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DADDY PAT SAVES RINK
SPRINGFIELD ICE RINK
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21 6:25PM

So there I was at the old barn waiting for my son to start his practice, all the kids are ready & waiting for the Zamboni to leave the ice & I'm finally tying my own skates and the lights go off, complete darkness. Now, we have a rink full of kids all under 10 years old in the dark with hockey sticks and helmets, think mini "Warriors,come out and plaaay" The only source of light are cell phones. The people running the rink have no idea what to do, an electrician takes a look and says no way so the coaches call practice and send everyone home, leaving the rink in total darkness. The ice is left to melt, Tuesday night hangs in the balance. The rink manager looked like Clark Griswald plugging in his Christmas lights only to be left wondering what the hell is going on. Calls went out all over Delaware County in hopes someone could turn the power back on, who would come to save the day.
Then it happened, they sent out the "Pat" signal & called the "Pat" phone & like a super hero Daddy Pat sprung into action, jumped in the "Pat" mobile & headed over to the rink flipped the switch behind the fridge! Well that didn't work, so like the bulldog that he is, sniffed out the problem over in the basement of the Country Club minutes later everything was back on except the inflatable condom. Give him a break the guy's only human.

Over the years the TNHL has seen many examples of great leadership; the Commish with his motivational e-mails; Crabby telling me "don't suck"; Rusty and the beer list & I could go on & on but I have never seen this kind of dedication to the TNHL. Without this "Messier" like act from Daddy Pat we would all be sitting home with our family on Tuesday night. This man deserves our utmost respect and we should toast him throughout the season with our first post skate beer!