hfboardsuser
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- Nov 18, 2004
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The Story:
It was the usual pre-game morning practice for the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place on December 9th, 2003. However, a breakaway drill would change everything. On a routine move in his crease during the drill, Dan Cloutier injured his groin so severely he needed help off the ice. While Cloutier ultimately recovered, the Canucks were given the news he would be unable to play in that night's tilt versus the Penguins. As would be expected, Vancouver's front office phoned the AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose so as to call up a goaltender to serve as backup to second-string netminder Johan Hedberg. However, there simply wasn't enough time to fly a farmhand in from Manitoba. As the hours slipped away, and along with them other options, the Canucks placed a desperate call to the University of British Columbia- home of the CIU Thunderbirds. Goaltender Chris Levesque of the team was signed to a one-day contract. Never tested in front of any team outside the CIU, Levesque was a dangerous but ultimately necessary choice if the Canucks wanted to avoid forfeiting the contest.
As the news reached the public, fans half-wondered if the untested, unprepared young man might somehow draw into the game.
As it was, it almost happened.
At the 1:00 mark of the first period, Hedberg collided with a Penguin at the blueline after chasing a puck. Lying on the ice for a good 60 seconds, it looked as though the third stringer might have to go into his first NHL game.
Hedberg managed to get up and finish the game, but for that small stretch of time, everyone- including Levesque- wondered if the impossible might happen.
.............................
Since I'm oh-so-bored, and we hockey fans have no fresh NHL action to talk about... how do you think Levesque would have done had he had to play the remaining 2 periods? Hedberg said afterwards that no injury could have kept him from the net, as it wasn't "fair to (Levesque)". A true statement, to be sure. But something almost did.... what if?
It was the usual pre-game morning practice for the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place on December 9th, 2003. However, a breakaway drill would change everything. On a routine move in his crease during the drill, Dan Cloutier injured his groin so severely he needed help off the ice. While Cloutier ultimately recovered, the Canucks were given the news he would be unable to play in that night's tilt versus the Penguins. As would be expected, Vancouver's front office phoned the AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose so as to call up a goaltender to serve as backup to second-string netminder Johan Hedberg. However, there simply wasn't enough time to fly a farmhand in from Manitoba. As the hours slipped away, and along with them other options, the Canucks placed a desperate call to the University of British Columbia- home of the CIU Thunderbirds. Goaltender Chris Levesque of the team was signed to a one-day contract. Never tested in front of any team outside the CIU, Levesque was a dangerous but ultimately necessary choice if the Canucks wanted to avoid forfeiting the contest.
As the news reached the public, fans half-wondered if the untested, unprepared young man might somehow draw into the game.
As it was, it almost happened.
At the 1:00 mark of the first period, Hedberg collided with a Penguin at the blueline after chasing a puck. Lying on the ice for a good 60 seconds, it looked as though the third stringer might have to go into his first NHL game.
Hedberg managed to get up and finish the game, but for that small stretch of time, everyone- including Levesque- wondered if the impossible might happen.
.............................
Since I'm oh-so-bored, and we hockey fans have no fresh NHL action to talk about... how do you think Levesque would have done had he had to play the remaining 2 periods? Hedberg said afterwards that no injury could have kept him from the net, as it wasn't "fair to (Levesque)". A true statement, to be sure. But something almost did.... what if?
