Well what can I say? Hockey is my passion. Hockey is like my mistress. It is like breakfast. It makes me want to get up in the morning and conquer the world. Mix it in with a My Morning Jacket CD, and a large Orange Gatorade, you have a pretty good trio.

I felt impassioned to become an Islanders fan when I saw Denis Potvin check players into the boards time after time. Some say Bobby Orr was the best two-way defenseman in the history of the National Hockey League, but he didn't have the longevity of Potvin.

Of course, there are many more names that come to mind to describe my love for the team from good ol' New York Island. Bossy. Trottier. LaFontaine. I was even a huge Patrick Flatley fan. He is a sentimental favorite of mine.

Two memories ring out in my head. One was 1987 against the Capitals, when Pat LaFontaine scored the goal in "The Game That Would Never End." And 1993, when David Volek upset the Penguins with a one-timer.

By writing my thoughts on Islanders hockey and the NHL in general, I feel like I could reach out to a whole spectrum of fans who feel the same passion as I do. It feels better than eating cookie dough. Or a close fascimile there of.

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