Lisa on Ice

"Lisa on Ice" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons' sixth season. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on November 13, 1994. In the episode, Lisa discovers that she possesses a skill for ice hockey, and a rivalry between Lisa and Bart ensues.

The episode was written by Mike Scully and directed by Bob Anderson, whose passion for hockey inspired the plot. It features cultural references to films such as Rollerball and The Pope of Greenwich Village. The episode was well received by critics, and acquired a Nielsen rating of 11.6.

Principal Skinner calls all the Springfield Elementary School students down for an assembly to tell them which subjects they are failing. Lisa is surprisingly called up, and discovers to her horror that she is failing gym class. When she appeals to her teacher, they reach a compromise: Lisa can get a passing grade if she joins a sports program outside of school. She immediately attempts to join several, but fails, and her self-esteem is devastated. Later, the family goes to see Bart play hockey for his team, the Mighty Pigs, coached by Chief Wiggum. After the game, Bart, while ridiculing his sister for being poor at sports, begins shooting pieces of litter at Lisa with his hockey stick, and Apu, the coach of the Kwik-E-Mart Gougers, notices that she is a natural at hockey goal-tending and makes her goalie for his team. As it turns out, she is remarkably talented, and leads her team to their best season ever.

Due to Homer's increasing pressure, a sibling rivalry develops between Bart and Lisa, and it peaks when the town learns that the Gougers will face the Mighty Pigs in their next match. The game proves to be a vicious one, but very close, with both Bart and Lisa playing their best. With four seconds left, Bart is tripped by Jimbo, giving him a penalty shot against Lisa that will decide the game. However, as they face each other, Bart and Lisa remember the good times they have had together as children before they began fighting. They each throw aside their equipment and hug, and the match ends in a tie. Unsatisfied with the outcome, the residents of Springfield begin rioting.