MIKE HOFFMAN:

So Round 2 of the playoffs is just around the corner. What a great team effort series win that was against Hartford. We got scoring from every line and great goaltending from Aubs. It was more than a grind I must say, 5 games in 7 nights playing playoff hockey is not easy. Hartford really came at us strong and gave us what we expected. In the end we came out on top, I felt we just had the extra fire power they didn’t have. Unfortunately I had to sit out Game 3 at home with a suspension. During the second period of Game 2, I got a 2 minute elbow penalty. I didn’t think I was going to hear about it later, but I walked into the rink and I see Dino in the locker room and he says the league is reviewing your hit from last night ... (back in the doghouse I go).

Luckily we won the game and the next and pulled out a tough one in Hartford for the series win. I’ve probably never had my legs feel so tired as they did during the second period of Game 5. I was in the locker room thinking ... wow I got to find a way to pull through this period strong and on top. (I think I wasn’t the only one feeling like I did.) We came out strong and put a goal in early and everyone’s adrenaline was pumping from there on out we were all over them the rest of the period and the series was ours.

What a great spring in Portland, it was the worst winter I’ve seen in years and then spring hits and it’s the nicest I can remember. Unfortunately for me and Sauce our lease is up next week. The league always tells us to get month-to-month leases in case you get called up or traded, but those aren’t the easiest to get. So what most guys do is get Oct 1st to May 1st and get an optional month or two-week lease after that. Unfortunately our place is for sale and they are running open houses all May, so our option isn’t happening. If anyone is looking for a new 3-story townhouse over looking South Portland and the inlet, it’s a must buy. So we are off to a residence hotel for the month unless something happens or someone’s got an extra bedroom out there.

A bummer the Ducks lost, I thought they had it again, but a few bad bounces and they couldn’t get it back. Fortunately we got Bobby Ryan back, which gave our team even more of a boost and upper edge vs. Hartford. He’s got some of the best mitts I’ve ever played with. Unfortunately we didn’t get Carter back, he for one reason or another wasn’t put on our clear day roster, which if you’re in the NHL and not on the roster you can’t come back down to the AHL. When the we first saw the list Providence had, they had some serious NHL talent on it: Kessel, Lucic, Kreji, Sobodka and Nokelainen. Fortunately for us the first three didn’t make it due to the worst championships and injuries, but from what I’ve heard Sobodka and Nokelainen are in for the second round. Should give them a boost, but I still think we got a special group here, everyone knows and fills there roll perfectly.

Had a great team dinner tonight, thanks to Leach’s recommendation. Another plus to this series is the scheduling is a lot better than the first round. We actually get some rest in between a few games.

I can admit I don’t really like the NBA or basketball that much. I think I have one dunk in my career, although I did win an intramural championship in 7th grade. But I will jump on the Celtics bandwagon for a bit here. How can’t you ... call me a fair weather fan or whatever, but they are unreal. Big draft day for the Pats this weekend. All I’ve heard is they are taking a defensive back, we’ll see. Like I have been saying, next season is the perfect season for them.

Big weekend ahead for this guy, enjoy yours.

– hoff

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