And We will See You...

Wednesday Night!

Game last night was awesome! Missed it?? You can get it all with these highlights right here:

Officiating Crew:
Referees - Paul Devorski (#10) and Dennis LaRue (#14 - USA Ref!)
Linesmen - Brad Lazarowich (#86) and Jay Sharrers (#57 - That's my boy!)


Personal side note: In August 2001, I went to Lake Placid, NY to attend the Elite Officiating Experience. This was the week that Team USA picks their World Jr. Team, and I was working the games that week. Well, it was one of the first night's, and I had it off, so I was watching USA play Finland (other side note -- Mikko Koivu was Finland's captain, and Jarkko Ruutu, the guy who bit someone in the thumb, was on the team, too - he was a piece of work back then, too!), and while I was watching the game I had the pleasure of sitting next to Mark Bavis.

Mark was the amateur scout for the L.A. Kings. I had met Mark a few years earlier in St. Cloud at the National Select 15 Festival. Brian Thul and I shared a couple of beers at D.B. Searle's, downtown St. Cloud after a game. He was coaching the Massachusetts team. I had also seen him on the bench with Boston University at a tournament in Duluth.

Mark and I chatted during the whole game. He was there to see David Steckel, who was a King draftee, whom Mark had scouted.

One month later Mark died in 9/11. Now that REALLY hit home for me, knowing that I knew someone personally on one of those planes. Gulp.