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Hey everybody
Growing up in San Diego, hockey was probably the farthest thing from my mind in 1988. I was a skater, surfer and all-around beach rat. Then one day my step-grandmother, who was from Montreal and a big hockey fan, asked me what I thought about Wayne Gretzky being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. "Wayne who?" was my response. When the following season started she encouraged me to watch a game, and I was instantly hooked.
I traded in my skateboard for a pair of roller blades and played in the driveway just about every minute I wasn't in school or asleep. Our garage door paid a hefty price for my addiction. A year or so later I made the switch to ice hockey and played on travel teams until I was 18. I mostly gave up playing when I went off to college, but I still go out there and embarrass myself every once in a while.
Some of my fondest childhood memories are of that magical run back in '93. Shuchuck's goal in double OT against the Canucks. Gretzky's hat trick in game 7 against the Leafs. And then it all came crashing down with that stupid penalty in the Finals. Ugh, I can still feel it today.
I still follow the Kings and go to a handful of games every year, but life often gets in the way of me being a better fan. This year's run has been absolutely amazing and has made me feel like a kid again. It's been a lot of fun following the boards over the past few months and figured I ought to make it official and join.
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