Last night was an event I've been awaiting for months: the first home game of the Saint John Sea Dogs' fourth season.
We hosted the Foreurs from Val D'Or, QC, and all evening, it was "Val D'Or -- no score". A shut-out for the home opener! Not too shabby, guys.
The slogan for this season is "Our Team -- Our Time", and the festivities yesterday were certainly, well, festive. They had a fan party, complete with barbecue and face-painting before the game. As part of the "season opener" excitement, the puck was delivered by a policeman who quickly rappeled (headfirst!) from the top of the scoreboard to centre ice.Other improvements this year include players' faces and names on the flags the skaters carry at the very beginning of the game, cool lights saying "Our Team -- Our Time" that sweep across the ice, and the end of that constantly malfunctioning sliding door entrance for the players. (It only instilled excitement based on whether or not it was going to work on any given night.)
The team itself did not disappoint. To be honest, I was a little concerned when I realized that six of our best players were all off at NHL training camps and wouldn't be here. Indeed, I spent a good chunk of time just reading the backs of the jerseys in order to keep track of which new guy was whom. But they played very well together as a team, and I think the one I was most impressed to see was Nathan Beaulieu, son of the GM and head coach. I was a little afraid that, given his connections, he might've made the team with only so-so skills. But he not only showed his mettle -- he scored a goal! I'll root for you any day, #28. Welcome aboard!Last night's victory made me feel a little sad for Val D'Or, though. You could tell they were tired (third game in four nights, a long way from home), and no team likes to have the ice yanked out from under them.
But tonight I felt a little bad for the Sea Dogs fans, as our team didn't have the same sparkle as last night. The Cape Breton Shrieking Tweeties ... er, Screaming Eagles, soundly beat us, 5-2. I could go on about how the Sea Dogs didn't seem to be trying in the third period, but I won't. I'll simply say, "You win some. You lose some."
In any case, I'm just glad hockey season is here.
(Now, if we could just get the French announcer from last year back ... I miss his enthusiasm!)
GO DOGS GO!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Good Ol' Hockey Game!
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