Hockey Road Trip Revisited

So I’m posting it now.  I’ll probably put up another post later today mentioning the show I saw last night.  Thursday night I had a good night, Friday all day was shit, then Larry and I went to the Lizard Lounge for some live music and it cheered me up a little.  We saw The Glass Set… I took a few pictures.  I’ll post one or two.

But for now… Pictures from the Saturday March 31, 2007 game between the Lowell Devils and Providence Bruins at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell

Picture #1:  Lowell scores!  The red light isn’t on yet, and you can’t see the puck, but it was definitely in the back of the net.

Picture #2:  Two seconds after the picture #1, this time with the goal light on.

Picture #3:  I started messing with different camera functions.  I shot a few in black and white.  I bet you didn’t know that Hockey could look so artsy, huh?

Picture #4:  The artsiest save of Jordan Parise’s career.

Picture #5:  Note to the Devils players…  you’re supposed to plow into the other team’s goalie, not your own.

Picture #6:  Forgive me for this one, but this cat has the single coolest name in all of professional sports.

Picture #7:  Action photo part one.  Winding up for a one timer.

Picture #8:  Action photo part 2.  The one timer’s follow through.

Picture #9:  The final Score, and a happy ending for Lowell.

And now for the sadder part of the weekend.  The Lowell Devils and the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts Center on April 1, 2007.  Truly an April fools day for Lowell.  Many of these pictures follow the theme of David (Kelly) Clarkson makes friends everywhere he goes. 

Picture #1:  Action photo, the puck is lose in front of the Providence net!

Picture #2:  Clarkson making friends part 1.  Everyone thought they were going to drop the gloves after this face-off.  It didn’t happen though.

Picture #3: Dan McGillis gets heckled.  McGillis appeared to have hurt his hand just before this, and the fat asshole behind the bench started in on him.  McGillis actually turned around and gave some lip back to the guy. 

Picture #4:  Action photo, the shot gets blocked… damn it.

Picture #5:  Clarkson making friends part 2.  This time it’s with Providence career penalty minutes record holder and all around goon Aaron Downey.  Granted, as goons go he’s exceptionally popular and when the Bruins reacquired him recently I was really hoping he’d be assigned to Boston… no luck.

Picture #6:  Clarkson making friends part 3.  He and Downey are still mouthing off even after the officials intervened.  Note:  The gloves are off.

Picture #7:  Clarkson making friends part 4.  The inevitable result.

Picture #8:  Action photo, Frank Doyle makes a save.

Picture #9:  Finally Lowell scores.  Minard’s 29th of the season.

Picture #10:  The final score, and the end of the afternoon’s pain for Lowell fans.

A few years ago the Lowell Lock Monsters displayed one of the worse late season chokes I’ve ever seen.  With eight games left in the regular season they were in a playoff spot.  Eight games later they had lost eight in a row and were headed home to play golf.  The late season collapse this year isn’t quite that bad… but it’s damn close.  After a loss in Manchester last night the chances of getting into the playoffs are pretty slim.  We were in with a little cushion a couple of weeks ago.  Now the prospect of dropping down to sixth place (the top four make the playoffs, we’ve been in fifth for a week now) seems more likely than getting back to fourth.  It sucks.