On Patrice, Vinny and online shopping

Three hockey-related thoughts before I head off this afternoon to inform and enlighten readers of the St. Petersburg Times up north in Hernando County:

~ It's great reading that Boston's Patrice Bergeron, a favorite of Hound Central 3.0, joined the Bruins' youngsters last week at the team's development camp north of Boston.

Bergeron, who sustained a nasty concussion early last season after a questionable hit from Philly's Randy Jones, said he's looking forward to playing again.

"I want to make sure I'm ready," he told NHL.com correspondent John Bishop. “That’s why I came down here this week, to skate and work out and make sure I’m in the best shape I can be.”

Down here in Humidity Bay, we can't wait to see Bergie play again. Like most Bruins fans, we missed him last season.

~ Great, but expected, move by the Lightning's new ownership to lock up Vinny Lecavalier, signing the team's superstar to an 11-year, $85 million contract. Since he was drafted first overall by the Lightning in 1998, Vinny's been the face of the organization.

This deal, expected to be a hot topic Tuesday at a meet-and-greet autograph session (a future posting, perhaps?) for season-ticket holders, is expected to keep Lecavalier a member of the Lightning for life. I certainly hope so.

~ Why is it whenever I believe I've found a good online deal on a piece of hockey equipment for Colin, be it gloves, shin guards or pants, the supplier never has it in his correct size?

Sure, I understand the concept behind closeouts (supplies are limited and no exchanges are allowed), but offering only a handful of products in useless sizes rivals conduct that would earn a chippy player an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Low prices may lure people to Web sites, but if they can't find products at those advertised prices, a move that may steer some (but not me) to pay for more expensive gear, then they run the risk of alienating customers.

I, for one, took our business ($125, this order: helmet with faceshield, pants, gloves and shin guards) elsewhere.

And it wasn't any Florida-based pro shop; their prices ($44 for an off-brand pair of youth gloves, for instance, while I paid $25 for Mission Fuel 60s) are even higher.

Patrice's back!

That cheer you heard about 10 minutes ago emanating from Florida came after Colin and I learned that Boston's Patrice Bergeron, a favorite here at Hound Central 3.0, has been cleared to participate in the NHL playoffs.

Patrice, who sustained a serious concussion during a game last October after a cheap hit from behind by Philadelphia's Randy Jones, said he wouldn't play in Thursday's series opener against the Montreal Canadiens.

Still, though, for Patrice to be cleared medically for the playoffs has got to be a big boost of confidence for himself, the Bruins and their fans. Especially for two, down here in Florida, who have neither the Buffalo Sabres nor the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs.

It just wasn't the same

Chances are, this is going to sound like a world-class case of whining. For that, I offer my apologies in advance. But, in being honest, it means always telling the truth. Even if it hurts.

For years, we've truly enjoyed collecting autographs from the Boston Bruins. Between training camps, open practices and fundraisers, access to the Bruins was fairly open. As a result, a sizable chunk of the collection focuses on the Original Six club.

Beyond that, though, the biggest thrill came from hooking up with players we've watched grow up. It should come as no surprise, either, that Patrice Bergeron, one of Colin's best buddies, is one of those players.

Now, we all know that Patrice sustained a serious injury earlier this season. To many, ourselves included, it was a humbling reminder of just how dangerous hockey can be. We've been heartened lately to read that he'll start skating soon.

What was disappointing, though, was that we haven't been able to see Patrice this season. Colin, in particular, was a little bummed out. Please know, too, that we certainly don't blame him for staying in Boston. His health, in life more than hockey, is more important.

As we all hounded the Bruins on Saturday morning, adding another 36 autographs to the collection (including the 1,500th puck), I couldn't help but think that things didn't seem right. There wasn't the anticipation. There wasn't the recognition. There wasn't a little boy seeing his hockey hero again.

Going forward, we can only hope Patrice regains his health. And as much as we'd like to see him again someday, we also hope he makes a decision that's best for him

Cards, shown above, are:
Top row: Marc Savard and Tim Thomas
Bottom row: Aaron Ward and Dennis Wideman

Sunday morning homily XXI

When it comes right down to it, it's no surprise that 30-plus years of playing and watching hockey has taken a bit of the thrill out of attending games. It's possible, I suppose, that I'm used to the ebb and flow, the body-crunching hits and music that's way too loud for my liking.

For someone attending their first NHL game, though, it's a new experience. The sights, the sounds and, yes, even the taste of a pretzel filled with sweet cream cheese are fresh. To the newbie, and I say that in a positive manner, it's a brave and brash new world.

Last night, I witnessed a new fan's first few steps toward hockey. Gus, a buddy from the newspaper, joined us, as well as his fiancee, Jackie, who was attending just her second NHL game, to watch the Lightning play, and lose, to the Washington Capitals.

I'd spent the past two days talking about Washington's Alexander Ovechkin. Given that he was parked at 48 goals, I was hoping that he'd hit 50 against the Bolts, giving all of us something to remember. Unfortunately, the Lightning held Ovie in check.

You know what? It didn't matter.

What drew Gus into the game was its speed and the action. Like most fans, he got into the physicality, to the point of giggling and groaning when players collided heavily along the boards. He asked good questions, ranging from rules to delayed penalties to even about the thickness of a goalie's chest protector. He says, too, that he wants to catch a puck.

His most telling question, though, was about rivalries. He wanted to know what teams didn't like each other and would play a physical game. I suggested the Lightning vs. Flyers, Sabres vs. Leafs, Bruins vs. Canadiens, Red Wings vs. Avalanche. On Tuesday, when we get back to the copy desk, I'll add Rangers vs. Islanders.

How do I know he'll be interested? That's simple.

"Definitely," he offered, without a prompt, "I could do this again."

Get your motor running

Down here in Florida, today's big sporting event is the granddaddy of all stock car races, the 50th running of the Daytona 500. As much as I'd like to be there to witness it, I'll have to settle for chilling out and watching from my well-worn recliner.

What does racing have to do with hockey? Well, if you've been watching the recent exploits between top-tier drivers Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, a couple of gearheads with an intense dislike of one another, there's a solid chance that a hockey scrum might break out should these two tangle during the race.

Hopefully, the two teams will be far apart on pit road. If not, any dust-up could spark a pit-clearing brawl that, in my opinion, might restore some energy into the increasingly moribund sport that's NASCAR.

For the record, we'll be rooting for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

5 Big Sigs

Sooner or later, I'm going to get back out there hounding. Between health issues and weather, I've missed more hounding opportunities in the past month than I've actually participated in. With the Boston Bruins, and hopefully Patrice Bergeron, coming to Tampa later this week, it will be a good time to get back into the groove.

With that in mind, we're hoping to add these to the collection:

~ goalie Alex Auld on Bruins, Canucks and Panthers pucks;
~ an updated picture of Colin and his pal, Patrice;
~ defenseman Andrew Ference on a practice puck he gave to Colin after pregame warm-ups last season;
~ forward Phil Kessel on a Team USA puck; and
~ goalie Tim Thomas on a 2008 NHL All Star Game puck.

Sunday morning homily X

As much as I like watching the Boston Bruins play, especially when the team is down here in Tampa Bay, I didn't enjoy last night's game as much as I thought I would. Sadly, it had nothing to do with Bruins' 4-1 loss to the Lightning.

No, what really tempered my enthusiasm was the fact that Boston's Patrice Bergeron -- a favorite of the Hound Central 3.0 household -- understandably didn't make the trip as he recovers from the serious concussion he sustained earlier this season.

For the past three years, Patrice and Colin, our 6-year-old son, have become buddies. From training camps in Wilmington, Mass., to catching up outside the team's hotel here in Tampa, we've watched as the two bonded.

Over the years, Patrice has been gracious enough to sign many items for Colin. As a result, his room is full of Bergeron items -- cards, photos, a jersey and one very special stick. Our most valuable items, measured in something far greater than money, are the memories from their visits:

~ How Colin called him a heart-warming "Ka-trice," rather than Patrice, in their earliest visits;
~ The one rainy day in Wilmington, just after Christmas, when Colin stopped Patrice, on a dime, with a request to sign the game-used stick that Santaopolous brought him only days before;
~ The instant recognition and mile-wide smiles, as well as the looks on others' faces, when Patrice greeted Colin, by name, during a signing session at a Bruins Wives Carnival; and
~ The near-tear-inducing hug that Colin gave Patrice last October, the first time we saw the Bruins down here in Florida. For Colin, Patrice brought a sense of familiarity to a place that is, in more ways than anyone could imagine, so, so far away from New England.

Despite a chance meeting last night with Patrice's Uncle Vern (an usher at the St. Pete Times Forum), who wanted to meet the little boy wearing a Bruins #37 jersey and carrying a "Patrice: Get Well Soon! Your buddy, Colin" sign, it just didn't feel the same.

Godspeed, Patrice. Take your time and get healthy. We hope to see you again. But, if that doesn't happen, and you rightfully place your well-being and future above the game, we want to thank you for everything. Especially the memories.

We won't boo this guy -- anymore

Over the years, Colin has been the recipient of many pucks from players, either at practices or pre-game warm-ups. Last night, he added to his collection. But rather than getting a puck from a player, the latest addition came from someone other than a player.

As we waited outside the St. Pete Times Forum after the game, the officiating crew started to walk past. One of them stopped, though, dropping his shoulder bag to the ground. He fished around the bag, and a few seconds later, produced this official, and slightly frozen, Tampa Bay Lightning game puck.

"Here you go, buddy," said Stephane Auger, an NHL referee, as he handed the puck to Colin.

Pretty nice gesture, if you ask me.

5 Big Sigs

With three teams coming to Tampa this week -- the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders -- I'm hoping that quality far exceeds quantity as we add these to the collection:

~ Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza on new-look Senators pucks;
~ Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour on a Philadelphia Flyers puck;
~ The Isles' Rick DiPietro on the American-born goalie stick;
~ The Isles' Billy Guerin on Islanders and Dallas Stars pucks; and
~ getting former Lightning player Ruslan Fedotenko, now playing for the Islanders, to re-sign a 2004 Stanley Cup Game 7 puck, this time with a blue paint pen. Fedotenko, you might recall, scored Tampa Bay's Cup-winning goal.

Loaded for bear

Though we'll be limited in our time to "visit" with the Bruins this Saturday afternoon, it's not deterring me from assembling a diverse collection of items for the Boston players:

~ at least 10 pucks, including an updated logo one for Tuukka Rask;
~ more than 70 cards;
~ this 8x10 sheet showing Colin and Boston goalie Tim Thomas, taken more than two years ago when the Goofy Dude served as a "bench assistant" before a Bruins game;
~ the American-born goalie stick for Thomas;
~ not one, but two game-dated Bruins team sheets for Colin to get signed;
~ the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet for Marco Sturm;
~ a 1978-79 Buffalo Sabres calendar for Craig Ramsay; and
~ if he travels with the team, a big, but gentle, get-well hug from Colin for his buddy, Patrice Bergeron.

We'll also have our tickets (a birthday present from my wife and son), first row of the upper deck, as well as our Bruins gear.

Seeing the big picture

He had the audience and the opportunity. He had a right to be bitter, too. But Boston's Patrice Bergeron stayed true to form, even as he struggled with the aftereffects of a nasty hit, by taking the high road yesterday.

Bergeron, who sustained a pretty serious concussion, a broken nose and whiplash-type injuries after being hit from behind by Philadelphia's Randy Jones, spoke to the media for the first time since sustaining the near career-ending injury.

But rather than criticize Jones' punishment -- a two-game suspension -- Bergeron called on the league and his fellow players to crack down on these dangerous hits from behind. It's all about having respect for each other, he said.

Truer words, I believe, have never been spoken.

From peewees to the NHL, any player lining up an opponent needs to remember one thing -- would they want to receive the same dangerous check that they are about to deliver?

Granted, board-rattling hits are part of the game. And there's a great amount of risk involved within hockey. That doesn't mean, though, that gives anyone the right to seriously injure an opponent, intentional or not.

Let's hope that Bergeron's message resonates through every rink. If it doesn't, I'm afraid to think of what it would take to do so.

Get well soon, Patrice

As soon as Colin heard the news about Boston's Patrice Bergeron getting hurt, he knew what he had to do. So, we headed out after school Monday and bought his best Bruins buddy a get-well card.

It's going out in today's mail.

If you'd like to match Colin's efforts, send your get-well card to:

Patrice Bergeron
c/o Boston Bruins
TD Banknorth Garden
100 Legends Way
Boston, MA 02114

Sunday morning homily V

It wasn't until after last night's game, when my hometown Sabres beat the Lightning 4-3 in overtime, did I learn of the news. And when I finally listened to a series of urgent messages from a friend back in New England, I was sick to my stomach.

Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins' star and one of Colin's best buds (that's them together, last October, in Tampa), had been hurt, driven head-first into the boards by Philadelphia's Randy Jones. Patrice had been knocked unconscious and had to be taken off the ice, his head and neck immobilized, on a stretcher.

Fortunately, and I say that with a great amount of dismay, Patrice suffered only a concussion and a broken nose. Until I read that information, though, I had feared the worst. That's why, for the first time in a very long time, I prayed for a long, long time.

Most of all, I prayed that he would survive. Then, I prayed that his injuries wouldn't be severe. But, if they were, I prayed that he would have the strength and faith to cope. I prayed for his family.

I worried, too, as we drove across a dark Tampa Bay, that I might have to explain something that our 6-year-old, soon embarking on his own hockey journey, would be better off not knowing about.

Now, I'm a firm believer that we all have guardian angels. There have been too many instances in my life where some form of unrequested intervention has arrived in the nick of time. And, for that, I thank my mother, grandparents and cousin, Suzanne. They're no longer with me here on earth, but I've always felt their presence.

Given our family's thoughts for Patrice, who we first met during his rookie season in Beantown, I'd like to believe that my angels, as well as a few others, watched over Patrice in those critical moments of injury and afterward. By doing so, they answered everyone's prayers.

Please keep Patrice, his family and the Bruins in your prayers.

Cool tie, great cause

Last night's game between the Sabres and Lightning was billed as a "Pink Out Night." Fans were encouraged to wear pink in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as part of the 10th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer.

Though I'm quite comfortable with my masculinity, I have very little pink in my wardrobe. As a result, I felt as though I wasn't doing my bit.

That changed, though, when I ponied up $50 for this tie. Granted, I probably could have found four to five ties for that amount, but the money is headed to a good cause. Besides, Halloween is a few days away and, because I'm a journalist with a literal bent, I plan on getting "dressed up" at work for the occasion.

5 Big Sigs

Though I didn't have the best week of hounding, I won't let it deter me from trying to add these to the collection, as only the Atlanta Thrashers come to town:

1.) Bobby Holik, finally, on the 1999 NHL All-Star Game helmet;
2.) Ilya Kovalchuk on the Young Guns stick;
3.) Marian Hossa on a McFarlane SportsPick base;
4.) Garnet Exelby, finally, on a Regina Pats puck; and
5.) Should the planets realign, and I remember to carry a Boston Bruins puck with me, hockey legend Phil Esposito, who works as a analyst/color commentator during radio broadcasts of Lightning games, as he walks out of one of the many side doors at the St. Pete Times Forum.