Happy birthday to RBH (and Japers' Rink, and Casonblog)

I nearly forgot all about it, but today is the third birthday of Red and Black Hockey.

Japers' Rink just turned three this week, and BFLOblog will be turning three in September. Oddly, the only reason I remembered was a post that Kevin made at BFLOblog, congratulating JP on three years in the blogosphere. Let me be the second, or fortieth or whatever, to also congratulate JP, even if it is a few days late.

As Kevin said, there was a batch of us who started blogging at the tail end of the lockout, and for some reason, those are the ones we feel more connected with. Obviously, I'm more connected with other Canes bloggers, which allows me to also congratulate Scott Cason on the third birthday of CasonBlog, which was just two days ago. I'm sure there are others whom I've forgotten to congratulate on their third birthday, but seeing as how I nearly forgot my own....

It's been mostly fun. I've gone through periods of taking this blog über-seriously. I've gone through periods when I wanted to give the whole thing up. I've gone thorough some personal highs and lows whilst writing this blog. On that day three years ago when the "new NHL", and this blog were born, I never imagined that I would ever have any readers. To my surprise, people keep coming back. Some of them by choice. I'm no James Mirtle, but it's really cool that anyone at all reads this.

My favorite blog-related moment was when I was on tee-vee with my horrible beard during game 7 of the 2006 ECF. People who read this blog recognized me just in that brief three or four seconds I was on screen, and I got a few emails and messages from complete strangers because of it.

Thanks again to the people who keep checking in here.

I raise my glass not only to myself, but to JP, Cason, and all the others who started blogging hockey back in July of 2005.

RBH turns 2!

Wow. I didn't even realize it, but Red and Black Hockey just turned two.

On Tuesday, this blog hit the two year milestone. I guess I got distracted by the whole Matt Cullen story, and I kinda forgot my own birthday. Geez.

In those two years, it amazes me that I've had 95,281 visits. In my first year, my readership rose significantly during the Hurricanes run to the Stanley Cup, and I saw a HUGE spike the day after game 7.

This past season, my Hurricanes couldn't buoy my readership with another playoff run, but I held my own. My piece on little Elgin-Alexander Fraser was this season's answer to game 7. It marked just the second time that I've had 900 or more visits in a single day. I know that's small stuff, but I'm proud.

Once again, I'd like to thank the many regular readers for continuing to stop by. I'd also like to thank the many who served as inspiration to me and the many who have offered encouragement.

Now I'm gonna have some cake.

2007-08 schedule out

On Wednesday, the NHL released the schedules for the upcoming season. We've known for some time that the Ducks and Kings would be opening the season in London, England. Now we know that it'll specifically be a two-game series on the 29th and 30th of September. Each team will have a "home" game that will be 5442 miles away from it's actual home rink. Do the season ticket holders get this game?

The Hurricanes will open their season at home against Les Habitants on Wednesday October 3. For the record, that's my 36th birthday. They'll follow that with a home game against the Penguins. Then a two-week road trip while the North Carolina State Fair is in town.

Obviously, opening the season at home on my birthday will be a big deal for me. The other highlight is that the Canucks come to town early in the season. Monday October 22.

I haven't had time to go over the schedule with a fine-toothed comb, but I'll have plenty of time for that later.

The traditional New Year's Eve game will be against the Islanders.

For the second year in a row, the Canes will conclude the season with a home game against the Panthers. I don't think we'll have ole Ed Belfour to kick around, though.

I'm scaling back from a 24-game pack to a 10-game pack, which means I won't get opening night. I'll be going to that game one way or another, though. Same thing with the Nucks. That game probably won't be in my package, but I'll find a way to be there.