The Career of Bryan Hurst (NHL 09: Be A Pro)

[bhurst99]

Don't worry more posts are coming. I've injured my hand so it's difficult to play or write stories.

[SabresKings3623]

Quote: Originally Posted by bhurst99

Oct. 12, 2008 Yeah, I lost my cool. Yeah, it was pretty stupid. But these jokes will get on my nerves quickly. By now you saw that I got in my first fight. I won my fight with Iowa’s Darryl Bootland with just two punches but it’s not something I’m really proud of. There’s no way I’m going to make the NHL by fighting. The only chance I have of ever making the NHL is as a playmaker and you can’t make plays from the penalty box. Here’s a dirty secret that fighters never tell you: A fight can be so exhausting you’re pretty much done for the period. Imagine if you went to a mixed martial arts fight, watched the guys wrestle for a minute and then told them to go play hockey. You think they’re going to have much energy left to skate up and down the ice? Good luck with that. You think a mixed martial arts fight is tough. Give me a break. I’ve heard of guys in hockey fights biting other guys on the ice and players trying to gouge out other players eyes. Try tapping out and see if the linesmen break it up. Some of them refuse to get involved until the punches stop. There’s no danger in mixed martial arts of a guy damaging a finger or two swinging against someone’s rock hard equipment. I’ve seen some guys mangle their hands punching helmets. But a good fight can rally a team and give players more space on the ice through intimidation. Unfortunately, my fight was not a good one. You see you’re not suppose to get in a fight when you have the puck in a scoring position in the offensive zone. That’s just stupid and that’s exactly what I did. I was just frustrated because I was on the ice for the first two goals by Iowa and I haven’t had much in the way of scoring chances. So when Bootland called me on when I had the puck near the top of the circle, I just dropped the gloves. Our coach Bill Peters was mystified by that decision. “Hurst, you know it was a tie game, right? You know if we score there we probably win. I love the passion, but you have to pick your spots.” Goaltender Wade Flaherty wasn’t as kind. “I’ve been in hockey since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, but I’ve never seen a player drop the gloves with a scoring opportunity,” said Flaherty. “You’re one of a kind, Hurst” “I hate to see what would happen if you get a breakaway. Are you going to drop them and fight the goalie? ” Guys started laughing when they heard that one. Lesson learned.

LOL, awesome storyline bhurst

[bhurst99]

Glad you're enjoying it. I'll try to add another story today.

[bhurst99]

Oct. 17, 2008

That's more like it.

We won our first game since opening night by destroying Iowa 6-2. We now have two wins to go with our two shootout defeats.

Being in the American Hockey League is a very strange experience. It's not like junior hockey where many of the players know they're not going to the next level and are already thinking about life outside of hockey.

Here in Rockford everyone is so close to the NHL it's all they talk about. Outside of goaltender Wade Flaherty we're a pretty young team and hopes among many are high they can make it in the NHL. Everyone is focused on Rockford, but we'd be lying if we didn't pay close attention to what's going on with the Chicago Blackhawks, our parent team.

With the Hawks off to their perennial bad start, guys are hearing rumours they are going to shake up the roster, send players down and call one of us up. The rumours are probably just that but it certainly got players attention before the game.

We asked coach Bill Peters about the rumours and he laughed. He's smart enough to use it to the team's advantage.

"Why would Chicago want to call anyone up from a team that has only one win?" Peters asked us. He had us there.

Kris Versteeg had about three Red Bulls before he got dressed and was bouncing around the room like a basketball.

"I hope they're paying attention in Chicago tonight because I'm going to show them my funky moves," he said while doing some sort of strange hip-hop dance in front of me. "We're going to bury Iowa."

Versteeg wasn't lying. He got the puck behind the net, went out in front and scored on a beautiful backhander. We routed Iowa.

I got my second goal of the season on a deflection in front of the net. It was probably my best shift of the entire season. I was named second star and got booed by the Iowa crowd. My first professional boo -- another first.

Versteeg wouldn't let go of the Chicago rumours after the game.

"Hey, coach, do you think the Hawks will be interested now in players from a team that hasn't lost in regulation all season?" Versteeg asked.

"They'd be more interested if you guys hadn't allowed them to tie after we were up 2-0," Peters said. "It's all about defense in the NHL. Keep working hard and you'll all get noticed."

[star king3]

nice sad to here bout the injury maybe the fight with Darryl Bootland did it? break your hand on his face?

[bhurst99]

Quote: Originally Posted by star king3

nice sad to here bout the injury maybe the fight with Darryl Bootland did it? break your hand on his face?

It was a real live car accident that was the fault of another driver. If my hand hadn't been broken I would have used it to hit him.

[bhurst99]

[star king3]

well why didnt you use your other hand