To be honest, I don’t think I even took notes at the game – if I did, they are long gone now. I was exhausted. During the first two rounds of playoffs I was attempting to direct a complicated play to its final performances while not neglecting my actual teaching job, juggling extra help and rehearsals that ran until 10 pm with games in Hartford that ran even later (the night before the show opened, the Pack hosted one of the longest games in AHL history, with Ken Gernander sending us all home at 12:30 of the third overtime). After that marathon session, the Pack earned a long layoff while waiting for the Penguins to arrive.

It was to be a harrowing series in any case, made even more so by the screwed up schedule that was imposed by the traveling circus that cursed the arenas of New England this spring. Although the Pack had home ice advantage, the opened with games one and two in Wilkes-Barre. Game one went to the Penguins as Jason LaBarbera went down with a tremendous leg cramp that sent the injured Phil Osaer scurrying from his place in the booth doing color commentary down to the locker room to frantically dress as backup for Steve Valiquette. Game two was won in overtime by Bryce Lampman to earn the split and send the teams back to Hartford even at one each. Jed Ortmeyer got the winner in game three, setting up the chance for the Pack to close out their two game stay in Hartford with a three games to one lead. The following night, however, turned out to be a scoring binge, as the Pens put 40 shots on goal and ended the night with the win by a score of 5 to 4. The two teams headed back to Wilkes-Barre for games 5 and 6, tied at two games each. The Pack lost in OT in game 5, but Jed scored twice in games 6 to even out the series at three games each and bring it back to Hartford for game 7.

Wanting to keep my heart rate under control, I didn’t listen to game 6 online, instead choosing to watch “Miracle” with a friend. Trying to spin out the movie as long as possible so I wouldn’t have to listen to the Pack lose and end the season in Wilkes-Barre, we watched every single one of the DVD special features. A few days later, I was able to watch the game as taped for me by a friend (although with the sound off, as the Pens announcers are such homers they hadn’t bothered to learn the names of the Pack players even by this point in the series).

For reasons that are hard to understand, the Pack and the Penguins hate each other with a fury that survives from season to season, even through the extraordinary turnover of the minor leagues and the schedule that had the teams meeting rarely if at all each year. Normally this means that games between these two teams are a penalty fest, with shoving turning into fighting turning into brawls that include everyone on the ice. Going to a Pack-Pens games means don’t make plans for after the game – the bars are going to be closed. Starring players in these bouts have included Billy Tibbetts, Richard Scott, and this year’s new addition, the former captain of the Pens, Jason MacDonald.

Everyone was well behaved for the first period of game 7. As the second period progressed and the game was still scoreless, things started to get chippy and the period ended with one the most gratifying things I have ever seen – Cory Larose viciously cross checking the hated Marquis Mathieu in the face after Mathieu crowded Jason LaBarbera in the crease. I hate Mathieu. He used to play for the baby Bruins and was as mouthy as Matt Barnaby but totally afraid to fight. At one point he landed a PTO in Hartford, his hometown (Francophone name notwithstanding) and was completely and utterly ignored by the players on the ice. It was as if he was invisible to everyone wearing blue and red. Not surprisingly, his tryout ended a few days early. Needless to say, this was one of the highlights of the season from my point of view, ranking up there with Lawrence Nycholat beating the crap out of Chris Ferraro. Also notable from this period was Jed Ortmeyer getting into a pushy-shovy with Shane Endicott and possibly even using a bad word. Now if only Layne Ulmer had punched someone, then it would have been complete.

The Pens scored first in the third period with Fedor Ty/j/utin in the box for holding, although the Pack came back shortly thereafter with a goal by Cory Larose while Orpik was in the box for the Pens. The game went to OT as it had so many times already.

After watching warm-ups each game, I wander up to talk to other people in my section and give my prediction on how the game will go. I watch for things like whether or not their timing and communication seemed to be on (were linemates completing passes? Were the goalies making saves?), whether anyone looked injured or sick, and whether or not the team as a group seemed to be on the game (happy? sulky? unfocused?) I make note of line combinations and defense pairings, and speculate on what the coaches may be trying to accomplish by changes. By very informal count, I’ve been right more than I’ve been wrong about the outcome of games. In 2000, led by Capt. Ken Gernander, the Pack took every series (except the finals) to the full count. In each case, they had to battle back from behind. To be here, now, at a game 7, seemed to be natural. Overtime, after being a curse during the previous season, had been no trouble for the team this year. Things would turn out all right.

When the puck went in at 13:21 of OT, the fans went into shock. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, regardless of what the vocal Pens fans thought. It was so horrible, it knocked the breath out of me. This team was so perfect, with its young rising talent and it veteran leadership and its enthusiastic and talented coaching – how could they lose? How could it end like this? After a minute of stunned loss, the crowd got up and cheered the Pack as they shook hands with the Pens and retreated to their locker room. I only hope that they could see that we were their fans, supporting them and their effort, not the Pens fans screaming wildly for their own team. To be honest, that is the one thing that has stuck with me – my worry that they didn’t understand that we were cheering for them.

It’s been quiet since then. The team and staff are staying mostly intact, with just a few veteran players that I never liked anyway departing (don’t let the door hit you in the ass, MacDonald). I’m sad for the loss of Cory Larose, who won me over in the very last game that he played for the Pack. I hope he makes it with the Thrashers, and if he lands in Chicago with their farm team I am sure he will have much to offer the kids there. Other than that, most of my favorites will be back: Jason LaBarbera, Phil Osaer, Lawrence Nycholat, Jayme Filipowicz, Ryan Cuthbert, Alex Giroux, Dominic Moore, Layne Ulmer, Ryan Hollweg, Ken Gernander, Juris Stals, Craig Weller… Good guys, a good team. My favorite picture from that last game, (with much competition from the Cory and Jed photos) shows Jayme Filipowicz skating past the bench as the pack players file off the ice, glaring back over his shoulder at the Pens celebrating in the far corner of the ice. Clearly it wasn’t over in his mind, and that’s something I like to see.

Yes, it was gratifying in a childish way to see the Pens get utterly humiliated in the Cup finals. But I’d rather see us get them back ourselves. Saturday, November 27th at 7:05 pm in Hartford, if you’re interested. I’ll be there.

So I've been quiet. What is there to talk about, really? There was no need to clean house when Shoenfeld/Sather did it for me, the minimal amount that I would have asked for. I don't worry myself about prospects since half of them never show up anyway. As far as guessing who's going to make the jump to the NHL this year? We'll consider that if a season occurs. For now, though, things look fine in Hartford.

(photos of game 7)

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