Devils 3, Flyers 2....in a shootout!

Just kidding! That would have been the title of this post last season, since every Devils/Flyers game I attended ended in a shootout. Argh!

I made the trek to Sovereign Bank Arena to catch some preseason action. Here is my recap (which as usual, contains little or no actual game info!):

• I forgot my ticket and had to turn around to get it 10 minutes into my trip. Nice start!
• Traffic at the Valley Forge tolls was pretty ridiculous...if this was anything other than a hockey game, I would have packed it in at this point. Actually, I would have packed it in after the forgotten ticket, figuring it was a sign to stay home. But this is hockey dammit!
• I saw more fights in the first period then I saw all last year. Really. I like a good fight every now and then, but this actually got in the way of the game a bit. I think at one point, there was a fight and two guys sent to the box, and then another fight at the next faceoff. Sheesh!
• The fights did seem to give the Flyers some good momentum and a chance to work on "gelling" and "team chemistry".
• I would mention who looked good and who looked bad, but as a sports jinx, I don't want to say. Let's just say Nitty did not look good. And Briere did not look good.
• I got to meet Schnookie and Pookie, who are even funnier in person (if that is possible) and so smart and so hockey smart. If only I had been able to find some margaritas, I could have been funny and smart too! But I still wouldn't have understood their fancy New Jersey phrases like "he got a summer slower..."

Thank god hockey is back!!