Welcome to

Detroit Road Trip

Pictures from Day 1 are posted in the March 13 Duffer News

Pictures from Day 2 are posted in the March 20 Duffer News.  

Pictures from Day 3 are posted below.

Click the link below to view 220 pictures in the cloud.  Thanks to Steve Wads' Mom Linda. 
Camera Roll

2014-15 Duffer Schedule

Here is a link to all 40 past Duffer Road Trips. Duffer road trips

(Back Row Left to Right) Steve A, Doc, Barron, Drago, Thor, Cowboy Joe, Speed Racer Jeff, Joe Mazz 3, Beevis Tom Morgan, Ted Hack, Berserk, Beak, Buckshot Bob Morgan, Rob Brill, Greg Z, Monet Mike, The King, John Koss, Harvey, Butt Head Jim Coughenhaur.

(Front Row) Steve Wads, Mini Wheezer, T&A, Joe Ambrosia, Grandpa Ken, Tony Granato, Tommy Z, Coach Jim Hiller, Vidas Formica, Johnny B, Rob Z, Rough Rider Ryan and Klinger.

We had a great time in the Joe.  Tony played for the Reds and Redwing coach Andrew Brewer played for the Whites.  We met Tomas Holmstrom before the game and Power Play coach Jim Hiller got in the team picture.  When Tommy Z mentioned coach Reggie Dunlap from Slap Shot, Coach Hiller quickly quoted Paul Newman saying, "We're working on it."

On Saturday, we played an afternoon game then went to Ann Arbor to watch the USA U-17 team play Waterloo with Donny Granato.  Donny brought his U-18 team to the Edge in Bensenville for a game with the Steel on Saturday March 14th. He had 9 Duffers there cheering for him.

Drago's Hockey Lessons

Free Admission

Saturday, March 28th ant 8:00 Meet & Greet with the USA Warriors.

Watch them play the Mayhem All Stars at 8:45pm

Rocket Ice, Bolingbrook, IL www.usawarriorshockey.org More information & rink directions can be found at www.mayhemhockey.org or www.rocketice.com


Contact Brian via Care Page

Get Well Brian!

The Czar's Mom loved the Get Well card too. She wanted to send thank cards to everyone, but Mike told her that a thank you would appear in the Duffer News.

Duffer News

Holy Moly, We had 2 Goalies

Romeoville, IL March 20th, 2015  Attendance: 16

Reds 10 and the Whites 10 (best estimate)
We skated 4 on 4 and still didn't have enough for 2 full lines. That is a disgrace.  I only had 4 beer drinkers in my locker room. We are supposed to be s drinking team with a hockey problem. We did have enough guys show up at the Kilt to have some fun. The Anvil said he would go to Detroit next year if we got a bus and he added that Jesus would come too if my grandsons set up a party room like they did this time. Matt the Hammer did a fine job filling in for Brian. He will not be there next week but Eddie will, so we might not have to fly in Seattle Steve Wads next week.  Bill BTW had 3 goals, Bill Maestro Conti had 3 also and Terry had a pair. 

We had Fun at the Kilt

Tommy Z had 2 or 3 accidental goals. Almost everybody else had a goal or two. When I got home, My wife asked, "How can you spend 3 hours at a restaurant?" I started to show her the pictures, but I said, "it was only 2.5 hours" and went to sleep.  I mailed the get well cards to Brian and Jan Presecky. We had a very poor turnout, It was like they thought I was collecting money for gifts. I just wanted to have you sign a couple of cards.

You can send Brian Opalka a card at: MarianJoy
26W171 Roosevelt Road  Wheaton, IL 60187
I heard that he returned a text message from Jesus. (Who wouldn't)
You can send Jan Presecky a card at home, she was released from the hospital on Monday.
More Detroit pictures this week.

Two weeks ago, I posted pictures from Day one of our trip, last week, I posted some pictures from our game in the "Joe".  This week we have pictures from our day at the NHL game and I'll share the story behind the shovel in their locker room that Julie sent me.  (Pictured below) I will leave out the carnage that we suffered in the games. T&A, Johnny B, Cowboy Joe, Bob Morgan and John Koss are on the mend.  Two games in two days is asking for trouble now that we are getting older. 


Matt made a lot of saves.

 

 

CALGARY – Just outside the door to the Red Wings dressing room at the Scotiabank Saddledome dozens of titanium hockey sticks lined the white cinder-block wall. On the opposite wall an extraneous item is propped up near the door jam.

It’s not a vital piece of equipment. In fact, it’s easily overlooked. It won’t win or lose a game for the Red Wings, but the players never leave home without it.

It’s a shovel with the remains of a hockey stick as a handle. The Wings use the digging tool as a validation award given to a player by his peers for an outstanding effort during a team win this season.

“When you associate a shovel you think about putting your work boots on and getting out there and digging as deep as you can,” defenseman Brendan Smith said. “You give it to someone who really dug in and played a hard-nosed game and did the little things well. So that’s how it all came about.”

These days, most teams in the league have some sort of post-game player award, which is used to validate a player’s performance after each win. Whether it’s a championship belt or a sledge hammer, work boots or a firefighter’s helmet, players use these novelties with team building and camaraderie in mind.

The Wings’ gun-metal shovel with its slightly curved scoop, upturned edges and pointed tip was used during the ceremonial groundbreaking at the new event center site on Woodward Avenue.

The idea was the brainchild of coach Mike Babcock, who is often coming up with different motivational ideas for a team that has a fair mix of older and younger players.

 

I have been using this wooden hockey stick in my snow shovel for years.

We had some beers in the parking lot then walked a few miles to Tommy's Bar that was only 2 blocks away.

Tom's Brother Joe played his first hockey game in the Joe Louis Arena.

We spent time at Tommy's Bar until the shuttle took us on a thrill ride to the Redwings/Flames game. They had a few more fans watching them than we did.  It was those Flames fans that crossed the border.  I'm sure they would have come sooner if they had read the Duffer News.

The King and Harvey had some fine wine.

Thor got too close to the wine and looked like a bloody mess.

We watched the Flames come from 2 goals down and win.

We had a lot of happy Flames fans sitting behind us.

On Saturday we ate our free breakfast, then.....

We headed over to McCann Ice Rink to watch the Redwings.

We watched an amazing battle with Pavel and a teammate.

Tony came over after practice to say goodbye.

We had a few hours before our game so...

We found an Irish Pub and had another meal.

The young Duffers get ready for a game at the McCann Rink.

I put my camera away after this picture and missed the injuries.

We went straight to the Ann Arbor Wild Wings and ate again.

The service helped us miss the 1st period of the USA U-17 game.

We watched a very intense fast game between USA and Waterloo.

Coach Granato was happy to see us.

Next Week, Saturday Night Party Pictures!

These guys were thinking when they put on their party clothes. They have Road Trip Shirts from Arizona, Detroit, Columbus and Toronto!

The King is Back

 

Go to the Last Duffer News

Go to Duffer History   Duffer Nicknames

Wags Hockey

  Alphabetical Nicknames

Classic Duffer News

Go to Lake Placid News for some laughs.

http://www.lopatka.net/1982-Lake%20Placid/index.html

1996 March Hayward Trip  We saw Comet Hyakutake

December 6, 1996  Duffer news #85

December 15, 1996  Duffer news #86

December 20, 1996  Duffer news #87

Go to 10/25/96

Go to 9/6/96

January 12, 1996  Duffer news #50

 

Go to 2012 The Last MLF Game

Go to 2011 MLF Game

(Anvil's Daughter won it!)

Go to 2010 The First MLF Game

Visit The Rampage Women's Hockey Team web site at: http://www.rampagehockey.org/index.cfm

They Have 2 WODs and  on their team. Their DOD moved to Canada for Graduate School.

WOD=Wife Of a Duffer, DOD = Daughter of a Duffer

Links to Duffer Hockey Newsletters

2008-2010 Stats page

Tweedy's Wags Game

Links to 2014

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Bar-toons

Peoria History

Nashville Game 2

Bill Gaston interview

Michelle Spillman hits and fields

      

To E-mail the Duffer News Web master, just click here! g.lopatka@comcast.net

You can e-mail History updates to Beak. 

Duffer Nicknames

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mikeylotattoos@att.net

Mike won 11 awards for his artistic creations at the Tattoo convention in Champaign.

 

(Above) Mike's work of art on Joe Mazzarella III's leg.

(Above) Mike's work of art on Joe Mazzarella III's ribs.

Ann Arbor Music DVDs are ready to ship.  $10 includes shipping and handling. you can also get classic copies of:

 

You may find the following links useful:

Ben Oskroba's First professional goal for the Peoria Rivermen

Drago's Hockey Lessons

Here is a video, thanks to Perry and Paula on How to be a Hockey Player 

 

100_7229.JPG (2030505 bytes)

Michelle Spillman

Michelle Spillman 10-31-10

Michelle hits a 2 run home run for Romeoville High School in a 3-0 victory against Joliet Catholic Academy.

JC-Homerun.MOV

Michelle Spillman hit a 2 run Home run to beat Joliet Catholic on April 18, 2012. ... greg Lopatka ... Michelle Spillman and Romeoville High School. ...

Highland Park-Homerun.MOV

Michelle Spillman hit her 4th homerun on April 21, 2012 to beat Hershey High. ... greg Lopatka ... Michelle Spillman "outdoor sports" ...

 

Michelle3Base hit.MOV

Michelle hit a triple to help beat Highland Park High 8-5 on 4/21/2012.

 

Patrick Kane Stickhandling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REAqCB9vfbU

Brandon Bollig Stickhandling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3B8v_ZHA10

 

Duffers Hockey Canlan Ice Sports Romeoville 2014-2015 Schedule

wk      Date              Time

1 September 5, 2014 8:00 PM ***

2 September 12, 2014 8:40 PM

3 September 19, 2014 8:40 PM

4 September 26, 2014 8:40 PM

5 October 3, 2014 8:40 PM

6 October 10, 2014 8:40 PM

October 17, 2014 NO ICE

7 October 24, 2014 8:40 PM

8 October 31, 2014 8:40 PM

November 7, 2014 NO ICE

9 November 14, 2014 8:40 PM

10 November 21, 2014 8:40 PM

11 Thanksgiving 8:45 at Downers Grove IceArena

November 28, 2014 NO ICE

December 5, 2014 NO ICE

12 December 12, 2014 8:40 PM

13 December 19, 2014 8:40 PM

December 26, 2014 NO ICE

14 January 2, 2015 8:40 PM

15 January 9, 2015 8:40 PM

16 January 16, 2015 8:40 PM

January 23, 2015 NO ICE

17 January 30, 2015 8:40 PM

18 February 6, 2015 8:40 PM

19 February 13, 2015 8:40 PM

20 February 20, 2015 8:40 PM

21 February 27, 2015 8:40 PM

22 March 6, 2015 8:40 PM

23 March 13, 2015 8:40 PM

24 March 20, 2015 8:40 PM

25 March 27, 2015 8:40 PM

26 April 3, 2015 8:40 PM

27 April 10, 2015 8:40 PM

28 April 17, 2015 8:40 PM

29 April 24, 2015 8:40 PM

30 May 1, 2015 8:40 PM