Funny how, with almost exactly two months remaining in the NHL's regular season, the two teams in the Eastern Conference who have played the fewest games have the most points, isn't it?

While the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers will be engaged in a heated battle over the next 30-plus games for the first seed in the Eastern Conference, there is a very clear line being drawn in the Northeast Division, where three teams (Boston, Ottawa, Toronto) are within eight points of the top while Buffalo and Montreal are looking at longer and longer odds for the playoffs in 2012.

It was an ugly week for the Montreal Canadiens, which lost two-goal decisions to both Buffalo and New Jersey, but which really shamed itself by engaging in a petty war of words with the Sabres' Paul Gaustad over which team had taken a bigger beating from the division-rival Bruins. Such is the plight of two under-performing teams, I suppose, but where it really got bad was when Carey Price said that Gaustad "doesn't do much out there," just minutes after Gaustad assisted on two goals and scored the game-winner for Buffalo in the win.

Yeah, doesn't do much out there at all, I guess.

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Because let's face it, you're not actually doing anything at work right now. So this is a new feature! Every Friday afternoon we'll feature something amusing or have some sort of nonsensical contest...basically a place to spout nonsense, photoshops, and what-have-you at each other.

So here is our first edition of Free-for-all-Friday. And, not that we need to rehash vancouver-boston nonsense anymore, but Pass It To Bulis had this hilarious comic up today which pretty accurately describes, well, everything:

via vansunsportsblogs.com

This is your Friday afternoon open thread. AND, GO.

One of the great traditions in hockey is that every player gets a day (or two days, or half-day, in Nathan Horton's case) to celebrate the Stanley Cup win with friends, family, and their home communities. With over a hundred days of offseason after the Cup is won, and about 50 of those days spent at various locales around the city the Cup is won for, the other days are spent traveling the world, seeing the sights. It's been atop mountains and in swimming pools; babies have been baptized in it, cereal's been eaten out of it.

But what about this year?

Our Bruins will be taking the Cup to five different countries over the next few weeks. After the jump, we'll start by guessing what happened at Nathan Horton's day with the Cup yesterday and go from there.

Continue reading this post »

Our Hockey Summer Reading interview series rolls on with Jason Cohen, the author of Zamboni Rodeo. Cohen spent the 1997-98 season with the now-defunct Austin Ice Bats riding buses and chronicling the day-to-day lives of minor league hockey players "chasing hockey dreams from Austin to Albuquerque". Cohen was given full access to the Austin, Texas-based minor league team for the entire season and the result is an entertaining and eye-opening look at the world of lower-level minor league hockey in not-so-traditional hockey markets. Cohen's publishers appropriately refer to Zamboni Rodeo as "Slap Shot meets A Season on the Brink". Jason was nice enough to answer a few questions about his experience.

Was there any apprehension from the Austin Ice Bats organization about granting you the level of access that you had?

Being minor league hockey owners, they just wanted me to pay for the privilege, or give them a cut of profits. But the former is bad journalistic ethics and the latter wasn't ever really gonna be an issue.

I covered the Ice Bats for the Austin paper for a while and got to write about the minors a few more times, and also the Dallas Stars, for Texas Monthly. (http://www.texasmonthly.com/authors/jasoncohen). I still write about a little bit of everything for a lot of different people, most regularly for Texas Monthly, Portland Monthly and Cincinnati magazine. In fact I'm currently working on a story about the Cyclones. Recently I've also written about [90's indie-rock band] Pavement (http://www.eyeweekly.com/music/features/article/94449), steak (http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/how-to/meet-the-meats-a-guide-to-great-cheap-cuts-for-sum.html) and the Missoula band Volumen (http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/food-network/Content?oid=1288187). I still chime in at Can't Stop the Bleeding once in a while (but have become one of those people who just tweets too much). And I've been contemplating another hockey project. [Editor's Note: You can read Jason's witty 140 character banter on Twitter @ZamboniRodeo]

And I definitely miss the Bats (here was my eulogy: http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/requiescat-in-pacem-austin-ice-bats/). I no longer live in Austin so I haven't gotten to experience the Texas Stars yet, and there aren't even many teams (just two, I believe, Odessa and Bossier-Shreveport) in the current CHL that existed in the WPHL the year I wrote the book.

Thanks to Jason for taking the time answer my questions. Zamboni Rodeo is one of my favorite hockey books and is a great read for anyone that loves the game of hockey. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy.

Photo Credit: HarryWeber.com

The Bruins will honor Bobby Orr and commemorate "The Goal" by unveiling a statue that depicts an airborne Orr after his Stanley Cup winning goal against the St. Louis Blues in 1970. The bronze statue that will be unveiled on the 40th anniversary of "The Goal" on Monday, May 10th will be a permanent fixture outside the TD Garden on the west walkway facing Causeway Street.

The statue was sculpted by Harry Weber, who has created several other statues and sculptures of sports figures, historical figures, and wildlife. Some of his work includes the Doug Flutie statue outside Boston College's Alumni Stadium, memorial pieces honoring Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Nick Adenhart and golfer Payne Stewart, several statues for the St. Louis Cardinals including Stan Musial, Jack Buck, Ozzie Smith, and Bob Gibson, the Oscar Robinson Trophy (awarded to college basketball's most outstanding player), and the Larry Bird Award (given to the Missouri Valley Conference's player of the year).

I recently had the opportunity to ask sculptor Harry Weber a few questions about the Bobby Orr statue project:

When were you first approached about sculpting the Bobby Orr statue and who approached you?

In November of 2009 a Boston hockey fan (and former classmate of Doug Flutie's), Dan Flynn contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing a statue of Bobby Orr. He had seen the bronze of Flutie I had done for Boston College and wanted the same kind of "accuracy of action" in the representation of Bobby.

I sent him a proposal that detailed every aspect of the process and he met with John Wentzell, president of TD Garden, and he and the Bruins decided to go ahead with the project. Mr. Wentzell contacted me, we agreed on the basic design and I started the process in early December.

How long did this piece take to complete and what is the process like to create a bronze statue like the Bobby Orr statue?

Normally a statue of this size and complexity takes six to nine months to complete. In this case we only had five since the Bruins wanted to dedicate the statue on the 40th anniversary of "TheGoal" that won the Stanley Cup in 1970 ... May 10, 2010.

The process has changed little in the two thousand years in which bronze statues have been created.

The start is a Maquette or small model (about 2 feet high). We solve all the problems of movement and 3 dimensional accuracy in this size and then build an armature in full size using the maquette as a reference. Unlike a painting, a statue has to work visually in every viewing angle and in most cases (including this one) representations of action are based on a single photo from one perspective. The countless other angles of viewing have to be imagined.

When Bobby and the Bruins approved the model, we created the statue in full 110% life size in clay in my studio. We started the large statue in January and both Dan Flynn and john Wentzell came to the studio to approve it in late February. To complete the clay in this time involved quite a few sixteen hour days.

The statue was then taken to our shop (VMD Sculpting) in downtown St Louis where molds were made and waxes were pulled from those molds. The waxes were then sent to Ad Astra Foundry in Lawrence, KS for casting. The statue was cast in over a dozen pieces which then were shipped back to us and welded together. The welds are invisible because considerable time was spent "chasing" the seams with grinders and other tools. All these processes are highly labor intensive and require great technical skill. I am lucky to have long time associates in Vlad Zhitomirsky and his son Mikael who do this work flawlessly.

The process in this case was made more complex since we had to assemble the statue around a stainless steel armature (skeleton) to make sure it would look like Bobby as "flying" and to insure the stability of the piece.

Finally, the patina is applied to "color" the bronze and make sure each detail stands out. We are actually doing this today and tomorrow in our downtown shop. [Editor's Note: April 29th & 30th]

Was Bobby Orr involved in the process?

I talked with Bobby on the phone to get an idea of how he wanted to be portrayed. He also reviewed the detailed model and made some inputs on the position and approved the result. I am pleased to say that he is as nice a guy as you could imagine.

He will see the large statue for the first time when everyone else does on the morning of the 10th

Do you conduct a lot of research about a subject's personality or playing style to capture the essence of that player?

In every case like this we do considerable research to "get it right". I this case I watched the film of the game several dozen times and had reams of large photographs of Bobby as well as the books, "The Goal" and "Orr on Ice".

Fortunately, I have a nephew Bobby Vitt who deals in Hockey memorabilia and is an expert on vintage gear, and another nephew Tony Hrkac who was an NHL player for a number of years for several teams to ask about "the finer points".

I find it somewhat ironic that a guy from St. Louis was commissioned to capture "The Goal". Are you a St. Louis Blues fan?

I am primarily a "sports fan" first and St. Louisan second. I actually watched that game in 1970. Bobby Orr was a wonder to me then and throughout his career. I don't think there is any doubt that he was the greatest ever to play the game ... Sorry Wayne.

Also, I lived in Boston twice; once as a Navy LT taking a Destroyer through the Boston Navy Yard in 1968, and later working in Advertising in the mid seventies. North Station was my T stop. I watched and rooted for the Bruins whenever I got the chance ... and I'm sure as hell rooting for them now.

Is there added pressure when you are recreating an iconic moment like Orr's goal or Doug Flutie's hail mary pass?

There is always pressure when you are representing a great athlete or historical figure. You want to get it EXACTLY right both in the accuracy of the physical form and the emotion of the moment. While I am working I try to feel what it must have been like to feel all that adrenaline coursing through the subject's veins.

You want to get the essence of the thing for all those people who cherish the memory and all those others who never got a chance to see it.

What are some of your favorite pieces that you have created?

This piece certainly ranks right up there. Some of my other favorite sports figures include Doug Flutie, Bob Gibson, Frank White, Nick Adenhart, Cool Papa Bell, Bernie Federko and Payne Stewart.

Frankly, I like anything that moves or moves people when they see it. When I do historical figures I want to get what they were like at the moment I portray them not just what they looked like. The Lewis and Clark statues I've done and a bust of Tennessee Williams stand out for me in this regard.

Do you have any sort of hidden signature or some element that you include in your work?

I do, but you'll never find it. My signature is very visible on the base of the statue.

Is their any small detail of "The Goal" statue that only a diehard Bruins fan would notice or appreciate?

Lots of stuff! The skates, the gloves, the printing on the Victoriaville stick, the haircut, the loop in the glove laces, the fact that he took the laces out of his jersey ... all of it was as real as we could get it.

Is there any sports figure that you admire that you have not had the opportunity to sculpt a statue of that you would like to have the opportunity to honor?

I do a lot of horses. I would love to do a piece of Willie Shoemaker riding Big Ben in life size. He's got such milage on his face at that stage in his career.

Do you have any work coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

I'll be doing a statue of Dred and Harriet Scott for the Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott decision was handed down. I just finished a bust of M Lewis for Grinders Stand on the Natchez Trace in Tennessee and I'll be putting up a nine foot statue of Chuck Berry across from the Blueberry Hill night club where he still performs.

Thank you to Harry Weber for taking the time to answer my questions and providing some great background on the Bobby Orr statue. I can't wait to see how it turned out. If it is anything like his other pieces, it will be a great addition to the area around the TD Garden and a source of pride for Bruins fans for years to come.

(Photo Credit: Andre Ringuette / Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins' first round pick in 2008, Joe Colborne is in his sophomore season at the University of Denver. The 6'5", 210lb forward ranks third in both goals (12) and points (28) for the #2 ranked Denver Pioneers. The 20 year-old Calgary, Alberta native has added about 20 pounds of muscle since being drafted 16th overall by the Bruins in the summer of '08, has worked hard to improve his overall game, and is a key contributor to one of the best teams in college hockey. I recently had the opportunity to ask Joe a few questions about his progress and life at the University of Denver.

How would you describe your game? Some have compared your style of play to Joe Thornton. Do think that is a fair comparison?

I certainly look up to guys like Joe Thornton, Vinny Lecavalier and Ryan Getzlaf and try to emulate parts of their games, but I don't think I deserve to be compared to any of them yet.

What aspect of your game do you think you need to improve to make the jump to the NHL?

Just about everything. I am continually working on all aspects of my game including my strength, speed and quickness, my shot, stickhandling and physical play.

What went into your decision to play college hockey instead of going the major junior route?

Personally, the college route made more sense because I needed to get stronger and bigger in order to make the jump to professional hockey. Playing in fewer games has allowed me to workout more regularly and has helped me achieve some of the goals that I have set out for myself.

Some have described you as a "pass first" playmaker. You currently rank third on your team in both shots and goals. Have you made a conscious effort to look for your shot more this season?

I feel comfortable as both a shooter and passer, and although I may be a "pass first" player, I feel much more confident in my shot this year thanks to more strength, and I have been shooting more regularly this year.

You participated in the Bruins Development Camp this past summer. What was that experience like? What did you take away from that experience?

Camp this past summer was a great learning experience. I feel like I came away from the camp a better player from the ice times and workouts, as well as attaining a much higher level of confidence and comfort from getting to know the people within the Bruins organization.

Have you had much interaction with any of the Bruins' current players? What have they told about what it is like playing for the Bruins?

I got to spend some time with Blake Wheeler during the Development Camp two summers ago. Last summer I also got the chance to work out with a number of the Bruins players that had stayed in Boston. It was a great experience for me to see the hard work and professionalism they bring to the rink every day.

Has Peter Chiarelli or anyone in the Bruins organization expressed to you their expectations for you and how they think you will fit into the organization's plans for the future?

I believe that the Bruins drafted me to be a top forward in the organization and I understand the expectations of being in that type of role.

Have you had a chance to see much of Boston? What are your impressions of the city and Bruins fans?

I have been to Boston a number of times and love the city. There is a ton of history and so many things to do. One of my favorite aspects of the city is how passionate the fans are for their sports.

Denver is currently ranked #2 in the nation. Is there a buzz around campus about this team?

We have a very good team this year and there has been a high level of media attention surrounding our team. It has been very exciting and I look forward to a strong finish.

Some critics say that players wearing cages in college hockey has led to a sense of invincibility and reckless play. Do you think college hockey should switch to half-shields?

I used a half-shield in Juniors and am a definite fan of them. In college I have come to realize that while cages may protect some facial injuries, they can also cause other injuries stemming from players grabbing onto the cage and twisting. I strongly support changing to half shields.

The WCHA covers a wide geographic area. What is the trip to Alaska-Anchorage like?

In a word - cold. But it was not as different as you would expect. When our team was in Anchorage, we were completely focused on winning the two games, so we did not stray far from the hotel or rink.

Trying to balance playing Division 1 college hockey with your school work and college life must be difficult. What is a typical day like for you?

On Monday and Wednesdays, we workout at 7 am. Classes then begin at 8 am and usually you have about 4 hours of class in a day. Practice begins about 3:30 and goes until 5:30.

(Photo Credit: Clarkson & Associates/NCAA Photos)

Thanks to Joe Colborne for taking the time answer my questions. I also need to thank Jason Plank from Fear The Fin and Erich Bacher, Director of Media Relations for the University of Denver's Athletic Department for their roles in making this interview happen.

The Boston Bruins' first round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Jordan Caron is fine-tuning his game in the QMJHL this season playing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Caron started the season with the Rimouski Océanic, but was traded to the Huskies 20 games into the season. Through 29 games this season, the 6'2", 206 lb winger has recorded 34 points (15-19-34) to go along with a +34 rating.

I recently had the opportunity to ask Jordan a few questions:

What was it like attending the Bruins development camp last summer? Did you get a good feel for what it is going to be like playing for the Bruins organization? What did you gain from that experience?

It was a great experience. I had the chance to meet all the organization and all the guys my age, so it's going to be much easier next year when I go to that camp again

How would you describe your game?

I can play both sides of the ice very good, I like to go in front of the net and I have a good shot.

What do you think is the aspect of your game that needs the most work to reach the next level?

I don't skate bad, but I know I will have to improve my explosion to play in the NHL.

What was it like being able to represent your country at the World Juniors? Did you think you were going to able to have that opportunity after you suffered the broken collarbone during the summer?

It was probably the best time of my life over there. We had a great group of guys and the staff and the fans were awesome...and yes, I always believe in my chances of making the team.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was very impressed with your play at the World Juniors. Has Chiarelli or anyone else from the Bruins organization kept in close contact with you since being drafted? Have they told you what their expectations for your development are or how they think you will fit into the organization?

I talked a couple times with Don Sweeney since i got drafted.

You said after you were drafted that you grew up as a Montreal Canadiens fan. Have you been able to convert your friends and family from Canadiens fans to Bruins fans?

There were no problems with that. I think as soon as the Bruins drafted me, all my familly were converted.

You were recently traded from the Rimouski Océanic to Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. How are things going with your new team and what was your reaction when you found out you were traded?

I am from Rimouski and I always played there so it was hard to realize that I wouldn't be playing there anymore, but since I got to Rouyn everything has been perfect. The city is good. We have good fans, a good organization, and a very good group of players, so I like it a lot here so far.

When did you find out that the Bruins were planning on taking you at #25? Did someone from the Bruins let you know that they planned on using the pick to select you or did you just find out when your name was called?

I really had no idea when and who was going to pick me, so I only found out when they said my name.

Have you spent much time in Boston? What are your impressions of the city?

I spent one week during the development camp this summer and another week during the main camp. I didn't get to visit the city or anything but from what I've seen and heard, it is a very nice city.

Special thanks are owed to Jordan Caron, Derek Zona from The Copper & Blue, and Mélanie Allard of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for making this interview happen.

Photo Credit: Jean Lapointe

Image Credit: Pro's Choice

When Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask stepped on the ice at Fenway Park before the NHL Winter Classic, you may have noticed Rask was sporting a new mask to commemorate the event. The Fenway-themed mask was painted by Georgetown, MA native Luke Dobie, who owns LD Designs. Dobie along with Beverly police officer Mike Boccuzzi and Domenic Malerba of Pro's Choice in Middleton contributed to the design of the mask. I recently had the opportunity to ask Luke a few questions about his Winter Classic masterpiece.

How did you get involved with painting Tuukka Rask's mask for the NHL Winter Classic?

I got involved with painting Tuukka's mask for the WC through my friend Mike (Boccuzzi). As soon as news broke that the Winter Classic was going to be held at Fenway he tried to get the gears rolling on it. Having painted one of Mike's masks before, he wanted to bring me into the project, which I had no problem with.  

When did you get involved in this project?

I did not fully get involved in the project until...probably mid-November.

What was Mike Boccuzzi's initial design concept like?

Mike brought me some really rough design ideas (really rough pictures cut and pasted onto a drawn goalie mask). I liked what he had, so I took them back home with me and changed things around a bit. His original idea was a great one to start with. The idea was his: the bear coming over the pressbox section of Fenway, the logos on each side and Rask around the chin in a Red Sox font. There were supposed to be WC colored socks on one side. Basically, the Red Sox socks; colored differently.

The bear on Tuukka's mask looked a lot like the bear on Andy Moog's old mask. I read an article that said you got your start painting goalie masks as a kid when you painted your street hockey mask to replicate Andy Moog's. Was this design a subtle nod to the Bruins past and your memories of growing up a B's fan?

The bear was designed off a reference picture of a bear I found.  To me, the current bear on his mask didn't look like a bear at all.  All the past Bruins goalies have had decent looking bears that actually looked like bears.  Moog, Tallas, and Ranford to name a few.  My thought process was to get back to something actually looking like a bear.  Maybe subconsciously it was a subtle nod to previous B's goalies. As it does have some design elements of the previous goalies I mentioned.  Moog's mask was an instant classic as soon as it hit the ice.  In a way, the coloring and jagged looking black fur on the bear I did are definitely similar to Moog's: http://www.thehockeynews.com/imgs/dynamique/photos/original/article_19288_2.jpg

I understand you added some of your own ideas including the chewed up Yankees jersey. Tell about the design elements that you added and your thought process.

In terms of the rest of the mask, there had to be snow coming down from the sky. It's only fitting because the game was being played outdoors. Once I had the bear down, to make it look a bit more mean, I had it breaking away parts of the wall. This just gave the mask a bit of movement and something to make the bear look more alive. You can't just have a giant bear hanging out on top of the fenway pressbox without it doing something. The Yankees jersey...this idea was Dom Malerba's and mine. How can you mention the red sox without mentioning the Yankees? The jersey moved back and forth between the claws and teeth of the bear throughout the design process.  I finally decided to hang it from a tooth to get it right out there on the front of the mask for people to see. We threw around the idea of adding a number on the jersey, but to be honest I wasn't even sure that the yankees logo would be shown. I thought Tuukka was going to be asked to tape over it.

Overall, while painting this mask, I wanted it to be clean first and foremost. Most mask painters don't spend the time to make sure their work is clean with no cut marks from a knife and no overspray etc. The good ones do of course.

Not only did the mask have to be clean, but it had to be something everyone would remember. It had to be something that people themselves would want to buy. Something that would characterize the event, the atmosphere and the history of the ballpark and team. Hopefully, I accomplished all that.

Most of your business is painting for the motorsports industry. Now that you have painted the mask for Tuukka Rask, have any other NHL or college goalies approached you about painting masks for them?

Goalie masks are a totally different market than what I'm used to. The clientele working with motorcycles and race cars is much higher. That's not a knock at hockey players, that's just how it works. Race cars can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars so the person getting involved with them is expecting the absolute best work they can find. Same with motorcycles..both are extremely expensive activities. There's more of a connection with art in motorsports, between having race shells and cars painted as well as their helmets. Customers have more of an understanding that artwork is going to be pricey and have a high quality to it, much like going to Ferrari and spending a decent amount of money on a perfect hand built exotic. I've had clients ask me to redo paint jobs for the most miniscule things. So at the point I'm at now, everything has to leave my shop as perfect as possible. I've had people comment saying that the whole helmet looks like it's done by a computer, or it looks "factory." People want the best quality they can get if they are spending their hard earned money. Plus, my name is on it...I don't want to be associated with lesser quality jobs. I could go on and on about the quality of jobs, but I won't bore you with that.

Other hockey business... there have been a few bites... but nothing I can really talk about at this time. I usually try to keep all my jobs hush, hush until they are complete and the customer wants to show them off. Most of the customers want to show off their artwork themselves and brag a bit, so I let them do that instead of showcasing it myself.

Do you still play hockey? Are you a goalie? If so, does having the goalie mindset (let's be honest you goalies are a different breed) help you come up with designs that capture the personality of the specific goalie you are working with?

I do still play hockey off and on and I am a goalie. Having a goalie mindset really didn't tie into the design at all really. I think the artistic mindset comes first no matter what, with me at least.

What was the feedback from Tuukka about his mask? Did he have any role in the design process?

I never got to meet Tuukka during the design period at all and get to know him. Most of the time I sit down with the client and talk through designs. I don't like to have the whole design process happen like a business meeting. I stress that they should have their personality in the artwork and have it be unique to them. Most of my customers are great and I keep in touch with them after the job is complete. After all, it should be fun to do something like this. I do kind of wish Tuukka had a say in the design process and brought his ideas to the table. But he has a busy job and should be concentrating on that :)

What happened to the mask after the Winter Classic?

After the WC, I was told Tuukka was keeping the mask. I did not receive any feedback from him directly on the mask, but I heard that he liked it. I'd like to meet up with him at some point for some feedback. Like I said, I like to keep in touch with my clients and get as much feedback as possible. When I finished the paint, the mask was put together by Dom Malerba, I grabbed it really quick to take some nice pictures of it, then gave it back to him. I'm not sure how it made it into Tuukka's hands after that.

Were you able to attend the Winter Classic or any of the events surrounding the game?

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Winter Classic game itself. Which I was fine with, considering it was really cold out. I was able to attend the Legends game which was fun. Very cold, but fun. It really was tough to see the game from where I was seated (on the 3rd base side) but was able to get up on top of the green monster and watched quite a bit of it from there. The rink was really designed for those seats. The view was much better, the only downside was the wind and snow coming up over the top freezing us all. I guess there was more going on around Fenway during the Winter Classic? I did not have a chance to check any of it out. I would have liked to however.

I was taking a look at your site. As a big Simpsons fan, I have to say I love the Lisa the Goalie mask. Who did you paint that for?

Tell me a little bit more about your company and the services you have available. If any beer leaguers out there want to have a mask painted by you, how can they get a hold of you?

Right now I'm trying to stir up more business for myself. I've always been a fan of Troy Lee Designs and to get to the point where I have other painters working for me has been an ultimate goal of mine. Of course there's quite a bit of work to do before I make it to that goal, but it's something I love doing. Growing up we were all told to do something with our lives that we enjoy. Most of us don't follow that, but it's something I've been working on since roughly the 4th grade and will continue to work at.

I should have a new website up within a month or two, so other goalies can get a hold of me through my email (Luke.LDDesigns@gmail.com) and see some work on LukeDobieDesigns.com