Muchly anticipated this side of Manna Bakery and Cafe, the Madison Lightning's season began today with a home and away doubleheader against the Madison Thunder. Both games were played at The Shell.
Hlin, who had eschewed all semblance of a pre-season ala Lawrence Taylor, scored in her first or second shift in the first period to lead the Lightning to their first league win. That win either ties or eclipses the number of wins they had in their god-awful previous season. The Bearcat and Amanita rounded out the scoring, with Amanita finding the back of the net once, and some crossbar another time.
I wish I could detail some of these goals because at least one of these could have been classified as "beautiful", complete with nice passes, with being patient with the puke, a frozen goaltender. There even might have been a backhand shot there. But the View From the Clouds was sitting at the far end bleachers. The only goal I really got a good look at was the sole strike against the Lightning in the 3rd period. The Murmuring Wall lost her shutout on an excellent backdoor goal by Rudolf. I can't specify the time because the score board wasn't in operation. The one and only key that unlocks the scoreboard control board had been misplaced! So ... no horn to mark the end of the period. Instead the refs just blew on their whistles long and hard.
After the game, I caught a glimpse of the new coach walking out of the locker. She was sporting a NY Giants winter hat. I was wearing a Green Bay Packers winter hat. We did not acknowledge each other, despite me having attended her practices dressed in a Hartford Whaler away jersey. Should I have said: "Good game, coach!"? Having actually never had a coach aside from my high school public speaking coach (and I just called him Mr. Donahue), I still think it's a pretty big deal to call somebody "coach." I used to get a big kick calling the legendary one-eyed coach for the Lake Forest College Foresters men's hockey team "coach." In the 90's, I did a bunch of skating at Lake Forest College during open skate and I'd see him every now and then kicking the bleachers or looking for lost puck. "S'up, coach!" I'd say even though he did not know me from Sam.
As part of my duty, I accompanied most of the team to Jordan's Big 10 Pub for lunch. I ate a veggie burger slathered with mayo, ketchup, and mustard. It was much better than the veggie burger I had last night at Ale Asylum. But it still only rated a 52 out of 100. At the pub, Young Jet drew up this play:
It's called "TWO-TWO-NO-EAT-CHICKEN-STRIPS." It describes a gleeful yet suffocating penalty kill (with the goalie pulled). The Bearcat clandestinely wolfed down the chicken strips.
I forwent the afternoon game. Instead, I attended the Madison Scrabble Club at the Eastside HyVee, where I went 2 for 4. During my last game, I played the improbable word KURTOSIS. Perhaps even more improbably, my opponent knew what KURTOSIS meant.
While I was playing Scrabble and eating cake, the Lightning went on to shutout the Thunder to start the season 2-0.
Judging from what I observed in the first game, I'd say the Lightning seemed cohesive and the defense looked sound. Credit the latter to the return of Super Snutch and the team's new addition, Michael Jordan. Or give credit to the new coach? Or to the fact that the Lightning are now playing in an "easier" league.
Game Puck #1 goes to Hlin. Game Puck #2 goes to The Murmuring Wall. Next game is 11/10, also at the Shell versus the despised Brew City Blue.
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