Et maintenant le premier etoile . . .

Just thought you’d like to know that last night, in my corporate hockey league, I finally accomplished a little childhood dream of mine . . .

With the score tied 2-2 and less than two minutes remaining in the game, I scored the game winning goal.

My hazy recollection of those fading seconds is that I brought the puck up over center and then pushed a pass forward to my right winger who skates faster and is a better puck handler than me. Then I drove to the net. He went wide right and I sped (OK, the way I skate it was more like I moseyed along) between two defencemen hoping for a rebound. It came. He took a shot on net and the rebound came right to me who was already behind both their guys. I don’t remember stickhandling the puck much but I do remember looking up to see what I had to shoot at. Empty net on the right obviously cause that’s where the puck ended up.

What’s funny about it is that I was doubleshifting. I normally take a really short shift and then breathe hard trying to refresh myself until it’s my turn to go on again but this time I didn’t. My two linemates had already gone for the bench and I was starting to feel a little winded and looking to get off when the opportunity arose.

Even better was that I assisted on the first goal by driving with the puck over the blue line and into the corner and then looking back to see who I could pass the puck to and found my defenceman sliding into the far point. He got off a nice slapshot for a goal.

Later I also had my second breakaway attempt in two games when I forechecked a defenceman and pushed the puck past him at the blue line. I thought for sure that someone would catch me but I somehow lugged the puck up the ice and got a shot away on the goalie – with no success.

Wish you all could have been there to see it.