By Denis J. Puska

I have always had a special fondness for the goaltenders in hockey. Maybe it's because when I was a child growing up and playing street hockey, I was always the goaltender. I wasn't very good as a forward or defenseman so the guys always like to put me in goal. And I enjoyed it very much.

Every opportunity I could I played in goal, even enjoyed it when I was outside with my dad and he would take shots on me. I remember one Christmas my parents even bought me a goalie mask. It was one of those old ones that now-a-days is synonymous with Freddy Krueger in those Halloween movies. There was no design on the mask and the plastic used to get really cold on some of those minus 10, minus 20 days.

My favorite goaltenders growing up were Ken Dryden and Mike Palmateer. I used to love watching them on Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday night and would even be a little upset when they would get the night off.

When I was in Grade 4, I was a floor hockey goaltender at Eastview Public School for a tournament they had. We ended up winning the whole thing and got a chance to play a teachers team. What fun that was.

I never played minor hockey, but watched hockey all of the time and loved to go to the arena to watch my friends play. I was a rink rat and eventually took a job as a time and scorekeeper for games. Later I began working with the local radio station covering youth and adult hockey games and tournaments, the beginning of a play-by-play career that would take me around the world. At the end of the day I would to call home where my dad was faithfully waiting to come and pick me up (good night, Dick).

I got an opportunity many years ago to play my first ever game in full hockey equipment on the ice. I was working for the local radio station and we organized a charity game against an all-girls team to benefit Special Olympics. We promoted this event well in advance and talked about it every day on the air. Part of this promotion was that I would be playing my first game of organized hockey in goal.

I borrowed the equipment from a good friend of mine who was about the same size and also held the stick the same way as I do, in my left hand. I had never put on full hockey gear on before let alone goalie equipment. I didn't own goalie skates so I ended up using regular ones. When I got everything on, I couldn't believe how heavy it was. I had one of the old cage helmets that I figured would keep my head safe.

When I stepped onto the ice for the first time, I felt such a rush. It was a proud moment that brought a sense of accomplishment. Then it became a blur. I could barely stand, so when I went down to the ice to make a save I was there for good until the puck went up the ice. I made it through one period and then gave way to a radio colleague who finished up the game. After that experience I saw the game in a whole new and different way that made me appreciate the goaltender position even more.

By Denis J. Puska

CLEVELAND, OH - As we continue our look into attendance numbers in professional hockey, it appears that there are some encouraging signs in both the International Hockey League and the Southern Professional Hockey League.

In the IHL, the Quad City Mallards have had some great crowds in their first four home games of the season. There was some concern how the Quad City fan base was going to react with the team switching from the AHL to the IHL. The Mallards have averaged just a shade under 4,900 and that is very good early on.

I also like what I see coming out of Bloomington early on this season. I watched two of their games against the Dayton Gems and from being at US Cellular Coliseum, the fans are excited with the product that is on the ice. If the Prairie Thunder can continue to hang around the top two or three positions in the standings then the crowds should continue to grow.

There are also some good signs in Flint and Port Huron through the first seven games. One of the big stories was going to be how competitive the Generals were going to be on the ice and would the fans return to watch the team play. Jason Muzzatti has put a great group of guys on the ice that continue to work hard and despite all of the naysayers fans are attending the games.

Port Huron had a terrific year in Corporate Sales and now they need to translate that into fans in the seats. The Icehawks could have a very dominant team this season, but the key is going to be consistency game in and game out.

The top three teams in attendance leaders in the Southern Professional Hockey League are as expected. The Huntsville Havoc have always drawn great crowds and their bigger numbers will come after Christmas where they can bring out the 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 games.

I am very happy to see the fans supporting the Pensacola Ice Flyers thus far. I was a little worried how hockey fans in Pensacola would respond to the SPHL product, but it looks like they're satisfied as more than 3,000 fans have attended games there. I think there is a general like for owner Tim Kerr and his group and I think as this club continues to move up in the stands that the crowds will only increase. I think it is safe to say that SPHL hockey is going over well in the other two former ECHL markets in Biloxi and Lafayette.

Over in the Central Hockey League, the Missouri Mavericks and the Allen Americans have attracted some big crowds for their first two couple of games. The Mavericks are in a great situation because Kansas City residents have been hurting to watch hockey for a long period of time. It's affordable, exciting and family orientated and just what is needed in that region. The Mavericks are also taking advantage of that opportunity before the NHL decides to move into that new Sprint Center.
Meantime, the help of a former CHL coach and the new digs appears to be agreeing with the Allen Americans. They have averaged more than 4,300 fans in that new building and if their staff continues to work hard, their figures should rise. It's nice to see Bill MacDonald helping out that organization behind the bench. He is the perfect fit for the Americans because he understands the CHL model and markets, and I hope they will continue to draw on his experience in the future.

Gibby back behind the bench
I had a great time speaking with John Gibson this week for my interview that aired on a Puska on Pucks Xtra. Gibson has taken over as Head Coach of the Lousiana IceGators and they couldn't have asked for a better guy to lead that organization now and in the future. I got to know Gibson during my time in Huntsville and he is a very passionate coach who understands winning and how to get the most out of his players. It's going to be an emotional Thanksgiving weekend for Gibby as he returns to Von Braun Center in Huntsville as a visitor. I bet the fans will give him a huge round of applause when they see him on the bench.

BY DENIS PUSKA

It appears that the attendance figures in professional hockey are holding serve through the first few weeks of the season.

I think many teams were concerned that the economy was going to have a major affect on fans attending games, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

In many instances, teams are getting very creative to bring fans out to the arenas, including discounts on food - dollar hotdogs, and beverages - dollar beer night. In one city, Dayton, they have cut single game ticket prices and offered food coupons as a way to entice fans.
The three new franchises in the American Hockey League have had good early success with the Texas Stars averaging 4,300, the Adirondack Phantoms averaging more than 4,000 and Abbotsford, British Columbia getting 3,300.

In the case of Texas, they are hoping to draw fans to the new arena in Cedar Park near Austin. There hasn't been hockey in that region for several years since the Austin Ice Bats left the Central Hockey League. There has always been a terrific fan base in the Austin area and I think with some time and a good product on the ice, the Stars should be getting some good fan support. What will help too are the rivalries with the Houston Aeros and the San Antonio Rampage and the soon Oklahoma City Blazers.

The question in Glens Falls, New York is going to be whether or not the fans return to the cozy confines of that arena and welcome back the AHL. It appears that the answer is already a resounding yes. The Adirondack Red Wings were a huge success many years ago and the Phantoms are hoping that fans remember that when they come out to see them. The Phantoms won't have a problem putting a good product on the ice as the Philadelphia Phantoms were very solid in recent years.

There may be some work to do in Abbotsford, teaching fans about the excitement of professional hockey. The Heat front office acknowledged that there are several different teams and leagues for the fans to choose from including the Western Hockey League and the National Hockey League. The Calgary Flames triple A affiliate hasn't been very good on the ice the past few years and was part of the reason why fans were not supporting the team in Quad City. They will have to continue to educate the fans while offering a good product on the ice and decent on-ice activities that will bring fans to the new arena.

In the ECHL, the Toledo Walleye are off to a great start with their new arena. They have had outstanding crowds and let's hope they can keep up the torrid pace. Remember, professional hockey hasn't been in that city for quite a while and fans have been starved for something to go and watch.

The Kalamazoo Wings have never had a problem drawing fans to Wings Stadium no matter what league they were in. It's great that they have quickly adapted to the ECHL. Nick Bootland's team has been nothing short of great on the ice.

The two new teams in the Central Hockey League will be opening their respective new buildings in the next two weeks. The Allen Americans will probably have the toughest way to go when it comes to drawing fans due to their proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth.

I am anxious to see what the response will be like in Independence, Missouri as it has been a few years since hockey was in the Kansas City area. The last team that took the ice was the short-lived Kansas City Outlaws in the former United Hockey League. The Missouri Mavericks have a great front office and that will only help this franchise be successful off the ice. The only question is going be is what will happen when and if the NHL arrives at the new Sprint Center.

The big movers already in the CHL through the first few weeks are Rapid City, Laredo and the Tulsa Oilers. I think in Tulsa's case, they are getting a lot of the former Oklahoma City Blazers fans who are making the short drive up there. The Blazers took a year off from hockey in order to get ready for their AHL debut next season. It's the second year for the Rapid City Rush, and it appears fans are excited with the product that Joe Ferras has put on the ice. The recruiting that Terry Ruskowski has done in Laredo is starting to payoff. Give this team a chance to work as a unit in the coming weeks, and fans will really start to come out in droves to the LEC.

In next week's blog we will look at the attendance numbers in the International Hockey League and the Southern Professional Hockey League.