Home Sweet Home

Back at Qwest Arena--er, CenturyLink Arena--in downtown Boise.  The name's been changed, but it's still good to be back!  We've had to practice at our alternate practice rink way outside of Boise on the opposite end of town as me for the past month, so it's great to be back in a more central rink and a much nicer rink.  We're very lucky to get to practice at such a first-class facility, and it's something that I think I take for granted.  But it reminds me every day what great people run this organization and help our team run as professionally as we can.

Our first day of practice at Qwest--I'm still going to call it that--was not so great.  We were all very sluggish from getting home from Park City at 6 AM the previous morning.  We drove through the night, I was tired, and I didn't feel very good.  It was hot inside the rink, and I felt like I couldn't breathe the whole practice.  Hence, the bad practice.  And yes I just used the word "hence."  Today was better than yesterday, but it still wasn't good enough.  We got chewed out as a team by our coach after practice.  He said we need to start practicing perfect execution because, as coaches, that is what they look for, and they are pretty disappointed with some people's efforts right now.  If some people don't make a change to their practice habits, they are going to start making changes.  Then, he singled out the returning veterans and said it's our responsibility to have kids ready to play and light a little fire in some guys when they're not pulling their weight.  I've tried to do this, but some of the kids just don't respond.  It's something I need to work on in the coming weeks.  I need to be more vocal and I need to work my bag off every practice.  I feel like I have been working very hard the past few weeks, but I know I have more levels to reach, and I have to push myself mentally to be better every day.  In every drill.

Here's a view of CenturyLink Arena.  Mascot practice was going on when I took this...

This should be a fun week.  We have a team poker night planned, and we are all tailgating at the BSU game as a team on Saturday to promote our game on Sunday.  It is a memorial game for a local youth hockey player who died here this past spring in a car accident.  Apparently, he was a very good goalie prospect.  But admission is FREE, and we play Seattle again!