MIKE HOFFMAN:

So there I was, trying to get a few minutes of sleep on our way to the game in Providence and KABOOOM. I knew right away the tire blew up, it didn’t help that my head was resting on the window and banged it pretty good with the vibration. It was funny at the beginning of the trip around Saco; a few of us in the back new something was wrong with the tire, we thought we had a flat for about the first half hour then it stopped making the noise. Turns out to be a bit more than a flat. So right away there was a terrible smell and a little smoke from the tire. It just smelt like a burnt tire, then the smoke got a bit bigger. As we got to the side of the road (we were driving in the fast lane at the time) the smoke was really building up.

Clyde the bus driver jumps out checks it and tells everyone to get off the bus. About five seconds later he comes running back in for the fire extinguisher. At this point I’m standing up about four feet from the smoke in the back (it was the right back tire) when someone says it’s a real fire. So at this point everyone is rushing pretty good, but people in the front have no real idea because they can’t really see the back. So finally the line starts moving I am third from the back, Bruno is last and Dixon is in front of him. All of us are staring at the smoke and moving at the ever slow pace. So I’m about 10 seats up from the back when I notice a flame go about half way up the window. Some guys were still grabbing their pillows and putting on their jackets. Right then I think, “OK, where is the gas tank on this thing?” I’ve been on so many buses they are all in different places, so at this point I’m starting to think – this thing could blow up any second. So I look at the window emergency exit and decide that probably wouldn’t be the best idea. All I’m thinking is if the gas tank is in the back I want to be in the very front of the bus at least.

So I dart right onto a seat and attempt to climb over the next six or seven seats (flying by a few guys) because the line getting off wasn’t moving too fast. So I reach the front and in the process I had lost my shoe and left everything behind. Finally get off the bus (what a relief). We are told to go far away from the bus, which was left out the door and we didn’t realize to a few seconds after that it was right in the line of the smoke. It was freezing out I had no jacket, I have to thank Greg Glynn, our radio announcer, for lending me his jacket or I would have been one cold duck.

Within a minute or two the fire truck was there and started to put it out. As it turned out I was the laughing part of the scene because I was the only one to go over the seats and really try to rush off. I have caught a lot of heat about it, but I really don’t have much patience with fire seeing I lost a life long friend to a car accident fire also a co-worker when I was younger with a gas tank fume explosion, and I knew a few people that were at the Rhode Island nightclub fire; luckily they got out. (I always wonder what would have happened if all the equipment caught fire? That’s 22 pairs of skates, goalie pads, sticks, it would have been a couple weeks I figure before we were game ready. Dixon had my favorite line of the day “if that bus blows up I got my travel agent on speed dial.”)

Not going to lie: that was one of the toughest stretch of hockey I’ve been through as a pro. Luckily we got out of it Sunday vs. Albany. Really not sure what caused it, maybe that the team had qualified for the playoffs and we knew we had our work cut out for us to get home ice and then a few injuries happened and guys got down. There really wasn’t an explanation to it.

We weren’t necessary playing our worst hockey and we really weren’t getting any bounces either, we’d have the puck in there zone for two minutes hit a post or two then the other team would go down the other way and get some fluke deflected goal. But we are out of it now, five games left in the season and then playoffs.

I hated to disappoint the fans yesterday I’m sure everyone was hoping for a Hoffman vs. Gillies fight for good old times (sorry, Leroy). Unfortunately I’ve been battling another hand injury, this time on the same hand just the right side of my hand near my wrist, from the Bridgeport fight. It’s been a frustrating time not being able to play my game like I want to.

It defiantly messes with the mental game being a bit hesitant. Hopefully it will be ready for playoffs and can mix it up again like good old times.

I am running the NCAA pools for the team (they are not illegal), we got one basketball and one hockey pool. Most guys took UNC in the basketball, right now Ebby is in the lead. He among a few other guys picked all four final four teams. I was pretty much out before it started with UConn losing in the second round. The hockey pool is a different story, that one was optional and most guys picked Michigan. I am tied for first with Boucker right now going into the Frozen Four. I took BC to win it all, got my fingers crossed.

I have to admit that I caught a little bit of heat for my last blog. I will reiterate that the whole HGH
and steroids thing was complete sarcasm, its hard to show sarcasm in writing sometimes, but that whole bit was a joke. My parents’ dog is really not juiced up at the moment and I have never wanted to or intention to do them. It was supposed to make fun of all those guys that have done them and try to deny them.

Off to the Booster club awards banquet tonight at the Holiday Inn. A nice well deserved day off tomorrow for the team. Always nice to get a day of rest mid week so you can get ready for a big weekend. Until next time.

– hoff

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