk of his time since NHL 19 came out. It's simple, pitting three individuals against one another for puck possession and the one net to shoot at, and such a frenzy that it's hard to put down.

One minor complaint is that Ones is online-only. This is an oversight from EA, because playing the mode against friends locally on the couch with some beers sounds like a great way to fritter away Saturday afternoons.

Oh well, at least pond hockey is enough of a departure from regular arena league play to make it more than a worthwhile distraction. It's an exhilarating mix of hits, steals, goals and dekes.