Puck No. 1,072

After getting Ottawa’s Dany Heatley to sign a puck last night, I went in to today’s game-time hounding just three shy of my goal of 1,072 autographed pucks. And, having hounded the Senators in Boston a few times, I knew they were a pretty decent signing team.

That’s why I knew I’d reach, and likely surpass, my magic number, making it the biggest milestone, to date, of my hockey hounding hobby. Thankfully, it didn’t take long.

After letting Chris Neil, Peter Schaefer and Denis Hamel walk by, second-year defenseman Andrej Meszaros walked out. Being the only person who recognized him, I walked up with two pucks, which he happily signed. I was now sitting at 1,071 pucks.

Next out were Daniel Alfredsson and Wade Redden. Immediately, a crowd surrounded the embattled Ottawa captain. And, instead of joining that scrum, I walked over to Redden and asked if he’d sign a couple pucks. He signed one, a Team Canada puck, for autographed puck No. 1,072.

It was as simple as that. No fanfare. No chit-chat, other than my prerequisite please and thank-you. No photos. Just the puck. Though it's more than a number, I wouldn’t have it any other way.