September 28, 2007

Catching Up...

Several things to discuss today...though I guess they are all inter-related. On Wednesday evening I was kidnapped and held hostage for the entire evening by a crazy hockey fan. She dragged me at gunpoint (or maybe it was more like a tube of mascara to my head) from my desk at work to the car in which she child proof locked my door so I could not jump out. I was taken from Boston to the University Of Rhode Island where we saw the Providence Bruins take on the Springfield Falcons. When we arrived we were surrounded by other crazy hockey fans who decided to sit with us and forced me to scream and cheer! It was really hard because I am usually so tame and quiet. It was so hard to be so far out of character.

Ok, so in reality, I had not been planning on going to the game, but I was presented with a very good offer and for those who know me, I am not one to pass up a good offer! I can be easily talked into things...especially things I enjoy. So Cheri met me at work and we headed down to URI where we planned to meet up with Jess S., Jen, Jenn and Jenna. I was looking forward to the evening as this was the first time I was getting to see the Providence team. I think almost everyone else I had talked to had stopped by camp one day or another. Most of the regulars sat out, but it was good to see their faces as a reminder that the season is upon us. On the ice there were a few familiar faces such as Dwayne Zinger, Jason Platt, Wacey Rabbit, Mark Tobin, Chris Collins and Mike Brown. During the game I tried to take in all the new faces. There were a few over the course of the evening that stood out to me such as Bill LeClerc, Steve MacIntyre, Byron Bitz, Matt Hendricks and Jamison Orr. I am hoping that we will see a bit of Byron Bitz this season. While he is a young player entering his rookie season, he seems to have much talent and promise.

Jamison Orr is one of the most talked about young players at camp this season. Everyone refers to him as "Colton's baby brother." Now I did not follow Providence during the time Colton was here as I am a relative newbie to the P-Bruins, so I have nothing to go on when people make these comments, but I have to say I was quite impressed! "Baby brother" makes me think he is going to be a tiny little thing, but little he is not. This 6'3" left wing is one tough customer. With Jeremy Reich up in Boston this season, Providence is going to need a "tough" guy. Sadly however, it will have to be someone aside from Jamison as today he, Matt Syroczynski, B.J. Crum, and Bill LeClerc were released from camp. The Providence Bruins did however add to their roster Center Brad Schell.

Now some may ask why I say sadly. Fights in hockey can get pretty intense. In fact, if you are a fan of fights Wednesday's game is where you wanted to be! I have seen all kinds of fights (and here I must mention I was disappointed to hear about the Montoya/DiPietro fight the other night second hand!), all kinds of fighting techniques, etc...but nothing made me laugh harder that Jamison's fight at center ice Wednesday night! In fights past I have seen players with longer hair remove their helmet and do the hair shake (and I am impressed as more often than not they do it better than I), but this fight was a first for me. I look up at the ice and suddenly see Orr (I did not even pay attention to who he was fighting with as I was laughing too hard) and the other player doing the little skating thing, making some space before they fight. They do the dance and Jamison takes off his helmet and tosses it to the ice. Then he takes his hand and runs it through his hair before putting his fists in the air. I am sure it was one of those, get the hair out of the way moves, but the execution of it looked much more like what my cousin does when he is gazing into the bathroom mirror, fixing his hair before going out on the town and wooing the ladies! A classic move that totally endeared him to me. I am sad he was released but am hoping we will see more of him at some point in time!

As for the actual game, Providence beat Springfield 4-3. Mike Brown was in net and I must say I thought he did very well. The Bruins goals were scored by Alexandre Imbeault, Wacey Rabbit, Vladimir Sobotka and Byron Bitz. It sure felt like hockey was back in full force with the hecklers, the signs, the screaming, the yelling, the chanting, and all the familiar faces of my "winter" family (the people from my section as well as all of the other people I have met at the Dunk over the course of the past few seasons). Ahhh yes, now I remember why I enjoy hockey so much!

Letters of love, lust, or disagreement can be sent to rlord (at) soveryobsessed.com

by Rebecca | 2:31 PM | 0
filed under: 07-08 season || providence bruins