PFK's Road Trip Diary Game 1 - Avs 3, Habs 2

Location: Somewhere between Denver and Dallas
Weather: surprisingly mild in Denver
Team road trip record so far: 0-1-0
Road beef hitting on me so far: 2. Said they liked my cockiness.

Dear Diary,

I know everyone around here complains about the big Christmas road trip, but it's my first one and I am SO excited! We're going to Florida! Maybe I'll get to Disney World!

Well this epic road trip started off well. We had a nice charter flight out of Montreal. Everyone in high spirits after ending our 3-game losing streak against those nasty Bruins. Me and AK played some gin rummy. Took him for five hundred Benjamins. Andrei is not the sharpest tool in the shed. I kept telling him it takes three cards to make a run. He just didn't understand the concept. Or maybe he just doesn't understand English.

Things even started off well in the game last night. We may have started off a bit slow, but I thought we played a fine first period. Came up with a power play goal (nice shot Mikey!) and everything. We were even doing great killing a penalty late in the first. Then I could have sworn we heard a horn go off there, with about 10 seconds left in the period. Why else would we have just stopped playing like that? Ah well. Late period goals aren't really a problem for us, are they?

Oh diary, I really messed it up there in the second didn't I. I tried to clear the puck and it wasn't very good, and they scored the go-ahead goal. The problem is I was thinking too much. SO many thoughts in my head! I know coach was right to put all those thoughts in there, but sometimes they're just a bit too much. I just want to play! This is just between you and me, diary, but I am not sure coach knows how to help develop young players. I seem to be getting worse, not better. But I'm still smiling!

But then again, all of our defense seems to be struggling. I love the Captain, and it was great to see him get a goal, but he also had a bad play that led to a goal. As a unit, we just don't seem to be so good anymore. I wonder if Marky's absence has anything to do with it? Boy I miss him. We're all just gonna have to work harder I guess.

But then, what a third period! We had all sorts of chances. Sure, we couldn't score, but we had so many chances! I counted at least three wide open nets we could have scored on in the last minute or two. And we had six forwards on there. I was SURE we were gonna score! If only my gin rummy sucker buddy Andrei had been on the ice, he could have buried one of those. I figured if you wanted a goal you'd put out your scoring forwards, but I am sure coach knows better than me. He's always right. At least that's what I keep telling the media.

OK on to Dallas! Texas, yeehaw!!!!!