Isles Practice at IceWorks

Today I ventured to IceWorks like a few others. As a fan, not as a blogger. I left the laptop and tape recorder home. I did bring the camera, because I'm never actually without it. I rushed to leave the house so I could beat the snow. I left without a hat and without a few other things I wanted, but I was trying to beat the snow that had just started to fall. I also forgot to take OFF my "55" Islander necklace as I started wearing it again on the 26th when the Leafs were in town. I didn't think anyone would notice. Um... I was wrong.

I was lucky that it wasn't sticking, even though it was coming down pretty fast. By the time I arrived in their parking lot, I was fighting people with Jersey license plates for a parking spot.

"Whooaaaa!!!! What the hell??? Why are there so many people here" I wondered. It seems there was a girls pee wee hockey game between the IceWorks girls team and this team from New Jersey. But there WERE a lot of regular fans in the bleachers when I barged through the glass doors.

I stood by the glass with my blogger buddies and we just started to chat wildly. Actually we chatted and laughed so much, I hardly looked at what was happening on the ice! I know. That was bad of me, but as I said, I wasn't there as a blogger. I was really there to just see my friends that I haven't seen because of this STUPID LONG WEST COAST TRIP!

I got a nod from Coach Gordon. Hope that means he didn't read my "has he started drinking yet?" question in my last blog. Mike Comrie was all smiles while he was practicing, which is always nice to see from any of them. Who knows how long we'll see him in an Islanders jersey. I certainly don't.

Chris Campoli definitely doesn't look like the same as he did so many years ago when he started on the Sound Tigers. Bruno, on the other hand, certainly does. I am so bad some times that I actually almost pulled a "B.D."

"Wait! Is that Andy Sutton on the ice?" I asked my buddy who wasn't paying attention either. "I think so."

I got excited. I ran up to ask someone I thought would have a clue.

"When is Andy Sutton coming back???" I realized I must have sounded like a five year old asking for a dollar for the ice cream truck.

"Sutton? I don't know! Why??? Have you seen him?" Uh oh, I thought to myself. I tempered my enthusiasm.

"Isn't that him?" I asked sheepishly.

I got that "look" that said it all. "Dee... That's Jackman."

I headed back to my friends without my dollar and no ice cream.

No, Greg Logan wasn't there today but I later found out from Chris Botta's Point Blank that John Jeansonne was representing Newsday and received news of Doug Weight's 2 - 4 week injury update. This sucks. Probably more for Doug than for us. But maybe we'll see him again now from the announcer booth here at home.

I didn't get to see many Islanders employees today. I guess they are recovering from the very long road trip. I can't blame them. Hope they all recover nicely. Two of our media regulars brought their children with them. They are both very good Dads.

Because there was a pee wee game there today, the concession stand was open. It is far better than the concession stands at the Coliseum. One of my friends bought a large hot chocolate that made her VERY happy and I had a Cappachino.

When it was over, we said our good-byes and I headed back into the crowded parking lot and out into the snow that was now starting to stick.

Yep. Today I was just a fan. I was there just to be supportive and have some enjoyable conversations at the glass in the cold, crisp air of the rink. I only took a few photos, here are the best of them.

They practice again tomorrow afternoon, but I doubt I will make it out there. I still have to de-chrisma-fy my house. Yuck.

Hey! Who is THAT handsome young man? Why it's non-other than Tiger Track Tom Liodice. Remember to look out for his Islander's post game review on the Islander's website after each home game.