Getting To Know: Brenden Morrow

In this week's Getting To Know, Brenden Morrow recalls his first hockey memory and speaks about how losing his first hockey game made him a better player. Morrow also shares the time he and goaltender Marty Turco were on the receiving end of a hilarious prank.

Status: Tampa Bay Lightning left wing.

Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 205 pounds

DOB: January 16, 1979 In: Carlyle, Sask.

First Hockey Memory: "I think probably losing. I think we lost the game. Someone that's a competitive guy, it probably drove me to get better and play better. I think we lost that first game. And it's probably something I won't ever forget."

Hockey Inspirations: "Older brother. I had a sibling three years older than me. I think just watching him. Brett Hull was a hockey idol. So those two guys were inspirations for me."

Last Book Read: "Would've been something (by) James Patterson."

Current Car: "A BMW."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Olympic gold medal (2010)."

Most Painful Moment: "Losing the Stanley Cup final."

Favorite NHL Uniforms: "Probably the Blackhawks. I'm sure that's the most common answer."

Most Memorable Goal: "Game six against San Jose. Evgeni Nabokov."

Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "Scoring in my own net. (Where?) Calgary. At least it was about a week before the Olympics and it was Iginla’s shot I put in the net. So we were just working on our chemistry [smiles]."

Favorite Arenas To Play: "Montreal. Chicago. We've had some good series in Edmonton, too."

Strangest Game: "I'm sure going through it, and it's because I've played a lot of them, it's slipped my mind, so I can't think of anything right now."

First Famous Player You Met Or Encountered: "Theo Fleury in Moose Jaw. He wasn't famous at the time, he was still playing junior hockey. But he became pretty famous not too long after that."

Funniest Player(s) Encountered: "Jamie Pushor, who is a scout there. Aaron Downey."

Fiercest Competitors Encountered: "Adam Foote. (Chris) Pronger."

Closest Hockey Friends: "Marty Turco. Brett Hull."

Funny Hockey Memory: "Getting our hotel room pranked in San Jose. Marty Turco and I getting our hotel room pranked. We had an optional practice. Us, being the young guys, had to go skate. And everyone else went into our room and put every piece of furniture into the bathroom. Every piece. Every single piece [smiles]."

Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Golf."

Why Do You Love Playing Hockey: "It's a place I can be competitive. And you get rewarded for it."

People/Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Honesty. Humble. And hard working."

Mark "Scoop" Malinowski is the author of two new tennis books: "Facing Federer" and "Facing Hewitt" He's currently working on "Facing Probert."