You can add a bizarre, game-winning goal to the list of incredible feats the Norfolk Admirals have accomplished this season. It's no 28 game winning streak, but it did put the Admirals one win away from sweeping the Calder Cup Finals.
If you missed it, here is a clip. Remember, this game is in overtime tied at zero. Of all the things that could have possibly happened, this is what transpired.
Hard to imagine what the feeling is like for the Toronto boys. No matter how many times you watch it you still can't believe that's how it ended. And no matter how many times you watch it you see Norfolk is offsides. Way offsides.
If you pause it at the seven second mark you notice the Marlies players retreating, heads turned looking at the puck. Meanwhile, a Norfolk forward is still in the process of leaving the zone.
You could probably count on two fingers how many times something like this has happened. Unfortunately this once in a million goal decision by officials that have probably skimmed over this buried rule was incorrect. The goal should not have counted due to the player still being in the zone while the so called shot was taken. No do-overs here. Move on and get ready for the next one.
After approaching nine months of hockey or ten if you want to include preseason, we get to what could be a first in at least my memory. With every league from Japan to Sweden to England to Italy, to juniors or college or minors to majors, two leagues always remain last to finish off the hockey year. Tomorrow, both the American Hockey League and National Hockey League could crown champions on the same day.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Stanley Cup Rewind
With the Stanley Cup poised to be knocking elbows with the Hollywood elite and basking in the sun of the SoCal summer for the first time, I figured I would take some time to honor the city and their dedication to the sport. One request, please do not let me see pictures of the cup on the beach. Anybody who has been to the beach knows that know matter how many times you shower afterward, you always find sand in unwanted places long after leaving.
Hockey fans (I'm talking fans) are in a league of their own. We are a different breed and there are not a lot of us out there. Seriously. 66 shows had better ratings than the first two games of the finals including 34 reruns and, gulp, the NBA draft lottery. Nothing new here. The league has fans and some pretty damn passionate ones too, except that this isn't the Super Bowl. Just because it's the finals doesn't mean millions of fans will watch. Look at ratings in Canada if you think that all hockey freaks watch every game. They don't. You think people in Montreal give a flying fudge who wins this?
But I do know of one town that is pumped. One town that has never got to drink from the cup. A town filled with enthusiasm, passion and excitement ever since the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs. Oh sure they can bring it physically, but even better is their knowledge of the game and team.
Take this for example:
One win away folks! Wonder where exactly this came in the newscast? If it's anything like ESPN, I'm thinking somewhere between a Miley Cyrus sighting and a back up on the 10 near exit 16A. Hey. Let's face it. Jonathan Swift has been tremendous this playoff season. One should not write off team Ireland next Olympics with such a poetic figure tending goal. And no need to sell me on Hockeywood. I get that every time the Flyers play the Penguins.
But the insight doesn't stop there from these hockey educators as shown here from the Western Finals:
Always like starting my highlights by checking for celebrities. Gets me in touch with the true fans. Let's skip to the first goal and watch the great Anje Kopidor score on the breakaway. The guy has really blossomed into a star in Los Angeles after six straight 20 goal seasons all while leading the team in scoring in five of his first six years. Maybe by his 7th season they will figure out his name.
Later we see the Kings controlling the ball in the Phoenix defensive zone. Oh my. Did I just type that? Anywho. He shoots he scores chuckles the guy that only knows one related hockey line while the third newscaster reveals the problem. Too many teams. Can't argue there. Touchdown!!... WTF? Thanks for taking the playoffs seriously Fox 11.
Guess what Phoenix? Not tonight. Not if Brad Doty has anything to say about it. That guy is so good he reminds me a lot of Drew Doughty. You know, the guy taken 2nd in the draft five years ago, finalist for the Norris trophy, one of the best defenseman in the league? Not ringing a bell?
Think the only person that can save you now is that stellar goalie you have in Jonathan Swift.
Thankfully, Fox isn't the only knowledgeable station in town. With Los Angeles being the place to be for NBA/NHL playoff action, the local NBC station was on the ball.
Gosh dang it. So close. Got to give you 1/2 credit. It does say Kings in big letters. Knocking a full point off though since it does say SACRAMENTO above it. Like literally right above it. All you had to do was read.
Thank goodness for the CBS affiliate:
MOTHER OF #$@! Does anything with the word Kings written on it pass for a hockey highlight? That was a bunch of Sacramento fans at some rally with the SACRAMENTO KINGS mascot.
This is why I always go with the guys who know, like the public address announcer welcoming back the greatest player in the history of the sport:
Hard to believe that historical trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles happened when I was a freshman in high school. Seemed like it was even longer than that. Hold on. 1998? If only you could have done some research before the Great One showed up.
You know what? Even if we don't exactly know which team or what players are playing in the finals, I do know that it isn't every season where you see an 8th seeded team knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeds to make it to the Stanley Cup. It's not often you see an 8th seed come together and win with relative ease, dominating every series they've been in and winning continuously on the road. And the last thing you could think of would be to see this 8th seeded team sweep the Finals. Well all of this has and could happen in the next few hours. It has been a hell of a run with a darn good group of guys. For that, I am at least pleased to say that even though I haven't seen the match-ups I wanted to, I still am seeing history.
Hockey fans (I'm talking fans) are in a league of their own. We are a different breed and there are not a lot of us out there. Seriously. 66 shows had better ratings than the first two games of the finals including 34 reruns and, gulp, the NBA draft lottery. Nothing new here. The league has fans and some pretty damn passionate ones too, except that this isn't the Super Bowl. Just because it's the finals doesn't mean millions of fans will watch. Look at ratings in Canada if you think that all hockey freaks watch every game. They don't. You think people in Montreal give a flying fudge who wins this?
But I do know of one town that is pumped. One town that has never got to drink from the cup. A town filled with enthusiasm, passion and excitement ever since the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs. Oh sure they can bring it physically, but even better is their knowledge of the game and team.
Take this for example:
One win away folks! Wonder where exactly this came in the newscast? If it's anything like ESPN, I'm thinking somewhere between a Miley Cyrus sighting and a back up on the 10 near exit 16A. Hey. Let's face it. Jonathan Swift has been tremendous this playoff season. One should not write off team Ireland next Olympics with such a poetic figure tending goal. And no need to sell me on Hockeywood. I get that every time the Flyers play the Penguins.
But the insight doesn't stop there from these hockey educators as shown here from the Western Finals:
Always like starting my highlights by checking for celebrities. Gets me in touch with the true fans. Let's skip to the first goal and watch the great Anje Kopidor score on the breakaway. The guy has really blossomed into a star in Los Angeles after six straight 20 goal seasons all while leading the team in scoring in five of his first six years. Maybe by his 7th season they will figure out his name.
Later we see the Kings controlling the ball in the Phoenix defensive zone. Oh my. Did I just type that? Anywho. He shoots he scores chuckles the guy that only knows one related hockey line while the third newscaster reveals the problem. Too many teams. Can't argue there. Touchdown!!... WTF? Thanks for taking the playoffs seriously Fox 11.
Guess what Phoenix? Not tonight. Not if Brad Doty has anything to say about it. That guy is so good he reminds me a lot of Drew Doughty. You know, the guy taken 2nd in the draft five years ago, finalist for the Norris trophy, one of the best defenseman in the league? Not ringing a bell?
Think the only person that can save you now is that stellar goalie you have in Jonathan Swift.
Thankfully, Fox isn't the only knowledgeable station in town. With Los Angeles being the place to be for NBA/NHL playoff action, the local NBC station was on the ball.
Thank goodness for the CBS affiliate:
MOTHER OF #$@! Does anything with the word Kings written on it pass for a hockey highlight? That was a bunch of Sacramento fans at some rally with the SACRAMENTO KINGS mascot.
This is why I always go with the guys who know, like the public address announcer welcoming back the greatest player in the history of the sport:
Hard to believe that historical trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles happened when I was a freshman in high school. Seemed like it was even longer than that. Hold on. 1998? If only you could have done some research before the Great One showed up.
You know what? Even if we don't exactly know which team or what players are playing in the finals, I do know that it isn't every season where you see an 8th seeded team knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeds to make it to the Stanley Cup. It's not often you see an 8th seed come together and win with relative ease, dominating every series they've been in and winning continuously on the road. And the last thing you could think of would be to see this 8th seeded team sweep the Finals. Well all of this has and could happen in the next few hours. It has been a hell of a run with a darn good group of guys. For that, I am at least pleased to say that even though I haven't seen the match-ups I wanted to, I still am seeing history.
Thanks Los Angeles
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