Oh, I am going to have a nervous breakdown before this game is over.

Neil Little is starting in goal for the Phantoms. Maxime Ouellet is starting in goal for the visiting Portland Pirates.

These are the two people in this universe whom I can never, ever root against for any reason, and they'e playing against one another in this game.

Mark already nudged me after seeing my reaction to a particularly dangerous Phantoms scoring chance in the first period. "Did I just hear you holler 'look out'?"

"Yeah, you did. See that score?" I pointed to the scoreboard, which at the time read 0-0. "It's welcome to stay that way as long as humanly possible. I like that score".

Well, it's now the first intermission and the score is 1-0, Phantoms. If this game remains a goalie duel, I will be heartily relieved no matter what happens. So far, so good: Neil and Max both made some fine stops during the first period.

But Karla, Al, and Mark are all on notice to call 911 if I keel over. The stress of having my two favorite people in hockey at opposing ends of the ice could prove to be too much. Aieee...