Huge plays that are forgotten that happened before a famous play

[The Panther]

The other day, I was watching parts of the 1987 Final, game 2 (Philly @ Edmonton), which I hadn't seen in 31 years, I guess. What a series that was! Anyway, the Oilers won it in overtime (going up 2 to 0 in games) on a lovely goal by Kurri, set up by Coffey and Gretzky. I hadn't remembered it, but about four or five minutes before that goal, Gretzky went over the blue line, cut inside, and blasted a slapper that beat Hextall and bounced off the middle of the crossbar, straight up into the air. That would have been a nice addition to his Edmonton days -- an overtime winner in the Finals.

 

[blood gin]

The other day, I was watching parts of the 1987 Final, game 2 (Philly @ Edmonton), which I hadn't seen in 31 years, I guess. What a series that was! Anyway, the Oilers won it in overtime (going up 2 to 0 in games) on a lovely goal by Kurri, set up by Coffey and Gretzky. I hadn't remembered it, but about four or five minutes before that goal, Gretzky went over the blue line, cut inside, and blasted a slapper that beat Hextall and bounced off the middle of the crossbar, straight up into the air. That would have been a nice addition to his Edmonton days -- an overtime winner in the Finals.

I remember being told by a coach that Gretzky created a generation of kids who would try to imitate the big slapper. Get the stick up high hold it there for a second and then the full follow through. However he'd never seen one place it exactly where they wanted it each time like Gretzky. In fact he speculated it was detrimental to their game since the slight hesitation opened them up to getting the puck poke checked away

 

[Big Phil]

To me it's kind of strange that they agreed to ties in this series. Why not treat it like a playoff series with sudden death OT until we get a winner

I always thought that some sort of plan should have been in place once they hit the 8th game and realized that a tie would have done nothing. They needed to add in overtime for that game or even a Game 9 if needed be. I understand they weren't thinking about this at the start but by the time Game 8 rolled around they should have been.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

The massive hook before Lemieux's goal in the Canada Cup. lol

 

[The Panther]

The massive hook before Lemieux's goal in the Canada Cup. lol

This has always kind of bothered me, too. That was a tremendous series with tremendous players (and some average goaltending on both ends), but the refereeing, particularly in the final series, was sub-par. It just isn't right that NHL referees were used in NHL-size buildings, in North America, for international hockey. (Yes, yes, I know the Soviet team requested the referees for the final series, but it still isn't right.) That hook was a penalty.

Can you imagine, though, if the Lemieux shot had gone in, then the goal was called back due to the penalty, and then the Soviets won in overtime?

 

[The Panther]

I remember being told by a coach that Gretzky created a generation of kids who would try to imitate the big slapper. Get the stick up high hold it there for a second and then the full follow through. However he'd never seen one place it exactly where they wanted it each time like Gretzky. In fact he speculated it was detrimental to their game since the slight hesitation opened them up to getting the puck poke checked away

One thing Gretzky was better at than any player in history (there were a few things) was the sudden lateral shift to open himself up. If you can turn on a dime when the defenders aren't expecting it, you give yourself that extra time to really tee it up. Gretzky's entire game was basically centered on getting to open ice.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

This has always kind of bothered me, too. That was a tremendous series with tremendous players (and some average goaltending on both ends), but the refereeing, particularly in the final series, was sub-par. It just isn't right that NHL referees were used in NHL-size buildings, in North America, for international hockey. (Yes, yes, I know the Soviet team requested the referees for the final series, but it still isn't right.) That hook was a penalty.

Can you imagine, though, if the Lemieux shot had gone in, then the goal was called back due to the penalty, and then the Soviets won in overtime?

There is a point where nationalism becomes unhealthy, and that play is a perfect example. You can't swallow your whistle on something so blatant. They're lucky the penalty was just out of view of the camera or it might've been a much bigger scandal.