Saturday, March 21, 2015

Season's End

Well, another hockey year is in the books.

The 2014-15 season for Rungsted Ishockey officially came to an end in Game 7 of the quarterfinals against the Dansk Metal Ligaen's top-ranked Herning Blue Fox. The 2-1 result in the Danish "hockey capital city" was played just as the rest of the series: in a hard-fought and tightly defensive and strategic manner, where goal scoring was sparse and a small error always lead to a big opportunity. All series long, players and fans experienced what was expected. It was stereotypical, yet exciting playoff hockey in front of several sell-out crowds.

We pay respect to our fans who traveled all the way to Herning for Game 7 action.

The most exciting game for me was our Game 4 victory in front of the Rungsted faithful. I will always remember the feeling when Saxo Bank Arena erupted after local hero Christoffer Lindhoj scored the eventual game-winner in front of his hometown fans. Chills shot through my entire body. Truly amazing, as was the feeling when the final buzzer sounded!

My teammates join me in celebration of the Game 4 victory in front of our home crowd in Rungsted.

As a competitive individual, I wish the end result to the series would have been different, but nothing could take away the vast respect and gratitude I have for my teammates as a result of this season's efforts. If there is anything I learned throughout my time as an athlete, it's that earning your teammates' respect through competition is paramount. Your teammates, many of them who become your closest friends, share with you all the good and bad experiences, the ups and downs, all season long. These are the guys that sit next to you in the locker room and spend long hours training on and off the ice, riding countless nights on the bus, running stairs, sharing team meals, all while working towards become better hockey players.



Our loyal fan club's display of their passion and support before the puck drop at Saxo Bank Arena.

I am so glad to have been part of a great group of people that was able to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and I am so proud of my teammates, especially the young players who stepped up and performed beyond expectations when they were needed to replace some key players. It was a great experience for me and I will take home some great memories that I will not soon forget. Thank you to everyone who supported us and helped us out along the way and a special thanks to our fans for a very special season!

To see more of the action, here's a link for your enjoyment to the Game 7 Video Highlights!