It's been a month since we've been to a hockey game. Since then, the boys haven't played very well, until their win last night.

It's been a little odd going to the games lately. Most of the people that sit around us haven't been coming regularly. Chelby & Damian don't come to the games anymore. The crowd seems to be less and less "regulars" and more and more Group Sales. There aren't any giveaways at the doors anymore - in prior years almost every game had something given away. Every game is now broadcast on Comcast cable, but they didn't sign a radio contract with anybody, so If you can't listen over the Internet, you're S.O.L. Yesterday they started using a very low power AM transmitter inside the arena to broadcast the games to anybody with a radio inside (quality sucks and you can't hear it if you're going to get something to eat or drink). I don't know - the games just don't feel the same...

I'm thinking Utah was thinking the same thing. They lost an engine while still on the tarmac in Salt Lake City. They didn't get to the arena until 4:30 for the 7pm game.

That being said, we scored in the first and didn't score again until the 3rd and then it was like they smelled blood in the water. We almost had another goal when Utah goalie Mike Smith blocked a shot, but it went straight up into the air behind him, landed on the ice and almost crossed the line before it was dug-out by some Utah players. Smith never saw it. Kari Lehtonen got his first professional shutout.

Carol was ringing her cowbell quite a bit. A lady in the group sitting next to us wanted to ring the bell, so Carol gave it to her. As soon as the bell left Carol's hands, we scored. Needless to say, the bell got a workout. So much so, that a little girl three rows in front of us was turning around to tell Carol to stop ringing her bell. Did she stop? of course not!

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)