how did alfredsson miss the empty net?
I couldn't understand it then (about 1am when I watched that moment live) and still can't to this day. I think Joseph just ever so slightly gets his stick on it and deflects it. Plus there was disturbance from Foote and Niedermayer making it more of a split second attempt for him. But yeah you don't miss a yawning cage like that very often, very reminiscent of Mario missing the open net in the Olympic gold medal game in 2002, although Canada still won.
Does anyone remember when Sundin had the breakaway in the first overtime period and he was stymied by Joseph? That nearly gave me a heart attack. How in the world he was left alone like that is hard to believe.
In the second overtime there was a cough up right in front of the Swedish net and Yzerman and BrindAmour were both standing there point blank and they passed it back to each other. I screamed at the tv "one of you guys bury it!" Gretzky did a very sneaky play and banked a shot from behind the net off of a Swedish defenseman's skate and it nearly fooled Salo.
In the first overtime Gretzky led a promising rush and left a lovely drop pass to Blake right at the blueline and NO ONE was within a square mile of him. Blake though had gone to the bench for a change and the puck just lay there motionless for a few seconds. It showed Gretzky (with a wicked 5 o'clock shadow) giving Blake the business on the bench. You see Blake's reaction and he is looking up at the rafters shaking his head. I'll never forget Harry Neale's comment: "Blake knows now, but he also knew his legs were burning and had to get off." Still though, with the time he would have had and with his shot I could have seen that game end.
Either way a great game. Ron Wilson (American coach) says he was watching the game on TV and cheered when Fleury scored because they wanted to meet Canada. This game still shows you that Coffey could skate end to end at ease whenever he wanted to. Underrated game for sure.
- before Toronto scored to force a game 7 (which they would win as well). Two years later and his luck is no better.
