Minnesota Wild vs. Phoenix Coyotes 12/07/09

On December 7, 2009, I went to Jobing.com Arena to watch the Phoenix Coyotes vs. Minnesota Wild game. Taylor Pyatt and Scottie Upshall scored for the Coyotes. Pyatt now has three goals in three consecutive games. He is doing very well. The trainer gave me Kyle Brodziak's stick after pregame warm ups. I was very excited. His stick was my first rightie. I now have four sticks excluding Alex Kovalev's blade. I had a lot of fun at the game.

Ottawa Senators vs. Phoenix Coyotes 12/05/09

On December 5th, 2009, I went to Jobing.com Arena to watch the Phoenix Coyotes play the Ottawa Senators. The Coyotes won 3-2. Petr Prucha, Taylor Pyatt, and Ed Jovanovski scored for the Coyotes. Pyatt has two goals in two consecutive games. The trainer for the Senators gave me Filip Kuba's stick. Alex Kovalev broke his blade, and the trainer gave it to my brother. Carson was able to get Jason Spezza's stick, so he gave Kovalev's blade to me. I had a lot of fun.

Calgary Flames Practice 12/04/09

On December 4th, 2009, I went to DSCC (Desert Schools Coyotes Center) to watch the Calgary Flames practice. Dion Phaneuf gave me his stick, and autographed it. He wiped the blade dry with his jersey before he signed it. He said, "Thanks for the support." He was very nice; much nicer than when he is on the ice. Rene Bourque, Brandon Prust, and Adam Pardy all signed a team puck. Mikka Kiprusoff, Curtis McElhinney, Dion Phaneuf, Jay Boumeester, and Jarome Iginla all signed cards for me. Dion Phaneuf, and Jarome Iginla both signed action figure bases. Fredrik Sjostrom, Nigel Dawes, Olli Jokinen, Daymond Langkow, Brian McGrattan, and Brandon Prust are all former Coyotes. They skated hard.

Meeting Gary Bettman and Bill Daly

November 16, 2009 - Dave (Phoenix Booster Club VP), Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Heather (Phoenix Coyotes Booster Club President), Carson, and me.

On November 16,2009, I went to the Phoenix Coyotes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. It was a very good game. I had a lot of fun. I met the Commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman. I also met Bill Daly, the Deputy Commissioner. They autographed a game used puck for me, and posed for a picture.

11/13/2009 DSCC Dallas Stars Practice

Marty Turco, Dallas Stars goalie, with my brother, Carson, and me

On November 13, 2009, I went to Desert Schools Coyotes Center to watch the Dallas Stars practice. They skate hard! I asked a lot of guys to sign pucks and cards, including Marty Turco, Stephane Robidas, Steve Ott, Brad Richards, Mike Ribeiro, Jeff Woywitka, Matt Niskanen, Karlis Skrastins, Mike Modano, Nicklas Grossman, and Alex Auld. I asked the Head Coach, Mark Crawford, to sign a puck. My brother, Carson, got broken sticks used by Mike Modano and Steve Ott. Nicklas Grossman gave me his stick at the end of practice. Carson and I had our picture taken with Marty Turco. All the Stars were very nice.

We went to the game the next night. The Coyotes had to fight hard for the win. It was a good game. I had a lot of fun.

Fox Sports Arizona/Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury KidKaster 11/05/09

On November 5, 2009, my brother, Carson, was the Fox Sports Arizona/Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury KidKaster for the Phoenix Coyotes vs. Chicago Blackhawks hockey game. It was a really fun night for our whole family.


Carson before he interviewed Coyotes Captain, Shane Doan

Here is Carson before his interview. He is getting his microphone on, and practicing his questions. Todd Walsh, Phoenix Coyotes Radio Announcer and Host, came in for a bit, and gave Carson some pointers.

Coyotes Captain, Shane Doan, with Carson

Here is Carson with Shane Doan after their interview. Doaner was really, really nice. When he came in, he recognized Carson right away. For the interview, Doan was wearing red hockey tights, his jersey, and had no shoes on.

In the Fox Sports Arizona production truck

The very first thing we did was tour the production truck. It's really cool in there. I had a great time. There are about twenty to thirty people in the truck. It's amazing what they do in the truck. Basically, it's a hollowed out semi - truck. With ten seconds to go before the play starts, you'd expect they'd be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. No, they are saying, "We have to do this, this, this, and, this. With one second left, we have to do this, this, this, and this."

Eddie Olczyk, Color Analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks

Up in the broadcast booth, I got Eddie Olczyk's autograph. The Blackhawks broadcast booth is right next to the Coyotes broadcast booth, so we peeked in there a few times. It is really cool in the broadcast booth. Dave Strader, Play - by - Play Announcer for the Coyotes, signed my hat.

Carson with Tyson Nash, Phoenix Coyotes Color Analyst, and Todd

Walsh, Phoenix Coyotes Host and Reporter

Here is Carson, after his pre-game show segment, with Tyson Nash and Todd Walsh.

In the production truck with Graham Taylor, Producer, and

Mike Roth, Director

In the production truck, before Carson's segment on air. We watched part of the first period, and the intermission, in the truck.

Dave Strader, Phoenix Coyotes Play-by-Play Announcer,

Carson, and Tyson Nash, Phoenix Coyotes Color Analyst

Here is Carson, on air and miked up, with Dave Strader and Tyson Nash. Notice the big picture of Shane Doan in the background.

We all had a great night. The FS Arizona people, Brett Hansen and Rhydon Tigerman, were very nice.

Tippett, King, and Yotes Training Camp 9/25/09

On the 25th of September, I went to Desert Schools Coyotes Center to watch the Coyotes skate. Just the day before, Wayne Gretzky, The Great One, resigned as the Head Coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. Later that day, the Coyotes held a press conference to announce the new coach. General Manager Don Maloney announced that the new coach was Dave Tippett, the former Dallas Stars coach. He had an excellent record with the Stars. I think he will be a good coach. Tippett won his first game as coach against the San Jose Sharks on September 26th.

Earlier this week, the Coyotes also signed Dave King as Assistant Coach. It seems that he has millions of years of experience. He will probably work with the younger guys.

During practice on the 25th, Tippett had the guys doing lots of drills including face-offs, quick passes out of their own zone, and quick passes through the neutral zone. He worked the guys very hard. They were also having fun.

I have a good story about the practice on the 25th. Just before the players went on the ice, David Schlemko came out of the locker room wearing everything but his jersey. He asked the equipment manager if they had any extra jerseys. The equipment manager told Schlem that they did not have any extra jerseys, and that he would have to go skate with just his pads, unless the man standing in the bleachers would give Schlem the jersey he was wearing. The man in the bleachers the equipment manager was talking about is my dad. Dad let Schlem borrow his jersey. Schlemko said he really appreciated that Dad let him borrow the jersey. After Schlem skated 7 or 8 laps around the ice, Shane Doan came out of the locker room with Schlemko's jersey. Doan had been hiding the jersey from Schlem. Schlemko got his jersey back, and the equipment manager gave Dad his jersey.

When we went to the morning skate the next day, Schlem gave Dad his stick as a "Thank You" for using his jersey.