Edmonton, Canada

Western Conference, JW Marriott

Our first two days in the hotel, where mainly spent keeping our distance away from Duchene and trying to mingle with the others to make new friends. Instead of that, I hung out with Comphy and Gravy, enjoying time by the pool.

But it's hockey time today.

This is actually fairly new to me. I'm in the game roster as the extra, 13th forward. I know I haven't done well this season, except from the start of the season when I scored a hat trick in an away game. And my camp wasn't anything to write home about.

I have to really take this exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild seriously. I'm ready to play and go against another team's players!

I just wish that I wasn't the extra man...I probably won't get much time...

I start off, watching the start of the game from the bench. Almost immediately, Comphy's line with Donskoi and Vladdy generates pressure in the Wild zone and a sweet, juicy rebounder from a hard Vladdy shot comes to Donskoi, who sinks it for the first goal of the game.

I should be happy, and I am, but I am also very jealous -- that should be my spot! That's MY Comphy! I should be burying that rebound for a goal.

I'm on my feet with everyone else to congratulate them though. I have to be, otherwise I'd be selfish and solidify my spot on the bench.

Z [Nikita Zadorov] takes a stupid tripping penalty to put on the PK (penalty kill). Then Mikko Rantanen takes a slashing penalty himself, which leads to the Wild (Matt Dumba) scoring a tying goal.

1-1.

But the Wild's victory only lasts for a few seconds.

Who else but Nathan MacKinnon, The Dogg, to get us back the lead? I wish I could take to the ice and score like that. But I know that being the extra player I won't get much ice time and the way things look right now, I might actually get a shift with the third or fourth line. Soon. I get to my feet, unable to hide my fandom for my talented teammate.

And then a few shifts later, I take the ice for my first shift. It's roughly five minutes into the period. I try my best to make plays and create pressure and show that I deserve the spot over someone else. I can't help though that there is lingering doubt creeping into my head, which causes me to miss a pass from Vladdy.

I end up making a change quickly.

As I sit down, Landy takes a tripping penalty on a Wild player. The penalty is killed off, but the Wild have the momentum at the moment. This leads to a Staal goal for the Wild to tie the game back up and erase Nathan's stellar play.

2-2.

And that ends the events of the first period.

Almost immediately into the second period, Mikko Koivu for the Wild takes a hooking penalty against Nathan and sends us to the powerplay. However, Marcus Foligno roughs up Naz, who slashes the Wild player and takes an off-setting call. Foligno also hooks Naz, but that penalty is served by Mats Zuccarello. We are forced to handle a 5-on-3. (At least our special teams is getting in a good practice, that's for sure.)

On the faceoff win, Landy buries the puck for a powerplay goal. (Thanks Naz!)

We all jump to our feet to celebrate the captain's goal to put us on top, yet again.

3-2 Avs.

There is some back and forth action between us, I take a few more shifts, but nothing good happens. Then Landy takes a slashing penalty on Kevin Fiala to send us once again to the penalty kill.

I find myself on the ice for the kill for some brief time, I make a nice pokecheck, before following it up with a nasty turnover. The negative thoughts creep back into my head. I try to shake them out, but all I can think is,

You're not good enough, Josty. You'll be on the bench next game, Josty.

The PK ends with me sitting on the bench. We kill it off again, and Landy shoots out of the box to join in the current play. My team pins them in the zone, generating some solid offense, but nothing comes of it.

Instead, the whistle blows to end play. Landy goes at it with Fiala in the goal crease. There's some sharp jostling and chirping that occurs between both of them. Landy gives a nice stiff arm shove to Fiala before he turns his back and begins to skate off.

Fiala parallels him, jawing at the captain of the Avs.

I know Landy is not too thrilled about Fiala's constant whining and how he drew the penalty on him just minutes earlier. I wouldn't be either. Fiala's usually better than this, but he's been whining and complaining ALL afternoon here in Edmonton.

It's really starting to irk everyone.

They eventually break apart and head to the bench and the game resumes. More back and forth pressure situations for both teams, some shooting and blocked shots and then Burkie [Andre Burakovsky] takes a weak holding penalty against a Wild player.

I can't see who it is exactly -- maybe Hartman -- but from my view on the Tron of the replay, it looks like a super weak call.

About halfway through the period, we make our goalie change. It's important for both to get in and showcase their skills and get ready. So Grubi [Philip Grubauer] comes out for our other goalie.

The Wild pressure us on the kill but we once again stand strong and kill it off. I take a few more shifts, struggling with the negative thoughts and shaken confidence. I'm mainly playing on a line with Vladdy and Donskoi. But I keep missing passes, making terrible passes, missing pokechecks, all things that I KNOW I can do.

The clock winds down to three minutes and then two.

Alex Galchenyuk holds up Vladdy in the neutral zone, drawing a call and we go back on the powerplay! And I head back to the bench.

Sadly, we do nothing with this chance to add to our score and we head to the locker room stuck at 3-2.

But emotions are boiling over. Wild players are testing us and, though, we don't fight much, the diving and embellishing from them is beginning to get aggravating. Especially Fiala's antics to try and get the refs to make more calls on us.

The third period starts with the Wild picking back up where they left off with the stupid diving and complaining plays. My head is filled with negative thoughts and my blood is boiling as I hop over the boards with Vladdy and Donskoi. (Not even playing with Comphy...I miss our dynamic bestie connection a little bit.)

I'm launching into the zone and jostling for a spot. The puck sails around the boards behind the net and I'm in pursuit of the black disc. That's when I feel a sharp, stinging pain in my mouth. I fall to the ice on my knees and bring my hand up to my face to feel for blood.

I scramble back to my skates and see a Wild player named Hunt skating off from me. From the pain in my mouth, I'm guessing that he had just high-sticked me in the mouth. I look for the ref, who has his eyes on the action and the puck instead of me and my pain. I shake my head and rush over to the action by the boards.

Z lights up Fiala.

Someone has Vladdy pinned against the boards and I spot Hunt coming in to make a hit or maybe go for the puck. But either way, I've had enough of the Wild. I charge for him and hit him, myself. I'm not meaning to illegally check him or be dirty, but I watch as he screams and falls to the ice off a high-stick from me.

He hits the ice and I freeze in place as the whistle blows.

I look at the bench to see Jared Bednar shaking his head and looking down at his feet. He pinches the bridge of his nose.

Hunt gets back up, barking to the ref, who steadies him and reassures him that there is a penalty and that I made a stupid move.

It was stupid.

It is stupid.

I head to the box, stunned and mad at myself. I'm not helping my case and I can't shake the bad thoughts from my head. I'm not in this game!

I sit down, the game becoming a blur for the next two minutes.

My stupid penalty is killed off thankfully. I launch out of the box and head immediately to the bench. Everyone is looking at me.

Connauton hits Fiala, leading to a change for Nietsy [Matt Nieto]. Conor Timmins takes a high-sticking double minor penalty against Foligno. Of course, once again, Foligno embellishes the call, complaining to the refs.

(I'm not fibbing, I'm looking right at him as he purposefully bites down on his lip hard to draw blood. And the ref sees it and, hearing the earful from the Wild players all afternoon about calls, he calls four minutes on Timmins.)

The score remains 3-2 Avs, after another solid penalty kill by the boys. And the clock ticks down in the exhibition game.

The Wild, even with the refs sorta on their side, are getting more frustrated, so Dumba decides to go after Mikko behind the net. (You do NOT mess with the Moose and expect to get away scott free. Especially not with Landy on the ice.) Landy goes after Dumba and there is a nice scrum by the goal with Mikko, Landy and Dumba involved.

The refs break them up, however, before anything comes of it.

The game continues on with Comphy taking the ice with Donskoi and Vladdy. Soucy hits Vladdy and Comphy isn't too happy about that. He goes after Soucy, shoving him into the boards and shouting at him.

I remember when he would do that for me. He's always had my back. I really do miss playing with me. Maybe that is what is wrong with me today? I'm not playing with MY Comphy?! I turn to ask coach, when they return to the bench for a line change and Bednar goes over to chat with them.

I spin back around, heaving a sigh and watch as Z is whistled for a hook on Koivu as the period reaches under five minutes to play now.

Our PK heads back out and kills off another call.

Four minutes.

Three minutes.

Two minutes.

One minute.

The time is moving quickly. I find myself on the ice for the last shift of the game. This time I have Vladdy and Comphy with me. FINALLY COMPHY!!! I can't let the excitement get to me too much. I have to show that I am excited to be back with him.

I make a nice pokecheck to clear the zone and tick off more time.

And then Comphy takes the puck and time winds down more.

Three...two...one.

That's the game! Avs win 3-2.

We skate over to congratulate our goalie, Frankie [Pavel Francouz], who ended the exhibition game. I know my whole game was terrible, with the exception of the end, I had roughly thirteen minutes of ice time (shockingly for an extra forward).

It was nice to end the game with my bestie, Comphy though!

Guess we'll see if they let me back in the lineup for Sunday...

For now, it's time to get off the ice, enjoy the return to hockey win, receive notes and return to the hotel. Back to Matt Duchene and Colton Parayko and the others staying at the JW Marriott.