A Loss, But a Fun Weekend

This weekend was a fun one for me.  We didn't have a game on Saturday, but we did have practice.  After practice, we all went to tailgate at the BSU game in downtown Boise.  It was a crazy event, with blue and orange everywhere.  I wanted so badly to be inside for the kickoff because it was really loud, and I wanted to see the blue Smurf Turf (BSU's blue field.)  A few of us walked around the stadium while the first half went on, but I was so determined to get into the game!  I wanted to see this BSU team that everyone talks about in person!  At halftime, we were standing outside an exit, and I got a free ticket from someone who was leaving.  It was awesome.  The game was pretty sloppy, and Kellen Moore, BSU's Heisman candidate quarterback, had an off game, but I had fun just being in the stadium in that atmosphere because that's something I've missed out on by not going to college yet.  They ended up winning 30-10.

Picture after the game.  I had to rep the Elway jersey!

Our game was today against the Seattle Totems again.  It was a memorial game, so it was pretty cool how many fans we drew.  And it was a great event for the hockey community here in Boise.  I think a lot of people were touched.  Unfortunately, we did not win the game.  We played well, but made too many costly mistakes.  I thought I played pretty well personally, I just have a few things I need to do better.  And I got in a fight.  Here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CITLD_YkTQc&feature=share.  My sister already posted it to YouTube.  

After my fight at the end of the 2nd period, my coach pulled me aside and told me how much he liked what I did in the fight.  He said it will be a huge confidence boost for the kind of player I am, and now I will know that I can run the show.  He said, "If the ice rink is a playground, I am in charge right now."  He's proud of the leader I am becoming and the things I am starting to do as a player.  And, again, he told me he's not the kind of coach who dishes out compliments very often--I should know that now after playing for him for about a year.  If anyone looks at me sideways or does something to me that I don't like, I now know that I can stand up for myself and stand up for myself well.  This fighting thing is probably something that I won't do very often, but now I know I will be able to when I have to.  He told me he thinks I am doing a great job recently, and he wants me to continue to play with confidence and keep taking steps, keep developing into the great defenseman and leader I can be.  We lost the game today 6-4, even after outshooting the other team 40-18, but there were some positives in the game for me personally.  I'm excited about the way I'm playing, but I'm not too excited about how our team played today.  I guess that's hockey, though.  You can't win them all; it's just good that it was an exhibition game, not a regular season matchup.