It's nearly June, but that doesn't mean winter sports are over and done with. Sports fans know that the NHL and NBA drag out their postseasons for a couple of months in the spring and early summer. I'd like to see it shortened a bit, though that's a topic for another time.
Wednesday marked game one of the Stanley Cup Finals where the No. 8 Los Angeles Kings representing the Western Conference faced off against the New Jersey Devils on the East coast. I must admit I've been out of the loop to some extent the past couple of NHL postseasons, largely due to the fact that I don't get the channel that carries most of the games. But since NBC has most of the finals, I tuned in for the first game.
I don't really have a team that I'm favoring either way in this series. I guess I'll root for the Kings. My reasons? Because they're from the West (where the Minnesota Wild play) and New Jersey has already had lots of Cup success. Lame reasons, I know. I told you I'm not that invested.
As I was lounging around my apartment watching the game, while multi-tasking by going through my endless stack of newspapers, I couldn't help but be a little sad that it's been too long since the Wild were in the playoffs. They've also never been in a Cup Final in their relatively short history as a team.
What a great run for the Wild
I started to get nostalgic and remember the great run the Wild had in 2003. Man, that was a magical ride. They overcame the odds to come back from 3-1 series deficits against division rivals Colorado and Vancouver before hitting the wall against the hot goalie - Jean Sebastien Giguere - of the Anaheim Ducks.
I'll never forget watching all those games on television as a sophomore in high school. With some overtime and late start times, I remember putting aside the thought of getting to bed at a decent time just so I could watch the game until the end on a school night. My memory of walking like a tired zombie into my first-hour choir class on a morning after a game is also something that sticks in my mind.
The Wild made the playoffs again since then, and even won a division championship, but they failed to move on or come close to creating some great memories like they did in 2003. They've fallen on some pretty tough times. Gone through a couple of coaches and seen the affects of some bad moves made by a general manager who's no longer with the organization.
I really hope they can turn things around within the next couple of years.
Back to the Devils and Kings, it was tied at 1 at the end of regulation. The Kings won it in overtime with a nice backhand pass and breakaway to beat veteran goalie Martin Brodeur. Playoff hockey at its best.
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