We opened the season with the NHL Sled Classic, and now we finish with the biggest national tournament, the Disabled Hockey Festival. This is a yearly event presented by USA Hockey, and it’s so big it stretches across two weekends. The first weekend has blind, warrior, and special hockey, and the second is dedicated to sled hockey. Pittsburgh was scheduled to be the host city in 2020, but the tournament was one of the first casualties of “two weeks to flatten the curve.” Two years later, we’re finally flying to Pittsburgh to play hockey.
There are over 40 teams, divided into tiers, both youth and adult. Teams are placed based on their performance during the season and in prior tournaments. The adult tiers consist of the Championship Tier, then Tiers I through VI. Our A Team is in the Championship Tier, and my team is in Tier V. Championship Tier has only four teams instead of the usual six to eight teams, so each team is loaded with Paralympic gold medalists. Tier V has eight teams divided into to pools, and play consists of three games and a two game playoff.
Here’s a quick highlight reel of the tournament. You might recognize a certain Glib coughing up the puck at the 0:23 mark.
Wednesday
Mrs. TOK’s day job is to provide daycare for our three year old nephew. We love the kid, but Monday he showed up with a runny nose. Today I wake up with a sore throat. Hopefully this won’t last long.
Thursday
I haven’t slept much due to the sore throat and excitement for the trip, but I’m up at 4:15am. I’ve once again enlisted a good friend to drop me off at the airport, and he arrives at 5am. A little over an hour later we arrive at Chicago Midway. The airport is smaller than O’Hare, and today it’s smooth sailing through check in at the Southwest counter. We’re finally on a flight that allows us to pick seats, so the whole team sits in the first few rows. I’ve flown a lot in the last six months, and for the first time the mask requirement has been dropped. It’s a much more pleasant experience. There is turbulence during beverage service, but I get my seltzer water just before they make the flight attendance sit back down and the rest of the plane has to remain thirsty. The flight takes less than an hour.
At the airport, I am once again a driver. For some reason Enterprise is not aware that I need a hand control, so it takes an hour to straighten things out. Finally I get into a Chevy Equinox and drive back to the terminal. The airport in Pittsburgh is small and not at all busy, so driving is easy. My roommate is one of our coaches (who will also play this weekend), and we decide we’ll put the seats down and transport all the sleds for the weekend. This turns out to be a fantastic choice.
While everyone else is squabbling over where to eat, Roommate and I grab a quick sub at Jimmy John’s, check into the hotel, and take a quick nap.
Thursday, 5:10pm, Game 1
The first game is at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, which is a fancy new building. This is the main rink for the weekend. Our opponent is one of the Colorado Avalanche teams. Regular readers know how much I hate the Colorado teams so I’m determined to win this one. They get a very early goal, but I get the first goal and assist on the next two. We end up with a 7-3 win.
One of the traditions we have taken from the NHL Blackhawks is a championship belt. In the locker room after the game, the player who had a great game is awarded the belt. We also have a “sash of shame”, which is a pink “princess” sash that’s awarded to the player with the biggest bonehead move of the game. The winner of each of these is expected to wear them publicly and then award them to someone else after the next game. This game I’m awarded the belt.
TOK wins the belt
After our game, I get a chicken wrap at the rink. A Team plays at 8:15pm. They have a back and forth game but lose 10-3.
Next it’s time for a shower and bed.
Friday
The cold hits hard during the night, and I don’t sleep much. In addition to a sore throat, I now have nasal congestion. I’ve packed some cold meds which I’m popping like candy, and fortunately they at least allow me to breathe. We have breakfast at the hotel. Usually you want a shorter gap between games so you’re ready mentally, but today we have a long delay until our next game. I take a hot shower and a nap to help fight off the cold.
We’re at the Lemieux rink to watch A Team’s game at noon. At one point they are down 4-0, but rally to tie and win in a shootout. During the game I have my blades sharpened so they’re ready for later.
Friday, 5:00pm, Game 2
We grab some Chick-fil-A and head to our rink, which is at Robert Morris University, about 20 minutes away. Although Roommate has a setting wrong in his Waze app so it take us 40.
The rink is small and dark and dirty, not as nice as the Lemieux center. Our opponent is the Knoxville Sled Bears, who we defeated to win the championship three years ago. They get a very early fluke goal, but despite outplaying them the rest of the game, we score no goals and they win 2-0. It was a frustrating game. That team wasn’t great, but they had a good goalie and disrupted the flow of the game by having one or two players hanging out at center ice waiting for a breakaway pass. I hate that. I also hate that I took a big hit against the boards and I have some lingering shoulder pain from it.
We have a nice meal at the Firebird Wood Fire Grill, then get to bed by 11:00pm. Tomorrow is an early game. We need to win in order to make the playoffs.
Saturday
Ugh. I’m up at 6am with a sore trap muscle from yesterday’s hit. Roommate and I stop at Dunkin for coffee on the way to the Alpha rink, our third of the weekend.
Saturday, 8:45am, Game 3
In the final regular game, we play the Indy Steel. This team is in our league, and we’ve played them a lot this season. They’re mostly young and not good. However, they have brought a few players from the Central Illinois Thunder, another team in our league. But his time our whole team clicks. After a scoreless first period, we win 4-1 and only because Indy scored a very late goal off a faceoff. I get one goal and one assist. Roommate and I decide it was due to the Dunkin coffee, and vow to get a cup before every game from now on. As a bonus, my cold seems to be easing up quite a bit. Tonight we’ll play in a semifinal game.
Meanwhile, A Team has lost their game 4-2, and will play for third place later tonight.
We’ve got some time, so we take another shower at the hotel, get some fancy treats at a place called “Peace, Love, and Little Donuts”, take a nap, eat again at Chipotle, and then go back to the Lemieux rink. But not before we stop at Dunkin for another coffee.
The fancy little donuts
Saturday, 6:45pm, Game 4
This time we play a team from the east coast called the Spauld-Bos Shamrocks. We play pretty well, but they have a very fast double amp, and one other skater, who have all of their goals so far. We’re down 5-3 with a few minutes left, and score one off a faceoff. But we can’t pull the trigger on that last goal and lose 5-4.
A Team plays part of a great game against Philadelphia. They’re down 4-0, tie it up, and then…. give up five goals in the third period to lose 9-4.
After the game we drown our sorrows in pizza and pinot noir in the hotel lobby. A few of the Paralympic guys from other teams show up to hang out. We have no more games this weekend so we make it a late night.
Sunday
With no games to play, most of A Team has scheduled earlier flights and left. Our team captain is from Pittsburgh and plans a day of sightseeing. We visit the Duquesne Incline to check out the view. Then we have lunch at the Church Brew Works, a brew pub that’s in an old Catholic church. Finally we head to a fun center and try out the driving range. Pro tip: It’s not easy to hit a golf ball from a wheel chair.
The view from the top of Duquesne Incline
A Catholic church, but with beer instead of wine
One of our coaches is the dad of one of the A Team players who left early. He’s been carrying his son’s Paralympic medals, and he takes them out at lunch. We all get to pick them up and even our waiter got to try them on.
Paralympic gold from Beijing, Sochi, and Seoul
We’re close to that really nice airport, and it’s easy to drop off the car and get to the terminal. In Chicago, a teammate drives me half way home, and Mrs. TOK picks me up.
I think some other people from the tournament were on my flight
Season Wrap Up
We started with a vaccine mandate, masks on the ice, people not coming back, Paralympic players leaving for a few months, tournaments cancelled… It’s been a wild ride of a season. But I did get to play a lot of games, both A and B, and I progressed. On Saturday, I talked to one of our A Team guys who has two gold medals, and played with us all through the COVID shutdowns. I thanked him for all of his help. But he cut me off. He said he saw me play, and I’m looking way better. I’m skating with the puck, looking around, and making good decisions. All the things he helped me work on. I could not have received a better compliment, nor a better incentive to work harder this off season.
And then this Happened
There is one more chapter left in this season. In June, there’s an annual tournament in Minnesota. This is outside our season, so Chicago won’t play. But for the second year in a row, I’ve been asked by the team from Alaska to join them, and I’m bringing three of my favorite teammates with me.
This game I’m awarded the belt.
Excellent!
I noticed this doesn’t get mentioned again in the article. I bet he had to wear the princess one at some point. 😛
I would definitely own up to that! I have had instances where I had both the belt and the sash.
That’s how you know you had a great game.
Looking at that last picture I’m wondering what the baggage handlers think at times like that.
I think more of the other passengers when they see 10 of us line up to board. “Aw shit this flight is going to be LATE!”
Reminds me of the very confused toll both operator on one Mini Takes the States (long rally for owners of Minis), “There sure are a lot of you in Minis, are you all in a gang or something?”
Yes, we just stole a bunch of Italian Gold. Shame about the school bus though.
But he cut me off. He said he saw me play, and I’m looking way better. I’m skating with the puck, looking around, and making good decisions. All the things he helped me work on. I could not have received a better compliment, nor a better incentive to work harder this off season.
🙂
I really wish I could have made it to see a game or two, Kevin, but it wasn’t in the cards.
Congratulations on your goals and the kudos from your A teammate!
And the belt!
Thanks! I have no plans on retiring so I’ll be various places next season. I think the major tournaments are in St. Louis and Anaheim next time.
Crap, I messed up the alt text on those pictures. For the medals, the Sochi one has bits of a Russian meteorite in those little windows.
That is really cool.
Probably gives you super powers. Or is Russian poison.
Gold medals laced with polonium is just like the Russians.
That is sweet!
Way to go, TOK! Congrats on the belt, although I am mildly disappointed you did not get the pink one ?
Who got the pink one, and why?
See below. The other one I remember is one of or coaches (now a player) got frustrated in that last game and straight up pushed that fast guy on the other team with both hands. Right at center ice. Which earned him 2:00 in the box and the sash.
It was close! In our first loss, I was in front of the net and blocked a shot and it knocked my right stick out of my hand. I was at a really bad angle and just threw the puck away with my left, but I basically passed it right to the other team. Thankfully it didn’t end up in our net. But during the game one of our guys somehow wore the same number jersey as someone else so he got the sash for that.
Awesome stories.
Congrats on the belt, sounds like a great time.
The Incline is cool, I’m originally from outside of Pittsburgh.
I had never been there. It’s a much nicer looking city than I expected. I wouldn’t mind going again.
Hey, who is that good looking guy with the belt?
Great write up, although it looks like you put the “alt-text” in the field for actual alt-text.
Good stuff, TOK. Thanks for sharing.
?♂️ I’m sitting here in a webex wondering where all the other meeting attendees are…
… the meeting was cancelled, I just missed the notice.
I love this, Kev. Thanks for bringing us along!
You might recognize a certain Glib coughing up the puck at the 0:23 mark.
I wouldn’t call that ‘coughing it up’. That was just excellent defense.
Pro tip: It’s not easy to hit a golf ball from a wheel chair.
It’s not easy standing up, either. Dumbest game ever.
What are the June dates in Minne? I am going back for a couple days and it would be fun to hit a game.
June 2-5 in Blaine again.
The Blaine facility is very nice! Have fun.
I’m not a big hockey person, but I’ve really enjoyed reading this series. Thanks!
Good! I always wonder if people will find these interesting. Thanks for the feedback.
They’re great. Thank you for sharing them.
The reports are a blast to read through.
Yes, they are good.
Yup. They are fun to read. Keep ’em coming.
Same here.
Now, about abortion, Ukraine, groomers . . . .
j/k I need a break, and this is a good one.
For you.
It’s my go-to when things get too heavy.
Thanks, that is otterly precious.
Did you make that pun on porpoise?
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#waffle102 5/5
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I hope to catch you at the Minneapolis (actually I think it’s in Blaine) one, TOK.
Any other ‘soda Glibs interested?
Yep, it’s Blaine. I’m playing:
Friday June 3, 11am
Friday June 3, 6pm
Saturday June 4, 2pm
Sunday June 5, 8am or 9:30am
They also have blind and warrior hockey at the same rink.
Blind?
How do they find the puck and the net?
From what I understand, they have a bigger puck with noisemakers in it. The rule is you have to pass the puck at least once before you can shoot on net.
*looks down…kicks rock*
Pert-near-Canucks can come join the fray as well. As long as you behave yourself!
Somewhat related.
Bringing back old-time hockey
Retarded.
Wild/Blues got a little ugly, too. Wild got absolutely smoked.
Oh, and fuck whoever came up with the seeding scheme for the playoffs. So ridiculously stupid how many 100+ point teams won’t make it out of round one.
Your Malice broken-person twitter link intrigued me. So I found this about her:
Can’t imagine why her marriage fell apart.
http://www.ellieheyman.com/stayingalive
In the locker room after the game, the player who had a great game is awarded the belt. We also have a “sash of shame”, which is a pink “princess” sash that’s awarded to the player with the biggest bonehead move of the game.
It was just the opposite when I was a kid. A bonehead move on my part got me the belt.
The last rugby club I played for had a plastic hard hat with a dildo glued to the front, like a rhino horn….dickhead of the match!
‘Disabled Hockey Festival’
Don’t let the activists know it’s called that…
Good write-up TOK.
#LazyPost.
Lazy, sure, but this is solid gold.
Nice.
This is solid gold
You did not disappoint.
Perhaps I should have posted this instead.
There’s a couple garbage humans.
#WarPorn has a whole new meaning.
My house smells wonderful today. I’ve had a pot roast going in the slow cooker all day (with some potatos, carrots and onions).
Damn. It’s gloomy and cold here today. I should do the same.
53 degrees, sunny, and only a light breeze. Pushing 70 degrees by Saturday. Spring has finally sprung!
Hooray!
54 degrees, cloudy, and I went back in after 30 seconds outside. Unseasonably cold for around here.
We’re in the same ball park
Missed an opportunity to have some parsnips.
Parsnips>carrots.
And here I expected your protest to be about the starch-laden taters.
And that’s where you missed your opportunity to switch in Kabocha…
?
We did a curry recipe last night for dinner. Good, but my house stinks.
I hope nobody minds my venting for a second.
I just got off the phone with the NY State tax department. After hours of trying to respond to their inquiries, they announced to me that, rather than getting a $5k refund, I’m going to wind up having to pay them money. I left their sh**hole state in 2020. But, apparently, because I didn’t have my company change the placeholder in my work location, during the middle of COVID, when nobody was going into any offices, until the latter half of the year, they’re insisting my work was based out of New York and taxable by them. I’ll have my brother fill out an amended return for SC to see what I can recoup. If I ever needed a reminder that taxation is theft, here it is in spades. And I can think of fewer worse thieves than the government of New York.
/rant off
Damn, that sucks sir. How there is some way you can limit the damage.
Eh, the damage is done. I’m going to go to SC and file an amended return based on the fact that NY State is a bunch of thieves. Of course, I got my work location (which was only a legal fiction last year) changed already. It’s just the timing of the change in paperwork that did me in. I don’t have an official letter from my employer recognizing that I wasn’t working in New York until I got the location switched in anticipation of going back to Charlotte.
Noted for future reference. I guess I got out of California relatively unscathed.
That sucks.
Ouch.
OT – My friend who also lives in PA mentioned this “gem” to me. It’s close to him. Kids are brain dead and will likely be donating organs.
Upper Makefield mom who police say shot sons, 10 and 13, was facing eviction Tuesday
I’ll take hockey discussions any time to recent events.
Same county as me, but on the opposite end.
Sad.
That’s fucking dumb.
On a lighter note*, someone took the eviction: abortion analogy too far.
* (is dark humor light?)
Sorry.
Boo, that sux.
CA pulled similar shit on me a few years back. I had to file CA returns for 3 years despite working there for 3 months.
“California taxible income: $0.00”
“Prove to our satisfaction that you aren’t a subject of our state.”
Dose SC extradite to NY?
Remember when Indiana refused to extradite Bobby Knight to Puerto Rico?
Great write-up, TOK! That’s quite a compliment you got, well done.
Spauld-Bos Shamrocks
Were I a betting man, I’d wager they’re associated with this place: https://spauldingrehab.org/
That looks right. I’ve been around a few years and I’ve never seen this team. But sometimes you see different teams when they’re close enough to drive to a tournament.
Found them:
https://spauldingrehab.org/locations/boston-outpatient/conditions-services/adaptive-sports
‘Sled Hockey – Shamrocks and Sledgehogs (Youth)’
it’s in partnership with https://www.bostonshamrocks.net/
I love learning about new and different sports and hobbies. Looks fun to watch thanks TOK.
I have a strange question(s). Does the low stature of the sleds make it harder for fans and players off the ice from seeing well? Also how hard are line changes?
This question is based on the relatively high walls around the rink and the typically high wall in front of the players bench.
Thanks,
I found it very easy to follow as a spectator. Sometimes it got a little crowded in front of the net, but it’s overall a terrific hockey experience.
Thanks for the answer, Tundra. I haven’t had much of a problem watching the other games, either from the stands or from right on the boards.
Line changes are pretty easy, provided the rink is NOT accessible. Which sounds weird. For our games, we just line up against the boards where the bench is, and changes on the fly are easy. You just have to stay away from the blue line so you don’t interfere with play. And if a puck comes into the bench area, you either leave it or push it straight out.
I’ve been in rinks where they have a bench behind the wall where you can skate off (like a pit area in racing), but there’s usually a door and a bottleneck. They use that in the Paralympics. We had one where you were in front of the bench, but they put temporary curved partitions around you. That sucked because the puck would get stuck in the bench area, or you’d run into those partitions and move them around.
Got it. Thank you both for the clarification. I imagine most arenas rinks can be modified easily. Out hockey arena is a concert venue and event space most of the year.
TOK, I hope you enjoyed Church Brew Works. That used to be a regular stop for a group of us when we had to road trip to the Philly area for work.
It was really good. The building was beautiful, food was tasty. Unfortunately I was a driver so no beer for me. 🙁
They do sell beer to go you know… 🙂
There was supposed to be a similar place in a suburb near me, but the plans have been in development hell for almost a decade now.
I’ve been to the Holy Grale in Louisville, also in an old church.
They have a sweet beer garden out back too.
I’ve been to the Limelight in NYC (old church turned gay dance club – notorious for hosting the “Club Kids”)…
Also has a nice little side garden. It’s a stupid gym now.
I’ve been there as well. robc recommended it when the girlfriend and I were down in Louisville.
There’s a couple here that repurposed old buildings, most are no longer open or available to the public. Most are now in new construction, as they’ve realized that’s cheaper then rehabbing an old building.
My hometown doesn’t have a brewery in an old church but they do have a pancake place in an old church:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adronvet/5806222625
Good job with the article. I really like reading about stuff like this that’s (to me) a whole ‘nother world from what I know.
-.-
With a particular vendor I had one order open since february, and a new order put in recently. (There were backorder items on the Feb order, so I’m not holding the delay against them). The February order qualified for free shipping due to the size. The recent one did not, so I was charged $6 for shipping that.
Both orders just shipped in one box. I don’t think they’re going to consolidate them in billing and refund my $6.
Dang it! I’m late! Awesome post and links!
Thanks!
https://breaking911.com/cdc-restates-recommendation-for-masks-on-planes-trains/
Mask up, bitches!
Great article, TOK. I’m with Tundra, that’s just good hard defense. “Coughing up” the puck implies something more boneheaded than a d-man closing you out.
First playoff game for my one of my old man leagues (45+) tonight. If we win, we get to play for all of the marbles… in this case, maybe literally – or the equivalent value to a bag of marbles for winning.
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And… Quordle is asshoe.