Craig Brownstein of PuckBuddys writes for Russian Machine Never Breaks.

Just before hitting the ice, Joe Bowser of the Warrior team was asked what their strategy was to beat the Congressional squad, “Just show up,” he joked. He later added, “And we promise to pay our taxes on time.”

Rep. Quigley of the Congressional Team waits for another shift. (Photo credit: Craig Brownstein)

The big man for the Warriors talked a big game, but at the end of the night, the Lawmakers came out on top, 6-3. Taking an early lead in the first period, the Hill team held off the Warriors, a squad comprised of active duty members, reservists and vets, many of them skating with artificial limbs. “We’ll put our best foot forward,” Bowser said before the game, aware of the obvious pun.

The rain didn’t do much to dampen attendance at Kettler last night and the stands held a raucous crowd, primarily Warriors boosters. But it was the Obama address to the Joint Session of Congress that kept a number of elected officials away. But as per usual in this town, the hard work (and scoring) was done by the staff. Rep. Mike Quigley was the sole elected official to play last night. We thanked him for the time he gave us earlier this week when we previewed the game. Just before taking the ice, and maybe a bit torqued on how we characterized him, Quigley looked at us and said, “Pugnacious?” Mustering every bit of confidence that 15 years at C-SPAN will give a guy, we looked him square in the eye and replied, “What – did we spell it wrong?”

Some brass from the NHL also were on hand – Rob Wooley, Manager of Cause Marketing and Ken Martin, VP of Community Affairs and Diversity Programming, came in from New York for the game. They were fresh off a successful event in Chicago on Wednesday that saw some Blackhawk players join Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Quigley at a GLBT center for a floor hockey clinic, part of the League’s ‘Hockey is for Everyone’ initiative. Wooley and Martin will be up on the Hill Friday meeting with members of the Congressional Hockey Caucus, to talk about some future events.

Like elsewhere in the region, yesterday’s downpour played havoc with the power at Kettler. Just before game time, the lights flickered then went out. The generators kicked in quickly and the players took to the ice for warm ups.

Mike Knuble talks to the media before the game. (Photo credit: Craig Brownstein)

The ceremonial puck drop was handled by Caps star Mike Knuble. We caught up with him before the game to get his opinion on the teams. “The Warriors looked to be in better shape,” he said. Knoobs went on to talk about the Warrior spirit. “They’ve done so much for the country. They play competitively and rally around each other. Injuries don’t stop them; they play through the pain. Knuble, who has a collection of signed hockey sticks at home, brought an old wooden one (circa 1970’s) with him to the game and had the entire warrior team sign it. And since it was a presidential evening, we asked Mike what he would say to Obama that might convince him to attend a Caps game. “We’re the best ticket in town. It’s a no brainer – come see us play. It’s an exciting building and a good house. Ted will give him a good seat.”

After a hard-fought 45 minutes, the players posed for a group photo and then filed off the ice. Mike Vaccaro of the Warriors shared some of the chirping from the bench. A staffer-player got a text from the House chamber saying “Obama fired Quigley.” If that’s the sort of joking that goes on in the House cloakroom (or House gym), is it any wonder that this guy is so pugnacious?

The Warriors have a full season ahead, playing college other armed services teams. They’ve got a new coach and also face frequent personel changes as players go in and out of therapy, transition from active duty, and change units. It was an honor being able to watch them play and we hope we get another chance to see them on the ice in the future.

Also, check out: Warriors: “Hockey Was a Life-saver For Me” and Rep. Quigley Will Give Wounded Warriors a Good, Hard Game.

Doug Johnson of PuckBuddys writes for Russian Machine Never Breaks.

“It’s tough, it’s fast, and you better be highly skilled,” says the Chicago pol bluntly. “Believe me, I’ve got my share of bruises and stitches over the years. There’s a brutal beauty to it.”

Rep. Quigley during last year's Warriors game.

You could be forgiven for thinking the not-quite-second term Democrat and former Cook County Commissioner was talking about politics– Chicago-style or otherwise. But he’s talking about his other hard-knocks passion: hockey.

Stocky and pugnacious, Rep. Quigley looks and talks like a guy who’s been around the rink a few million times. He should. “I’ve been playing since I was eight years old, skating around on old frozen lagoons,” he says. “Twenty degrees below zero, all of that. And I never stopped. I played every chance I could get.”

Quigley loves everything about hockey. Watching it: “Sitting at the old Chicago Stadium – 3rd row, 2nd box behind the blue line– man, that place just shook. Never shoulda torn it down.” Playing it: “My favorite play out there is setting up a bang-bang play, you know, a real good-looking goal.” Even tweaking his opponents about it: “When I was Cook County commissioner, I passed this resolution, right before the Winter Classic between Detroit and the Blackhawks. All the whereas’s and here-to-for’s … but if you read every red capitalized letter, it spells out “DETROIT SUCKS.” (We checked it out. He really did.)

Before we can point out the actual winner of that game, he moves on to his latest mission: spreading hockey far and wide. Rep. Quigley is a member of the Congressional Hockey Caucus, a player on the congressional team, and a huge booster of the USA Warrior Ice Hockey program.

The NHL may be getting PR mileage out of its “Hockey is for Everyone” slogan, but for Quigley it’s not just a toss-off. In fact, he’s probably stretching it beyond where the NHL big boys even intended.

For example, on Tuesday– before boarding a plane back to the circus that is DC these days– he, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and the cuss-tastic Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a youth hockey clinic for disadvantaged youth at Chicago’s Center on Halsted. Mere political stunt? Maybe not, once you consider that the Center is perhaps the nation’s premier gay/lesbian community center. Among their many programs is one that provides care to LGBT youth who’ve been tossed out of their homes for being gay. Consider also that when he, the mayor, and the cameras split, the kids were left with more than a handshake. Quigley and the Blackhawks donated field hockey gear for the kids’ permanent use.

Glad-handing TV photo-op with Niklas Hjalmarsson for constituents? Political stunt. Donating field hockey equipment to disadvantaged LGBT kids so they can have a shot at normalcy? Priceless.

This Thursday, Rep. Quigley was scheduled to hit the ice and play against the Wounded Warriors. “These guys want a good, hard game. I want to give them one, just like anyone else.”

Of course, that was before the White House and Speaker Boehner’s office started their slap-fight about when the President could please, pretty please, come speak before Congress. With the Warrior game set for 7pm, the same time as Obama’s speech, members like Quigley who planned on suiting up are in a jam.

Rep. Quigley (middle) drops the puck for Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) and Sean Joyce (left) in preparation for the 2011 Winter Classic during Hockey Day on the Hill.

Still, there’s no debate about his desire to see that anyone who wants to get out on the ice actually has that opportunity– disadvantaged LGBT youth, wounded combat veterans, or anyone else. He’s filled with stories of what other people tell him the game means to them, and easily falls into another. “There was an event with the Caps and USA Hockey and the Wounded Warriors. I met these guys, got out on the ice with them. When I was there I met a guy, a veteran, who was told he could keep his leg, but it wouldn’t be much use. He’d certainly never play hockey again.”

As happens in stories like this, the doctors were wrong. Turns out it’s pretty damn hard to keep a guy (or gal) off the ice who loves the game. “I ask him ‘Why do you do this?’” Quigley says. “The guy says ‘I can’t help it. I get in the rink and I smell the ice, and I just gotta get out there.” Before you can ask about that guy or those games or this cause, the fast-talking Quigley jumps into another story. “I’m reminded about Arthur Ashe. He didn’t want tennis to just be a country-club activity, but he knew that meant you had to give people access– a place to play, just the basics. It’s like that with hockey. I want to make sure that anyone who wants to get out on the ice has that opportunity.”

Few would question that if you want to succeed in hockey, or in politics, you’ve got to be tough, competitive, a little lucky, and just plain better than the next guy. That’s the kind of thing he wants people to learn from the sport: how to compete, how to play as a team, and most importantly, how to believe in yourself– despite anything that others may see as a ‘disability.’

Rep. Quigley’s cell phone is fading out– he’s working his district hard. That’s what a brawling Chicago pol does. But before it fades completely, he offers one last story. “There was this guy, maybe in his 70′s, I used to see all the time at Blackhawks games. He was blind and used to have this little radio up against his ear, listening to the call. You could see it was real hard for him to hear it. One day I start talking to him and I ask if it’s worth it– he can’t see the game at all. He says ‘I don’t have to see it. I can feel it.’”

We know nothing about his politics. But it’s clear to us that Mike Quigley feels hockey way down deep.

The USA Warriors Hockey game will take place at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Thursday, September 8 at 7 PM.  Tickets are available at the door. RSVP on Facebook.