Fly Eagle Fly

 It's on record that I'm a pretty patriotic guy. As a Marine, I proudly served my country in foreign lands across oceans. I've seen some pretty amazing places and unfortunately I've also stood a post in the armpit of the world a time or two. It's in seeing those not so inviting places that I learned a lesson early on in life. 

We've got it pretty good in the ol' U. S. of A.

Sure, the Land of the Free is imperfect. Sure, at times, the rise and fall of political tides and social unrest can make things a little less comfortable on the home front. Do we have room for improvement? Always. Evil exists everywhere. If you're looking for Dark and Gloomy, you can easily find it.

But if you choose to hold your head up high and your shoulders wide; if you choose to see the brighter side of things, it's there too. I'm not suggesting that we ignore indignities. We can address those gray times accordingly. What I'm saying is that we all could use a little more 'Hakuna Matata.' My life's philosophy isn't only centered on lessons from The Lion King  and The Jungle Book but it's OK to respect the Law of the Jungle. It's OK to have pride, courage and loyalty. It's OK to be happy. 

Man, am I happy!

And it wasn't just some Gold Medal Hockey game. 

But it helps!

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On a cold, early, Sunday morning in February, I set my alarm clock alongside 18 million of my closest, hockey-crazed friends. The NHL season had been put on hold while the World's best hockey players, minus the "Russkies", represented their perspective countries with honor on the line. The Canadians and Americans were meeting head to head on Italian ice in a clash for 4 year bragging rights and Olympic GOLD. It's hard to call this a rivalry because the Canucks have held the upper hand and own the historical gold medal total at 9 while the Americans pale in comparison with their 2. The 1960 and 1980 Yankee teams took home the Gold and Americans have been pining away ever since. 

At 7:10 am central time, 18 million and me tuned in to watch. 

At the 6 minute mark of the first period, Team USA's Matt Boldy hit the neutral zone with speed near the left faceoff dot. Standing in his way were two, top tier, Canadian defencemen in Devon Toews and Cale Makar. Boldy sped ahead and gently lifted the puck in the air, tempting Toews to go fishing at the blue line. Boldy split the D pair like a couple of traffic cones; tipped the puck ahead out of mid-air and a couple of strides later, pinned Toews' stick to the ice while executing a high speed forehand/backhand move to humble the Maple Leaf wearing goaltender. Jordan Binnington's 0% save percentage would improve as the game wore on. 

At the end of the first period, hope sprang eternal in the land of the Red, White and Blue. 

1-0.

Michele and Lewie needed to wake up and join me. Our team needed us. Lewie was easy to convince. Michele took a little more persuasion. 

Our neighbors to the North were not very neighborly and came out in the second period with their hair on fire. They peppered our tendy, Connor Hellebuyck, with an inordinate amount of angry shots on goal. The Americans gave a couple of breakaway chances to a guy called McDavid and a 19 year old kid named Celebrini. It's ill advised to let McJesus walk in like that. Luckily he was skating too fast for Our Lord's liking and Hellebuyck turned a harmless attempt aside. The kid, Canadians now thinking is the second coming, had a much cleaner look but the American goalie stood tall and offered the same result. 

At the 9:27 mark of the second, American and fellow Minnesotan, Jake Guentzel broke the rules and went to the box to feel shame. Holding. 18 seconds later his buddy, Charlie McAvoy, felt sorry for his teammate and joined him. Hooking. The American Penalty Kill unit faced an impossible climb: a nearly 2 minute 5 on 3 advantage to the moose loving, maple syrup bathing, Kokanee drinking, hockey nuts in red and black sweaters! What should have been a blood bath turned into a giant momentum swing for the Good Guys. Our record setting penalty killers valiantly defended their net and their Olympic leading, perfect penalty kill percentage. The Canadian All Stars were stifled by Hellebuyck and the men that battled in front of him.

Failing to convert on the two man advantage seemed to stir the hornets nest. The Canucks controlled the play, maintained puck possession, dominated offensive zone time, and continued to fire away aimlessly at the infallible American netminder. With the weight of his country pushing heavy on his shoulders, Nathan MacKinnon missed wide left on an empty goal  No doubt, he will forever have the mental image of the yawning goalmouth burned into his mind. A shot he makes 99.9% of the time bounced off the left pipe and into the corner. When the Canadians were on target, Hellebuyck withstood the barrage. And just when he seemed bested, he reached back with the paddle of his goal stick to make the save of his life and crush any remaining Canadian optimism. 

 Throughout the second twenty minutes, the pace of play was being dictated by the Men of the North. Still the scoreboard showed the U.S. in the lead. That is, until Devon Toews and Cale Makar made good on their first period, defensive zone misdeeds. At 18:16 of the middle frame, now in their offensive zone, Toews went D to D to his hard skating partner. Makar received the puck at the top of the right circle and with his feet going towards the party, released a rocket destined for the back of the net, blocker side on the game's best player. 

Tie Game. End of 2.

In my professional opinion, not enough coverage was given to the Zamboni drivers even though they appeared to do a fantastic job. Throughout the third, the teams both figuratively and literally exchanged blows. The stat line shows each team serving two minute, minor penalties for high sticking although Jack Hughes' dental bill will be exceptionally higher. The high stakes drama was back and forth. Both teams had scoring chances and kept their feet on the gas. It appeared that neither team was content to lay back and wait for the other to falter. They simultaneously played as if every 'next shift' would determine the outcome. It was electrifying. 

I fired text messages to friends and family. Michele asked me if I was playing. My heart was racing as if I was. I told her I felt as if Mike Sullivan was going to call me up and put me in on the next shift. I started to do some mental math... if the game remained tied, it was possible that I was going to be late for my own Sunday morning Zamboni shift! Who would be there to open the rink for the children???!!!!

The Italian horn sounded, signaling that 60 minutes had not been enough to determine a winner. 

I jumped in the truck and sped to the rink. No one was there for my personal Pine City Opening ceremonies. I unlocked the front door and flipped on a few breakers and light switches. Threw some nets on the ice. Turned on hot and cold water hoses to fill the machine and hurriedly plugged in my laptop to sign back on to Peacock and Olympic coverage with time to spare. 

Through text message banter, my friends and I concluded that 3 v 3 was anybody's game. I replied that it was "gonna be over quick."

On fresh ice, the Americans turned away an initial rush or two by some random hosers and a couple of timbits. No real damage was done. As I watched on my computer screen, I thought that if we could withstand the speed with which the Canadians were entering the zone, perhaps we could catch them out of position and have that translate to opportunities on the other end. Quinn Hughes had the US's first real scoring chance. Jordan Binnington proved worthy and got some leather on it to thwart his first real test of OT. Another rush or two went harmlessly back and forth at lightning speed. But this time, the Canadian speed was their downfall. McJesus was caught too low. This time it was Makar that went fishing at an ill-conceived moment and got neither the puck nor the guy, leaving MacKinnon back to defend a driving, Zach Werenski. Dylan Larkin had jumped on for the US and trailed in support. The two poorly backchecking Canadians were gassed and watched the puck; forgetting about Jack Hughes charging hard in the opposite circle. Werenski found him and Hughes hit paydirt!

@ 1:41 of Overtime in the Gold Medal game of the Olympics, Jack Hughes did what every hockey loving kid that's ever laced them up has dreamed of. He sealed the deal for the good guys.

I screamed loud enough that the Mites in the boys bathroom scattered for the parking lot. Their father heard me waiting in the car. Two days later, I am still horse and loving every minute of it. 

I am high as a kite.

Fly Eagle Fly.

Life is good.

And I love my family. I love my dog. I love this team. I love America.