well, that's stretching it a bit. around here, in charlotte, there aren't many hockey fans, at least not rooting the hurricanes. we have what you call, fair-weather fans, be it the panthers, bobcats or hurricanes. no on pays attention to the hockey team, not EVEN the Charlotte Observer, until they're headed for the stanley cup. most of the fans are from up north and they root boston, buffalo or the rangers.

but in case people don't know, charlotte especially is southern new york. honestly, there are so many new yorkers here, i'm starting to lose my southern accent(not really...lol).

we've known todd for as long as i can remember. he not only lives in our neighborhood, but he's the neighborhood bartender. many a friday and saturday night, we've helped pay his rent.

he's from buffalo, and we commiserated with him over the buffalo loss to dallas years ago when the rule was still in place that no goal would be counted if the skater(shooter) had his foot in the crease (that's the blue area around the goal to you non hockey folks). it had been a grueling game which had gone into the fifth or so overtime. brett hull, (who had previously played for st. louis and because of a less than lack luster performance, had been booed out of there by the st. louis fans) was dallas's game winner goal scorer. the replays showed that his foot was very obviously planted in the crease. yet there was no review of it and the stanley cup victory was given to dallas.

every buffalo citizen proudly, and angrily, placed bumper stickers on their cars that read, "No Goal!"

the next season, they changed the no-crease rule.

buffalo, not really known for their champion teams, never got over the loss. and some eight, nine years later, they still bitch about it.

now the sabres are once again marching towards the stanley cup. only this time, they have to get past the carolina hurricanes.

tho mark and i root different teams, him-detroit, me-st. louis(which has caused many a knock-down-drag-out fight), because we live here we also root the hurricanes.

last monday, we joined todd at midtown to watch the game. and while the texas hold'em poker wannabes filled the bar to play for nothing but glory, four of us sat at the bar screaming at the top of our lungs.

when carolina scored a high, over-the-shoulder goal, i looked at todd and screamed "TOP SHELF! WHERE MOMMA HIDES THE COOKIES!"

"man, i was waiting to say that. that's a buffalo thing. where'd you hear that?"

from a canadian-born, buffalo-living, sabres-lovin' ex-hockey player friend (who todd also knew)

the hurricanes won and the series is tied 1-1. tonight is game three. buffalo is a mean, brutal team, but the boys in red and white will rise to the occassion. this will prove to be one of the best series of the playoffs, and we plan to be bar-side, next to todd, exchanging barbs, and raising hell!

now excuse me, it's time for a cold shower.

;-)