Two-game set between Adams Division rivals Hartford and Quebec

[The Deer]

Last season, Schwartz and I met three times, and I was lucky enough to have all three go my way, including an overtime win.

Payback sure is a b***h.

Schwartz and I hooked up for a home-and-home series today and he took em both to improve his start to 3-0.

The first game was in Quebec and boy were the hometown Nords snakebitten. Couldn't buy a goal, as Sean Burke was nothing short of razor sharp in the Whaler goal. Tight defence and timely scoring, along with the great play of Burke, saw the Whalers erase an early 1-0 deficit and score a 3-1 win on the road. Really tight game as evidenced by the low score, Quebec disappointed with how flat they were.

The Nordiques took to the road in search of redemption but had a TERRIBLE first period which saw them fall behind 4-1, including one of those terrible goals where you try to make a pass with your goalie and you get picked off and it's put into the empty net. Really demoralizing start by the Nords, but they were injected with a bit of life with a very late (and very cheap) Joe Sakic goal in the period's dying seconds. Really odd first period Schwartz and I both found (net must have come off about six times total), but the Nordiques vowed to regroup and show some character in the final two periods.

That they did, scoring two GORGEOUS tic-tac-toe goals to eventually tie the game 4-4 by the early third period, and then Mats Sundin scored on a gloveside deke to put Quebec ahead 5-4. What a great character win this could be to break out of that two-game losing skid, coming back from 4-1 to redeem a bad performance at home. But it was not to be. Schwartz scored two quick ones in the game's second-to-last minute to regain the lead at 6-5 and Quebec just couldn't come up with the equalizer.

Schwartz man you played great, you are an improved man from last season, and my hat is off to your fine defensive play, timely scoring, and EXCELLENT goaltending.

The Nordiques will try to stay calm and remember that they're still sporting a respectable 5-3 record, and will try to just relax against their next opponent.

ggs man