7pm – October 25th 2008. Madison Square Gardens. The Star Spangled Banner starts up, and everyone gets to their feet and belts out the lyrics as if their very lives depended on it. I say everyone, but although Dad and I got to our feet, we didn’t sing, because we didn’t know the words. But we did know the feeling.
I’ve only rarely experienced that feeling when the hairs on the back of your neck tingle – and that moment in that evening was one of those rare occasions. I can’t recall the last time it happened before then and I can’t recall it happening again since. In our own, reserved, British way, Dad and I were both overcome by the power behind the song. After the anthem we sat down and watched the New York Rangers squeak to victory 3 -2 in overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Happy days.
April 2014 – I’m in the Riga Arena watching Latvia comfortably beat France, 6 – 3 in the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge. It was an enjoyable evening – but no tingling this time. When I got back to my hotel, I’d been invited to join the HRPuckheads on Facebook. You guessed it, a bunch of people into HR and ice hockey. What’s a guy to do? I joined the group in time to pick a team for the first round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. For those of you who haven’t seen it, and are interested, here’s a picture of the Stanley Cup – it’s huge! Everything’s bigger in America.
The New York Rangers made it to the playoffs this year. Who else could I pick?
The New York Rangers then got through the first round of the playoffs, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4 – 3 in a seven game series.
The New York Rangers advance to the next round to face….yep – the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Last night in the opening game of the quarter final series, the New York Rangers beat Pittsburgh 3 – 2 in overtime. Sound familiar?
Could the Rangers go all the way and win this thing? I don’t know much about ice hockey, and I do know it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n roll. No tingles yet, but I’m a dreamer.
#GoRangers
