I’m hardly the first person ever to note this, but Game Four in a seven-game series is by far the most decisive. Sure, each game counts the same, but the difference between a 2-2 series and a 3-1 series is the difference between apples and baby wolverines.

With their Game Four come-from-behind victory last night in Montreal, my hometown NHL team (that would be the Washington Capitals) has taken a commanding 3-1 lead in its first round playoff series. Red sweaters are coming out of the closets all over the DMV, and the sound you hear is wingtips, sneakers, and sandals of all varieties stepping onto the bandwagon.

A few miles up the road (or down the road if you’re coming from Montreal), my actual hometown hockey team (that would be the Binghamton Black Bears of the Federal Prospects Hockey League), is also engaged in a postseason tournament. After a dominating regular season, the defending champion BBB have sailed through their first two rounds of playoffs, poised to take on the Carolina Thunderbirds in the league finals starting this Friday.

It wasn’t the only reason I was in Binghamton this weekend, but yeah, I was at the game two nights ago.

Yup, I’m on this bandwagon too. (I’m the one wearing Skechers.)