Hockey Overload

I think I was officially on hockey overload this weekend. I was feeling a bit under the weather, and the weather itself was a bit crazy (4 inches of snow this late in March!!), so what better way to spend the weekend than on the couch and watching TV?!

First, Saturday afternoon, I overloaded on March Madness basketball games ... and what a crazy tournament this has been. After lounging around on the couch all afternoon I made somewhat of a rally. We headed out for Mexican food and 'ritas, and then had folks over to watch hockey. I was like a woman possessed ... the Blues on the TV ... Notre Dame on the computer ... yes, it was the perfect hockey night. And to complete the perfect hockey night, both teams won! The Blues handed it to the Minnesota Wild 6-3, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish ended up winning a thriller in OT, 4-3!!

Sunday was pretty much a round two of Saturday. I lounged around all day on the couch and watched more crazy March Madness basketball, and then finished off the night with family over for dinner and more Notre Dame hockey!! They came out of the box on fire, and managed to make their way into the Frozen Four with a 2-1 win over UNH!!

Seriously, this weekend was heaven for me. The Lady Irish won, the Blues won, and Notre Dame hockey one twice!!

I must say, after getting my fill of college hockey this weekend, (because not only did I watch ND hockey ... but I watched a lot of other college games going on in the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey tourney) I remember how much I really did/DO love college hockey!

I have so many great memories of hanging out at Notre Dame hockey games, "running the track" next to the ice rink while the guys "practiced", and just hanging out with the guys in general. College was fun, pretty much as a whole, but being a girl who liked sports and who was actually quite knowledgeable about sports made it just that much more fun!

Don't get me wrong, I still love the Blues. I am not close enough to get up to Notre Dame for too many hockey games, so the Blues have definitely filled that void and become my top hockey team of choice (Well, except for when the Penguins are in town! Yes, I will always be a Pittsburgh girl at heart!) ... but there is something about being at a college hockey game. They just have so much more passion than the pros do. Maybe because they want to get to the next level so badly? I don't know ... but there is just a different kind of vibe when you're at a college hockey game.

So now I guess I need to re-look at what Notre Dame football game(s) I'm attending in the fall and see if I can work it around a weekend when there is also a home hockey game. Notre Dame has also built a new hockey arena which is opening this fall, and I am looking forward to seeing it as well ... though it just won't be quite the same without sitting on those old rickety bleachers!

On a side note ... the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have advanced to St. Paul, Minnesota to play in the Frozen Four, and their next game will be on Thursday, April 7, at 5 PM on ESPN2.

Happy Tuesday ... Cheers! ... and GO IRISH!