Monday night was a game for the ages, and if you do not believe that, consider the names of Bobby Baun and Babe Ruth were invoked sometime around the second or third overtime.
Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game early with an upper-body injury -- and this time, it really looked like the entire upper body -- after crashing hard into the end boards. Late, and I mean late in every sense of the word, in the overtime periods, Gonchar returned to the bench to provide moral support.
Then came the power play after a high-sticking double minor to Jiri Hudler. Gonchar took to the ice, playing his familiar point position. Watching Gonchar was reminiscient of Bobby Baun, who scored the overtime winner in game six of the 1964 Stanley Cup while playing on a broken ankle.
In the modern case, Gonchar had an opportunity to shoot early in the power play, but it was clear he could not shoot. No problem, when you have Petr Sykora on the same unit.
While on the bench late in the second overtime, Sykora turned to NBC's Pierre McGuire, pointed to himself and said he would score the winning goal.
There are debates as to whether Babe Ruth ever called his shot, but the lore lives on. Today, Sykora becomes part of that lore.
This would be amazing stuff, incredible theater, if it was any old playoff game. But it was far more than that. The Detroit faithful came to coronate the new Stanley Cup Champions, and it nearly happened. Detroit led three games to one coming in, and Joe Louis Arena rocked like it has not in years.
The first period was an unmitigated disaster for the home side. Plagued by nervousness and giveaways, the Wings found themselves down 2-0 after the opening period, a period that might have been their worst of the playoffs.
Detroit opened it up in the second period, but could only find the back of the net once. Heading into the third period, the Wings found themselves trailing by a goal, so they opened the game up even further.
And it worked. At 6:43, Pavel Datsyuk executed a perfect tip off an amazing fake shot-turned-pass from Henrik Zetterberg to tie the game. And when Wyandotte, Mich., native Brian Rafalski gave the Wings the lead midway through the period, the party had started.
Hometown boy becomes a superstar, returns home a decade later, then scores the Stanley Cup winning goal. It seemed the script was too good to be true.
Apparently, it was.
Nobody in the Joe sat through the period's closing minutes, and the Wings were playing to perfection. Pittsburgh was getting very few chances, there were almost no whistles, and the muggy arena was on the verge of going crazy.
When the public address system played Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" late in the third period, as has become Detroit custom, the crowd continued singing. Considering the song has found new life as the closing song from the final episode of the Sopranos, it only seems fitting Maxime Talbot "whacked" in a loose puck to tie the game with just 35 seconds to go.
It had been roughly 70 years since a team facing elimination tied a Stanley Cup Final game in the closing minute of the game, but that is exactly what happened on this night. A fateful 35 seconds that separated Detroit from hockey glory. The struggles of the auto industry, falling housing prices, and a struggling economy did not matter, as the Wings were about to win their fourth Stanley Cup in just 12 years.
And just like that, it was all taken away. For now, anyway.
Then reality set in. There was still an overtime to be played. And if that failed, there would be two more chances for Detroit to capture hockey's holy grail.
The Wings came out flying in the overtime period, dominating the first overtime stanza. Unfortunately for them, a brick wall named Marc-Andre Fleury was guarding the pipes.
Fleury has been hot and cold through the playoffs, as he has much of his career. To put things in perspective, however, Fleury is just 23 years old. Many of the game's best goaltenders -- names like Dominik Hasek and Johnny Bower -- had not tasted the NHL by that age. For Fleury to be the starter on a Stanley Cup finalist at that age is remarkable.
And remarkable does not begin to describe how he played in overtime. He faced 58 shots in the game -- 24 in the two and a half overtimes -- but stats do not tell the whole story. Particularly in the first overtime, Fleury faced countless top-notch scoring chances, and came up big virtually every time.
By the time the game ended around 1 a.m. Detroit time, the Joe Louis Arena was silent, but far from empty. The city earned the reputation as Hockeytown for a reason -- the fans were still there. Whether or not anyone was there -- at work, that is -- at 8 a.m. Tuesday is another matter entirely.
But they all know where they will be at 8 p.m. Wednesday -- in front of a television, in a bar, or in the Mellon Arena. In a series where each game has been more entertaining than the previous, perhaps there should be a petition to extend this series to a best-of-nine.
Failing that, it would be advisable to tune in Wednesday night. Monday's game five got an impressive 4.3 rating/8 share on NBC, and it would seem almost guaranteed all of those people will tune back in for game six.
Tiger Woods may say nobody cares about hockey anymore, but the numbers indicate otherwise. And after all, when is the last time you saw sports bars packed with fans cheering on their favorite golfers?
I thought so.
And in this series, even in Los Angeles, this has been big enough to be on the 100-inch big screens, as well as every television in the bar. At least, that is the way it was at the packed bar I was at for game four Saturday night.
This series is living up to expectations, and with any luck, fans in non-traditional markets will finally discover what the rest of us have known for years. When played at its best, hockey provides excitement, passion, and intrigue not provided by much else on this planet.
Just as the Detroit Red Wings seem to be continually overlooked as a Stanley Cup contender, Henrik Zetterberg has been continually overlooked as one of the NHL's best players.
There is no question the logjam at the top of the league, especially when it comes to young players, is tighter than at any point in the NHL's history. There is the obvious duo -- Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby -- who are considered the two best forwards in the league by a large percentage of observers.
There's Vincent Lecavalier, the elegant and electric Tampa Bay star. On the West Coast, the San Jose Sharks feature Joe Thornton, who combines passing ability with size to provide a formidable combination.
But Zetterberg, as with the Wings as a whole, seems to fly under the radar despite playing in one of the league's strongest markets. As is so often the case, that perception is changing with exposure in the Stanley Cup Finals.
His now-famous work during the Wings' two-man disadvantage late in game four will become legendary. A shot block. Tying up the stick of Crosby at the side of the net, preventing a sure goal. An impressive rush while two men down, killing valuable time. Clearing the zone. Breaking up several passes by playing the passing lanes to perfection.
As great as that shift was, Zetterberg has been outstanding defensively through the entire series. Make that the playoffs. Not to mention the regular season.
In fact, he might be the best defensive forward in the entire league. Not bad for a guy who posted 43 goals and 92 points in 73 regular season games, good for sixth in the NHL.
Sixth in league scoring, and arguably the best defensive forward in the game. It might be a stretch to say Zetterberg is the game's best player, but on the other hand, it would be hard to make a compelling argument otherwise.
For the sake of fairness, let's put it this way -- Zetterberg is the best two-way forward, Ovechkin is the most electrifying and dynamic forward, while Crosby has the best playmaking skills and ice vision.
In any case, it might be time to consider it the league's big three instead of the league's big two.
It wasn't always that way. When Zetterberg landed on this side of the Atlantic in 2002-03, he was a promising young player, but far from dominant. After 44 and 43 point seasons prior to the lockout, his breakout year came in 2005-06 with a retooled post-lockout Red Wings squad. Zetterberg posted 39 goals and 85 points in 77 games, and he had become the focal point in Detroit.
Problem is, not many people outside of Michigan noticed. In some ways, Zetterberg stepped up his game even further the following season, as he developed a knack to take over a game single-handedly when necessary. An injury-shortened season limited him to 63 games and 68 points, but his status as a superstar was solidified.
This season, Zetterberg fulfilled the promise once set by another Swedish player -- Peter Forsberg. In his native Sweden, many dubbed Zetterberg as "Baby Forsberg", but Zetterberg is following a career path that could put him ahead of his famous countryman.
Forsberg was arguably the game's best player for a time in the late 1990s, but injuries kept him from ever fulfilling his massive potential. Zetterberg has been felled with some injuries, keeping him from playing all 82 games in any one season. Yet he has so far avoided the serious recurring problems that limited Forsberg to just one year where he played more than half the season past age 30.
If Zetterberg stays healthy, there is no reason he cannot be a dominant player for another decade. At age 27, he is older than many of the league's young superstars, yet he is just entering his prime. As Phil Esposito stated, he did not hit the prime of his career until his mid-to-late 20s, and it seems Zetterberg is following suit.
There is no question Zetterberg benefits from playing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, but it is his defensive prowess that puts him over the top. Datsyuk is a similarly talented two-way player, and the trio gives the Wings a checking line that just happens to be their best offensive line.
Or is that a top line that just also happens to be their best checking line?
Either way, it is a tough matchup for opposing teams. Just ask the Nashville Predators. Or the Colorado Avalanche... the Dallas Stars... the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Seven games, decided by one goal in double overtime. And even then, it could go either way.
Yes, that is the prevailing thought for this year's Stanley Cup Finals between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Through three rounds, the Wings have lost just four games while the Penguins have just two defeats.
Two great teams that would be great teams at any point in the league's history. It is a dream Stanley Cup Finals for the league's marketing types, and a seven game series would only make it better.
Not so quick. History shows us young teams on a roll do not always fare well when playing for hockey's holy grail. Remember the 1983 Edmonton Oilers? They lost just once through the first three rounds, and they were a young team led by superstars such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri.
Then they ran into the league's reigning dynasty, the New York Islanders. The Isles may have been considered a bunch of graybeards, but those graybeards swept the youngsters in four games.
The parallels to this series are stunning. Sidney Crosby, annointed as the next Great One, has lived up to the hyperbole. His leadership on and off the ice is remarkable for a 20-year-old. At the media availability day Friday, he spoke like a 25-year veteran.
In other words, he sounded like Chris Chelios.
Just kidding -- but Crosby is a 30-year-old in a 20-year-old's body, and that could present some problems for Detroit. He is not easily rattled on or off the ice, he stays composed yet plays with passion, and he can elude even the best defensemen.
Well, we think the last part is the case. Crosby has not faced Nick Lidstrom, the NHL's best defenseman, for nearly two years. And there is a reason Lidstrom has won enough top defenseman awards to change his first name to Norris.
The "silent assassin" goes about his job more quietly than other high profile defensemen, but few question he is the best. Add Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Kronwall to the defensive corps, and the Wings have the personnel to shut down Pittsburgh.
It will be an interesting battle indeed, as the Penguins have three solid lines. Common sense dictates the Wings would like to get the Pavel Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Holmstrom line out against the third or fourth line, but that might not be the case.
For Detroit, their top scoring line is also their best checking line. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are Selke candidates, and it could be argued they are the two best defensive forwards in the league. Don't let their offensive prowess fool you -- these two come to play at both ends of the ice.
Look for Detroit coach Mike Babcock to send the trio out against the Evgeni Malkin line, as the Malkin line is more defensively deficient than the Crosby line or the Jordan Staal line. Puck possession is the name of the game for Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and that alone could neutralize one of Pittsburgh's top two lines.
From Pittsburgh's point of view, it would seem their best matchup is to keep the Crosby and Malkin lines away from Zetterberg and Datsyuk. The Penguins' top two lines also thrive on puck possession, and they would be best served to play against anyone other than the league's best puck possession unit.
On the blueline, the Wings have the edge. Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, and Hal Gill lead a very competent defensive corps, but the Wings might have the best blueliners in the league -- a point that would likely be argued by Anaheim fans.
In goal, Chris Osgood has been Sogood since taking the starting reins midway through the opening round against Nashville. Osgood has Stanley Cup experience and he never seems to try to do too much.
On the other side, Marc-Andre Fleury has been spectacular, showing why he has been touted as a top-notch prospect for the past several seasons. Maybe it is the new white pads, but Fleury has been a rock for the Penguins in the playoffs.
PREDICTION: It is too easy to say this could go either way (and it could), so there has to be a limb on which to step out. Detroit's experience is invaluable at this time of year, and if the Penguins falter early, this could be a short series. Yet that seems unlikely -- the young Pens simply seem too composed. Stanley Cups will find Pittsburgh in coming years, but this year, look for Detroit to win in six.
Note: Since my last name is Grimm, the name is a takeoff on my name and the music awards of a similar name. These are not predictions, nor are they any kind of announcement of the actual awards.
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Runners-up: Joe Thornton (San Jose), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
In the end, it was not even close.
The only thing that could keep Ovechkin from winning the Hart Trophy was the Capitals missing the playoffs. When the Caps were in 14th place in the conference at Thanksgiving, the playoffs looked like a dream.
Thanks to Ovechkin and new coach Bruce Boudreau -- more on that later -- the Caps eventually won the Southeast Division, grabbing the East's third seed in the process. To say Ovechkin led the way would be an understatement.
He led the league with 65 goals, the highest total in 12 years. He led the league with 112 points. He posted an impressive +28, and despite being among the league leaders in hits, he finished with only 40 penalty minutes. Ovechkin also had 43 more points than the next highest scoring Capital -- his linemate Nicklas Backstrom.
Considering the low-scoring nature of this season's NHL, Ovechkin's season was of historic proportions.
Joe Thornton led a middling San Jose offense with 96 points, while Evgeni Malkin posted remarkable numbers (47-59--106) and carried the Penguins while Sidney Crosby was injured.
Calder (Rookie of the Year): Jonathan Toews/Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Nicklas Backstrom (Washington), Peter Mueller (Phoenix)
It simply is not possible to separate the duo. Toews and Kane not only made hockey in Chicago popular again, they have the potential to make the Blackhawks perennial contenders for years to come.
The two linemates fed off each other, with Kane (21-51--72) posting the higher totals as a result of Toews (24-30--54) missing 18 games with an injury. The Hawks slumped with half of the duo missing, and that slump unquestionably cost them a playoff berth.
Kane's speed and vision is the perfect complement to Toews' goal scoring ability and all-around game. Perhaps it is too easy to pick a duo for this award, but in this case, it only seems appropriate.
Backstrom posted 69 points while playing on a line with Ovechkin, while Mueller (22-32--54) helped keep the Coyotes in the playoff race well into March.
Norris (Top Defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Runners-up: Dion Phaneuf (Calgary), Brian Campbell (San Jose/Buffalo)
They might as well rename this award the Lidstrom Trophy.
After all, he has enough of them. But year in and year out, Lidstrom makes it tough to pick anyone else. This year, he led all blueliners with 60 assists and 70 points while posting a +40.
Just another year for the so-called cerebral assassain. Lidstrom out-thinks opposing players at both ends of the ice, and the results show.
Detroit general manager Ken Holland has joked he will retire minutes after Lidstrom retires, and it is easy to understand the genesis of the comment.
Phaneuf anchored Calgary's blueline with 60 points and 112 penalty minutes, while Campbell (8-54--62) made a huge impact in San Jose after the trade deadline, posting nearly a point per game with the Sharks.
Jack Adams (Coach of the Year): Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
Runners-up: Guy Carbonneau (Montreal), Mike Babcock (Detroit)
This one was tough -- very tough.
With a month left in the season, Carbonneau was an obvious choice. He led the Canadiens to the best record in the Eastern Conference, and did it while playing an entertaining style that eschewed the all-too-prevalent dump-and-chase for a more offensive minded system.
Yet it is impossible to overlook what Boudreau has done. The career minor league coach finally got a shot at the NHL on Thanksgiving, and he made the most of his opportunity.
Boudreau scrapped Washington's dull, structured system and turned his team loose. When you have a player like Ovechkin, that only makes sense.
The result? The team had fun, the fans had fun, the owner had fun, the arena staff had fun, and Boudreau had fun. Did we mention how much fun Boudreau brought to the game?
Babcock led the Red Wings to yet another President's Trophy, and did so with a dominating puck-possession style of play.
Selke (Top Defensive Forward): Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Samuel Pahlsson (Anaheim), Daniel Cleary (Detroit)
It might seem strange for a Selke winner to come from a non-playoff team, but consider the numbers.
Sharp posted impressive offensive totals (36-26--62) and finished tenth in plus/minus at +23 -- by far the highest of anyone on a non-playoff team.
Penalty killing? Check. His 7 shorthanded goals tied for the league lead with Daniel Alfredsson. Thanks to Sharp, the Hawks became a formidable threat while short-handed, causing teams to become more conservative on the power play.
Pahlsson missed 28 games with injuries, but when he returned, the Ducks found last season's form. Without Pahlsson, Anaheim might not have been a playoff team this year. Cleary (20-22--42) was +21 for the season, and Detroit faltered greatly during his mid-season absence.
Vezina (Top Goaltender): Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks
Runners-up: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Anaheim)
Critics will point to the middling .910 save percentage, but Nabokov got the job done for an often offensively challenged San Jose squad.
His 2.14 goals against average was third in the league, and Nabokov always seemed to come up with the big save at the right time. Following several seasons of splitting time with Vesa Toskala, Nabokov was handed the reins this year, seeing action in a league-high 77 games.
Brodeur also had 77 appearances, posting a 2.17 goals against and .920 save percentage. Giguere's posted a 2.12 goals against and .922 save percentage behind the league's best blueline brigade.
Executive of the Year: Rocky Wirtz, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Doug Wilson (San Jose)
Typically, executive of the year is code for best general manager. Not this year.
Wirtz took control of the Hawks following the death of his father, Bill Wirtz, and wasted no time making changes. With weeks, Chicago had home games on television, a new marketing director, a new organizational philosophy, and sold out games at the United Center.
By the end of the year, Chicago's average attendance had soared to 16,814 -- a significant increase from last year's 12,727. The numbers are understated, as the first month of the season continued to draw half-full crowds at the United Center. By the end of the year, sellouts were the norm.
Sure, Toews and Kane had something to do with the increase. But the most important issue was home games on television. With modern NHL economics, most fans cannot afford to attend each home game. It only seems natural they would want to see the rest on television, and if they cannot, fans will lose interest.
That problem is fixed. All 82 games will be televised next season -- and in high-definition yet.
Holmgren did an impressive job in retooling last year's cellar dwellers into a playoff team, as the Flyers grabbed the sixth seed in the East. Wilson pulled off a deadline deal for Brian Campbell, and the Sharks have just one regulation loss since that time. His signing of Jeremy Roenick also turned out to be far more significant than almost anyone expected.
Eschewing tradition, the Anaheim Ducks did not hold a Stanley Cup parade, opting instead for a rally in the south parking lot of the Honda Center.
Turns out, it was not such a bad move.
An estimated crowd of 15,000 was getting antsy as the festivities began an hour after the scheduled time of 6:30 p.m. To make matters worse, the warm-up band that filled in for more than 40 minutes was less than stellar, even mispronouncing Jean-Sebastien Giguere's name as "gee-gar" -- rhyming with cigar.
A handful of fans actually headed to the exits before the party started, but the vast majority who stuck it out on a picture-perfect California evening were rewarded.
The team arrived on the top of a double-decker style bus -- they were riding on the open-air top-level -- from a location behind JT Schmid's around 7:30 p.m. Katella Boulevard was closed to traffic as the bus drove a couple of blocks down Katella before entering the south end of the parking lot.
As the players were about to depart the bus, an Anaheim Police helicopter buzzed the crowd. The Stanley Cup, along with Scott Niedermayer, Rob Niedermayer, and Chris Pronger were on board.
No word on whether the Stanley Cup was missing its two closest friends, as Mike Bolt and Phil Pritchard -- better known as the keepers of the cup -- were not along because of space restrictions.
Rob Niedermayer emerged with the Stanley Cup, while brother Scott carried the Conn Smythe Trophy and Pronger brought the Clarence Campbell Bowl. The trophies -- along with the team -- entered via a red carpet lined with cheering fans.
As the team entered, popular SoCal-based band Pennywise played Bro Hymn, better known as the Ducks' goal music. The song continued through the roughly 10 minutes it took for the team to reach the stage, which certainly qualifies it as the extended version.
Once the festivities started, things were just as entertaining. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attended, giving a short, entertaining speech.
Schwarzenegger told the crowd after the first win, the Ducks commented, "we'll be back." After the second win, "we'll be back." After the third win, "we'll be back."
And Wednesday night, Schwarzenegger reasoned, they said "hasta la vista, baby."
Schwarzenegger shook the hands of every Duck -- Chris Kunitz shook with his left hand instead of his injured right hand -- and even received a Stanley Cup-worthy embrace from Brad May.
Several players, Brian Burke, and owner Henry Samueli also spoke at the rally, while television commentator and former NHL goalie Brian Hayward led the proceedings.
As the sun set, the Pond was lit in orange lights to illuminate the three Stanley Cup banners on the outside of the building. Once the speeches were over, fireworks were set off on the east side of the building while players again took turns lifting the Stanley Cup.
The spectacular setting seemed worthy of the offical welcome of the greatest trophy in sports to California. As the first California team to win hockey's holy grail, the sight of palm trees swaying in the breeze and fireworks as a backdrop seemed the perfect complement to the Stanley Cup.
Unfortunately, nearly 20 million Southern Californians chose to stay away on this evening.
It was their loss.
For the 15,000 who were present, the sight of the Stanley Cup transcended team loyalties or any other differences. Whether those in attendance were Ducks fans, Kings fans, or hockey fans in general, it was an evening to remember.
For the past several years, Samuel Pahlsson toiled as an underrated player in the NHL outpost of Anaheim.
Have things ever changed.
Considered the likely candidate to win the Selke Trophy for top defensive forward during the regular season, Pahlsson might win another piece of hardware if the Anaheim Ducks go on to win the Stanley Cup.
It sounds strange to say a checking line center is the leader for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, but Pahlsson is making a good case. And calling his line, which includes Rob Nidermayer and Travis Moen, a checking line, is truly a misnomer.
Through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, the line has done far more than shut down Ottawa's big line of Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, and Daniel Alfredsson. Pahlsson's unit has outplayed the Sens' big guns, forcing the trio to spend much of the game in their own end. In game two, the Ottawa trio combined for 11 of the team's 21 turnovers, including a rather significant one shortly before the game's lone goal.
It is hard to get much offense going when you are pinned in your own end, and it hard to click as a line when you are not playing as a line. At times, Alfredsson was moved to a line with Mike Fisher and Peter Schaefer, and that trio often looked better than the normal top line looked. Those three were teamed for the game's opening shift, and while the normal first line was back together later in the period, the line shuffle resumed as the game went along.
Yet late in the game, the Sens found the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line intact and matched up against the Pahlsson-Niedermayer-Moen line. What happened next was strangely predictable and indicitive of the first two games.
Ottawa turned the puck over at the offensive blueline as Heatley could not handle a pass. Naturally, Pahlsson was there to pick up the loose puck and raced down the right wing.
Using a confused-looking Joe Corvo as a screen -- Corvo was facing goaltender Ray Emery when the shot was taken -- Pahlsson went between the legs of Corvo, shot the puck about 18 inches off the ice low to Emery's blocker side, and fired it inside the far post and into the back of the net.
The goal was Pahlsson’s third of the playoffs, and his 11 playoff points rank fourth on the Ducks. If anyone did not know about the quiet Swede before the playoffs, they are well aware at this point.
As far as that outpost thing goes, things are changing in that department as well. After the goal, the Honda Center, not typically known as one of the NHL's loudest buildings, reached a deafening level for the rest of the game.
The crowd had barely sat down after the goal before the next television timeout occurred. The energized crowd gave the team a standing ovation throughout the commercial break, and many sections did not sit for the rest of the game.
Fans watching at home likely had a hard time sitting down as well, considering the chances Ottawa had to tie the game with a little less than three minutes to play. Schaefer had the best look at what appeared to be an open net, but the shot went wide. At first glance, he seemed to miss the net, but replays showed Sean O'Donnell actually got his stick in the way just enough to deflect the shot wide. If O'Donnell was a millisecond later, overtime would have ensued.
The Sens also had glorious chances on a 5-on-3 in the opening stanza. The best opportunities came when Jean-Sebastien Giguere robbed Heatley on a point blank shot later in the same flurry that saw Mike Comrie hit the post on a tip from the edge of the crease.
Both goaltenders were spectacular on the night, but Emery was called upon more frequently. His play prompted Don Cherry to comment on Coach's Corner "I don't think you will get to see better goaltending if you live to be 100 years." Time after time, Emery made spectacular saves -- too many to mention in detail.
It did not take long to recognize this game would be a classic. Both teams came out full speed ahead on a physical opening shift, and by the time the game was two minutes old, fans were treated to a full night's worth of entertainment.
Helping the cause was solid veteran officiating from Brad Watson and Bill McCreary. Although the duo called three penalties on each side in the opening stanza, the rest of the game featured just one power play for each team.
Some may argue the standards of the so-called new NHL were not being enforced, but the entertainment value Wednesday was second to none. The battles in front of the net and along the boards that have been missing for so much of the last two years returned to the game, while there were still plenty of scoring chances. On another night with different goalies, it would be easy to envision this as a 5-3 game.
One thing is for sure -- nobody left the Honda Center thinking they did not get their money's worth, no matter how much they paid for tickets. A 1-0 classic in the Stanley Cup Finals, 54 credited hits in an arena that does not easily award hits, great saves at both ends, and a thrilling final few minutes -- it simply does not get better than this.
NEIL, FISHER STEP UP THEIR GAME: After a relatively quiet opening game, Chris Neil was far more of a factor in game two. He started the game with Spezza and Heatley, and he responded with three big hits and a solid 11:07.
Meanwhile, Fisher was arguably the best Ottawa skater on the night. He threw four hits and provided energy, but Sens' coach Bryan Murray would love to see him improve on his 6-for-17 effort in the faceoff circle.
Grimm's Tales Three Stars:
1. Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim. In addition to being the only player to tally a point on the night by virtue of his unassisted game winner, Pahlsson threw four hits and won 10 of 12 faceoffs. The latter stat is a huge reason why the Sens' big line found themselves in their own end much of the night, as the Pahlsson line played a strong puck possession game after winning the draws.
2. Ray Emery, Ottawa. Emery turned in one of the best goaltending performances of the season, stopping shots in every possible manner. His energetic and battling demeanor, as well as his ability to make the big save when called upon, recalls past playoff greats like Billy Smith and Grant Fuhr.
3. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim. His play during the 5-on-3 and late in the third period was a big reason why the Ducks were able to win with just one goal on the evening.
It has been pointed out by much of the media that Southern California is not a hockey town.
True, the term "Southern California" seems to imply a region, not a town, but in this hyper-sensitive metropolitan area where everyone wants to be their own metro area, it is the politically correct term.
Politically correct -- that is something Anaheim general manager Brian Burke does not spend a lot of time worrying about, yet the correct politician was on hand for the ceremonial faceoff of Monday's Stanley Cup Finals opening game.
Arnold Schwarzenegger -- aka the Governator -- received a loud round of applause after being introduced by PA announcer Phil Hulett. Although it is customary for politicians to be booed at sports event, this was different.
In star-studded SoCal, arguably the biggest local celebrity of all was on hand. At a hockey game. In Southern California.
Yes, these Ducks are making inroads in the local market. The media attention is not where it needs to be, the interest of the general public is not where many would like, and the general city-wide feeling that this is the Stanley Cup Finals is not present.
Yet at the same time, the Honda Center was as full as it has ever been by the time the teams took to the ice. Dozens of people were lined up for hours outside the box office waiting for tickets to be released. The cheapest seats from the team's ticket exchange and online brokers were selling for $400-500, and lower level seats were nearly double that cost.
Even the Lakers were never like this.
The atmosphere outside the building an hour before game time resembled a circus.
Literally.
Owners Henry and Susan Samueli set up a giant circus-like VIP tent in the parking lot for guests such as Jerry Bruckheimer, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Arnold Schwarzenegger. At the same time, about a dozen police on horseback marched past the tent, resembling a grand entrance for a circus.
Inside, the game was anything but a circus.
After nearly a week of talk, it was time for some action. By the time 60 minutes had been played, a number of things were evident.
Anaheim's checking line of Sammy Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer, and Travis Moen did an outstanding job of shutting down Ottawa's big line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson -- on this night at least.
The Ducks' checking unit outhit the Capital Punishment line 14-2, outshot them 12-5, and scored the game winner late in the third period.
Moen, parked in the slot, took a pass from Rob Niedermayer and fired the puck past Ray Emery with 2:51 left in the final stanza. The winning goal coming from Anaheim's checking line seemed strangely appropriate, considering their domination was the story of the game.
Ottawa's big line also turned over the puck five times as the Ducks appeared to expose a supposed weakness in the Eastern Conference Champions. Prior to the conference finals, Jamie Heward speculated Ottawa turns the puck over as much as or more than any team in the league, and it burned the Senators on this night.
Even the first goal came off a turnover, albeit a forced turnover. Drew Miller, brother of Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller, got a little revenge for the family when his hit caused Wade Redden to hurry up his clearing attempt along the left wing boards midway through the first period.
Selanne picked up the puck before it left the zone, then found Andy McDonald for the Ducks' first goal of the game. Until that point, Ottawa had been dominating the game.
The Senators quieted the crowd 1:38 in with a power play goal by Mike Fisher. His shot went off the glove of Giguere and then bounced over the Anaheim netminder. For the next nine minutes, Ottawa controlled the game. The Honda Center crowd was silent, the Ducks looked flat, and the Sens seemed to have everything going their way.
Still, Ottawa did not have a shot on goal in the period's final 14:24, and after McDonald tied the game, Anaheim had the decided edge in the rest of the opening period.
Ottawa took advantage of three power play opportunities in the second period and regained control of the game. Redden's knuckleball-like shot from the high slot eluded Giguere on the first of the man advantages, giving the Sens a 2-1 lead after two periods.
Although the shots were 10-10 in the middle stanza, the game seemed to be going Ottawa's way. Emery was solid in goal -- his positioning was superb and he came up with acrobatic saves when it was needed. Some observers feel Emery gives up too many rebounds, but even on a night when they came under fire from many fans, the Ottawa blueliners were there to clear away any second opportunities.
Ryan Getzlaf scored a goal scorer's goal to tie the game 5:44 into the third when his backhand shot from the right wing went under Emery and into the back of the net.
Pronger/Niedermayer watch: Interestingly, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer were often paired together on the top defensive duo, as they often joined the Pahlsson-Moen-Rob Niedermayer line against Ottawa's first line. If the Senators want to see less of the two Norris Trophy winners paired up, they need to find more secondary scoring.
On the other hand, Pronger and Niedermayer each played more than 29 minutes in game one. With no Ottawa rearguard playing as much as 25 minutes, the difference in depth could be a factor in a long series.
What you might have missed: At one point, a forechecking Pronger nailed Fisher below the Ottawa goal line. The positioning of Pronger shows Anaheim's willingness to pinch on defense -- something that was evident several times in game one. On the other hand, Fisher's positioning is a testament to Ottawa's committment to team defense -- something that was also evident in their ability to clear any rebounds left by Emery.
Grimm's Tales Three Stars:
1. Sammy Pahlsson, Anaheim. The gritty Swede led the Ducks with eight hits, added four shots, and won 13 of 24 faceoffs. Centering the checking line, Pahlsson was a huge reason Ottawa's big line was not a factor.
2. Rob Niedermayer, Anaheim. Pahlsson's linemate had six shots on goal, five hits, and set up Moen's game-winner. Many felt he was Anaheim's most effective forward in the opening game.
3. Anton Volchenkov, Ottawa. Only two hits -- a low number for Volchenkov -- but an astonishing 10 blocked shots. Then again, that is becoming a normal number for the Russian blueliner.
As a life-long hockey fan and sports fan in general, sports has always been a big part of my life. I have combined that with my interest in writing to create a long-term interest in sportswriting , something that has manifested itself in various sportswriting opportunities over the years.
