Just two nights earlier, at the Olympic Saddledome, the Edmonton Oilers had defeated the Calgary Flames, 5-2. The surprise road win, secured by a Glenn Anderson goal in the third period, had tied their Smythe Division Final at three games a piece. Tonight was Game Seven. It was a cloudy day in Edmonton. At little snow drifted down around noon. Temperature hovered around zero. And nobody had a clue what was about to unfold that night at Northlands Coliseum. (more…)
Thank God, the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is over. After another stupidly long regular season, we just had to watch eight teams, who had no business being in the postseason, bumble their way through seven-game series. Now, only the elite eight are left to rightly challenge for the Cup. The others never should have been there (yes, that includes Washington). So it’s time to send a memo or two to each of the clubs that just got punted in the first round. (more…)
By re-naming their NHL MVP award after visionary and founding father Ted Lindsay, which they’ll do tomorrow, the NHLPA will finally get something right. It’s a miracle, really. Considering that the inner workings of the PA have been an industry joke – essentially forever. No union worth anything would use a sports league’s PA as a business model. But the NHLPA geniuses have finally made a decision that makes sense. And Ted Lindsay richly deserves the honour. (more…)
Coaches hate players like Montréal Canadiens’ netminder Jaroslav Halak. And if they don’t, they really should. Last night, the guy stops 53 pucks to defeat the Caps and force Game Seven. He’s a hero in Montreal! A hero! Just ten days ago, he was a bum. So much of a bum, that head coach Jacques Martin started Carey Price in Game Four. Today’s NHL coaches never know what they’re getting from night-to-night in goal. Great for the fans. Horrible for coaches. (more…)
Yesterday afternoon, in the Ontario Hockey League, something happened that fans have only experienced twice before in OHL history. A team came back from a three games-to-none playoff series deficit to win the series in seven. And that is the genuine and pure beauty of sports. We say it a lot, but it’s absolutely true – anything can happen. Absolute euphoria for one team. Crushing defeat for another. And that’s why sports are one of the greatest obsessions in our world. (more…)