Welcome to the Hotstove! As always, I'm your host, Travis Yost.
On Wednesday, the ever-growing roundtable decided to take a look back at some of our fondest hockey memories since the lockout came to a close in 2005. With a number of seasons under our belt, the list of big moments to choose from was - quite frankly - endless.
Some of the bloggers have stuck to their respective teams, whereas others have selected moments outside of their city. We welcome and encourage you to do the same in the comments section. What's your favorite memory since the lockout ended, and why?
Our roundtable tonight consists of: Mark Spizziri of the Detroit Red Wings, Shaune Vetter of the Calgary Flames, John Jaeckel of the Chicago Blackhawks, Todd Cordell of the New Jersey Devils, Peter Tessier of the Vancouver Canucks, Paul McCann of the Nashville Predators, Bill Meltzer of the Philadelphia Flyers, Adam French of the Phoenix Coyotes, Aaron Musick of the Colorado Avalanche, and Richard Cloutier of the Edmonton Oilers.
To help you navigate..
Table of Contents I. Mark Spizziri - Down Goes Dwayne Roloson and Rod Brind'Amour's Clincher II. Shaune Vetter - Marc-Andre Fleury Seals the Deal III. Bill Meltzer - The Peter Forsberg Show IV. Travis Yost - Daniel Alfredsson Does it Again V. Travis Yost - Cam Ward's Statement VI. Richard Cloutier - Patrik Stefan's Blunder VII. John Jaeckel - Patrick Kane Gets Tricky VIII. Todd Cordell - Ryan Getzlaf Finishes San Jose IX. Adam French - Patrick Kane Wins the Cup X. Aaron Musick - Craig Anderson's Brilliance Turns Back San Jose XI. Paul McCann - Peter Forsberg Drills Patrick Marleau XII. Ty Anderson - Tim Thomas Robs Brian Gionta in 2OT XII. Peter Tessier - LaFontaine! LaFontaine!
Mark Spizziri: Down Goes Roloson and Brind'Amour's Clincher
The memory of it all STILL makes me sick to my stomach.
Less than six minutes remained in the third period of Game 1 in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and the “Cinderella” Edmonton Oilers. As an avid Oilers fan, I was ecstatic as the Oilers had just tied the game at four goals apiece thanks to an Ales Hemsky power-play goal, despite relinquishing an early 3-0 first period lead.
Then, the unthinkable happened..
Dwayne Roloson had spearheaded Edmonton’s spectacular run to the Finals that spring behind the eighth seeded Oilers in the Western Conference. In a matter of seconds, Carolina’s Andrew Ladd flew by a flat footed Matt Greene and cut to the net before getting run over by Oilers’ rearguard Marc-Andre Bergeron. In the process of covering for his defensive partner, Bergeron inadvertently put a serious dent in the Oilers’ chances of winning the series.
The ensuing “three-car pileup” in the goal crease resulted in Roloson sustaining a strained MCL in his right knee and a hyperextended elbow.
Despite Jussi Markkanen having led the Oilers goaltenders with 37 games played during the regular season, he had not seen action since March 1st and Ty Conklin was dressed on the bench as the back-up. With the game seemingly headed to overtime with just over 30 seconds of time remaining in regulation, the unthinkable would happen again.
Memory #2: Conklin and teammate Jason Smith miscommunication and resulting blunder allowed Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour to score the winning goal unopposed, into an empty net.
These two plays without question may have altered the course of this series and hockey histroy. It may have deprived Carolina of their first-ever Stanley Cup. It may have ended the Stanley Cup drought for Canadian franchises that continues to this day.
To their credit, the Oilers soldiered on with Markkanen in goal and pushed the series the distance. The remainder of this series provided some other exciting moments such as Fernando Pisani’s scintillating shorthanded breakaway overtime winner in Game 5 while facing elimination OR the excitement and drama of a winner takes-all Game 7. However, the two moments in Game 1 above will unfortunately be the memories “Oil Country” will never be able to erase from their memory banks.
Despite the joy of seeing my team take part in an unexpected postseason run, the taste of defeat while being so close from winning the ultimate prize is my most memorable, albeit painful, post-lockout event.
Shaune Vetter: Marc-Andre Fleury Seals the Deal
It's the save every goalie dreams of when they're a kid. It's also the save that almost never happens due to circumstances since how often is a key save made right at the end of game seven with a goaltender's team up by just one?
You want dramatics? How about being the underdog on the road in game 7.
You want marquee value? How about the shooter being one of the all-time greats, on a rebound no-less.
You want a story? How about a kid who never seemed to be able to win the big one finally making his mark on the biggest stage in hockey.
This save will long be replayed as one of the biggest Cup moments.
Bill Meltzer: The Peter Forsberg Show
Peter Forsberg's stint with the Philadelphia Flyers marked the beginning of the end of his career. In 2005-06, he led the NHL in scoring in late November, when he suffered a "mild" groin pull. As it turned out, he was in and out the lineup for the rest of the regular season with recurring groin injuries.
It was later revealed the groin injuries were likely related to his chronic foot problems, and he underwent reconstructive surgery on his right foot after the season. Forsberg was originally supposed to undergo the same procedure on his left foot and be out until Christmas 2006 but he decided not to have the second surgery in order to be in the lineup on opening night of the ill-fated 2006-07 season.
Before all that happened, however, Forsberg put on a magnificent display in the 2006 playoffs that showed how -- playing on sheer will and competitiveness at that point -- he was still arguably the best player in the world when the chips were down.
The Flyers fell behind the Sabres, two games to none, in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. In the opening game, Forsberg dominated in the third period and had a magnificent assist on Simon Gagne's late third-period goal that sent the game to overtime. A Danny Briere tally in double OT won the game for Buffalo. The Sabres routed Philadelphia in Game 2.
With his team desperately needing someone to step up when the series shifted to Philadelphia, Forsberg single-handedly lifted the Flyers in the next two games, tallying a combined four goals and six points.
In game 3, he scored two goals and added an assist to elevate the Flyers to a 4-2 win. In the next game, Forsberg played even better.
Philadelphia was trailing, 2-0, late in the first period. That's when Foppa started to take matters into his own hands. In one of the most famous plays of his career (see video), he skated circles around every Sabres player on the ice and then fed a wide open Eric Desjardins for a one-timer that found the net.
Later, Forsberg scored a pair of goals; the game-tying goal early in the second period and a dramatic empty netter in which he stole a puck in the neutral zone, wheeled and fired the puck into the vacated net to seal the win for Philadelphia and tie the series.
Buffalo went on to win the next two games, and Forsberg's performance became a footnote to his Hall of Fame career. Along the way, however, he showed that he still had plenty of great hockey left in him -- if only his body would have cooperated.
Travis Yost: Alfredsson Does it Again
Over his lengthy NHL career, Daniel Alfredsson's been one of those players that continually shines on the brightest of stages. Make no mistake about it, the guy has a ton of key goals, and picking one of them to really encompass his stature as a player is quite difficult.
Still, there's no denying what the consensus favorite is from Senators fans, and that's his game-winning shot against the Buffalo Sabres to send the Ottawa Senators into the Stanley Cup Finals. For a franchise that had struggled miserably in its earlier stages, Alfredsson's goal put the rest of the hockey world on notice that the franchise was in it for the long haul.
It wasn't the flashiest or most brilliant score, but I'll never forget the priceless look on Ryan Miller's face. Nothing out of the ordinary, really - just that of a man who knew he had been overpowered. Sad, sure. But Miller - and the Sabres, really - didn't look like an angry or miserably disappointed club. I think the consensus in the arena was that, at that very moment, the Ottawa Senators were the far superior club, and who else but the longtime captain to send them on their way into a tough final series against the Anaheim Ducks.
Travis Yost: Cam Ward's Statement
What's this? Why does Yost get two choices? Well, for one, I truly couldn't decide between Alfredsson's goal and Ward's save. Both were incredibly memorable in my book, at least to the point where I couldn't sensibly break a tie.
Since these entries take a fairly long time to do, I have what's called an executive power. And that executive power states that I may submit two choices when only one is called for.
I kid, I kid. Let's get to the actual save. First off, how awesome was the STanley Cup Final between Edmonton and Carolina? So many memorable moments, and the fact that both teams pushed one another to the brink made it infinitely enjoyable. It truly brought out the best in the competition.
Ward's highway robbery on this odd-man rush came at a time when the Edmonton Oilers were pretty much coasting. At some points in the series, the Hurricanes looked completely out-matched, and this instance was no exception. The Oilers were skating circles around their opposition in every zone, throwing an absurd amount of rubber in the direction of Cam Ward.
And yet, as we've come to learn with Cam Ward as a player, his brilliance in tough spots is second to none. Ward responded to the challenge and always kept his team in the game, even when the Hurricanes had no business even being on the ice. It was that kind of drive and mentality that really won over the skaters in front of him, and few were surprised when the 'Canes found a second and even third-gear down the stretch to win the series in seven.
Richard Cloutier:Stefan's Blunder
Yost asks for a play that I consider memorable, and I'm going to stick to the Oilers, because that's what I do here. I can think of a few brilliant moments, like Jordan Eberle's first NHL goal or Fernando Pisani's OT winner from Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. But the play I have selected I have done so because it was one of the NHL's most bizarre and entertaining moments.
January 4, 2007...The Oilers are down a goal against the Dallas Stars. Seconds left, the Oilers pull the goalie. After a typical puck cough-up by Oilers defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, Stars forward Patrik Stefan skated into the Oilers net all alone. No goalie. No challenge. Easy goal right? Not if your Stefan. He flubbed the tap-in shot, and his career in the NHL died with it. The Oilers quickly pounced on the puck, skated up ice, and Ales Hemsky scored the game-tying game with 2 seconds left to play.
This is perhaps one of the most original moments in all of hockey. The call, as heard on this video clip, is also priceless.
John Jaeckel: Patrick Kane Gets Tricky v. Vancouver
Not much more you can say about this, but watching all these highlights really reminds me yet again that the Blackhawks need to recapture some of that hunger and joy. And, while that’s quite possible, they will also miss Troy Brouwer.
Great stuff from May 2009.
Todd Cordell: Getzlaf Finishes the Sharks
For my biggest post-lockout playoff play I chose Ryan Getzlaf's game clinching goal in game six against the Sharks.
Why is this so significant? It is significant because it is the goal that put the finishing touches on one of the biggest playoff upsets in NHL history. Let's be realistic here, two out of maybe 20 NHL fans would have picked the Ducks over the Sharks in this series, and one of the two would be a Ducks fan.
Back to the goal. Why was it so huge? With a little over three minutes left and it being a 3-1 game, there was plenty of time for the Sharks to put a comeback together and force game seven. Ryan Getzlaf is the one who put that to rest.
As I said above this may have been the biggest playoff upset in NHL history. What makes it even greater is that it only took the Ducks six games to take out the #1 seeded San Jose Sharks. And for those reasons, Ryan Getzlaf's game clinching goal is the biggest - and most memorable - playoff play since the lockout.
See 7:15
Adam French: Kane Wins the Cup
It’s the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Flyers are pressing and giving it all they got in overtime to force a Game 7. It looks like the game will take a long time to decide until Patrick Kane shovels the puck on net harmlessly. He starts celebrating, the Hawks start celebrating, and all the while goaltender Michael Leighton looks on confused. Due to this one horrifying goal, Michael Leighton’s otherwise astounding run in the playoffs is mostly looked over for such an abrupt end. From such a bad angle I expected at least a deflection but the puck just went straight through him. Patrick Kane’s Stanley Cup Winning Goal will go down in history as the “Worst” Stanley Cup OT Winning Goal in history.
Aaron Musick: Anderson's Brilliance Turns Back San Jose
Post lockout, my favorite memory has to be the Craig Anderson 51-save shutout performance in Game 3 against the Sharks two years ago.
The Avs were overmatched, overpowered and down for the count. Everyone except for Craig Anderson that is. Anderson was magnificent, making saves that he had no business making, stretching places that would put most mortals in traction.
San Jose threw everything they could at the net. In fact, I think I even saw a sink from the Sharks locker room thrown at the net. Anderson saved, it picked it up, reattached and got it working all while he was continuing to stymie the Sharks.
To top things off, the postgame interview could not be heard over the roar of the crowd chanting "Andy! Andy! Andy!"
Things between the Avs and Anderson eventually went sour but this memory will forever live as one of the all-time greatest goaltending performances in Colorado Avalanche history.
I couldn't find a video of the saves but here is the crowd chanting during the postgame interview.
Paul McCann: Forsberg Drills Marleau
My favorite post-lockout playoff memory happened in the Western Conference Quarter Finals, Predators vs. Sharks, April 11, 2007. It was Nashville's first taste of overtime playoff hockey and the franchise's first time with a playoff opponent other than Detroit. But that wasn't what most sticks out in my mind... My memory was in a fairly innocuous play in the first period of that game.
Sharks forward Patrick Marleau had just gathered the puck at the half wall and was attempting a breakout pass when he was hit. Again, fairly common place, but it was how he was hit that stands out to me.
About two months earlier, the hockey world was shocked to find out that Peter Forsberg was a Predator through a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Forsberg was in and out of the lineup for Nashville after that trade, but was in the lineup that night, opening the playoffs at home.
I had always heard and seen how physical a player Forsberg was, what I didn't realize is how subtle... almost sneaky his hitting style was until he hit Marleau that night.
Forsberg was very close to Marleau as he attempted his breakout, the amazing thing about the hit was the complete lack of (for lack of a better term) windup. The hit was simply delivered, the boards flexed back to a point that seemed physically impossible, and then Marleau was looking for the number of the truck as Forsberg skated away with the puck.
Such a little thing, but it was the play that made me understand one of the reasons why Forsberg was such a special player.
Ty Anderson: Thomas Robs Gionta
Ready for the understatement of the century? The Boston Bruins would not be prepping to raise a 2011 Stanley Cup banner on Oct. 6 if not for goaltender Tim Thomas. From the onset of the playoffs, even after falling into an 0-2 hole, the 37-year-old Thomas provided timely stop after timely stop.
But none was more crucial or more important than Thomas' absurdly unlikely double-overtime save in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Despite clawing back to even the series out at two games a piece, the B's were a mere goal away from finding themselves back in a hole against the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens, and likely would've been if not for Timmy bein' Timmy.
With Brian Gionta and Travis Moen barreling down on Andrew Ference in a 2-on-1, an over-commitment from the veteran blue-liner gave the Habs' captain a wide open net, only to be denied emphatically by Thomas.
The Bruins would quickly respond with Nathan Horton's game-winning tally, and would eventually take the series in seven, but the ability for Thomas to keep his club in games they had no business winning was simply best personified by this save.
Peter Tessier:LaFontaine!
Editor's note: Pete's submission was before the lockout, but since it was so well written, we decided to include it at the bottom.
My most memorable OT was the classic between the Islanders and the Capitals. I was a teen and a buddy and I were over at the family cabin that Easter weekend (IIRC) and the folks were out a friends for dinner. We had a TV with rabbit ears for reception so we had HNIC.
We watched and watched and just couldn't believe how long the game went. Neither of us could remember a game which had gone so long let alone one we had watched. Both us a knew LaFontaine would score- we called him the Fountain as it seemed his name just poured out of the announcer's mouth every time he was on the ice. It was almost as if it the play by play team were willing LaFontaine to score.
As we were on the West Coast it wasn't really late for us but by the end of it we were exhausted. It was a great game, a long game but a game two teams played to win and no one wanted to lose. It was probably the game which made me far more interested in the entire NHL rather than the Smythe Division, and the Canucks. Hockey viewing was still not half as accessible as it was even 10 years after that game and seeing the performance made me want to see more of the other teams who were so infrequently seen.
However, when I went to find the video on youtube for the Hotstove I found something else that made me laugh. View this video on the Youtube page and read the 4th comment down. PRICELESS!
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