Tēma: Satirical Commentary

I recently revisited the Harold Snepsts gaffe of so many years ago. Probably 1982 but I really don't care to go look it up. Easily the biggest screw up in recent memory which for the longest time made Steve Smith's bank shot look harmless. 2.something seconds left in OT, Game 1 of the Finals against the HEAVILY favoured Islanders and the visiting Canucks were somehow within a goal of taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Snepsts went to the backboards to retrieve a puck, inextricably turned, looked up ice and tried a hail Mary pass (it seemed ) with virtually no time on the clock. Bossy intercepted it and buried it over Richard Brodeur's shoulder. The Islanders quickly left the ice and the Canucks never recovered. For years the, "Haaaaaroooollllldddd!!!" taunts filled visiting arenas - the psychological damage must have been huge for the entire Canuck organization.

I never understood why a defensive guy like Snepsts threw the puck up ice. That was dumb there is no doubt about that. But it always seemed incredible to me how he just put the puck on Bossy's stick like that and, not that long ago while digging around on Youtube, I finally found out why. There is a really good video out there that tells what really happened on that play. They slow it down and they show you how just when Harold released a "ghost" stick comes out and slashes his stick. Turns out it was Bryan Trottier's stick, which in hindsight seems totally unsurprising. But just how quick he did it and, of course, the devastating result of it makes for hockey lore. Like a long-lost mystery solved, I finally understood how Snepsts could pull such a boner. Still, no excuse for throwing it up ice but, yeah, good old Harold got burned...

I always stand at a hockey game. Not sure why but I always do, either at the stadium or in front of the TV. I remember getting lit and going into the Memorial Arena to watch the old Victoria Cougars play. Gave up the tickets and watched the games from the lower concourse, drinking coffee between the blue lines. Brother Dave and I saw a local Sidney, B.C. Junior B game this winter when I was home. Did the same thing and luckily it was some other guy (sitting) who got tagged by a puck and was whisked away for stitches. Lopsided game and not much for the average fan but, you know, a drowning man is untroubled by water...

The point of this posting is probably the last time I sat for a game. A good friend of mine in Victoria had a Saturday evening get together and, never being the most social person, I watched a pointless Buffalo game vs. someone on his sofa while everyone else was downstairs partying. Hasek started for the Sabres. Up 2-0 in the first, he got hurt and was pulled and replaced by I don't remember who. The team sagged badly and went down 2-4 or so after 2 periods. It amazed me the difference in play between having Hasek back there and not - the entire team in front of him went completely out of sorts. Hasek came back in the 3rd and the whole game changed - Sabres won in OT I believe. I lost an evening of socializing with friends but gained a very valuable lesson in the art of a confidence trick.