It’s a twofer this week! Cue Katharine Lee Bates, Francis Scott Key, Bruce Springsteen, et al. The torch is about to be passed between these two fellas.
It’s no secret that hockey is the national sport of Canada. Most of game’s superstars through the early years hailed from cities big and small from all over Canada.
The American’s were a little later to the party and in this week’s Fan Teaser we honor a pair of the modern-day U.S. NHL superstars.
Mike Modano was born in Livonia, MI, not too far from Detroit, and learned to play the game as a means of channeling his mischievous behavior. It certainly worked! He was just the second American-born player to have been selected first overall in the NHL Draft (Brian Lawton was the first) and went on to play 21 seasons, 20 of which were with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He played 40 games in his final season (2010-11) with his hometown Detroit Red Wings.
It was with Detroit – in Detroit – that Modano scored the final of his 561 goals and 1,374 points of his career on March 30, 2011, against the visiting St. Louis Blues.
For the past 15 seasons, Modano’s career points mark has stood as the standard for American-born players.
Mike Modano, left, is a Livonia, MI, native who established the record for most NHL points by an American-born player (1,374) while playing for his hometown Detroit Red Wings during the 2010-11 season. Patrick Kane is a Buffalo, NY, native who’s closing in on Modano’s record (1,373) and, ironically enough, will break the record as a member of the Red Wings. (Modano photo by Detroit Red Wings/Kane photo by Dan Hickling)
Now, another No. 1 overall draft pick (2007) and current Detroit Red Wing, Patrick Kane (Buffalo, NY native), is on the precipice of surpassing Modano.
Kane pulled even Modano earlier this week with an assist against the Los Angeles Kings and then surpassed the former Stars’ legend with an assist on a teammate’s goal against the Washington Capitals. Heading into Sunday’s game with the Colorado Avalanche, Kane now has an American-record 1,375 NHL points.
Currently playing his 19th NHL, spent the majority of his first 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that took him with that top pick back in 2007. Shockingly (to Chicago fans, at least), he was traded to the New York Rangers in advance of the 2023 trade deadline as part of a 3-team trade. A year later, after rehabbing from hip surgery, Kane signed with the Red Wings as a free agent, meaning that the American-born Kane has spent his entire career (to date) with three of the four U.S. Original Six teams (the Boston Bruins being the other).
Dallas Stars’ tribute video.
Kane’s highlight reel from his Chicago days.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
There were a couple of unsurprising occurrences in this game.
First, that any outdoor event in January in greater Buffalo would feature snow falling.
Second, that a marquee hockey game would – especially during this era – would feature a highlight reel play from Penguins’ superstar Sidney Crosby, who was then just a 20-year-old kid.
The puck settles into the net behind Buffalo Sabres goalie, Ryan Miller, following Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby’s game-winning shootout goal to conclude the first-ever NHL Winter Classic, January 1, 2008. (Photo by Jay Capers/Buffalo Democrat & Chronicle)
Crosby assisted on the Penguins’ lone regulation goal (by Colby Armstrong in the game’s opening minute) and then played hero by scoring on Pittsburgh’s third shootout attempt against Buffalo netminder, Ryan Miller, feathering the puck between Miller’s legs to send the Penguins’ to a 2-1 victory.
Since that snowy day in Buffalo, the Winter Classic has been played on or around New Year’s Day every year but 2014 (NHL labor dispute) and 2021 (COVID-19).
The entirety of the 2008 NHL Winter Classic Shootout between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. The incomparable Mike “Doc” Emrick (a former guest on Conversations with Sports Fans) on the play-by-play call for NBC Sports.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Me and the two Carlton the Bears, representing both the Maple Leafs and their predecessor, the St. Patricks.
As I explored a travel partner for the 30-hour jaunt to Toronto for both a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame (Event No. 27) and an NHL Opening Night Original Six Matchup between storied rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, I wanted to ensure it would be someone who would appreciate the history of both the Hall and the Leafs-Canadiens game.
Hands down, my first choice was Paul, my long-ago work colleague at the Ypsilanti Press. I’m unsure why, but this metro-Detroit native – who now resides in Birmingham, AL – lives and dies with the Maple Leafs every season. He and I traded a series of texts but some recent unforeseen expenditures precluded him from traveling north. Which turned out to probably be a good thing because he encountered a medical issue the day before we would have departed.
I next turned to Jim, one of my first co-workers as as middle school teacher. Jim retired in June and we’ve discussed going to a game together. Why not an international one, I figured! Sadly, the game conflicted with both Homecoming Week for his youngest child as well as his anniversary.
That led me to another Jim whose son, Andrew, and my son, Jake, have been best buddies since kindergarten. A lifelong Detroiter, Jim knows his sports and sports history. Plus, as a bonus, he’s a Teamster (he drives for Tri-County Beverage) and it never hurts to have a Teamster with you, right?
Jim was in! And, as a happy bonus, the professional driver even volunteered to drive!
With the the Hall of Fame visit in our rearview mirror all that was left was to make our way to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena … or not.
But First … Detroit Tigers’ Baseball
You can take this pair of Detroiters out of Detroit but you can’t take Detroit fandom out of this pair of Detroiters.
Game 4 of the American League Divisional Series between the Tigers and Seattle Mariners was scheduled to begin shortly after 3 p.m. With Seattle leading the series, 2-1, seeing as much of this potential season-ending game was a priority for us two Tigers’ fans.
As might be expected from someone who chauffeurs cases and kegs of beer around the metro-Detroit area, Jim had identified a brewery/restaurant nearby for just such an occasion. Fittingly, the place was named Beertown.
We told the hostess straightaway what our intentions were: An early dinner, a few beverages, and watching Tigers’ baseball. We all agreed the bar would be the best spot for the only two Tigers’ fans in the place (The Blue Jays and New York Yankees played their Game 4 that night).
So we settled in and watched Seattle administer what seemed like hundreds of paper cuts en route to a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth and were probably three outs away from asking for our bill, settling up, heading over to the arena, and leaving the Tigers to their own devices.
Then the bottom half of the Detroit’s batting order produced a 3-spot in the home half of the fifth and we were suddenly ordering another round.
Four more Tigers’ runs followed in the bottom of the sixth and – as we nursed our beverages through another inning – Detroit scored another in the seventh. We asked for the bill and watched Detroit rookie pitcher Troy Melton face the minimum again in the eighth. We caught a Tigers’ add-on run in the bottom of the eighth as we headed for the exit, feeling pretty secure in how it was going to end.
Detroit eventually won, 9-3, to force a deciding fifth game in Seattle two nights later.
My Third-ever Opener
Scotiabank Arena sits in downtown Toronto and is connected to the Union Station complex.
As I’ve documented pretty much ad nauseam, I’ve been a sports fan for well over 50 years.
However, during those 50 odd years, prior to attending this Leafs-Canadiens game I’d been to exactly two openers as a fan:
Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Indians, April 8, 1985 – I peered through intermittent snowflakes from the centerfield bleachers on this blustery 40-degree first pitch to watch the Tigers open defense of their World Series title.
Colorado Rockies vs. Montreal Expos, April 9, 1993 – This was the Rockies’ franchise home opener. We were in the right field of the old Mile High Stadium where I was none-too-pleased to see Dante Bichette starting instead of Dale Murphy whom I’d never seen play prior. (Murphy did enter the game as a defensive replacement and notched a RBI single in the seventh inning.)
This was my first-ever NHL opener.
Back home in Detroit it’s become a big to-do with a red carpet entrance for the Red Wings’ players to walk down complete with fans and waiting cameras and reporters to interview them as they strut their stuff. If such a moment occurred in Toronto I’m afraid our Tigers’ fandom prevented us from witnessing it.
We did stumble upon an emcee outside the main gate who was hosting a trivia contest with fans for giveaways and former Maple Leaf winger Rick Vaive was present to greet the fans, pose for photos, and sign autographs. (Disclosure: I had to ask a Torontonian who the player was.)
‘Canada Nice’ is Very Real
Entering the Scotiabank Arena left no doubt who was playing on this night.
From the random fan who informed me that was Rick Vaive, to the ticket scanners at the main gate who welcomed Jim and I, to concessionaire who informed me as a first-time Maple Leafs’ attendee I was eligible for a commeorative lanyard, to our section’s usher, to our rowmate who offered up a few peanuts in the shell as he walked by, I dare say everyone we interacted within Scotiabank Arena was endearingly pleasant.
I’m sure there were some yutzes among the 19,037 who packed the place, but I was hard-pressed to find them.
Which made for a lovely environment, though not entirely what I expected for such a rivalry as Leafs-Canadiens. There were no shortage of red, white, and blue jerseys with the C on the chest in the building, but if there was bad blood between fans that too went unnoticed. Mainly they sat side-by-side, drank their beers, and enjoyed the game.
Perhaps it was the Blue Jays’-effect.
We Went for Hockey but a Baseball Game Broke Out
Fans were provided frequent updates on the Blue Jays from Yankee Stadium.
Make no mistake, we were there to see the Maple Leafs take on their countrymen from Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens. By the way, the nickname Canadiens is spelled with an ‘e’ rather than ‘a’ because it is the French spelling of Canadiens e.g. le Club de hockey Canadien. Thus the difference between Candiens and Canadians (English spelling). Also the ‘H’ on the jerseys is not, as commonly misinterprested, for les Habitants but rather for Hockey.
Sorry for the digression:-)
As I was saying, we were there for hockey but many of those gathered had at least one eye on their devices most of the night checking the score from the Bronx where the Blue Jays were trying to eliminate the Yankees.
The scoreboard operator got into the act as the games went on, showing portions of the Jays-Yankees game during media timeouts in Scotiabank Arena.
Ultimately, following the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 victory, the baseball game was broadcast on the over-ice video board as well as the concourse monitors (Rogers Communications owns both franchises). I’d estimate 8,000 or more fans remained to see the final innings of the Blue Jays’ game.
And There Was Hockey
The Maple Leafs’ celebrate Morgan Rielly’s eventual game-winning goal during the third period.
And it was a good one!
The teams traded goals in each of the first two periods before the Leafs’ Morgan Rielly scored the eventual game-winner about nine minutes into the third period. Toronto’s Auston Matthewsand William Nylander added empty-net goals in the final two minutes to complete the scoring.
Much like the Hockey Hall of Fame where it hits the right notes for fans of all ages, the staff at Scotiabank Arena understand its audience as well. While Carlton the Bear mascot is here, there, and everywhere – including up on a scissor lift waving a flag – there’s not too much schlock involved with the overall production. The main thing (hockey) was the main thing as I’d think is probably the case in Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Sure, this is entertainment, but it’s also the beloved national sport of Canada and there seemed to be some intentionality – at least on Opening Night – to ensure hockey was the focal point.
Well, at least when baseball wasn’t;-)
A Few Final Shots
Clockwise from upper left, Carlton the Bear on a scissor lift getting the crowd fired up; the view of center ice; Leafs’ goalie Anthony Stolarz puts his hand gear back on following a break; my traveling partner, Jim, mugs for the camera with Carlton in the background (note the Olde English D); the Maple Leafs with a third period power play; the Maple Leafs share Scotiabank Arena with the Toronto Raptors, who’ve won more titles this century (one) than the Leafs; Hall of Fame Canadiens’ goalie Ken Dryden, who went on to serve as GM of the Maple Leafs was honored with a video tribute prior to the game following his death on September 5.
Liam Maguire knows more about the history of the NHL and Canadian hockey than everyone else … combined!
As I sought someone who both understood and could articulate the Montreal Canadiens-Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry and the importance of the Hockey Hall of Fame, in advance of my time in Toronto as part of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project, I turned to my resident Canada expert: Brent Savidant (S:2, E:51). Did he know of anyone who might fit the bill?
I was secretly hoping he’d fire off the long-time host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, Ron MacLean‘s, phone number or email address.
He did not:-(
Who he did might have been even better. He was familiar with this fela, Liam Maguire, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of NHL history and, pretty much, anything Canadian hockey. He didn’t have a contact for me but said he’s easily searchable.
And he was!
I traded a couple of emails with Liam and before I knew it he was on the books to record a special bonus episode in conjunction with the Events 27 and 28. Only after we began speaking it was clear this was no bonus episode. In fact, I can’t wait to have Liam back to plumb the depths of his hockey knowledge even further.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my time with the President of Liam Maguire Hockey Enterprises Inc. and the author of The Real Ogie: The Life and Legend of Goldie Goldthorpe (aka the inspiration for 1977 hockey movie Slap Shot‘s character, Ogie Ogilthorpe).
The capstone of any trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame is a visit to the Great Hall where all of the trophies are housed and the enshrinees are highlighted. I plan to see the Stanley Cup once more during my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project, when its presented to the 2027 NHL Champion’s captain during my 80th and final event. (Photo by Jim Livingston)
Hockey is not my native sport.
You see where I’m from – Indiana – we melt the snow and ice in our backyards and driveways so that we can shoot hoops all winter long. And then, during the summer, we squeeze in some of America’s Pastime, while the hardwood or blacktop is being resurfaced.
But hockey, nah, not really my thing.
Sure, we had the Fort Wayne Komets in our backyard and we’d go to games occasionally, but it was a sport I simply didn’t understand nor did my father or mother or anyone in my extended family that I can recall.
So when we moved to suburban Detroit during my 11th year, I was going to need to become a quick study. Afterall, our new home was in St. Clair Shores which billed itself as “Hockeytown USA” long before the Detroit Red Wings co-opted the moniker. Two years later, a SCS kid – Mark Wells – was beating the Soviet Union in what is still probably the most-watched hockey game in the history of the United States.
And yes, I too was glued to my television the evening of February 22, 1980, for ABC’s tape-delayed broadcast of that miracle on ice.
If I wasn’t a hockey fan by then I certainly was afterward.
So when curating a list of 80 iconic events and/or venues to visit during my Around the World in 80 Sporting Eventsproject, a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame was never in doubt. While my hockey fandom only dates to the late 1970s, I can still appreciate a museum that honors its past while celebrating its future.
That my visit to the Hockey Hall came directly on the heels of my time in Cooperstown, NY, at the Baseball Hall of Fame is a bit of divine providence. I’ve always contended these two shrines hit all the right notes in honoring their nation’s most historically significant sport.
I’m going to give the Hockey Hall the same treatment as I did for Baseball. A few photos that sparked some recollections of my time as a fan. You’ll be able to see the rest of the photographs and video on the full page for Event No. 27 which is found here.
Grand Palaces
From left, artifacts from the Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens, Detroit’s Olympia Stadium, and Chicago Stadium.
For the hockey unfamiliar, the NHL was comprised, originally, by six franchises (the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs) for 25 seasons (1942-67). These sextet became collectively known, historically, as “The Original Six.”
Each of the Original Six played in grand old palaces (or barns if that’s your style) that are given proper recognition in the Hall’s hallowed halls. Of those six, amazingly I was was able to see hockey played in three of them: Chicago Stadium, Detroit’s Olympia Stadium, and Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. Here are my memories of each:
Chicago Stadium – My memory is haziest about this one, but I believe it was circa 1991-92 season and the Blackhawks opponent was the post-Gretzky and Messier Edmonton Oilers. My lasting memory is of the famous Barton pipe organ and Wayne Messmer‘s singing of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” There was a Chicago fan in the stands who white-knuckled a railing, veins popping in this neck, and screamed the anthem in conjunction with Messmer.
Olympia Stadium – My first-ever NHL game was the Atlanta Flames at Detroit Red Wings on January 20, 1979. It was the final full season of Olympia and I recall being seated in the upper level that featured steep seating and incredibly sticky floors. My 11-year-old self had issues lifting his feet off the floor in the seating area to move, it was so sticky.
Maple Leaf Gardens – My buddy Wayne was working at the now-defunct Sport Detroit Magazine in 1988 and one of his assignments was a feature story on the Red Wings’ recently acquired winger, Miroslav Frycer, who’d previously defected from the former Czechoslovakia and played for a time for the Maple Leafs and Coach John Brophy. Wayne had requested, and received, a pair of press passes for a Red Wings-Maple Leafs preseason game in Toronto. He invited me to join and we had seats in the press box which was in a gondola high above the ice. Afterward, Wayne went to the press scrum with Brophy to ask about Frycer and received the following quote: “#&*% Mirsolav Frycer!” And that was the end of the interview. We got in Wayne’s car and drove four hours back to Michigan.
Paul Kariya, University of Maine
Paul Kariya was the face of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the first half of his career and has some memorabilia included within a larger display about the the movie, “The Might Ducks.”
I was the beat writer for the University of Michigan Wolverines’ hockey team for two full seasons, 1991-92 and 1992-93.
The M-Icers, as they were sometimes referred to by a certain sportswriter, were on the ascent during this era. Head Coach Red Berenson, himself a former Wolverine, decided to forego professional coaching where he won the NHL Coach of the Year honor in 1980-81 season with the St. Louis Blues, to set up shop in Ann Arbor and rebuild the Wolverines. It took longer than he’d have liked, but in Berenson’s seventh year the team reached the NCAA Hockey Championships where it advanced to the quarterfinals. The next year it reached the Frozen Four as it did the year after that (my final year on the beat).
The Frozen Four in 1993 was in Milwaukee and Michigan’s opponent in the semifinals was the University of Maine Black Bears which was rated No. 1 the entire season. Leading the charge for Maine – a team loaded with talent – was a hotshot freshman from British Columbia named Paul Kariya. Just 18-years-old during the season his on-ice skills were unequaled. He finished the the year with 100 points, scoring 25 goals and assisting on 75 others in just 39 games en route to winning the Hobey Baker Award.
Maine won that game 4-3 in overtime – and the championship two nights later against Lake Superior State – to claim its first-ever NCAA title and finish the season 42-1-2. It’s considered by many to be the greatest college hockey season in history.
Less-than-a-year later I saw Kariya again, on my television, as a player for Team Canada in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics where Canada lost 3-2 in a shootout to Sweden for the Gold Medal. Kariya’s shootout attempt was stopped in the seventh round by Swedish goalie, Tommy Salo, allowing Sweden the victory.
I then watched him for the next 15 years in the NHL with the Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues. He was a 2-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recipient (most sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of play) and a 2017 inductee in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
He was the first hockey player I could say, “I saw play back when they were just starting out.”
“I was just trying to capture the spirit of the moment.”
“Slap Shot” was a cult classic for those of us in the pressbox at the University of Michigan’s Yost Ice Arena.
I noted that I spent two-plus seasons on the University of Michigan hockey beat for the Ann Arbor News.
While the hockey team was on the rise during my era on the beat, it was certainly no U-M football or basketball team in terms of media coverage, so we who trudged up the staircase to the pressbox high atop Yost Ice Arena each weekend were a close-knit group.
And because we were fairly well removed from the spectators, we found a certain level of, shall I say, latitude with the conversations we were able to engage in. One of our go-tos during this era was almost a choral recitation of scenes from the minor league hockey-based cult movie classic, Slap Shot. Though I’m not sure any movie starring Paul Newman could be considered a cult classic, it sure as shootin’ wasn’t mainstream any longer. The fact that it had been released in the theaters 15 years earlie meant that most of us in the press box had only seen it on VHS tapes.
Anyhow, one of us with mutter a line from the movie and away we’d go with the scene.
Our favorite, of course, was Dickie Dunn (played by M. Emmet Walsh), the local sportswriter whose go-to line was always, “I tried to capture the spirit of the moment.”
I’m willing to bet that by me writing: “I am personally placing a hundred-dollar bounty on the head of Tim McCracken. He’s the head coach and chief punk on that Syracuse team.”
Someone reading this will be able to complete the scene with broadcaster Jim Carr’s line and the response from player/coach Reg Dunlop (Newman’s character).
A Golden Moment
The goal, stick, and puck from Sidney Crosby’s “Golden Goal,” the Gold Medal game-winner of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics over the USA.
Beyond the USA-Soviet 1980 Lake Place Olympic semifinal, perhaps one of the greatest hockey games I ever watched was the Gold Medal Game between the host Canadians and the USA in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Team USA won the pool play match, 5-3, and forced Canada to take the long road to the Medal Round. The rematch was a beauty. Canada jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the midpoint of the second period before the United States got on the board later that frame. With the U.S. goalie, Ryan Miller, pulled Zach Parise scored an equalizer with 25 seconds left in the third period to force overtime.
That’s when a kid named Sidney Crosby scored 7:40 into the extra session to walk it off … a Golden Goal as it was.
During my Conversation with Mike “Doc” Emrick, he said this was his most memorable moment on the microphone as he called the game for NBC Sports.
If it was good enough for Doc, well, it’s good enough for me.
Hear Doc Emrick’s call of Crosby’s Gold Medal-winner.
Doc Emrick in the Hall
Doc Emrick’s Foster Hewitt Award honor in the Hockey Hall’s Great Hall.
During the past three-plus years I’ve hosted my podcast, Conversations with Sports Fans, I’ve published 225 episodes as of this writing. Along the way, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with all variety of sports fans and/or folks connected with the sports industry. Hands down, however, I was never more anxious/nervous/eager/worried (choose the descriptor of your choosing) than I was when my old pal, Ken Kal, was able to put me in touch with Doc Emrick.
To me, a relative newbie to the world of hockey, Emrick is hockey broadcasting royalty. His equivalencies across the broadcast spectrum in the U.S. would be the likes of Bob Costas, Jim Nantz, Verne Lundquist, or Brent Musburger. All icons in their own right.
He was, as some say in the business, a big get.
He afforded me a half-hour of his time and as we began our chat it became apparent he was a bit off. He had a tickle in his throat and a scratchy cough he could not shake. It seemed he scheduled the bulk of his media appearances on the same day of the month and I came near the end of several hours of speaking. His voice was fading and, as he profusely apologized, he let me know he wouldn’t be able to continue.
I was, understandably, crushed. However, no sooner did he say he’d need to go, he also gave me three possible dates for a re-recording. We found one that worked for both of us and he could not have been a more generous guest who leaned into what I’ve always tried to do at Conversations … learn how my guest became a sports fan and take them on a journey through their lifetime highlights.
And let me tell you, Doc Emrick has some highlights!
He was my first and, hopefully, not my last Hall of Fame honoree from the four major North American sports. So, yeah, I lingered a bit longer in front of his glass plate recognizing him as the Hockey Hall’s 2008 Foster Hewitt Award Recipient.
If you’ve not yet listened to the Doc Emrick Conversation, I invite you to do so at this link. It’s a half hour well spent.
A Final Look
It’s incredibly difficult to capture the beauty of the Hockey Hall’s Great Hall with a camera phone. This is my best shot.
Colin and I yucking it up before the Knicks-Wizards game at Madison Square Garden.
One of the most enjoyable parts of this retirement project I’ve embarked upon – Around the World in 80 Sporting Events – is the connection or, as is the case in the instance of Event 15, the reconnection, with people from throughout my life.
And, to be clear, Colin, who joined me in New York City for two events during one special Saturday at the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Arena” – Madison Square Garden – is someone who played an integral role in my life but is also someone I don’t see nearly as often as I might like.
Part of that is due to the fact that he now splits time between London, England, and Miami, and I’m in southeastern lower Michigan. Yet, one might think distance shouldn’t be a barrier to seeing the person who’s indirectly responsible for introducing me to my best friend and spouse for the past 30 years.
Yes, it was actually due to Colin being in town from Marquette University’s Law School, that my wife, Carol, and I met at a place called The Boat Works in St. Clair Shores lo these 32-plus years ago. How infrequently had we seen each other since our high school days? Well, I skipped my grandmother’s 80th birthday party to go out with him. (Thankfully, there was a 90th … and I was there!)
So when Colin read about my project and indicated he’d like to be a part of an event, I tossed out the March 22 Garden doubleheader – Rangers-Canucks at 1 p.m. and Knicks-Wizards at 8 p.m. – as a possibility since I knew he had regular occasion to be in New York for business.
To my delight he said yes.
And to my surprise, when I asked where he’d like to sit, he told me not worry about the tickets, he’d take care of them.
I should’ve known …
Game 1 – New York Rangers vs. Vancouver Canucks, 1 p.m.
Following it’s 2011-13 renovations, the exterior of Madison Square Garden is virtually unrecognizable from Seventh Avenue.
Colin, his wife Tia, and I had met for dinner the night before and we agreed to meet in front of Madison Square Garden a bit before noon.
MSG is a unique building in as much as it’s also home to Penn Station, an active and busy transportation hub in the city that services Amtrak, Long Island (LIRR), New Jersey (NJ Transit), Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), the New York City Subway, and the New York City Bus sytems. Basically, it’s rockin’ 24/7 but especially on game days.
It’s also unique in as much the myriad train stations are all located well below ground level while at ground level is The Theater at Madison Square Garden which is a 5,600-seat venue for concerts and other events.
All of this means that in order to reach the arena floor one has to go up a few flights not down as might otherwise be expected.
The Delta Sky 360 Club was jam-packed prior to the start of the game.
Colin made mention on our way upstairs that he thought our tickets would grant us access to the Delta Sky 360 Club. Having no idea what this was, you can imagine my surprise to see a sprawling club beneath the seating level at MSG. Boxes of complimentary popcorn festooned the place, as did several food service stations which ranged from typical stadium/arena fare, to specialty items such as rice bowls, spring rolls, carving stations, and the like. Additionally, there are two massive full-service cash bars as well as a pair of Pepsi Spire machines for all your soft drink needs.
I knew such places existed – I see spectators vacate their seats near the end of each period at hockey games on television – I’d just never been.
Then Colin suggested we head out to find our seats.
Along the way we ran into ex-Ranger Nick Fotiu – the first New York City native to play of the blue shirts – who was glad-handing fans and posing for photos. Don’t mind if we do.
Colin, Nick Fotiu, and I prior to the Rangers’ game.
Our seats were, um, close to the action. Even closer than we were that night at St. Clair Shores’ Civic Arena 32-plus years ago to watch Colin’s younger brother play some high school hockey. I’d never sat directly behind the bench at a NHL game; it was simultaneously exhillirating and frustrating.
The exhilliration came from witnessing the size, speed, and skill of the players at the highest level in their sport. It was easy to see why smooth-skating Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes was such a force at the University of Michigan and why the Canucks selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He was, far and away, the best player on the ice for the majority of the afternoon – and he was out there for nearly 29 minutes! – and finished with an assist.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe didn’t look all that big seated on the bench. When he hit the ice, however, the 6-foot-9 Rempe easily could have been playing for the Knicks later that evening.
Similarly, the size of these fellas is crazy. The biggest example of this (pun fully intended) was Rangers’ cult hero, Matt Rempe. He’s listed at 6-foot-9, but with skates on easily presents as a 7-footer and, unlike other big men like defensemen Zdeno Chara (6-foot-9) and Chris Pronger (6-foot-6), Rempe is a center.
Colin had tipped me to Rempe’s fan-favorite status as we watched he and the other Rangers during warmups.
“The fans here love him,” Colin said. “He has a tendency to muck it up and get things started.”
Ironic, then, that the fella that fired up both the lethargic Rangers (who mustered but one shot on goal the entire first period) and the sellout MSG crowd, was goalie Igor Shesterkin. About midway through the second period Shesterkin left his crease, grabbed Canuck Kiefer Sherwood around the neck at the side of the net, and wrestled him to the ice to earn roughing penalty. New York scored less than five minutes later to tie the score at one and went on to win, 5-3.
Clockwise from upper left, the New York Rangers’ retired numbers hang atop one end of Madison Square Garden; I had, basically, the same view of the game as Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette; Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes was one of the better players on the ice; the Rangers’ bench gets up to gree a goal scorer; New York goalie Igor Shesterkin adjusts his headband during a timeout; a Rangers spirit team member waves a flag to welcome New York back to the ice; there is a television monitor below the floor of the Rangers’ bench; a look up at the MSG scoreboard pregame; players change during a stoppage in play.
The frustrating part about sitting so close to the action was the obstructed views due to the players and coaching staff (first world problems to be sure:-) as well as difficulty seeing any play in the near corners at both ends.
Any frustration was more than offset by talking hockey with Colin, himself a high-level junior hockey player who played collegiately for a spell at Princeton University. He schooled me on the intricacies of line changes, player bench positioning, and why players are thrown out of the face-off circle. All things I felt like I should have known but did not.
We also spent a fair amount of time talking about Rempe, a 22-year-old from Calgary, and what life must be like for a kid from western Canada (even from a city as large as Calgary, population 1.4 million) to be living in a place like New York (population 8.2 million).
Sam Rosen, right, and wife Jill during the pregame ceremony. Rosen waves to the fans during the third period.
Beyond the Canucks not doing our Detroit Red Wings’ playoff chances any favors, the main event at this NHL matinee was the Rangers’ salute to soon-to-be-retiring television play-by-play announcer, Sam Rosen.
This is Rosen’s 40th year on the Rangers’ microphone and a pre-game ceremony honored him with a golden microphone, signed jersey, and tributes from his partners past and present: Phil Esposito, John Davidson, and Joe Micheletti.
Later, during the second intermission, Rangers’ organist, Ray Castoldi, and “Star-Spangled Banner” singer, John Brancy, honored Rosen with their rendition of “My Way” which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.
The Changeover
A primary reason I decided to visit MSG on this particular Saturday was because both primary tenants played on the same day. In fact, it was the only date on the 2024-25 schedules for the two teams when such an opportunity presented itself.
With the glut of NBA and NHL facility cohabitation these days I realize two events on the same day is not all that unusual (in fact I believe the Red Wings and Detroit Pistons have done it a few times since both took up residency at Little Caesars Arena), but I wanted to see it for myself and if I was able to get to a pair of events in the world’s most famous arena and spend 10 hours with a good friend to boot, all the better.
So we lingered as long as we could following the conclusion of the Rangers-Canucks’ game (which finished at 3:51 p.m.) to see how this hockey rink was going to become a basketball gym in – basically – under three hours as the gates were scheduled to open for the Knicks-Wizards game at 7 p.m.
Even as an usher is taking photos of fans, MSG crews are breaking down seating, and the undoing the cameras and netting above the glass.
By the time we made our way to the stairs, there were dozens of workers at both ends of MSG getting work done to complete the conversion.
Chairs and railings were being ripped out and carted off, the netting above the glass behind the goals was being unencumbered to allow it to be hoisted to the rafters and the boards removed, and personnel were on the ice getting it ready to be covered by the fiberglass covering.
And never mind the cleaning crews who were cooling their jets on the concourses waiting for the place to vacate to tidy up.
As for Colin and I, we posted up in the backroom at a pub, Stout, about a block away from MSG, had a few cooling beverages, appetizers, and enjoyed Saturday action of the NCAA Tournament. Turns out there were a lot of St. John’s University fans in the place and they were not happy with the outcome of its matchup with Arkansas (a 75-66 Razorback victory).
Game 2 – New York Knicks vs. Washington Wizards, 8 p.m.
This is the same location we entered and exited from during the Rangers game.
We arrived a bit in advance of the scheduled 7 p.m. gate opening in order to check out the gift shop (yes, the vast majority of Rangers inventory had been swapped for Knickerbockers’ items) and made our way into the queue.
After the clock passed 7 I wondered aloud to Colin if the staff was putting the finishing touches on things in order to accomodate the basketball game. No sooner had I said this than we were moving forward and scanning out tickets.
And, as though there had not been any event earlier in day, we were at an NBA game.
My friend again went above and beyond with the tickets. We were seated in the second row behind the basket on the same end of the court as the Knicks’ bench and had a terrific perspective on the size, speed, and expressions of the players. Knicks star big man, Karl-Anthony Towns, in particular would invariably motion to something (an official? a television camera?) to our right anytime he missed a shot or was not the beneficiary of an official’s whistle. It wasn’t until halftime when we chatted up a courtside photographer that we discovered Towns actually had a running dialogue or similar with his father who was seated in the front row to our right.
Our view at MSG for the Knicks-Wizards game.
MSG for a Knicks game was certainly a different vibe than that of its Rangers’ counterparts.
Part of it, no doubt, was a day’s worth of – shall we say – lubrication prior to this Garden party. Fans were certainly a bit more festive and skewed older than the matinee where we saw plenty of families.
The other noticeable difference is the fact the action is not cordoned off from the spectators by boards, glass, and netting. Because of this – and because you are in New York City – people turn out to be seen sitting courtside in the front row. The Knicks and MSG wholly endorse this and have a staff photographer making their way around the arena to capture images of “Celebrity Row” guests that eventually appear en masse on the scoreboard.
How MSG knew about me and my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project and how that qualifies me as a celebrity, I’ll never know, but it did mean two or, maybe, even three appearances on the “Celebrity Row” segment;-)
Me and Egyptian-born supermodel Anok Yai.
Me and actor Lovell Adams-Gray and his wife, actress, Kia Madeira.
Former Knick player Tim Thomas, his son, and me (blocked by the phone!).
As for the action on the floor, it went about as expected. By record, the visiting Washington Wizards were the NBA’s worst team. It didn’t help that a few regulars were injured and that they couldn’t hit a perimeter jump shot to save themselves (at one point their 3-point basket make percentage was 6.7%). The Knicks raced out to a big lead (31 points at one time in the third quarter), became disinterested and allowed Washington to get within four points midway through the fourth quarter, and then won going away, 122-103, thus beating the spread of 15.5 points but not beating the Over/Under which was – remarkably – set at 225.5 total points.
Clockwise from upper left, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was grumpy during the early stages of the fourth quarter; New York’s Josh Hart and Washington’s Marcus Smart get situated following a timeout; Knick player OG Anunoby shoots a free throw; ex-Knicks’ player Tim Thomas returns to his seat after saying hello to New York legend, Bill Bradley; the Knicks’ banners atop MSG; Wizard player Alex Sarr follows through while Karl-Anthony Towns and Cameron Payne head for a possible rebound; Knicks’ player Tyler Kolek shoots a free throw.
Unlike the earlier game, our access to the Delta Sky 360 Club was not merely steps away but rather around much of the arena so aside from taking a lap upon arriving we didn’t spend any appreciable time there. I am able to confirm, however, that some menu staples (popcorn, burgers, stadium fare) remained while there were adjustments at the carving station (ham rather than pork loin) and the Asian fare.
The real treat, for me at least, was spotting a mustard yellow sportcoat on someone I recognized immediately as Knicks’ Hall of Famer and television color commentator, Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
Ashamedly, I was that guy who probably started the fan photo line (but I’m not sure I care) and grabbed a couple snaps with him one week shy of his 80th birthday.
Walt Frazier was kind enough to let me get a photo with him. (Photo by Colin Lancaster)
Garden Nuggets
A few items I couldn’t quite find a way to tuck in anywhere above from my 10 hours in the world’s most famous arena.
John Brancy Can Sing!
Operatic baritone, John Brancy, peforms the “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Rangers-Canucks’ game.
Dancin’ Larry, Dancin’
New York Rangers’ superfan, Dancin’ Larry, has a bit of a cult following … well, at least 18,000-plus Instagram followers. Here he is doing his thing during the third period of the game I attended.
Opening Possessions
The opening tip and possessions from our seats along the baseline at MSG.
Final Views
From left, the postgame view of MSG at the corner of 7th Avenue and 31st Street; the Empire State Building shown brightly as we walked out of the Garden; and my morning commute to LaGuardia Airport offered a lovely sunrise view of the Brooklyn Bridge through my Lyft’s dirty window.
Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was known to scores of fans as “Mr. Hockey.”
Many of his opponents might have – privately – had other things they called him. In addition to his scoring and playmaking ability, Howe was known to do dirty work in the corners that appealed to fans, while also raising the occasional elbow that likely did not endear him to opponents.
The expression, “elbows up” has been adopted by Canadians in response to ongoing banter by the current United States administration about tariffs as well as the annexation threats.
Gordie Howe, seen here in 1978 at age 50 playing for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, delivers one of his infamous elbows to the head of Quebec Nordiques forward Curt Brackenbury. (Photo By/The Canadian Press)
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Who is this gap-toothed man and why is he smiling? And why might he be smiling wider in a few months?
Washington Capitals captain, Alexander Ovechkin, is the man seen smiling with a tooth missing in this week’s Fan Teaser. When this image was captured, he was smiling because NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had just handed him the Stanley Cup following the Capitals’ 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Finals victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Ovechkin, who’s been in the NHL since the 2005-06 season has now amassed 873 regular-season goals. That puts him – as of the morning of January 12, 2025 – 21 goals behind record holder, Wayne Gretzky.
Gretzky’s owned the record since surpassing Gordie Howe‘s mark of 802 back in March 1994. Gretzky retired in 1999 (of course he did, right!?!) which mean’s he’s owned the mark for 25-plus seasons. It seemed somewhat insurmountable (the closest anyone’s come before Ovechkin was was Jaromir Jagr‘s 766) but the Russian sniper seems destined to take the Great One down.
Washington Capitals captain, Alexander Ovechkin, just took possesion of the Stanley Cup in 2018 and couldn’t contain his excitement. (Photo Getty Images)
One Gretzky record that’s unlikely to ever fall is his career points scored (goals + assists): 2,857. Jagr is second with 1,921. For perspective, Gretzky’s total is 48.7% higher than Jagr’s. Record holders in other leagues would need to finish their careers with the following totals to be 48.7% better (cap tip to reader and author of From Box Scores to Test Scores, Michael O’Connell, for the math):
MLB Home Runs – 1. Gretzky 1,133; 2. Barry Bonds 762; 3. Hank Aaron 755
MLB Hits – 1. Gretzky 6,329; 2. Pete Rose 4,256; 3. Ty Cobb 4,189
NFL Touchdowns – 1. Gretzky 309; 2. Jerry Rice 208; 3. Emmitt Smith 175
NBA Points (through 1/11/25) – 1. Gretzky 61,355; 2. LeBron James 41,261; 3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
It’s a couple years old at this point, but here are some of Ovi’s all-time great goals.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Well, well, well, what do we have here? Today we’ll need the player and the circumstances.
Game 7’s are special events, but it seems hockey Game 7’s are especially so.
And when they proceed to overtime, well, forget about it.
Double-overtime? Be still my beating heart.
And a scoreless tie through regulation – and a 20-minute overtime session! – and next goal wins?
Incredible!
Detroit Red Wing Steve Yzerman tees up his double-overtime game-winner against the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. (Photo a YouTube screen grab)
That’s what occurred May 16, 1996, in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena where the host Red Wings and visiting St. Louis Blues played without a goal (and only five penalties total; none after the 8-minute mark of the second period). As the talking hockey heads are want to tell us, get the puck on net and see what happens.
That’s what Detroit’s Steve Yzerman did 1:15 into the second overtime, firing a slapshot just inside the blue line that found the back of the net.
Cue the bedlam, the Red Wingswere heading back to the Stanley Cup Finals for a second of four straight seasons.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
No teasing this week, either. Who’s the fella minding the net and why is he noteworthy in hockey history?
It may seem hard to believe today, but we’re not even 55 years removed from NHL goalies playing sans protective masks.
The first to do it was Montreal Canadiens’ goalie, Jacques Plante on November 1, 1959, following a puck to the face that caused a 20-stitch gash. Today’s photo is by noted photographer, John G. Zimmerman, from about two years prior to that historic night in the world’s most famous arena. Ironically enough, Zimmerman’s wonderful ice-length image of Plante and six of the 10 skaters on the ice is also set in Madison Square Garden.
Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante surveys the ice without a mask during a game between the Canadiens and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on December 18, 1957. Plante was the first NHL goalie to wear a goaltender mask on an everyday basis, a practice he started during the 1959-60 season. (Photo by John G. Zimmerman)
Here’s a terrific look back at Plante’s decision to don the mask from CBC and how it was received at the time … especially by his head coach, Toe Blake.
A video look back at the importance of Jacques Plante.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
