CAMPING (DAY 2)

Goats on Astroturf.

That's what most of the 51 players at training camp resemble when it comes to when, how and with what to use when pursuing a puck carrier.

Many of the players I spoke to said they feel like they are brain cramping and over thinking as they engage and are erroring on the side of no contact rather than what could possibly be a penalty in the leagues promise to eradicate unnecessary contact.

Through two days of scrimmages the only guy to consistently take the body has been defenseman Phillipe Boucher. He said he feels he has to do that after a full year off, and that learning what you can or can't do will come later.

In fairness to many, physical play is not their foray.

Fifteen of the Forty-six skaters are European. One of every three. So stepping on the ice in Frisco with hungry hitting eyes is not what you'd expect from them.

The non-contact nature of play is understandable, and I suppose necessary, but it sure makes for some pretty spiritless hockey.

I remember my very first NHL camp.

It was brimming with spirit.

The fist-soother kind.

I was drafted 42nd overall by Edmonton in the summer of 84', right after Moog and Co. had won their first Cup.

The first day we did two exhausting fitness tests on bikes then immediately put our gear on and traipsed onto the ice.

I couldn't stop my legs from shaking. Partly due to the tests, partly due to the prospect of having Messier, Gretzky, Kurri, Coffey and any other Hall of Famer you can name shoot on me.

Anyway, that isn't the most vivid memory.

The image etched forever in my mind is that of the three epic scraps between incumbent Dave Semenko and challenger Geoff Brubaker.

Three!

The best one was a punch-fest that started right at center ice and violently drifted to the end boards.

Between the tests, the star struck performance, and the gladiator show I was snapped into the reality that this, Razorboy, was not Junior hockey anymore.

Nice Line: The trio of Ott, Barnes and Svoboda had a good Day 2.

Antti May Make Goalies Cry Uncle: Antti Miettinen followed up a sweet first day by producing two curt assists on goals by Arnott and Guerin.

Note For Next Year: The Stars will participate in 4 days of camp (plus one optional ice day) before playing their first pre-season game this year. Next year they will play after just 3 days. Makes sense, they all show up in phenomenal shape nowadays and I'd think you find out a lot more when you play against other organizations than when you mix it up in-house.

Word of the Day: ACIDULOUS