As soon as we took the ice for our practice, the snow started again almost on cue. It had been a really sunny day, for the most part, so much so that they decided to bump the Sabres practice and then our practice back an hour so the ice wouldn't be exposed to the sun.
It was windy today though, and it only got windier once the snow started when we got on the ice. So, it was pretty windy and very cold out there, but I still had a ton of fun. That's what you have to expect when you play outside on a rink like this and it's part of what makes it a unique and special experience.
Once I got out there moving around though, I did not find it as cold as when we first started. Our trainers had lots of options for things to wear for us to keep warm. The toughest part I found was that my ears got a little cold. I found it was a little colder here on the East Coast than it gets up in Whistler, British Columbia when I'm out on the lake.
I've never really played in wind like that before so I didn't realize how much it actually blows your stick around -- and even the puck -- so that took a little bit of getting used to. I'm glad I got to feel that today during practice, so I'll be better prepared for it during the game on Sunday.
The NHL did a good job with the setup and the rink looks great and the ice was hard. They do an unbelievable job getting the ice up to par. It's pretty cool skating around in the huge stadium.
Getting the chance to have my parents out here and my sister and dad coming out on the ice after practice was fun. My parents don't get to be in town for many games so getting to share this with them was really special. It makes the whole experience a lot more meaningful.
I can't wait for Sunday when it's packed full of fans. I'm sure it's going to be exciting walking into the stadium and going out on the ice and soaking it all in until puck drop. But then once that puck drops it will be for real.
And I get to play on Jason Spezza's line which should be good. Like I said in Friday's blog, he gets out skating outdoors a lot nowadays, so he looked like a natural out there to me.
