As a hockey dad, there's little more fun than watching your child play the game. Win or lose, as long as he's having fun, that's all that really matters.
For the child, though, hockey is all about moments. The first time they step on the ice. The first time they make a team. The first time they play a game. And, yes, the first time they score a goal. Each one is a memory.
Last night, in his home rink in Clearwater, Colin scored his first goal for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning travel team. Once again, hard work, dedication and doggedness paid off. Even better, it came in an 11-6 victory for the Jr. Lightning.
Though he's scored goals in the past, quite a few for his first team, the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, this one is pretty special.
After admitting that he felt a bit intimidated in his first two games a couple weeks ago, I told him that hockey hasn't changed. It doesn't matter if the kids are a little bigger, skate a little faster or are any better than him. All he has to do is skate hard, play his best and good things will happen.
That goal last night drove home the point. And now that he got the first one out of the way, let's see what happens.
It's been awhile
In the five-plus years we've lived down here in Hockey Bay, the Tampa Bay Lightning, up until this season, had made the NHL playoffs only once. And, that, if memory serves me correctly, didn't go all that well as the New Jersey Devils easily dispatched the Bolts in the first round.
This season, though, the Bolts are back in the playoffs and, possibly, making some noise. After knocking off the Pittsburgh Penguins, coming back from a 3-1 deficit, the Lightning surprised the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals.
Though we passed on a first-round game, we have tickets (not very good ones, mind you) for Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals. Still, to take in the excitement of an NHL playoff game, even if it's in the nosebleeds, it'll be worth every penny.
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