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Well this has been quite a couple of weeks...quite a season really! For starters it has been the season that we have watched the least amount of hockey in about 20 years! With Zack getting called up and sent down, and called up and sent down and called up and sent down...well you get my point, there were a lot of nights where one or both of his teams were playing, but he wasn't. We all know that this is a part of the process when you are on the cusp of becoming a full-time NHLer. But for a hockey family who functions on scheduling our lives around hockey games, it was definitely something new for us that I can't say I enjoyed. It was a real Catch-22 because I was so excited every time he got called up, but the hockey mom in me just wanted to watch him play! Yes we watched some of the Utica games and they were very entertaining and the guys played really well, but I will confess it's just not the same watching a hockey game when your favourite player is not playing! I'm sure if you are a hockey parent you know exactly what I mean! As far as watching the Vancouver games, this was always a bit more challenging mainly because being on the east coast sleep deprivation is only worth it when your kid is actually in the game!
Anyway, fast-forward to Friday, March 6. It was the beginning of the week-end and we got the word that Zack would be playing in the game against the Colorado Avalanche and another fellow Maritimer that some of you might know as Nathan MacKinnon. Because it was the week-end the 11:00 pm start time didn't matter so we were excited! The game started and we see that Zack is on a line with Adam Gaudette and Antoine Roussel. The three of them got off to a great start, Zack seemed to be hitting everything in his path, and all three were generating chances. It was a really good game to be watching and then at 17:48 in the second it turned into a great game! Zack was working the puck along the boards around our blue line. The puck was chipped free and it sent him on a partial break-away. With the defenceman closing in, he took a wrist shot at the hash marks and in it went over the goalies glove side! What a beautiful goal it was! We were so so excited, but the Avalanche came back to tie it up at 3-3. That is until 7:43 of the second when Zack, and his linemates were having another great shift cycling the puck and Gaudette passed it out front for Rousell to tip it in, making it 4-3 Canucks! And then at 3:17 in the third period this line was at it again. Another nice cycling play down low...it was Gaudette to Rousell to MacEwen! All I remember saying at this point is, "Was that Zack again?!" It sure was and now it is 5-3 and the goal gives us a little bit of breathing room and we end up winning the game 6-3! Zack ended the night with 2 goals and received 1st Star! Yep, I said it....my son was "First Star" in an NHL Game...WOW!
Fast forward to March 10 when the Canucks played the New York Islanders, who by the way have a couple of other great Island boys representing our Island (Ross Johnston and Noah Dobson). At 17:46 in the second, Zack goes in hard on the forecheck and the puck gets sent along the boards back to the blueline. Alex Edler keeps it in and puts a nice shot on net where Zack tips it in as he sneaks away from the defenceman! The Canucks end up winning the game 5-4 and Zack and his linemates (still Gaudette and Rousell) had another great game!
It was such an amazing feeling to see Zack getting some consistent playing time, eventhough it was only around 7:00 minutes a game, but he was doing what he has always done and taking advantage of his opportunities. I was thrilled for him and knew that things were just starting to heat up for him....and then the world stopped! Who could have ever predicted what was about to happen next? The team was in Arizona getting ready to play their next game, when the news came down that NHL play was suspended due to Covid-19 or the Coronavirus! There were so many emotions being felt by everyone....we were worried, scared, uncertain, confused, sad, frustrated, angry...and well I could go on but I'm sure you get the point. Now as we sit and watch things unfold around the world and it looks very unlikely that the NHL will start up again any time soon, we are back to watching no hockey! Remember at the beginning of this post, I said there was nothing worse than watching a game without your favourite player in the line up....well funny how life quickly gives you perspective. Hockey being suspended for the safety of the players, coaches and fans due to a pandemic virus, is most definitely worse! Not having hockey to watch is one thing, but not having my boys with me, under my roof so that I can keep them safe is certainly much more challenging. I know, I know they are 28 and 23 so they probably shouldn't be living with us anyway, but this Mama Bear can dream!
Anyway folks, if anything this post has given me time to reflect on what is important in this world. Yes, hockey is our Canadian sport and every one of us Hockey Parents are so proud to watch our favourite players when they step on the ice. It is our favourite past-time, it's the reason we don't take vacations to Disney World, and it's what we schedule our lives around and wouldn't have it any other way. But in the end, if we can all come through to the other side of this Covid-19 pandemic, by doing our share of hand washing and self isolating, we will have a whole new appreciation for the fact that we and our loved ones are back to doing what we love and we will be thankful for life getting back to normal. So I am sending all you Hockey Moms and Dads a virtual "high five" and hope that you are having a few fun games of mini-sticks to get through these tough times. I on the other hand have stayed entertained with some family Zoom calls, lots of Snaps on our family Snap Chat Group, watching cute little videos of my grand daughter and niece, and had the joy of watching Zack juggle toilet paper with his feet....something I never thought I would be entertained with, but at this point I'll take anything!
Finally, I want to give a shout out to all of our healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, pharmacy staff, media staff, government workers, truck drivers, and all other essential workers, working tirelessly to keep our country moving forward. The best way we as Canadians and as a hockey family can help, is to stay home and cheer them on from the stands! We proudly purchased a couple of t-shirts that I'm pretty sure sums up how we all feel about this virus. And we got to support the great Utica Comets staff at the same time. So let's fight this thing together by staying apart and if you want one of these great t-shirts check out @uticacomets to grab one! Hockey Cheers to you all!
