8:30 PM. Hartmeyer Ice Arena, Madison, Wisconson.
What happens on a Saturday night in Wisconsin when the Green Bay Packers are in an evening playoff game? You expect to not have two full lines when you play your exhibition hockey game, that's what. Which is what happened to our beloved Lightning at the Hartmeyer Ice Arena. Luckily, it also happened to the top-division Madison Meteorites, who had only one skater on their bench.
What was not expected was this: Coach Hungry Heart, who helped lead the Lightning to victory in their first game against the Meteorites, arrived. This was remarkable as many of you know, Coach H is actually on the roster for the UW Women's hockey team, and they had a game tonight as well! That's dedication! Although it should be said that she did not actually dress for the UW Lady Badgers.
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| Coach HH crosses the ice |
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| All the troops |
With the Packers and the 49ers tied, the View From the Clouds posse (including Nimbus and Asperatus) picked a bench and watched the proceedings. Hartmeyer is nice: bleacher seating on both sides of the wide ice, affording good views. Also, vending machine hot chocolate can be had for $.50. Price goes up a dime if you want a large.
After the first period, the Lightning faced their worst deficit of the season, down two goals to none! A yell of "Hustle!!" quickly followed by what sounded like a lone shout of "LayYoFightLuongo!" and the Lightning were off. The Bourbon Wall stood tall, and the understaffed Lightning generated chances on the understaffed Meteorites.
Against an unknown goalie, no not Warren Peas in a brunette wig, the Lightning came up short several times. The cry of "Amanita … STONED!" echoed throughout the empty, cold, arena. The sounds of the game fought for attention against the blaring television set, the broadcast of the Packers game cast an unsettling backdrop to the desperation of the Lightning.
On Amanita's second breakaway of the period, she held the puck a bit longer than usual, waited for the goalie to drop, and she slid through the crease and deposited the puck. 2-1 Meteorites.
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| Amanita deposits the puck. Trust me. |
The third period: awesome hockey. I remember when I was in my playing
days, playing league games that started at 11 PM on a Saturday night,
one 50-year old defensemen playing the entire game, when pulling the
goalie (me) meant putting your team a man down, scrapping out a
victory. I had hoped tonight would be one of those nights, so I took out my point and shoot and captured those hectic last moments of the game.
A pulled goalie, a sustained attack, a mad scramble, the crowd chanting, the puck on Vapo Rub's blade, then MJ's ... and that's how it happened that the Lightning lost their first game of the season. Coach Double H turned to the Cloud Posse and said, "I'm still 1-1 as a coach!" Well, I was 1-1 after my first games as a goalie.
Notes: Went to Dexter's afterwards to catch the rest of the Packer game. The place was still relatively crowded despite the by-now foregone conclusion. Touchdowns scored by the losing team in blowout during garbage time are the worst kinds of scores in sports, don't you think?
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