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Attending the last Wild homegame of the season today. Final score 2-0, which nets our new goalie Josh Harding a shutout which represents his second win in as many games. His first win was as the result of a shootout. It was fun to watch the kid play and you knew the excitements was in his heart. As the seconds ticked down and it became apparent that he would get a shutout, I saw him start to dance a little jig in the net.

That\’s what is really lacking in pro hockey today. Guys playing because they love it. To see that it still gets their blood roaring just to make a good play, or intercept a long pass. It\’s one of the reasons I find college hockey even more fun to watch, or even at the high school level. Hell, peewee hockey can even be up there. Watching someone play the game with a passion and still get so excited they can\’t help but do a little dance is a hell of a lot more fun than watching a guy going through the motions because he\’s thinking about his next big contract.

The moment I saw him dance that little jig, I became a definite Harding fan. Not that I didn\’t have reason to before. The guy is genuinely a good goalie. And despite his definite rookie status, his whole approach was the embodiment of calm serenity. Saves looked almost casual, somehow even the frantic ones. Fairly decent control and sense of what\’s happening around him.

Granted he may not be ready for the All-Star team, but I think he\’s ready for the NHL. Will be fun watching Harding in the future. Let\’s hope he decides to stick with us….unlike some other former rookies I could mention.