HEADING TO CHICAGO

I'm sitting at LAX awaiting a flight to Chicago where I'll reconnect with the boys following a big Versus game at Staples Center last night.

I had the pleasure of working with John Forslund again. The two of us hadn't called a game together since the last days of the Whale, 11 years ago. Our last game for the Hartford Whalers was the final game at the old Aud in Buffalo.

He's a good man and a terrific playcaller.

The game was a typical one for today's NHL, a lymphatic start followed by a bunch of powerplays, then building to a feverish crescendo at the end (LA won in a Shootout).

I watched bits and pieces of the Stars-Wings tilt that preceeded our show. Looked to me to be almost void of passion. (But that may have just been the camera angles) and I lost money betting our crew that Turco would shut em out.

The game tomorrow should be a treat, what with the Hawks firing another coach and going in yet "another direction".

What a short-sighted, Neanderthalian, and moribund orginaization they are.

How many times a day do you think Robidas, Klemm, and Barnaby thank the hockey gods that they're not there anymore. And Modano must break into cold sweats when he is reminded that he could have signed with them.

We'll be the only TV for the game (the Blackhawks don't televise home games, smart marketing) and there is sure to be a few thousand faithful on hand to sparsely populate the UC for Denis Savards debut behind the bench.

Good times!