My First Hockey Game

Today, at least if I can remember correctly, marks the 4 year anniversary of my first ever hockey game.

You see, this little Texas girl didn't know squat about hockey. Sure, we dabbled in street hockey from time to time, but that didn't mean we knew the rules. I could have probably named you one hockey player (Wayner) but then again, who didn't/doesn't know him!?

I remember my dad trying to get me to watch a game of hockey on T.V. one time when I was younger. He had spent some time in Canada and knew a bit about the sport. I had questions like "Ridiculous, why do they have to cross that line at once?" and "Where is the puck? Is there even a puck!?"

Or, I could have waited until they came out with the ridiculousness of FoxTrax! (source)

Needless to say, it was the first and last time, at least up until 4 years ago, that I even had the thought of hockey on my mind.

So, when I met the pre-hubs and he told me he was a hockey player, I didn't swoon or sigh like some good puck bunny. To be honest with you, I acted mildly impressed as I struggled to remember, that yes, there was a pro hockey team in San Antonio. 

All you had to say was "Ice skating bull named T-Bone" and I would have been hooked! (source)

After less than 2 weeks of knowing each other, he invited me and a few friends to one of his home games. The pre-hubs hooked me up with four tickets, and with three friends in tow we headed down to the rink to see what all this hockey biznaz was about. 

I don't give him enough credit for being one clever of a guy. 

As we are walking in, both teams are on the ice and the announcer is naming off some award for one of the players. My friends, which at this point were already giggling (we may or may not have pre-partied :)), asking "Which one is he, which one is he??". 

I search the boys, until I saw him standing there, mid-ice, receiving an award for player of the week. Smart cookie. He knew he was getting that award and purposely had us come to the game to see his shining moment. 

I searched his name and 'player of the week' and somehow or another this is what came up. His face is pasted over David Spade's. How could I not include this!?

Pretty smooth, and I can't lie, I was pretty impressed.

We found our seats as the game started, and it was clear that all the high healed, perfectly manicured, blond girls in front of us were the girlfriends and wives of the players. So my friends start whispering "OMG, it's your new best friends."

Enjoying taking pictures the game.

Aren't they just the sweetest! Ha. Sad that I had no idea what my life would turn out, but I do remember thinking "nooooo, never!". For the record, they were a very sweet group of girls.

None of us knew the rules. The pre-hubs got a few goals. I didn't realize that that doesn't happen every game. Was it a big deal?!? I didn't even know, I thought it happened all the time. Turns out it was one of his best games all year.

Me, on the other hand, I remember him scoring, us laughing, and the over priced arena beer going down so smooth. Oh, and meeting up with some friends who had a box reserved at the game...

and doing this:

Sorry Chels! For the record, it was inside joke, but really, why explain. I'll let the picture do the talking.

It was necessary that we did that, OK?! You can't blame me, I was excited to see the pre-hubs play, excited to show him off to my friends....

and apparently really excited about those blow up, noise makers. 

You would think that we had never left the house before!

Whoops, guess I didn't really do my best to pay attention. I think something in my gut was telling me that I would be attending 16 million other hockey games, so if I miss things here and there, it wouldn't be the end of the world :)

I still have the ticket stub to that first game. I guess it did mean something special after all. And it is still clear in my mind like it was just last week. Who would have thought we would be over in Germany for hockey just a few short years later!?

Still, I want some more of those blow up noise makers. The could come in handy at games over here.

(P.S. Don't forget about the Storytellers Blog Hop this Friday and Saturday, March 25th and 26th!! Hope to see you there!)