Liam's Lament

I just had a discussion with an old school hockey fan that has picked up on the latest rage in hockey - that being to complain about the double overtime games. "I can't believe all these double OT games," he stated. "I think they should go to a four on four in the second over time for sure." At that pointI reminded him that based on percentages this year's playoff is headed to a similar amount of double OT games to what was played in 2003, just four years ago. In fact all this talk about how much these games take out of teams baffles me. I don't doubt for one second that it's exhausting to play an extra period let alone two or more but in 2003 New Jersey went into a third OT period against Tampa Bay, one of six OT games they played that year in winning their third Stanley Cup. They lost four of those OT games by the way. Why was it okay for them to play five on five and go on to win a Cup and not a team today? Why was it okay for Montreal to play eleven OT games in 1993 including a double OT game on route to winning their 24th Stanley Cup? How many more changes are we going to suggest to the game of hockey? Here's a novel concept. Fix the inconsistent refereeing and you'll improve the game overnight. There's not a whole lot else wrong. With the coaching today and the quality of the goaltending it's that much harder to score at all let alone in OT when the hatches are really battened down. But I still want to see a game decided in the traditional way. For God's sake don't screw around with the playoffs. Please. There's a reason that the Stanley Cup is regarded as the toughest trophy to win in sports and playing extra periods is one of those reasons. Baseball doesn't go with eight men in extra innings. Basketball doesn't pull a guy off the floor in OT. Why suggest that in hockey? Because of six double OT periods when in the last ten seasons we've averaged nearly five a year? And now it's a problem because why?? Because some lame brained twit in the media probably couldn't get to the bar quick enough to order his Shirley temple so he's upset at the length of the games. Brutal. Please leave the infrastructure of the game alone come playoff time. Incidentally, for the record there were nine double OT games in 2003.

Eddie Shack would not have survived in today's NHL. Well, he would have survived but probably not long. A life time suspension would have been right around the corner at every whistle. For the second time in a month I had the pleasure of working with him. This latest event was the St. Catharine's Home Show. I spoke at that event years ago with Pierre Pilote a three time Norris Trophy winner. Shack has his own records to mull over more than 30 years after his retirement. Four times a Cup winner, scored the Cup winning goal in 1963 for Toronto, was the first recipient of the MVP award in an all-star game, again in 1963. He was the first player to score twenty goals or more for five different teams. He played more than 1000 games and he accumulated 1437 pim's plus he was arguably one of the most entertaining hockey players of not only his era but any era in hockey. Hence the nickname. He also was involved in a couple of the more vicious stick swinging fights of all time. By his own admission he loved to fight and he loved the rough stuff. He broke a stick over Larry Zeidel's head, he speared Reggie Fleming, he knocked out Gordie Howe with a body check, he head butted Henri Richard and cut him badly just to name a few of his moments on the ice. I point this out for people who think the 'old' NHL was a kinder gentler league. Believe me folks, the further back you go the rougher it was there just wasn't as much video evidence. Now someone throws a cheap shot and fifteen cameras record it, CNN picks up on it, Larry King weighs in and the moral majority scream from the hill tops about the monsters in hockey, all Canadian according to some of these idiots, hello Jim Kelley and then these people go to bed at night thinking their spineless words have evoked a tidal wave of support to ban the sport. Of course they turn in before those games go into double OT. Those of us who are fans, the true fans, must continue to speak up and make ourselves heard. Don't think that every single one of you do not have the power to be heard. If you have not already done so you should join the NHLFA immediately. It's free and they are a group nearly 30,000 strong. They think like you do because if you are reading my blog the odds are you are a traditional hockey fan. Maybe not every one of you but most of you and even your one voice whether it be a letter-to-the-editor, a call in to a sports radio show or a well timed email to somebody who is taking a cheap shot at our national sport- fight the good fight. I'm right there with you. Need any help, just let me know.

Liam Maguire