Yeah I could write more about New Orleans but I want to take a slight break from it because this happen.

I played roller hockey on Mother’s Day. I woke up groggy because I was up till about 1 o’ clock in the morning.

I guess in the back of my mind, I figured I may get another assist or block a shot or something. I probably wouldn’t score another goal in my life because I’ve missed so many rebounds and I haven’t played hard enough.

I was the first person to arrive in our locker room and I was the second person on my team on the rink.

I started shooting pucks from different angles at the net. I was getting most of them in. My teammate Ray told me to stay in front of the net and deflect pucks into the net.

“Who cares”, I thought. It is not going to happen this way.

We were playing a tough team. They were higher in the standing than us. They had some good defensemen and it was going to be a tough game with our depleted roster.

I was playing badly and almost running into my teammates. I should have seen it coming. Usually when I’m playing my worst, good things do happen.

I stood towards the right of the opposing goalie during the second period. We tied 3-3 and the time was winding down. Chris had a hat trick and no one else was scoring.

It’s weird that when I was coached in high school I was told to do the same thing. I would stand and screen the goalie and collect any rebounds. I had scored previously off my skate with a random team in Upland but I didn’t consider that my first goal. I scored with Snipers before a lot of bad stuff happened and that was my first goal.

I had been with this team for three seasons and this was the season I was showing signs of life. I was getting assists and making plays and feeling good about myself.

It was Mother’s Day and I was at the right of the goalie. I was looking for the pass and I got it. I couldn’t react to it till passed the goal line. I couldn’t believe it. I had done it for a third time and it was sweet. I raised my hands in the air and tried to do a little jump. My teammates on the floor embraced me and a couple of the player on the bench congratulated me.

I felt great that I had accomplished something that I hadn’t been able to in three seasons.

The Average Joes scored again in third period. What was running in the back of my mind was when am I going to score again? I mean, come on. I am an American and I want more, more, more.

I saw Ray taking a slapshot. It rebounded and came to stick. Without hesitation I used a quick wrist shot and put the puck over the pad of the goalie and scored again.

The only way I could react to that was, “What the ….” Ray came over and gave a bear hug.

Suddenly, with about seven minutes left, it was not about scoring a goal but about getting a hat trick. I didn’t get that hat trick but I would have never imagined scoring two goals in a season, let alone the same day.

I was the last one on my team to score. We lost 7-5. I was congratulated by both teams after the game was over and I can’t wait for next Sunday.