BETHESDA, M.D. — Hockey is my lifeline. My mom and I were talking on the phone two nights ago after a rough 4-2 loss in a game that, arguably, we played well enough to win. I was being hard on myself when she asked, "Do you really love playing that much?" Of course, the answer's a resounding yes, but it's more than that. It goes deeper than that; my love for hockey is something that's unparalleled. Off the ice, I'm a Washington Capitals reporter, covering my hometown team and writing about the game I love on a daily basis. Then, on the ice, I captain my local team, the D.C. Ghost Pirates — and I take on the proud role of a pest. Grinder, enforcer, whatever you call it. But I'll admit it: I'm a pest. Still, there's nothing like playing hockey. My mind — which is always going a million miles a minute — turns off. Adrenaline's pumping, and the feeling of pure euphoria when you take the ice is like nothing else. But most importantly, it's taught me even more about the game I thought I already knew inside out. I'm currently in my second year playing in the HNA with the Ghost Pirates, and it's been amazing to see how we've gone from a rag-tag group that can barely stand on skates to a team that can win and make you pay on any given night. Personally, I still have ways to go, but this summer's been a big one for me in terms of lessons learned and some milestones. In the first game of the summer, I was standing in front of the net when my teammate Kevin — who we lovingly call "Bart" and usually plays goal but also skates out — lobbed a puck from the blue line to the front of the net. I'd seen the Capitals do it so many times in practice: batting pucks out of mid-air into the net. As Hendrix Lapierre explained to me, "It's good to have good shot or good playmaking abilities or whatever, but you can score — whether it's just four or five goals a year — on tips or just deflections or finding a way to get a puck through." So I took a swing, and it faked the goalie out, going over his glove and right into the corner. The biggest part of my game is being a player that gets under your skin. I love to get to the front of the net and into those dirty areas, I love to chirp and get into scuffles, and like any chippy player, deflections, rebounds and a gritty forecheck are my bread and butter. Crash The Net Goal A couple of weeks later, we were playing the same team in a game without referees, and I potted my first hat trick off a nice screen in front, another bat-in goal and, of course, a dirty rebound. Getting a hat trick is a rewarding feeling, but it also goes to show just how difficult the sport is. It's hard enough to score one goal, and it also taught me that goals come in all shapes and sizes. Of course, not everyone likes it when you crash the net. I've heard it form a couple of goalies and a couple of defensemen. Plus, no one likes a chirper, either, and I've become a pro at running my mouth on the ice. "Just two people standing next to each other. Sometimes, that's all it takes," John Carlson said of the art of chirping. Matt Niskanen also gave me a fair warning a few years ago when it comes to trash talk. "Not everyone's gonna be your best bud out there," Niskanen said, adding things can get "cutthroat" real quick. I will say, though, in our league, the chirping really is all in good fun and should be that way. Admittedly, I do get heated sometimes, but you always come back down to Earth. This past week in a tough loss, the chirps got a bit louder, and I sat back and again took in another big lesson about the game I love. My mind went back to something Nic Dowd said about his performance and game, which has become so important to the core of D.C.: there needs to be consistency and understanding. "I strive to go and do the exact same thing every single night and get better," Dowd said. "The foundation of my game, it's pretty simple... some nights, you're going to have really, really good games and you're not going to show up on the scoresheet and some nights, you're going to have really, really good games and you're going to show up on the scoresheet." Not every game is going to go your way. Not every game is going to be your best night. All you can do is come back with the mindset and goal of getting better. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- READ MORE ON THE HOCKEY NEWS - Why a Patrik Laine trade doesn't make sense for the Capitals right now [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-patrik-laine-trade-talk-pump-brakes] - Evgeny Kuznetsov opens up about battle with rheumatoid arthritis [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-evgeny-kuznetsov-health-isuees-player-assistance-program] - Haakon Hanelt laying it all on the line to earn his entry-level contract in his final year with Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/features/washington-capitals-haakon-hanelt-earn-nhl-contract-last-chance] - Dmitry Orlov believes Alex Ovechkin can break Wayne Gretzky's record this season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-dmitry-orlov-alex-ovechkin-wayne-gretzky]
