Tonight during the first period of my game against the Admirals; my Dad came over to the bench and told me that Olli Jokinen was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes.  Then he said to me “how about three goals tonight?” I am not sure if it was the excitement of hearing Jokinen was coming to Phoenix or that my Dad challenged me to score three goals; because, before I knew it … I had the three goals.  My first hat trick for the Saints.

I just moved back from Florida and by far Olli Jokinen and Ville Peltonen were my favorite Florida Panthers players. Believe it or not, I even went to school with both their daughters. One day last year, while I was home from school sick; my mom said she had a surprise for me before heading to the doctors. She took me to the Ice Rink to watch the Panthers practice. It was just the two of us sitting against the glass and Olli shot the puck all the way around the boards, it wrapped the glass and went up and over the netting and into my lap. WOW! I grabbed the puck and was so excited, I looked up at Olli and he gave me a wave.  I think he wanted to thank me for being a fan and coming to watch him practice! I was really bummed about leaving Florida, but now that some of Florida has come to Phoenix I am very excited! It has been a “win ~ win ~ win” kind of night. The Saints won the game, I had a hat trick and Olli Jokinen is coming to Phoenix!