A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do something that I never thought would happen. I got to participate in two games against Team Canada and the first game was played in Amherst, N.Y. in the rink in which I had grown up.  This gave all of my family and friends, most of whom had never seen me play before, the rare chance to come out and watch me compete with the national team.

Before our first game on March 20th our team had an autograph session at the Amherst Pepsi Center, and after a few interviews and talking to a lot of our supporters from around the country it was time for us to get in the locker room and focus for our game.

For the first time since the Paralympic Games in Torino I actually had some pre-game jitters. So I did what has become a big part of my pre-game ritual, our team equipment manager Bill Sandberg and I walked to a secluded area and talked about what had to be done on the ice both physically and mentally. After talking with Billy and getting the remainder of my equipment on it was game time.

The game had started in our favor as we scored the first two goals of the game. The first came early in the first period as Tim Jones chipped the puck past a Canadian defender along the boards where I picked up the puck and made a long board pass to Adam Page that put him on a breakaway that he managed to finish by poking in his own rebound. And after a second period goal by our former captain Joe Howard, who was playing in his first game with the national team since Torino in 2006, we had a two goal lead after two periods. In the third things didn't really go our way as we gave up three straight goals to lose the game.

The next day we were hoping would be a different story when we had a rematch with Canada in Rochester, NY which is about an hour and fifteen minutes from where we had just played. In the first period nearly having a breakaway I got hauled down from behind by one of the Canadian defenders giving us our first power play of the day. We didn't capitalize but it helped to keep momentum on our side.

Shortly after our power play had ended the period was over and we went into the locker room. Our captain Andy Yohe came over to me and slapped me on the shoulder and said he had a feeling this was my day and I was going to put one in. He was right.

About nine minutes into the second, Lonnie Hannah poked the puck loose just outside of our blue line where I picked up the puck and skated all the way down to the top of the circle to the right of the Canadian goaltender. Using the defense as a screen I shot across my body and picked the far top left corner. That was an awesome feeling, not just scoring and giving our team the lead but doing it in front of about 30 family members that made the trip to watch the game. But, once again, the third period wasn't kind to us as we gave up two goals to lose another heartbreaker.

Even though we had lost both games against Canada there was one positive thing that we could take out of this series. We didn't only play with the Canadians we dominated them for four of the six periods we had played. Being as young a team as we are that was a big feat, but now we have to take our team to the next level on our quest for gold in 2010.

I did an interview with our goaltender Steve Cash, who is highly regarded as one of the best goalies in the world.

Brad: How do you mentally and physically prepare for a game?

Cash: For the bus ride I put my iPod on my "game music" play list. I am very specific about the music I listen to before the game. While the team is in the locker room focusing on the game, I am going through the motions in my head: positioning, eye on the puck, shooters habits. And right before the game I stay quiet and listen to what everyone has to say. Physically I will bounce a few tennis balls off the wall for a couple minutes, use the hand cycle for about 10 minutes and then stretch with the team.

Brad: How does it feel to represent your country?

Cash: It is an honor and a privilege. Definitely my biggest achievement in life. Everyday I feel thankful that I found the sport of sled hockey, because if not for sled hockey I wouldn't be one of the few and proud to put on that USA jersey.

Brad: What is your favorite part of being on the national team?

Cash: My favorite part about being a member is 1) I get to put on the USA jersey and represent my country and 2) I feel more comfortable around my teammates than any other time. They help me realize it's okay to have a prosthetic leg and to even make a joke about it here and there (well all the time).

Brad: What is your prediction for the 2010 Paralympic Games?

Cash: Two words - USA Gold.