FOUR Memorable Moments at Buffalo in 2007 and 2008:
2007: As "Play It Again" for Charity Chairman Jon was leaving the HSBC Arena after
our game at the HSBC Arena he noticed a broken Buffalo Ty Conklin goalie stick in the trash can near the Sabre's locker
room. Jon thought; "man, this would look great over our bed at home" and proceeded to remove it from trash
can. All of sudden, an older security guard - almost instantly--came out of nowhere and grabbed the stick out of Jon's
hand while saying. " YOU CAN'T TAKE STUFF OUT OF THE GARBAGE CAN HERE!" Gimme back my stick! Jon thought
as he lowered his head and walked away---without the stick! (it was
estimated that Jon actually held the broken stick for about 90-seconds before Security wrestled the stick away from him)
2008: What's believed to be the same grumpy security guard
from 2007 -- told Jon to "get off the ice" at the HSBC
Arena. Witnesses say most of our team (except for Jon) had already exited the Ice after our game with the
Hamburg, NY Police Department while Jon stood by the bench to chat with family. Once again--out
of nowhere came the same "grumpy" security from last year. As he emerged from the hallway he approached the
Sabre Bench and yelled to Jon to "get off the ice--now!"
Locker
room talk produced the following two reasons for this. 1) The guy
has a bug in his ear for Jon. 2) NHL Rules mandate that no-one be on the ice 3-hours before a game. (#2 is the right
answer, although #1 sounds better)
2008: As our team took the ice for warmups 10-minutes to game time we noticed our goalie still had not shown up.
As I was leaving the locker room a goalie came through the door carrying the larger "old school"
hockey pads, a beat up hockey bag from some ex-NHL team and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. After I said hi he
asked me if I had an extra jersey. "Sure, man--" so I went to my bag and tossed him my nicely, clean and folded Blue
Labatts Jersey that was carefully placed in my bag. As I tossed it to him I jokingly said, "try not to burn a hole in
it with your cigarette." and took to the ice for warmups. After he got dressed and skated a few laps, someone yelled
"Trees" is here. I thought to myself, Trees?? I've heard that name before, at Hershey Bears games and in Philadelphia
at Flyers Games. So I skated by him and yelled hey--your Mark LaForest aren't you. He said "YEP, good oberservation---Tree's
I am". I just laughed and skated away! Another guy I used to watch play, was now our goalie! Good time! Thanks Trees
for the memories, see you in 2009, everyone in Hershey and Philadelphia says hi!
2006-2007-2008 and
probably 2009: Being told by Steven Carlson (Steve Hanson) that Jon and I are horrible skaters and can't play
hockey. Funny stuff, eh?
