When you don't carry a lot of pucks for a visiting NHL team, it's no surprise when you walk away with only one. That was the case last Wednesday when the Washington Capitals came to town.Though I had only five pucks with me, I was fortunate to score this Hershey Bears puck, signed by goalie Michal Neuvirth, before the team's morning skate at the St. Pete Times Forum.
For the most part, the Capitals came out in clumps, four to five at a time, forcing hockey hounds and dealers to pick and choose. All told, I added 19 autographs, one below my standard of a decent day of hounding.
And, no, none came from Alex Ovechkin. Though I carried a single card for him, I knew better than to think I'd get it signed. He is, by far, the toughest NHL player in terms of getting an autograph. Kids and blue-eyed blondes, my experience has shown, stand the best chance.
As Ovechkin left the team's hotel, declining every request made of him, a small crowd of about 12 to 15 hounds and unrealistic dealers sporting Washington Capitals jerseys followed him for blocks. Not a single one got an autograph at that time.
Among those signing the 16 cards were:
Top row: Karl Alzner, Jason Chimera, Eric Fehr and Boyd Gordon; and
Bottom row: Mike Green, Mike Knuble, Jeff Schultz and David Steckel.
Other highlights of the day, so to speak:
~ Learning a valuable lesson not to take things for granted; and
~ Once again, putting some cheap skates to good work.
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