Ice Storm

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the hockey must go on. A note on the DPSC website sez:

"There is a chance of sleet this weekend. However, the StarCenters will remain open all weekend, no matter what. Customers are welcome to contact the Front Desk at any StarCenter for additional information."

I guess that's true even if the ice time you paid for is at 12:30 a.m. Yes, for an I-league practice. (Wonder what the over-under is for turnout tonight?) You'd think they would consider rescheduling since a lot of teams will not get the ice they paid for tonight and tomorrow.

Divisions Set

Just spoke with Knute and clarifies the standings...

GOLD (A)
Stickmen
Fugaweez
Puckers
Spiders
MAYHEM
Ice Holes
Patriots
Stingers

SILVER (B)
Komets
Brewzers
Blue Devils
Shockers
Snipers
Slackers
Borrachos
Leftovers

As far as full scheduel goes, we're looking at sometime this week.

Behold!

Freshly in from our leader...Times (Kinda)/Standings/New Teams...
We would like to welcome Borrochos/Leftovers/Slackers to the league, while the Wolverines have now become Mayhem.
16 teams. 2 Divisions.

And the scheduel out for this season...so far.
Yea...this weekend is kinda screwy, but take it or leave it.
Sat, sun, and monday practice. HOORAH!

Then we get the season rolling the following weekend....should be good times.

'That is unbelievable!'

You've heard Ralph and Razor describe Patrik Stefan's open-net gaffe. Here's how it sounded in Edmonton.

Get Better

Euless StarCenter is planning to offer its most-excellent power skating/stickhandling class, geared specifically for guys like us. We recommend it (and we get nothing for saying so). It's an hourlong class, once a week, and they work your arse off and teach you the basics of positional play, passing, shooting, etc. It's the best beginning coaching you can get around here short of hiring a private instructor at $70 an hour.

Skating school director Darlene Cain says the dates are pending, but it's likely to be six sessions for $120, or $20 per. (And we didn't even major in math.) Ron Zachmann or Boris Vincze will coach. It's likely to be 6:30-7:30 p.m., but the dates are up in the air. The winter session starts next week for other skate school classes.

Darlene says if she can get some feedback from you on a preferred day of the week, she'll do what she can to accommodate.

So leave some feedback if you have any.

If anyone is interested in such a class on Saturday mornings, they're offering it at the Farmers Branch StarCenter from 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Click here.

BC

HSO: Regular customers should come first

Regarding this story in yesterday's paper:

BY RICHARD DURRETT / The Dallas Morning News

Richard Townsend wanted to watch the upcoming NHL All-Star Game at American Airlines Center in person. He has owned season tickets for the Stars since they arrived from Minnesota in 1993 and leases prime real estate at AAC, sitting at center ice 11 rows behind the penalty box.
But Townsend was told his seats were gobbled up by the NHL for league personnel, sponsors, team officials and other invited guests. So he declined to buy tickets elsewhere in the arena. "I got an offer somewhere upstairs, and that was a package that wasn't very satisfactory," said Townsend, 59, a family practice doctor in Richardson. "I would have gone if they were the same seats."
Stars president Jim Lites says he's sorry many of the Stars' season-ticket holders were moved for the game Jan. 24. But he said he is pleased that every full season-ticket holder was offered tickets. ...."

IMHO, whether it's hockey, football or foosball, this is a lousy way to treat paying customers. I know it's a league deal the Stars had no control over, but still ...

And not to drum up too much sympathy for a rich guy who can't enjoy the game from his usual $200 seat. That's not the point. It sux when your team finally gets the "big game" and local fans are shut out or shunned in favor of fatcats from Toronto or New York. Local fans should come first, not last. Mark Cuban understands that. That's why he's not interested in the NBA All-Star game.

One guy's opinion.

Read the entire story here.

D-League Update

Last week's results:
Hitmen 3, Yokels 1: Hitmen goals by Coolidge, Clifton, Nailon
Wolverines 11, Kings 5: Chris Skupien had 5G
Ice Dogs 3, Blue Devils 2: Nick Matthews scored w/20 sec left in overtime.
Beerflyers 5, Stickmen 0: Scott Prusha, 2G; Chris Ratzer, 1G and 2A
Mid Cities 7, Phantoms 5: Matt Vinson, 5G, including 2 in final minutes.
Hockey Team 6, Misfits 0: Erik Anderson and Mike Ross had 2G apiece.
Hitmen 1, Stickmen 0: Brian Lowe scored in the third.

This week:
Wed., Jan 10
Wolverines vs. Misfits, 10:15 p.m.
Hockey Team vs. Hitmen, 10:30 p.m.
Thu., Jan 11
Phantoms vs. Kings, 10:15 p.m.
Fri., Jan 12
Yokels vs. Wolverines, 9 p.m.
Ice Dogs vs. Mid-Cities, 10:30 p.m.
Stickmen vs. Hockey Team, 11:55 p.m.
Sun., Jan 14
Blue Devils vs. Beerflyers, 10:15 p.m.