Good morning hockey fans and friends,
Well it has definitely been a better couple weeks around here. After we started the season with a .500 record, we have won 4 of our last 5 games against some tough opponents.
Two weeks ago, we played in Cleveland and Hamilton, in which we lost 3 games in a row and had roughly 30 hours of bus in us over a 3 day period. It was time for a day off before we got back to work on our next task: the San Antonio Rampage on November 5th.
When the Rampage rolled into Peoria, they were one of the hottest teams in the AHL, so we knew we were in for a battle. We came out on top with a 5-4 win and snapped our modest 3-game losing streak. After the game, we immediately hopped on the bus and headed to Milwaukee, WI, which was a 4 hour trip from Peoria.
With an arrival at 3am, we had optional pre game skate at 11am the next morning. It amazes me that somehow you can still have energy for a skate with such a lack of sleep, but when you have been doing this for a majority of your life your body just seems to adapt to it.
We hit the ice for the Friday night contest against the defending division champs. Full of adrenaline and Red Bull, we somehow mustarded out a 4-3 win in a tough Bradley Center. The arena was sporting new boards and glass, which in my opinion was long overdue. Ask any player who has played in that building with the old boards and glass over the years and they would know exactly what I’m talking about.
We returned home to an optional practice Saturday afternoon then an off day on Sunday.
Saturday night, we had a little team gathering at Steve Wagner’s, Chris Porter’s and Julian Talbot’s place which is about a 10 minute drive from my roommates and my place.
I guess I haven’t really informed a lot of you about my living arrangements this season. With my girlfriend and me purchasing a house late in the summer, somebody had to be around for the move and closing of the deal. With my obvious commitment to work here in Peoria, that somebody wasn’t me. My girlfriend did everything for us, with help from her mom, and friends.
With no time to find someone to rent our place for the season, we made a decision which was not an easy one, that my girlfriend would stay in WA to work, look after our home and of course our one year old yorkie Lexi. It is definitely a tough change, seeing as I have spent almost everyday with her for the last 2 years. We both had to make an adjustment on this situation, but are getting through it ok. I sure do miss having her around; I’ve been spoiled the last couple years, I guess.
So for the next 5 months here in Peoria, I am living with Danny Richmond and Adrian Veideman. Both are great roommates and solid guys….but that could change in a couple months when I have to clean up after one of them. (just kidding boys if you read this). Danny and I go way back from my first year pro in Lowell. Adrian came from the Iowa Chops and another BC boy in the house, he’s from Sicamous and I am from Quesnel.
So on Wednesday night it was back to work on the ice with a very hot Dallas Stars farm club the new Texas Stars, which play out of Austin, TX. We kept rolling on this night with a 5-4 win to push ourselves to a 3 game winning streak. During this game, I ended up getting into a scrap with an old foe and another ex-Iowa Chop, Francis Wathier. In a long scrap which I would call a draw, I came out of it with something that I didn’t care to see or anybody with a weak stomach would care to see. I dislocated my pinky finger in two places. Not a pretty sight. So headed into our games this past weekend, it didn’t look good for me on the possibility on getting into the lineup.
Friday night, a physical Calgary Flames farm club, the Abbotsford Heat, team came into Carver arena and laid the smack down on us 6-0. The beauty of this league is you usually have games the next night and have the chance to redeem yourself and that’s exactly what the boys did Saturday night against Milwaukee. We got the go-ahead goal with 16 seconds left by Brendan Bell on the power play that sent the 3800+ into a craze with Rivermen win.
With us winning 4 of the last 5 games before we hit the road for 3 games, our record is 8-5-1-2 good for 19 points and a 2nd place standing in a tight West Division.
I thank you all for checking in this week for the 2nd blog of the season. I look forward to chatting again in two weeks. Happy Holidays to everyone as Thanksgiving is approaching us.
Mitch Love
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