Author Archives: JRiddall

About JRiddall

Minor hockey dad of 10+ years. Love my kids and the game they play.

Back to Reality and Full Steam Ahead

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The Nashville hangover is nearly gone…I think. The Boy’s team got little to no rest with a practice the night after their return and a game the night after that.  For most of the trip I kept saying, “Glad I just have to watch and not play hockey”. That’s what young legs, lungs and hearts are for.  I even bailed on my men’s team, the mighty mighty Iceholes, who had a game at 10pm the night we returned. This old dog just wasn’t up for the hunt that night.  I’m sad to report the Iceholes dropped that contest 4-0 (not that my feeble contribution following a 15 hour haul on a bus would have likely made much difference).  But we’re certainly not here to talk about me and my faint grasp at youth.

The Boys were fortunate to re-enter their regular season with a match against weaker team because they too showed signs of a Tennessee hangover.  They were only up 1-0 going into the third period of a game which thankfully ended 4-0 and saw its share of fireworks down the stretch. Fireworks that even found their way up into the stands as there was some post-game quibbling amongst parents.

Games two and three of the week would not allow for any extended latency on behalf of the Boys as they’d face the two teams ahead of them in the standings.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get the memo in time for game two, which saw them come out terribly flat and give up a two-goal lead in a matter of minutes. And memo or not, they weren’t able to recover as the deficit mounted to 3, 4 and finally 5-0.  Not a pretty game to watch as my friend who came out to see the Boy play could easily attest.  Let’s just strike that one from our combined memory shall we?

And in game three of the week, the squad indeed seemed to have quickly stricken the memory as they came out a decidedly different team taking a 3-0 lead into the first intermission including one by the Boy (who’s been on a bit of an uncharacteristic goal-scoring tear since our visit down south) and two short-handed markers.  Unfortunately, despite several powerplay opportunities and good scoring chances, they were unable to extend their lead, and in fact, a couple of mistakes led to their advantage being whittled down to one. It was still 3-2 heading into the 3rd period, but that difference too would evaporate around some shaky backchecking/defending.  What started out promising ended in frustration as the home team would climb all the way back to take a 4-3 lead with just over two minutes remaining on a shorty of their own.  Said frustration would mount when with four seconds left on the clock and our goaltender on the bench, the Boy would tap a loose puck into the opposing goal only to have an out-of-position referee waive the tying goal off after claiming to have lost sight of the black biscuit. Don’t get me started on the quality of refereeing in this particular game, lest it should sound like sour grapes. At the end of the game, the team let this one slip away.  A little more memory striking required and/or a few more paddles in the water at the same time all the time moving forward. It’s still relatively early in the season, but these are the teams our charges need to impress against and defeat.

The Boys have what could be another fireworks-filled match tomorrow on the road followed by a game against an opponent they already have a 2-0-1 record against this year.  Two winnable games to be sure, but not games to be overlooked by any means.

Meanwhile, the Devil and her Shark crew have become something of a hockey Juggernaut with a 7-1 record in league play. So as not to risk perturbing the hockey Gods I will simply report 7-1 and 8-0 victories in their last two contests against weaker and somewhat depleted opponents. In the most recent match, they faced a team with only two lines vs. their full complement of three. This game could have actually been more lopsided had it not been for the heroics of an embattled goaltender in the opposite net.  The Sharks will have a better test tomorrow night against a team as yet undefeated in league play. From what we’ve seen so far, our ladies will hopefully be up to the task. They need only show up in a confident frame of mind and play to their potential.

Lots more hockey to watch as always. What’s that you say? “The NHL and NHLPA have been making some progress this week.”  Who cares…I got all the hockey drama I need.

#imahockeydad

Music City Midget Major Hockey Marathon

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The Boy and I, along with 17 teammates, sundry parents, siblings and even a couple of grandparents in tow, embarked on what was sure to be a memorable journey to the hotbed of country music for the Nashville Fall Classic.  Our enthusiasm tempered only by the absence of our Hockey Momma who had to stay behind with work and the Devil’s hockey commitments.

We met a slightly bleary-eyed crew for a midnight Tuesday departure.  Most, if not all, were fuelled by the excitement of the trip ahead as we jammed suitcases, hockey bags, pillows, blankets, bags o’ snacks and refreshment-laden coolers into a waiting bus.  A 15 hour bus ride pretty much mandates the inclusion of the final item on the list and more than a couple of us would make sure we took full advantage of their presence.  As has been stated here previously, a significant portion of all tournaments should be focused on parental enjoyment. There would be plenty more opportunity for the same over the next five days.

With the tourney starting on Friday, the coaching staff’s well-constructed plan was to arrive in Nashville (or more specifically the suburb of Franklin, Tennessee) early to give the team a chance to experience the Music City and get acclimated to their new surroundings well in advance of their first game. We would all have the better part of two days to take in the sites, sounds and eats of Kentucky.  Much of this, you will note, has little to do with hockey, but the experiences this hockey tournament afforded our Boys will last them a lifetime, as away tournaments have so often been wont to do.

After the night-long journey, which for most included little, if any, sleep we were free to check in to our hotel, grab a snooze, some dinner and whatever else we wanted to do with our evening.  Most of the Boys retired to rooms while several of us gravitated towards the hotel lobby bar.  A coincidental, Canadian song singing lounge act and a few local brews kept us entertained beyond the midnight hour.

Our itinerary for day two took us into Nashville on the same days as the Country Music Awards for two spectacular meals, self-guided tours of the local country bars, shopping and even some line-dancing lessons.

Colts Team Pic with The Bro

Team Pic with The Bro – Darrell Breaux

Our first stop, Bro’s Cajun Cuisine, (featured on FoodTV’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) was one of the highlights of the trip for me, though others to come would certainly rival it.  My only disappointment was being limited to one appetizer (Spicy Catfish Bites), one entrée (a mouth-watering Crawfish PoBoy) and a few libations (served in a tin bucket – “Ohhh those bad buckets” as one father was oft heard saying) only due to the capacity of my stomach. Had the opportunity presented itself, I would have gladly stayed and tried each menu item in due course.  Prior to leaving this temple of exceptional eats, the team presented the proprietor, Darrell Breaux, with a jersey signed by each player for which he was visibly grateful.

After lunch, we headed downtown.  Most everyone, including the players, went off in all directions to see what they could see and do.  A couple of hours and a few bars in my bar-hopping partner and I bumped into the Boy who had already acquired a cowboy hat and was raving about all of the live music he’d encountered.  His relatively sheltered suburban life to this point had not exposed him to live musicians, taking requests and playing for tips or, more importantly, exposure. He had quickly developed an appreciation for the whole scene.  Now, I’m not what you’d call a Country music fan, though I readily admit listening to a lot of Western, Folk and Blues inspired bands.  I likewise found myself gladly immersed in the atmosphere and spirit of the city.

Line Dancing

Some should stick to hockey….

Next stop, the Wild Horse Saloon for a Bronco Buster Buffet, the aforementioned line-dancing lessons and more general merriment.  We were scheduled to leave at 10pm, but after two large meals and full day’s worth of bar…I mean…sight seeing, it was decided that a 9:30 departure made sense for some revelers and the players who would be hitting the ice for their first game on Friday. Of course, back at the hotel, a few more late-night parental hijinks would ensue.

The next morning appeared to come early for some as we gathered in the lobby to head out for the last of our planned team meals.  Puckett’s Grocery in eclectic downtown Franklin provided an opportunity to try more traditional southern fare including pulled pork, fried catfish or chicken, sides of fries, beans, onion rings or mashed potatoes with a lemonade or sweet tea.  Maybe not the best pre-game meal, but what the hell.  Our finely tuned athletes would just have to work it off.

Following our couple of touristy days, it was time for the team to get down to business against a highly touted local high school team. By all accounts, they had been at the top of their division for the last three years running and generally manhandled all of their opponents. From previous experience over the years, you never know what level of competition you will run into when you venture into the US or play a team from there.  What our boys initially encountered was an aggressive, hitting team. To their credit, the players took the body checks (some of which were of the elevated variety) in stride. They stuck instead to a speed and puck-control oriented game to eventually wear down their opponents in a 6-1 win.  Another mom and I competed to keep Hockey Momma informed and somewhat part of the experience with rapid-fire texts.  The host team was noticeably shaken, shocked or disappointed by this unfamiliar situation.  Our guys left the ice with decided Canadian hockey swagger, which bode well for them moving into two more round robin games on Saturday.

Bucket of BeerBefore we could get to Saturday, we had to have a Friday night post-game celebration.  Well, maybe we didn’t have to, but we were certainly going to.  Many of us landed in a raucous wing joint, which in time featured one of the best live 80s bands any of us had ever encountered.  The Boys, who followed along for the wings,  chose to disagree with our assessment of the on-stage talent and left us to enjoy the retro tunes.  Suffice it to say, some (yours truly included) took full advantage of the Boys’ absence to let their hair down on the dance floor. Ohhh, those bad buckets!

Saturday would find the squad returning to the ice against teams from Atlanta and Kentucky.  The Atlanta team was said to be a AAA team with players a year older than ours, while the Kentucky group apparently represented the entire neighbouring state; facts which again could be taken as good or bad. Regardless the opponents, the team came out with all cylinders firing. They brought a combination of speed, patience and teamwork to both games, thereby securing 3-0 and 4-0  back-to-back shutout wins for a first place round robin finish and a rematch in the semi-finals against their game one opponent from Ravenwood. Watching the two Saturday games somewhat anonymously from the sidelines, I could overhear reverent comments from American onlookers like “That’s the team from Canada.”  There was some buzz in the air about how the team was playing.  Our final round robin game started at 10:00pm on Saturday so post-game was pretty tame for Boys and parents alike.  Semis and a Championship game were calling on Sunday.

The on and off-ice events of our final day in Tennessee probably deserve a post of their own, but I’ll do my best to summarize here.

Game day started like any other with breakfast in the hotel lobby. The team would then load up and make their way to the rink an hour early as they had for previous games. The bus would then come back to the hotel where we would be checking out and loading up for the eventual 15-hour drive back to the homeland (which no one was looking forward to).  However, shortly after the bus departed we received a message saying the bus had broken down….on a Sunday morning….in Tennessee. Prospects for fixing a bus….on a Sunday morning…in Tennessee…were not the brightest.  Moods were understandably shaken.

In the short term, without wheels, parents and siblings were forced to march 20 minutes to the rink; arriving just in time for the puck drop in the semi-final game.

walking to the hockey rink

Who needs a bus?

Within four minutes of the game starting, moods were buoyed by a 3-0 lead for the good guys.  The Colts had definitely come to play.  Their determination to win and send a message to their championship opponent resulted in a 9-0 final.   We’d find out shortly thereafter the last opponent of the tournament would be the “other team from Canada” who snuck out a 3-2 win over Atlanta.

Almost miraculously…on a Sunday morning…in Tennessee, our driver was able to get the bus back up and running cueing a giant, combined sigh of relief.  The players were virtually unaffected by the whole bus drama.

The few hours of waiting for the gold medal match were spent between a mall food court and the bus where many of the players snoozed or otherwise bided their time in quiet anticipation.

Entering the last match of the weekend, we were all aware of the fact we would be playing a relatively local Canadian, albeit lower level, opponent.  The coaching staff no doubt told their charges to take nothing for granted.  The good guys would open the scoring to set the tone for the game.  Yet it would be a back and forth affair for much of the first two periods with our side getting the balance of scoring opportunities. The game was still relatively close at 3-1 entering the third period.

Then events took another fateful turn as an opposing player launched a puck up over the boards at our bench.  The puck ricocheted up off the back wall then found its way to the top of the head of one of the assistant coaches. The trainer, along with several others, rushed the coach and his now blood-gushing cranium to the dressing room.  After the application of pressure and several towels, it was quickly decided that medical attention was required. A local gentleman, with whom I had just been chatting and who had too coincidentally been instructing his young son who was manning the penalty box to beware of flying pucks, was good enough to drive our unlucky brother to the nearest Emergency Room. You can probably sense where this is going.

Back on the ice, the team took care of business in the third, capturing the Championship trophy with a 7-2 victory. Medals were presented, the trophy/plaque was handed over, onlookers applauded and many pictures were snapped to preserve the moment in time. This group of young men had represented themselves, their hometown and in a small way good old Canadian hockey very admirably.  In fact, we’ve since heard from tournament officials this team was indeed considered the “toast” of the tourney for their classy, sportsmanlike play. This is really something you hope and love to hear as a parent; no matter the age of your kids, though particularly as they enter adulthood. Some validation of proper parenting methinks.

Barrie Colts win Nashville Fall Classic

Nashville Fall Classic Champions (including the Spirit of Coach Clayton….Far Left)

Now we, of course, had one last piece of unfinished business to take care of before we could hit the road for home.  It involved hanging in and out of the local ER as we waited for our fallen comrade.  As with any ER, the wait was longer than anyone wanted it to be, though we all wanted to be sure coach was fit for travel. About four hours and eight stitches later, the coach boarded the coach with a fully-bandaged noggin.  Once everyone knew he was okay, concern turned to playful ribbing.  If only he’d paid more attention to the game and less to his blackberry.  While my trip home was pretty uncomfortable, I’m sure his was even more so.

On the road home, some of us were a little concerned about our driver’s ability to stay awake and alert having been up since Sunday morning…..in Tennessee and having to still be up…in the middle of the night…through Tennessee, Ohio and a wee bit o’ Michigan.  He held on with the help of some conversation from the front seats.  After a driver change just across the US border, we were delivered safely back home with a bucket full of stories to tell share with those who had not been as fortunate as us to have had the experience.  Hockey Momma was surely left owed with an upcoming trip to Sudbury a pale consolation.

I’ve likely missed a fair share of stories or personal memories others took away via their own perspective.  I welcome your comments should you happen upon my faint and biased recollections here.

For me, the full value of the weekend bore itself out when the Boy remarked to me when we were alone on Friday night, before he’d played a single game “Thanks Dad. This is the best hockey trip we’ve ever been on.”  I believe there were 17 other grateful young men who owe a debt of gratitude to those who organized an unforgettable hockey adventure.

#imahockeydad

Colts Win in Music City

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Just a coupla pics for now….more to come from our Tennessee hockey, food and frivolous adventures to come!

Right now I must sleep off the effects of a 15 hour bus ride.

#imahockeydad

A Full Minor Hockey Schedule Indeed

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The past couple of weeks have been pretty busy for the Boy, the Devil, Momma Hockey and yours truly between practices, regular season games and two out-of-town tournaments in back-to-back weekends.  Add in the rigours of putting food on the table 9 to 5 (or 8 to 6 in the case of some) and you simply don’t have much left in the way of free time – not even to record a few thoughts online as I’m here typing beyond the midnight hour. What free time we’ve been afforded has been better spent face down on a mattress. All of that being said, the last 14+ days has provided a ton of entertaining hockey; certainly a lot more than a bunch of, what some would call, greedy professionals have been able to see their way fit to offer their starving fans.  As such, I easily declared to someone who asked my opinion recently, “I don’t really care if we don’t see any NHL hockey this year.”  Hell, I don’t know where I’d fit it in anyway.

So flash back a weekend to the Boy’s tourney/early season test down in the Big Smoke.

Momma and I were able to play a little hooky for hockey on Friday to catch the first mid-afternoon contest.  The squad opened the festivities on a high note with a 6-3 victory over a depleted home side. A good start, but you really should be able to beat a team with only 8 players when you dress 15.  Such is Midget hockey where suspensions, injuries, school and jobs can get in the way.  Game two, a full 8 hours later at 9:45 (again typical of Midget hockey, but much preferred to 6:45am games) the Colts were faced with a stiffer test against a strong skating team from just outside of Buffalo.  They would go into day two with a 1-1 record after falling 4-3.  In a relatively small schedule tournament a 1-2 record would severely limit playoff hopes so game three the following afternoon would become a must-win.  With the Devil having a game back home on Saturday, I would have to miss their positive effort in game three, which resulted in a 5-2 score against a representative from the nation’s capital.

However, the Devil’s first of two weekend games was also not to be missed as it was her team’s best undertaking to date; stomping on their visiting foe 4-1. This game was reportedly a marked improvement over a match the night before, their first game of the regular season, which they dropped by the same 4-1 mark. I say reportedly because I, of course, was down in the city with the Boy.

I must add here that the Devil was noticeably missing from game one also as her chosen priority lay in a rock concert for which she’d received tickets from an unnamed source on her birthday back in August. Yes…I took a shot at her not having a game on that particular Friday night in October and lost my misguided wager miserably.  You’re probably noting a repeating Midget hockey theme creeping in.

Sunday provided one more game each for my progeny, which meant Momma and I would again go our separate ways. In looking at our packed schedule ahead there are surprisingly few game conflicts.

The Boys had another must-win on their hands with another team in their division (the one they’d lost to) sporting an identical record of two wins and one loss.  Unfortunately, the “must” part of the equation was apparently lost on more than a couple of them as they closed the door on this tourney with a 5-3 loss.

Meanwhile, back at home, the Sharks would play their third regular season game in three days; certainly a  grueling start to a season and not necessarily a recipe for success. They would be playing a team they had dominated in a tournament a few weeks prior.  Pleasantly and perhaps a litte surprisingly this trend would continue. The girls would storm out to a 3-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game. It looked like a rout was in order.  While their pressure on the visitors did not discernibly change, the final score would only read 4-1.  Two wins in three games to start the season is a more than respectable start. I need only reflect on my troops from last season who were only able to muster three wins over a 30 game regular season schedule. But enough of ancient history. The Devil’s current team would have another chance to establish their competition level at a tournament this past weekend.

The weekend challenge in question, creatively named the Hocktoberfest International Female Hockey Festival, found the team traveling just under five hours to play a minimum of four games with a stretch goal of playing six in three days.  A 6:00am Friday departure would have us arriving with plenty of time for the girls’ first game just past noon against a team from Rochester – hence the International.  Momma Hockey was unable to get this Friday off work so it was just the Devil and I hitching a ride down and splitting gas costs with another father/daughter duo.

Hocktoberfest

It’s worth noting there is an important adult social aspect to an away tournament; something I was less able or willing to engage in during my stint as head coach a year ago.  Arriving at a foreign arena upwards of an hour before game time allows some enthusiastic parents (the majority of which are admittedly fathers) to exercise their social rights, which from time-to-time manifest themselves in the minor hockey version of tailgating. Suffice it to say, this past weekend saw its fair share of pre and post-game exercising. During the very first post-game workout, which is naturally deemed mandatory to celebrate a victory or mourn a loss, one father was noted to jokingly mention to a player/daughter, “These tournaments are really all about us parents having fun you know.”  I can confidently say we had a lot of fun in and out of the rink.

Pre-game tailgaiting complete with a bedazzled cooler.

In between the tailgating, the Sharks went to work demonstrating their ever-improving individual and team skills posting impressive scores of 3-1, 6-2, 7-0 and 4-0. For those keeping score, they dominated and outnumbered their opponents by a combined tally of 20-3, including back-to-back shutouts for the goaltenders. With Momma back home, my texting fingers got a major workout of their own as I tried, feverishly at times, to keep her abreast of the action.  Five goals per game in girls hockey is nothing short of astonishing. For most teams this would equal a month or, in some cases, two-month’s worth of goals. I’ve personally witnessed more 0-0, 1-0 and 2-1 games than you can shake a stick at.

The team would literally breeze into the semi-finals on Sunday morning, which after two nights in a hotel with not easily enforceable curfews, represented a dangerous proposition. Add to this recipe the fact they would have a rematch against their game one opponents who had thus far provided the stiffest competition. We all hoped their strong showing would continue, but watched a much different team play the first two periods of their semi-final leading to an unfamiliar one goal deficit after two periods. However, a fortuitous delay of game penalty by the other side led to a momentum-changing powerplay goal.  A minute later the Sharks would ride their new found momentum to a 2-1 lead, which they would maintain to earn a berth in the championship game; the sixth game in three days.

Momma Hockey actually made me call her so she could listen in on the last 30 seconds of the tense semi – texting would not be sufficient.  She has actually, on more than one occasion, suggested a business model which includes closed circuit TVs streaming kids hockey games online for parents who are unable to attend.  I believe something similar is being done in large centres like Toronto for games at slightly higher levels, but I’m not sure sufficient demand exists for Bantam BB action. I shouldn’t even mention it, but perhaps this is an application for Facetime on an iPad.  Yup, I’ll be the Dad up in the corner of the arena doing play-by-play at a future game a la Danny Gallivan.

Back to the Championship game where physical, if not mental, fatigue would presumably be a factor for both sides. The championship opponent took a similar path through the tournament’s other division with convincing wins in the round robin followed by a close call 2-0 last minute victory in their semi. If either side was tired they didn’t show it. Both teams came out with their guns blazing. Good scoring opportunities were had and turned away at both ends of the ice. Tension mounted as a scoreless first period gave way to a carbon copy second.  Nerves were severely frayed as time wound down to end regulation time with nary a puck finding the back of either net; both keepers making their share of game-preserving saves.  Overtime would be a five-minute 4 on 4 affair. With more ice available to skate on, the expected signs of tired legs and battered spirits started to show.  A couple of end-to-end rushes were noticeably laboured; ending in faint scoring opportunities. Fans on both sides hoped for a break, but none would come; leaving the determination of the winner to a dreaded shootout, which in many minds is no way to decide a Champion.  Unfortunately, the Sharks who had battled so hard through six games succumbed to a couple of shootout goals while not answering with markers of their own.  Shooters and our goalie were naturally disappointed in the end result, but should have been buoyed by the knowledge of what they’d accomplished to arrive at the shootout situation. The coaching staff is no doubt pleased with the effort and teamwork displayed at Hocktoberfest.

Sharks Hocktoberfest Finalists

Proud and deserving Hocktoberfest Finalists

The reward for finishing in second place after six games in three days was a 4 1/2 hour ride home. Now as chance, or more so probability, would have it, the Boy happened to have an away game on the Sunday night of our return. Almost absurdly I was trying to calculate the possibility of my arriving home and then leaving again to drive over an hour to watch him. Had it just been the Devil and I, we may have very well found ourselves going out of our way to watch a seventh game in six days; a decision my exhausted little warrior would probably not have been a big fan of.  When we arrived home this was confirmed by her immediate immersion in a hot bathtub. It had been a long weekend to say the least. The Boys won their game, which I kept tabs on via texts from Momma Hockey. If only she had a damned iPad.

Two days removed from the weekend I’ve already attended a practice for her and a game for him with one more practice for each tomorrow night, though he’ll be able to do his own driving to and from the rink, much to my relief.

The Boys are actually on a bit of a roll bringing their current record to 4-2-3 including the salvaging of last minute ties against two of the strongest teams in their division.  Seems with this squad we are getting hot and cold with a splash of fortuitous, which can be a little frustrating to watch at times, but still much better than the alternative of not watching hockey.

Following a couple of practices and games for each kid over the next few days, the Boy and I will prepare to embark on yet another hockey adventure; this time involving a 15 hour bus ride to Music City, USA.  Something of a swan song for this team of players in their final year of minor hockey.  I can’t imagine there will be much exercising of social rights on that trip (he says with tongue firmly planted in cheek). And yes, we’ll hopefully get to watch plenty of hockey as well.  I may just end up with a story or two to tell.

#imahockeydad

Off to a Quick, but Not Necessarily Fast, Start

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It seems like the tryouts for the Boy’s team just ended, but here we are two weeks and five games into the regular season already with a game and a minimum four-game tournament on the sked this week.

One problem with Fall tryouts is little time remains for the newly picked team to get its combined legs and to get re-acquainted with each other.  In this team’s case they have something of an advantage with many of them having played together last year.  However, post-tryouts they only got one team practice in before having to play their first match.  Or at least most of them played their first match.  The Boy had to sit game one out due to a one-game suspension left over from his over-zealous defence of a teammate in the last game of last season.  One of his teammates was in a similar albeit slight larger boat with a four-gamer of his own.  So the Boy and mom drove a bit over an hour to watch his new teammates skate to a 3-3 tie in what was reportedly a chippy season intro with a whole whack of penalties – par for the course in many testosterone-filled Midget games.   The Devil and I stayed behind to get her to a practice; a fairly common occurrence.

I did get to witness game two, in which the Boy would make his 2012-13 season debut; at least until his skate blade snapped in half. Yup, a few shifts into the contest he went hard into the end boards with a foe. He rose awkwardly and had noticeable difficulty getting back to the bench.   He appeared to have injured his foot/knee/leg as he wasn’t able to put any weight on the other. But then I saw mom/trainer waiving something frantically in the air. Turns out it was half his blade. Seemed like his first game would be a short one. But then his suspended teammate came to his rescue, pulling a pair of newly sharpened skates from the back seat of his car. Now they were a little small and a little narrow, leaving the Boy with pretty sore post-game feet, but he did get the final two periods of the game in. Unfortunately, the team would end up on the wrong end of a 4-2 score in a hard fought game.

A few days later the Boys would find themselves winless in three on the road as they came out a little flat and fell by two again in a 3-1 game. They all seemed a little tired and in need of a regroup. The coaching staff would no doubt welcome the second practice of the year. 0-2-1 is no need to panic, but in a relatively short season you don’t want to have too many lulls; and particularly not right off the hop.  You’d no doubt prefer to set a winning tone.

Game four saw the team return to the scene of game one with most expecting another raucous affair. And raucous it was, b0th on the ice and in the stands.  Before the game began, the rink was inundated by several (upwards of 50) boisterous teenagers.  Apparently the Midget AA game is a big attraction in this particular town on a Wednesday (yup Wednesday) night.  The visiting Colts would prevail for their first victory through what was a rough and quite poorly officiated meeting with catcalls and even a water bottle being hurled by one of the teen onlookers in the stands. As the game neared its end, one of our team’s parents verbally expressed his frustration with what he witnessed on the ice. A suspended player from the opposing team who happened to be within earshot took exception to the remarks, approached and shoved the parent.  Tensions rose. Local parents actually needed to intervene; stepping between the large, advancing group of teens and our parent group. The crowd young crowd dispersed, but didn’t leave the arena; prompting a call to the authorities.  We found out shortly thereafter that much the same drama had ensued at this team’s last home game.  Police had likewise been dispatched.  We’re all pretty happy there isn’t likely going to be another trip to that rink this season.

However, the next game, the first home game, would be a third meeting with the very same opponent against whom the Boys should have by now developed some confidence.  Some fireworks were anticipated following the last penalty-fest. Only this time, the game was played on a much larger ice surface where our guys would have much more room to move. Our quicker side, having worked in another practice to gel a little more, were too much for the visitors. Win number two on the season would come via a 5-1 count.

Winless in three has given way to undefeated in two.  The team can carry some all important momentum into their next tilt against what will certainly be a tougher opponent; one the Boy is particularly fond of facing as it includes one of his best friends – a game where bragging rights in addition to positions in the season standings are up for grabs.

The regular season begins for the Devil in four sleeps with three games in three days; though she will be favouring a previously booked Mariana’s Trench concert over Game One. Such are the priorities of a teenage girl and a certain Dad who bought the tickets for her birthday on the off chance there wouldn’t be a conflict (off chance indeed).

Only a few weeks in and like every other year, the stories just keep telling themselves.  There’s rarely a dull moment on or off the ice.

#imahockeydad