Post season in hockey started to arrive and the Red Wings were looking to dominate the entire field. I watched all the rounds very intensely and would make my plans around each of the games. As the games wore on, I was more and more invested, more than I ever had since becoming a Wings fan in the early 90s, and I mean right around where the Penguins last won before 09.

The finals come around and it’s a hell of a series, eventually going to 6 games with the Wings taking it all in Pittsburgh. In a year filled with lots of bad, something good happened. I awakened a fan in me that had been sleeping for a long time. I was glad they had won, marking their 11th all time Stanley Cup. I had only wished that I had made it to at least one playoff game during that run, but one day, I’ll make it to Hockeytown and party with my fellow Wingnuts, until then, I’ll be cheering every year from my recliner.

Something about the ballet of ice skating, stick handling, line changes, hard hitting, slap shots and great glove saves make hockey the most interesting sport, in my eyes. This year is no different. With the recent inclusion of the salary cap after the last lock out, people say back to back cups are harder to come by. The wings for the most part kept a majority of their lineup and added a few to strengthen the rest of their lines. Right now in the pre-season they’re testing some new lines and new defensemen, so I won’t be at all disappointed if they lose before the season starts. I have a lot of faith in Mike Babcock to lead this team.

Tonight I will feel alive again, tonight Red descends on this city and consumes it.

I’ve always been a big hockey fan and caught games whenever I could, but this year is different for some reason. I guess all the changes in my life this year have really brought forth how much I really do love hockey. What other sport combines the finesse of skating and stick handling with the brutal checking and be fast paced? Why doesn’t this sport catch on more in this country. It’s a great sport, filled with no ego players. I love it!

I joined another Fantasy Hockey team this year, with the Shacknews crew, and I’m paying way more attention to the details this year than I did in 2003, the last time I had a fantasy team. I guess another thing that helps is that a guy at my work is a die hard Calgary Flames fan, formerly Atlanta Flames, and I am a Detroit Red Wings fan, which means… we are rivals. Which is always a good thing. Now I have someone to talk hockey to, and he’s playing a fantasy team as well.

I just subscribed, via RSS, to a ton of hockey blogs, some for teams of goalies I have and others because, they are a lot of fun to read. I noticed that the die hard fans are really good at writing about their teams as well as giving a good analysis on the upcoming games and post game stats.

Now if I only have DirecTV or Comcast, I’d have the CenterIce package and I’d be watching hockey until my eyes bleed. I can’t wait for the playoffs, Stanley’s Cup is coming back to Hockeytown!