4 out of 4

With 15 games left we found ourselves 8 points out of first, with 1 game in hand. Not to mention the teams that are in 3rd, 4th, 5th place teams are right on our heels. So we headed into last weeks 3 games with a definate urgency.

A week ago Tuesday we played against Storhamar. We beat them in a shoot-out the Saturday after Thanksgiving and they have beaten us at their rink twice this year. We knew we needed to play well. In the start of the game we were slow and they were all over us. We were able to hold them off and escape the first period with a 1-0 lead. In the second we played better, (a lot of loud Swedish between periods) but only managed another goal and the second ended 2-0. I felt good in this game, every once in a while, I will play a game where I feel like I have everything going and this was one of those nights. We were ok in the 3rd but Storhamar couldn't take advatage and we ended up with a 4-0 win. My third shut-out since Christmas.... The Sloppy Joes in my Mom's kitchen were really working :)

Felling like I was on a roll, we went on the road to Lorenskog. They have recently added some players for their playoff run and are a better team since the last time we played them. Well with all the shut-outs weighing on my mind...I gave up a goal on the first shot. (Good to get that monkey off my back) It was a bad goal and I knew I had to re focus. We NEEDED to win this game. We ended up the 2nd period up 3-2, I was battling but I didn't feel good yet. We scored early in the 3rd and the game looked like it was over. However, they kept playing and pressured us. I was playing better this period, but they still managed to get one in. It was 4-3 late and we took a penalty. They got two shots but they didn't score and we hung on for a 'greasy' road win... I went to sleep and forgot about that day at the office.

Saturday.... The almighty Valerenga was coming to 'Hockeytown'........ Friday was tense, reporters asked me if I was going to try really hard in practice, eat a lot of pasta, or if I was going to be able to sleep? Real hard hitting questions but I think that I handled them without causing a stir in the media. I will never know though, the article is all in Norweigan. They don't even need to interview me, they could make up whatever they want and I would never know! Well Saturday came and the boys were nervous and tense. If we didn't win this game our chances of winning the Season Championship would be very small. The arena was packed for Warm-up, no need for the sound system for music, our fans sang the entire time.. Early we scored a good goal and everyone in Sarpsborg heard the celebration. Valerenga were on their heels and the first period ended 1-0, with shots 11-6 us. Often on this team we get a little relaxed when we think it is our night. This game was different. We were focused during the first intermission and it showed. We made it 2-0 early in the second. We killed off a penalty and kept going but DesRochers made some good saves and then on their next powerplay, my home shut-out streak ended at 210 minutes. And we were in a game. Again between periods there was a sense of urgency. The score was 2-1, shots close to even at 15-10 us and they were starting the 3rd on a powerplay. We killed it off and made it 3-1. Now we needed to close the deal, but instead our asses puckered and they came in waves. I made some good saves but they were able to get another deflection goal and it was a 1 goal game again. The very next shift, our top line found the net on a rebound and that was it!! We added a empty netter and the fans were on their feet for the last couple minutes. I talked to Blake Evans, Valerenga's top scorer, and fellow St Louis Blues outcast after the game and he thought that we just wanted it more. He didn't think he played well and they had some injuries to deal with.. So we can't be over confident but none the less it was a good day in this small Norweigan town.

Finally we played Comet yesterday. They are in 9th place and we have beaten them everytime we have played them. They kept it close, in this must win for us, untill halfway through the 3rd. We were clinging to a 3-1 lead when we scored on 3 straight shots. We added an 'insurance' goal in the last few minutes. Comet, the team that knocked Sparta out of the playoffs last year in the first round, is the first team for us to be done with for the year. We ended up 5-0-0 against them.

Happy Birthday Shelly!!! 32 wow.... I am going to really enjoy the next couple weeks while you are 4 years older than me:)

Happy Birthday Uncle Bernie... Thank-you for encouraging me to do this blog, it has been fun! Have a great day and I owe you a Blue in the Spring!