All is right with the World

“Jane, since I have met you, I have noticed things I never noticed before. Colors…birds singing…..stop lights.” LT. Frank Drebin

A weekend wedding at The Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire is a major reason I am feeling like LT. Frank Drebin. What a gorgeous spot to get married, and the Bride and Groom put on a great spread. Thanks for having us Mr. and Mrs. Derum, and congratulations! MOL and I will be here for beers when you get back from Hawaii.

The other reason for feeling like a new man? Hockey is back boys! The long pointless Summer with it’s heat, and humidity has given was to the crisp nights of Fall, and the return of the Boys of Winter! MOL and I made the drive back from New Hampshire last night so I would be able to make it to the Bruins/Devils tilt at the Paul today. She also had to work, and the NASCAR race was at Louden, so it made sense to make it yesterday. I awoke this morning in my own bed, ready to see my first glimpse of hockey this season.

After arriving at the Paul, and seeing all the old faces, we settled in for the game. Boston looked very sloppy in the first frame taking roughly 72 crappy penalties. The first stanza did feature the first fight of the year though. Wade Brookbank and Mike Rupp got into it right along the boards in between the benches, and after a long square off got after each other in front of the New Jersey goal. Rupp threw the first shot, and Brookbank countered with a right getting Rupp off balance. As Rupp was going down, Brookbank hit him again, and they crashed to the ice. Pretty quick scrap after a long square off, but I give the win to Brookbank because he landed both his punches of the bout.

The second period was more of the same for Boston. Lots of crappy penalties and not a lot of scoring chances. Toivonen looked pretty rusty, and the squad sure looked like a group that had only been on the ice for a couple of days. Billy Tibbetts looked very cautious. Like he didn’t want to do anything to be even remotely controversial. I don’t think that was Billy’s game. New Jersey for their part looked very good. A lot of those guys are familiar with each other, and it showed. They were crisper, and controlled the play. It also didn’t hurt the penalties were 492-1 in their favor. Boston could not keep out of the box, and it hurt them.

The final period of the night featured Wade Brookbank’s second scrap of the night. It was a quicker square off, and an even quicker fight. New Devil Dan LaCoutre and Brookbank got together in right at the blue line next to the home penalty box. They decided to go, and Brookbank lowered the boom on Lac’s face. He buckled the Massachusetts native with a hard right to his nose, and the fight was all over. Both guys were led to the dressing room as the fight came with 1:18 left in the game. I really could care less about the score. I am just glad to have hockey back. Next up, September 29th the Lowell Devils face off against the Portland Pirates at the Paul. Good seats are still available.