I started out so excited for 2011, or perhaps more precisely, January 1st of this year. After all, it is the annual date of the Winter Classic. What could be better than an outdoor hockey game? Well, the Penguins playing at Heinz Field for their 2nd Winter Classic was a pretty good start.
More icing on the cake? The rain of the afternoon delayed the game until 8pm. What could be better than an outdoor hockey game featuring the Penguins at Heinz Field under the stars?
Even more icing on the cake? Jordan Staal's return for his first game of the season after foot/hand injuries. I was a little concerned with his return for this game. After all, he hasn't played since the playoffs last season. I was concerned with how comfortable he would feel out on the ice again, especially on such a big stage with less than stellar playing conditions, but I had to admit it was a glorious feeling to know that Staal is up to par and healthy.
So, I'm all pumped for the game and at my mom's because watching hockey with her is one of my favorite things in the world. I told her on the phone, long before the game started, that if the Pens lost I wouldn't watch another game there this season. Why such a brutal threat? It's all my hockey superstitions. So far this season I've tried to watch three games at my mom's. The Pens have lost all three. Obviously my fanatic karma is meant to cheer from home this season.
Anyway, back to the game, it begins with an 0-0 first period and a slight rain. During the second period, Malkin (my favorite player in the world...after Lemieux anyway) scores the first goal of the game. Beautiful stuff. But then the game just kinda goes down hill after that. I won't blame the referees, although that would be easy considering some big non-calls (on both sides) during the game and a recalled goal by the Pens that would have tied the game. The Pens just looked defeated from the start, half asleep.
And even still, even knowing that the Pens lost, I still wish I could go find Doc Brown, jump in the Delorean and somehow teleport myself to 7:59 pm with a Winter Classic ticket in my hand. I still would have loved to have been there, surrounded by 70,000 hockey fans, cheering through the rain, screaming at the top of my lungs about every heated offensive zone battle and every near scuffle.
Even though my 2011 hockey year hasn't started off great, I still feel euphorically high with hockey dreams and literary hope.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
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3 comments:
Sorry your team lost. I'm not a hockey fan - unless the RedWings are in the playoffs, but that's more because I miss Michigan than actually loving the RedWings. I am, however, a huge football fan and both my college teams got killed yesterday. Even so, I'm like you. I would love to go back in time with a ticket to the Gator Bowl. Maybe if I'd been there, the Wolverines wouldn't have lost so bad. ;o)
B.E., that is how my husband is about hockey. He doesn't mind watching an occasional game if he happens to be home on one of my game nights, but he isn't a fan until the playoffs. He also chooses to like the Red Wings, but I think that's more because I dislike them so much than he actually likes them ... LOL
Sorry your teams had a bad start to 2011. Hopefully it can only get better for the both of us!
Sorry your team lost. Hopefully it will get better in the future.
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