Hockey Memories

Usually with our columns, we exam current 'issues' in the NHL or other sports or we debate on irrevevant topics or we condemn other people's desicions (cough Penner cough), but this time, I want to take a heart-to-heart look and rekindle the memories that are burnt into our brain.
There are oh so many images or events that have taken place over the NHL since I become an avid fan, but one of those images is NOT my first ever game. I don't even remember who the Oilers played in my first ever game, but the NHL game that sticks out in my mind occured on April 16th, 2000.

It was another typical Edmonton-Dallas playoff series. Dallas had swept the first two games at home (per usual) and game 3 was back in Edmonton. I went with my dad, who had ponyed-up some good cash for decent seats, and I was all decked out in my Dallas jersey and hat. Of course, I was absolutely the ONLY Stars fan there that night and the people who were seated around me ABSOLUTELY gave me a rough time (keep in mind, I still was only 13 at the time). The electiricty at Rexall (in my opinion) is un-matched in the NHL (when Ron McLean needs a decibal meter to determine how loud it is, and doesn't use it at other arenas, you know it's the loudest, hands down) and it was certainly playoff crazy that night. Edmonton jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the 1st, then 5-2 lead after the 2nd. The reason for the sudden Edmonton turn-around? Doug Weight.

He scored a hat-trick that night and there was just nothing Dallas or I could do to slow him down. Absolutely nothing. The building was so loud and, as a die-hard Stars fan, was so humbling. I've been to plenty of Dallas-Edmonton games, but this one was special. No matter how much knowledge I had, no matter how loud I cheered and how loud they booed me, Edmonton just wasn't going to lose. Weight put the Oilers on his back and took over the game.

I remember hearing the chorus of 'Beeeeeeeel-four, Beeeeeeeel-four, Beeeeeeeel-four'chants and I could do was sit down in my chair and smile. Smile. I don't know why I smiled or what I was thinking, but I just remember smiling in amazement. Smiling for the team, for the fans, for the city. It truely was a bad night for my Stars (even though they won the series on five, ha), but to me, on that night, wow. The atmosphere was just something else. There was nothing else I could do, but just... Smile.

To me, that's my hockey moment that's burnt into my head, but there are plenty of others.

- #88 meets #4. When Lindros cut across center with his head down, you just knew what was coming next. Scott Stevens flying across with the low shoulder and blew-up Lindros. Eric was never the same after that.


- Detroit, St Louis. Game Seven. Yzerman. Rolling puck, steps over the blue-line, shelf. It was Yzerman's only playoff OT winner, but boy, what a way to do it.


- 1997 NHL All-Star Game. Owen Nolan's 'called shot' against Hasek. I'll never forget the words of Don Cherry... 'He gets the hat-trick, in his home rink, and he doesn't get the car! Figure that one out!'


- The infamous 'non goal'. Hasek sprawled out on his stomach (taking away the bottom half, like he always does) and Hull's toe in the crease. Pierre LeBrun (great writer) reminds us... 'I feel bad for Sabres fans that the 1999 finals ended with a controversial goal. But let's also be honest. First of all, even if the goal had been disallowed, it doesn't mean the Sabres would have come back to win the game. Second, if even the Sabres had won that night, it doesn't mean they would have gone to Dallas and win Game 7. I think people forget that sometimes.'


- March 26, 1997. Fight Night in Detroit. Who could forget the cheap shot on Draper? Lemieux turtling from McCarty? Shanny and Roy colliding in the air? Roy and Vernon? Three things people often forget (myself included)... 1 – Larionov and Forsberg started the whole fist-a-cuffs... 2 – Darren 'I Only Score Big Goals' McCarty with the OT winner... 3 – Mikey Vernon got win #300.


Here are some of my personal favorite memories...


- Watching Pavel Bure handle the puck while skating. The best pure-European-goal-scorer the NHL has ever seen. No question. On another topic, I heard the reason Russians are so good at handling the puck is because they literally handle the puck in EVERY drill: power skating drills, core skills, weave drills... Maybe someone from Canada should look into that.


- 1994, Marty Brodeur allows a wrap around goal, in game 7 in OT, to Stephane Matteau. Then, three years later, allows the EXACT SAME wrap-around goal to Adam Graves, this time it was in game five in OT and knocked the NJD out, again.


- Teemu Selane's 76th goal as a rookie, throwing the glove into the air and shooting it down with his stick. We need more celebrations like that in todays NHL.


- No word of a lie, I typed that above statement on Thursday and low-and-behold, we get Ovi's 50th 'my stick is too hot to handle' goal celebration. It's like I have magic powers or something, ladies and gentlemen...


- Marty Turco gets 3 shutouts in a 7-game series against Vancouver and STILL loses the series. So unjustified.


Well, those are my hockey memories, events that stand out in my mind to mold me into the hockey fan I am now. Next up, I thought I would pass on some hockey facts & opinions on some unknown and forgotten topics...


- Marty Brodeur, meet Tom Brady. Both are idiots when it comes to women. Marty was ordered by the courts to pay $500,000 in alamony, per year, until 2020. Congratulations.


- This may be the 1st year in awhile where there isn't a 'shoe-in' for the Hart Trophy this year: Malkin, Ovechkin, Mason, Crosby? Who is this year's winner?


- Second-half performances. Hallelujah for ESPN. The top five teams consist of New Jersey, Detroit, ST LOUIS, PITTSBURGH, VANCOUVER!!! http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3995626&name=lebrun_pierre


- While I am all for admitting when I'm wrong (Souray) and when I'm right (Penner), a fellow blogger of mine has failed to take blame for saying that Pittsburgh will defintely NOT make the playoffs this year. Last time I checked, they were sitting in a tie for 4th spot in the East.


- http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=lebrun_pierre&id=3996052
Just read this. It gives some insight into the shootout and the 'whose hot, whose not' debate over the four-year trial period.


As always, Dallas for life.


Cheers.
-Smith