One More Game

OYS keeps wreaking havoc on my business travel plans. Last week, I left London a few hours early to get to his quarter-final. Today, I left Ft. Lauderdale a few hours early to get to his semi. And, because OYS's team won again, I have to reschedule my trip to LA next week from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning.

But, as long as he kept on winning, I was happy to keep on adjusting. OYS rewarded my efforts last week with the nicest pass I have ever seen (a video of which I hope to display shortly). Today, OYS's team completely shut down their semi-final opponent 4 - 0. Once again, excellent coaching, swarming offense, superior depth, great goaltending when needed, and very tight defense. I think it was the best game the team has played all year and everyone contributed.

(The other team had one player who was reputed to be one of the best players in the league. He was a total non-factor. OYS's team shut him down completely. He had so little freedom tonight that unless someone told you he was a great player you wouldn't have known it from watching the game. In general, teams with one or two great players don't do anything against OYS's team).

I am really looking forward to my last game as a hockey dad. I'm glad OYS's hockey career is ending this way, in the last game of the year in his senior year. It is a fitting end to a great individual career on a great team. He will be playing in his 5th championship game in six years of scholastic hockey (he's won all four previous championship games). Not too shabby.

Besides the fact that OYS's team is a very good hockey team, the thing that I am most proud of is that they are a wonderful bunch of young men. More than the games, I will miss the boys.