For me, 2005 was a top-shelf year

Normally, I wouldn't brag about getting two pucks signed during a hounding adventure. But when those pucks represent the 549th and 550th of 2005, I'm going to crow.

Now, I know that there are other collectors and dealers who have posted numbers, but even I'm simply amazed by my productivity. Though there were many cold days and nights, skirmishes with security and some verbal jousting with a handful of less-than-willing players, those efforts were definitely worth all the work.

For the record, Gerald Coleman, a rookie goalie with the Springfield Falcons, signed a London Knights puck (above, left) for the 550th of 2005 and 902nd overall. Coleman played a vital role in the Knights' magical 2004-05 season, including a Memorial Cup championship over the Rimouski Oceanic and Sydney Crosby.

Springfield coach Dirk Graham, who probably enjoyed his long NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota North Stars more than he is his AHL coaching stint in western Massachusetts, signed the North Stars puck.

Both pucks were signed New Year's Eve following the Portland Pirates' 5-4 overtime victory over the Falcons.

In an interesting (at least to me) side note, the trip yielded the most diverse fruits of my labor. Besides the pucks, I also got signatures on:

• a Pirates team program (Portland's Dustin Penner);
• a Team Canada mini stick (Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry), which has plenty of room for Boston's Patrice Bergeron, Philadelphia's Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, and, if I'm really lucky, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby;
• an index card (Springfield assistant coach Phil Russell, who signed that instead of his card);
• four cheap-skate player cards (two each from Gerald Coleman and Ryan Vesce);
• a cheap-skate team sheet (Darren Rumble and Zybnek Hrdel (yeah, I know, who's he?) );
• a bunch of team cards (including Springfield's Mitch Fritz, who got his fanny kicked -- twice -- by Portland's Trevor Gillies despite having a height and weight advantage); and
• a contest-winning ($20 gift certificate to Gritty's in Portland's Old Port) game program (Aaron Rome).

All told, I went home with a milestone and another 26 autographs for my collection.