last update: June 2007

About the editor

My name is Heather. I'm closer to 30 then to 20, and that doesn't freak me out as much as it ought to, I don't think. I graduated a high school that I refuse to acknowledge in 1998. I finished college with a degree in Marketing in 2002. My closest friends  know me well, and are often my cohorts in crime.

Right now, I live south of Boston - almost in Rhode Island. My parents think this hockey thing is "cute", and my brother just thinks I'm crazy. I have three nieces I adore, none of which is related to me by blood, but look like they could be my daughters. People often think they are. Those people are very very very wrong. Friday is my favorite day of the week, because it's hockey night in Providence and because it's Photo Friday during the summertime.

things that make me happy: my nieces. caramel. cashews. cameras. coffee. hockey. whiskey sours. roadtrips. window-shopping for my imaginary mansion. giggling. warm blankets. tv-on-dvd. wentworth miller. office supplies. dane cook. target. bad television. books. internet access. brilliance. organization. cleanliness. sandwiches. peanut butter cups. fan mail. canadian dirties. crossword puzzles. those jeans. no, THOSE ones. sneakers. pj pants. graph paper. shirley temples. flip flops. strawberries. cannolis from mike's pastries. conversations at church. open 7-11s. the inventor of the post-it note. firefighters. the macarena. sporks. sparkling speckles. blueberry iced tea. kissing. fuzzy pink socks. red toenail polish. cheesy pick-up lines. raj binder. lists. high-thread count sheets. sangria. big, thick steaks. randy spelling. tomatos.

things that make me sad: people who park in the fire lane. seatbelt laws. taxes. people who don't use their turn signals. traffic. seafood. sunburns. gas prices. reality tv. sour milk. hypocrites. liars. losing the remote control. temper tantrums. cheap pens. running out of hot water mid-shower. email forwards. paper cuts. breaking a nail. nuts in brownies or cookies. holier-than-thou attitudes. busybodies. charlie tickets. cowards and other passive-aggressives. repetitive commercials.

If I had a flaw, it would be that I don't like my food touching. Cake and ice cream have to be separated. But, y'know, that's if I had a flaw. Which I don't.

I don't have a lengthy fandom pedigree. I haven't been a lifelong fan; I don't even know how to skate. I've only ever played the game in my high school's cafeteria when the weather was too bad to go outside and be tormented in gym class. I started watching hockey in November 2002.

My first live NHL game ever was the Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 10, 2002 at the FleetCenter in Boston, MA. Since then, I have delighted in discovering the NHL/AHL connection, and going to as many games as I can possibly fit into a day. I estimate that I've been to about 75 NHL games and somewhere around 140 AHL games. Hockey has become an addiction and compulsion, but I wouldn't seek help for it if given the opportunity. 

The 04-05 lockout didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I missed having my boys in Boston, because having them all in one place makes it easier to follow their careers, but the lockout gave me the chance to love the AHL. I followed three teams (all division rivals, because I don't like to make ANYTHING easy on myself)- the Providence Bruins, the Manchester Monarchs, and the Lowell Lockmonsters (now the Lowell Devils). All three teams are local to me. I went to several off-ice events staged by all three teams. My favorite things to go to are their practices. It's a hard job, loving all of them, but I do it for you. And for me. And for them. Because you can never love too many hockey boys.

In 2005-2006 I tried to follow Boston, Providence, Manchester, and Lowell, with some side love reserved for Ottawa, Washington, LA, and Carolina, but I only succeeded in going to practically every Providence game I could get myself to, because I was completely and utterly fascinated with the team.

I spent 2006-2007 recovering from a deep personal depression and seeing just exactly how many games of Providence's schedule I could get to, as well as volunteering at a few Boston games. I completed my local AHL world tour. I have now hit all eight local arenas, and plan to spend next season working more roadtrips into my weekends.

About the co-contributor

My name is Rebecca, though people close to me call me Becky.  I try to manipulate the fact that I have to get up at an un-godly hour each morning for an hour and a half commute to work into the theory that I am brilliant.  This is because I live in southern Massachusetts and am a hop, skip, and a jump away from Providence, Rhode Island and the Providence Bruins.  This makes weekend games delightfully convenient.  Work on the other hand brings me to Boston each day (about 10 minutes from the T.D. Banknorth Garden) thus making weekday games an absolute must. 

Growing up football was my sport.  I was a die hard Redskins fan.  When I moved to New York I followed the Jets and began to explore baseball and yes, I admit it, I was a Yankees fan.  But, as I tell everyone, when I moved to Massachusetts I realized what baseball was all about and became a die hard RED SOX fan.  Because I have always loved sports I followed the Patriots and in time I began to follow the Boston Bruins.

My very first hockey game was when I lived on Long Island.  But my passion for hockey I owe to my friend Leah.  Each year she goes to see the Bruins for her birthday.  She invited me to come along and we sat in seats about 10 rows off the ice.  I had so much fun that when she had an extra ticket to the game on her brother's birthday I jumped at the opportunity.  From there, there was no going back. 

When it comes to hockey, there is one thing you need to know about me.  I am an Andrew Raycroft fan.  For those of you who have followed this site I am sure that you are very aware as to Heather's feelings on this subject.  So for all you Raycroft fans out there who thought she was giving him a bum rap, sweet justice has arrived.  As Heather's roommate she and I have spent much time discussing this matter and I felt a personal triumph the day that she admitted that Andrew Raycroft is not only a decent goaltender but a VERY GOOD goaltender and MAYBE it was not in Boston's best interest to trade him.  I think I was immediately whisked off in an ambulance to the hospital as I must have suffered a heart attack from the shock ;)  But more than that, as the Bruins gave me the autographed "Meet the Bruins" Andrew Raycroft picture, Heather is forced to look at his smiling face every day.  So Raycroft fans, sleep easy!  I've got his back! 

With that said, I will tell you a little bit about myself.  I have lived in Massachusetts for ten years, which is the longest I have ever lived in one state.  Over the span of 26 years, I have lived in 5 states as well as Washington, D.C. When my family moved to Rhode Island I decided that was enough for me and stayed behind.  I did in time move much closer to the border so they are now only a short drive away.  I have two younger sisters and an older brother.  My brother and his wife live on the other side of the continent with my baby nephew.  It is my theory that they should hire me as their live in nanny so I no longer would need to commute to work every day and I would be able to spend loads of time with my godchild (my nephew).  I have already gotten my youngest sister and my "little friend" (similar to Big Brother/Big Sister) interested in hockey.  God help my nephew as he gets older ;)

I am a pretty laid back individual.  I love to laugh.  Singing in the shower is an absolute must (yes, Heather is forced to listen to me serenading her so if you have any special requests, please feel free to pass them along!  Ha ha!).  I view life as an adventure.  I believe it is important to try new things and be open to new opportunities.  I look for the best in everyone... this could be why I always cheer for the underdog.  When it comes to certain things, I am very strongly opinionated, but I do feel that it is important to listen to the other side and be open to what they have to say.  I despise the fact that fans take it upon themselves to boo players on their team.  When sitting in an arena packed with people booing, I will jump up and down and start cheering ;)  Respect is important to me.  You will have mine until you do something to lose it. 

With that said, it is time to get down to business!  I am looking forward to a season filled with a lot of GOOD hockey.  While I am a Bruins fan all the way, as you may have guessed by now there is a distinct possibility that this season will also be spent following the Maple Leafs.  There should not be much conflict of interest... except possibly for eight games.  So look out world!  Hockey Season 2006-2007, HERE WE COME!