Baby in the Cup

It's exactly three months and two days since the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, the most special award in all of sports. The elation is still with me. I anticipate another glorious season, especially since I'll be attending the game at which they will raise the banner in the Staples Center!

I remember the intense joy I felt when I saw that puck go into the net. I still get chills when I think of it. The on-ice celebration went on for quite a while and I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite images from that.

Here's one showing Alec Martinez and Kyle Clifford shortly after the winning goal. What is sweet about this picture is poor Lundqvist, defeated. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

Next, there is nothing cuter than a baby in the Stanley Cup and Kyle Clifford's baby, Brody, was so totally adorable with his fuzzy hair. It's amazing that the little guy was sleeping, but I remember when my kids were babies. They could sleep through a lot. Later, there was a family photo and, man, Clifford's wife is really pretty! She actually looks exactly like how I imagine the heroine of my work-in-progress would look. Her name is Emily Greene. Mrs. Clifford looks like an Emily, doesn't she?

A Real Life Bottlegate!

Look at the bottom left of the photo

I'm taking recent events in the NHL as a sign from God that I'm on the right track. My first hockey novel, On the Surface, features a former Blackhawk who is traded to the San Diego Barracudas because of an incident with a fan involving a water bottle.

Now, keep that in mind as I tell you that this spring, the water bottle has been the weapon of choice for NHL players.

Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks sprayed water into the glove of one of "My Guys", Jeff Carter.

Shawn Thornton of the Boston Bruins sprayed the visor of Montreal Canadien PK Subban.

And finally Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers gave Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby a little mid-game shower.

It's like an epidemic. It's harmless really. It doesn't hurt anyone (except wimps, as you'll see below). It's just annoying. However, so far the hydro-taunting has been player vs. player. A few days ago, that changed.

Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks got fed up with a heckler--JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK--and sprayed water into the face of the heckler--JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK!

Well, that last part isn't quite accurate. The back cover copy, over which I had only minimal input, says Tim threw the water bottle at a fan. In reality, I never fully describe what Tim Hollander does to the fan with his water bottle.

But still!

What are the chances that real life incidents almost completely mirror what I wrote a year ago? Like I said, I take it as a sign from God that my time has come and I'm on the right track. I also bask in the knowledge that what I wrote is utterly believable and possible in the real NHL.

It feels pretty damn good.

The LA fan (yes, he was rooting for LA. ) claims his eyes were irritated by the saliva backwash--from the type of bottle that squirts from a spout. He's filed a police report. What do you think about that? Feel free to comment.

Photo credit: Paul Sakuma, AP