from Stan Fischler of The Hockey News,

It's the sixth day of the war, and for five-plus days, I've tried to write something -- and failed.

There's so much to write, and it's so hurtful. My best friend on the kibbutz (El Rom -- in the north of Israel) lost his kid brother, and my son's pal also was killed. The death toll is now 1,300; too much to even contemplate.

My editor, David Kolb, said I should take the day off. Nuts to that.

Writing hockey is the best medicine -- for me, at least. Certainly a distraction from the horror we have witnessed in this tiny country since the weekend.

Just for the record, my day in Israel begins at about 9 a.m. when I check to see how many goals McDavid has scored and how many his goalkeeper has given up. I root for Vancouver because the Canucks need all the rooting they can get -- and I study The Panthers 'cause I'm a big Paul Maurice fan.

Now that the season is underway, I keep cautioning myself that one win doesn't mean a Cup, and one loss should not inspire a coach-firing. Fischler's granddaughter's bedroom doubles as a "safe room."

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