For some, living and dying with your team is the ultimate in watching a hockey game.  As the Avs push towards the playoff (5 points out of the final slot), I sit on the edge of the couch, barking, shouting, cursing, cheering.  I yell whenever the puck goes in, and every mistake becomes the end of the world.  Every play could be the end of the season.  As much as I love it, some nights,I would like to just watch a game, rather than be swept up in it.

There is something relaxing about not caring about who wins or loses.  Something about not having to analyze each rush, or looking for every little quirk to seal the game.  A goal can be a goal, rather than something evil or god-like.  There is just a game going on, and that is enough. Nothing more than a game.

While I’m sure that many, many people care about the NCAA tournament underway, I do not.  It helps that DU isn’t involved this year, but on the whole, keeping up with the NHL is enough for me these days.  Trying to stay up to date on the college scene would be near impossible.  If I lived in a city like Boston, where you can find all sorts of college hockey, along with a signifigant buzz and excitement about it, things would be a little different.  But sorry, I just don’t track college.  I hate march madness, that’s for sure, but until the Frozen Four takes place, I don’t take sides. Even then, I take sides very gently.

Altitude, the local sports network (owned by the Avs), is showing many of the games, and the Pepsi Cneter is playing host all weekend long to the Western regional playoffs.  Tomorrow, after work, I may try to sneak over for the last game of the day.  But how nice it will be to just sit back and watch some hockey, instead of being on the edge of my seat the whole time.  Is there a such thing as a stress free hockey life?

BTW: If you have a chance, go to the NCAA hockey page and check out the live game tracker (get there via the scoreboard).  This thing is way cool, much better than what you get on NHL.com.