I did a little practice. I watched the college dunk contest on TV. I've always played H-OR-S-E. I've just never won before because (former teammate) Ashley Gates was too good of a shooter.

He's just so creative in practice. He's one of the fastest, if not the fastest guy in college hockey. He's just got such a good sense of awareness and hockey sense. You've got to realize that he's young and it's tough coming in as a freshman. Even as good as you are, it's an adjustment. He's really caught on here the last couple of weeks and he's just going to get better as the season goes on.

This is going to affect everybody. I'm just in private practice... I'll continue to see my patients like I have been seeing [them]. [But] we have people working in the operating room and the emergency room and it is going to be downgraded. Those people are going to hope they can fit into the new transition. They probably won't.

The players see it as just another practice. It's a big deal for the fans, and that's why we do it.

Competing at this level is an honour. The skills we practice for these events are those we use in daily emergency responses.

Some kids just don't have anyone in their life who is pushing them into college or scholarships, supporting them -- or even making sure they get up in time to go to school.