{"id":400,"date":"2008-12-24T15:46:18","date_gmt":"2008-12-24T20:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/blogs\/view-from-the-desk\/paula\/20081224\/the-fighting-irish-and-just-my-luck.html"},"modified":"2008-12-24T15:46:18","modified_gmt":"2008-12-24T20:46:18","slug":"the-fighting-irish-and-just-my-luck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwproxy.uscho.com\/2008\/12\/24\/the-fighting-irish-and-just-my-luck\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fighting Irish and Just My Luck"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an early Christmas present to ourselves, one of my hockey-loving girlfriends from Mott, Liz, and I made the trip from Flint to Detroit on Monday, Dec. 15, to see the Red Wings take on the Avalanche.\u00a0 It was the first NHL game I would attend as a fan \u2013 no press box, no laptop, no agenda \u2013 in 19 years, and it was the first hockey game that I would attend without credentials since the Chill departed Columbus in advance of the Blue Jackets in 1999.<\/font><\/p>\n

I was particularly eager to see former Notre Dame player, Brett Lebda (2000-04), for the first time in person in a Wings\u2019 uniform.<\/font><\/p>\n

Two minutes into the first period, the Avs led the Wings 2-0.\u00a0 At the 1:51 mark of the third with the score tied 2-2, Lebda was called for covering the puck in the Detroit crease and Colorado\u2019s Jordan Leopold (University of Minnesota, 1998-2002) beat Chris Osgood on the ensuing penalty shot for the game-winning goal.<\/font><\/p>\n

The gentlemen that surrounded me \u2013 \u201cgentlemen\u201d is a loose term, but it\u2019s Christmas \u2013 loudly protested the penalty shot and wondered aloud \u2013 \u201cwondered aloud\u201d is also a bit generous \u2013 about why it was called.<\/font><\/p>\n

I said, \u201cBecause Lebda covered the puck in the crease, and no one but the goalie on the defending team can do that.\u201d<\/font><\/p>\n

They all paused, turned, looked at me. \u00a0One asked, \u201cIs that a new rule?\u201d<\/font><\/p>\n

\u201cNot as far as I know,\u201d I said. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s like, Rule 55 something.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/font><\/p>\n

The debate ended, the gents nodded appreciatively, one offered to buy me a drink.\u00a0 The fact was that I had looked it up the week before because someone had asked me about it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/font><\/p>\n

Moments later, the 30-something guy sitting two down from me blushed when his attempt to embarrass me backfired.\u00a0 I said something about Detroit\u2019s inability to penetrate the Colorado defense, he said, \u201cShe said, \u2018Penetrate,\u2019\u201d and everyone laughed at him<\/em> when I didn\u2019t blink.\u00a0 He mumbled something apologetic about Beavis & Butthead<\/em>, another offer of alcohol was made and Liz \u2013 who missed the penalty shot and my quiet (and totally lucky) conversion of the locals, and who had feared for my safety in her absence \u2013 arrived just in time with fresh vodka-tonics.<\/font><\/p>\n

I learned several things from this game:<\/font><\/p>\n