Haven’t watched a lot of the 2010 replay games sans the
Final (brief pause for a bandwagon fan joke). Game 6 felt like it had to be
rewatched, though it did make the free and on YouTube list I made a while back
and was on NBCSN last week. I was in high school
for this one and watched with friends in a weird scenario where we watched upstairs
live while the friends of the older brother watched on a slight delay on the TV the floor below. Was open air so they could hear everything we were saying.
Only memorable because of the Kane goal where we’d seen the replay and knew it
was in, then waited to hear their reaction knowing theirs would catch up like
ten seconds later. What fun! It’s like you were there!
So some thoughts on the 2010 Cup from the unfair perspective of two additional Cups:
- I don’t believe in justice or karma in hockey
much, but Pronger taking a penalty that led to the first goal is close to it.
- So Hammer scores the goal that gives the
Blackhawks the lead, only to have Philly tie it up with 4 minutes left. By my
count there’s that goal, the disallowed goal from 2013 Game 7, and hitting the
post in the 2015 clincher where Keith scored the eventual GWG. This is why I
don’t believe in karma in hockey- how the hell does this guy never wind up with
a huge game winner after all those times?
- Of all ways to tie this game up late, I can’t
believe that last Flyers’ goal went off of Hossa’s leg. The “I can’t believe
this is happening AGAIN” sinking feeling must have been unbelievable. Of all
the guys in the world… no karma! I’m telling you. (He said in the postgame
interview that it was “A disappointment, but we still have a lot of hockey left”.
Luckily only about eight minutes worth.)
- For the huge “Niemi says no” craze that came
post-Cup, and after watching much more hockey since… he was ok in the playoffs.
Not that we needed a brickwall with that roster. I don’t see him having the
same “have to be on absolute fire” games that Crow had in the following Cup
run. Made a gigantic stop at the end that saved this game, though.
- Really the underrated unbelievable thing about
this game is that we won it in Philly. It’s been the only game we’ve won there
in over ten years, right? Couldn’t even beat them at home in damn Prague. But
somehow the Cup clincher is the token win there.
- I know Buff is the forever and always the “can’t
believe we let him go” guy from this team, but Versteeg and Kopecky were really
what kept this team goin’ round. And how fucking great was Bolland that year?
- The JR interview after is always a nice touch,
but I sort of think he’d have done the same thing if the Flyers won. “To the drunk
fan who cussed me out and threw nachos on me after that Tuesday game against
Boston… I hope you have a smile on your face.” “You’re emotional.” “Ah shit Dan,
don’t let them know that!”
- I didn’t realize how much I miss those cookie
cutter post-championship questions. Love the 10,000 ways they set up “I can’t
believe it. There are no words.”. Absolutely the best part of the stupor after.
“Duncan, they called you Duncan TEETH upstairs! You gave your TEETH for the
Stanley Cup!” “Thanks Pierre, haven’t been able to see an oral surgeon and they’re
unclear if they’ll be able to replace my teeth. Might not be able to eat solid food
ever again. Haven’t anything but protein shakes for the last week and am
already sick of them- all of them, every flavor. Don’t know how much longer I
can justify living like this. But, y’know, it’s good to sell jerseys.”
Really the best part about this team was how, if you lived
in the Chicagoland area, you heard by no further than thirdhand some personal
encounter of the team partying after winning the Cup. Mine was at the parade
when I overheard some guy talking about how friends had sat at a booth next to
some of the players when a really drunk guy spat in the face of a girl in the group.
The commotion was heard by Big Buff who stood up and stared the guy away from
the scene. The players have to be beyond relieved that Twitter hadn't fully blown up at the time.
Remember Cup parades being a thing in Chicago summers? Good
times. Glad we didn’t wind up winning it this year with the coronavirus, no
point if you can’t leave work for three hours to watch people climb streetposts
and throw full beers cans into the crowd. Stay home so we can do it next year.
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