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List some of your favourite moments of "heart" and "toughness"

Big Phil

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
4,146
Inspired by another thread. It got me thinking, of all the times we see the Kovalev's and Ribeiro's and Kozlov's of the world acting like they got shot out of a cannon why not do the opposite. Let's talk about moments where you just shook your head in disbelief at a player's courage. We'll keep it to on-ice moments since we were all impressed with Mario, Koivu etc. and their cancer recovery.

Steve Yzerman 2004 playoffs - The guy gets a deflected slap shot in the eye and the only reason he goes down is because his knees buckled on him. He tries to get up and then slumps back down. He wanted to get to the bench. This is a guy who no one questions his heart and wouldn't blame him for staying down.

Brendan Shanahan 1995 - I don't know if we will ever see this again. Shanahan has a broken ankle and he hops to the bench and climbs over it. He is writhing in pain. This is another case where no one would care if he didn't get up.

Bob Baun 1964 - This is a story where the legend still hasn't surpassed the truth. Imagine scoring an overtime goal in the Cup final (arguably the most important goal in Leafs history) with a broken ankle. His foot was frozen, but still that takes a lot of heart.

Bobby Clarke early 1980s - Can't say I've seen this before either. I know it was the early 1980s because Bourque was on the ice as a Bruin. He didn't take the shot but another Bruin did. It was a deflected shot that struck Clarke right in the head. He didn't go down, he barely flinched. He has no helmet and there is blood streaming down his face. He actually was getting ready for the faceoff. I myself say a lot of nasty things about Clarke the cheapshot artist but for this one time I have to give him credit.

Rick Tocchet 1992 - He gets a broken jaw and comes back in the game and scores a goal (or two?). That's heart. I am not sure if this was in the Cup final or not.

Paul Kariya 2003 - In general he has a "cream puff" reputation but taking the hit he took from Stevens and then getting right back up after he "came" to and scoring a lovely over the shoulder slap shot goal is pure poetry.
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MiamiScreamingEagles

MiamiScreamingEagles

Global Moderator
Jan 17, 2004
71,248
48,224
Big Phil said:
Bobby Clarke early 1980s - Can't say I've seen this before either. I know it was the early 1980s because Bourque was on the ice as a Bruin. He didn't take the shot but another Bruin did. It was a deflected shot that struck Clarke right in the head. He didn't go down, he barely flinched. He has no helmet and there is blood streaming down his face. He actually was getting ready for the faceoff. I myself say a lot of nasty things about Clarke the cheapshot artist but for this one time I have to give him credit.
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That was his 1,000th point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BroBrg163bY&feature=player_embedded

One to add was captain Dave Poulin: Game 7 of the Flyers-Islanders 1987 series. Poulin had a broken rib from the prior series against the Rangers and missed the first six game of this series. He had difficulty with the slightest movements including breathing and eating. For this game, Poulin donned a flak jacket and though he only played a few shifts he assisted on two first period goals. He also missed the first five games of the following series, this being the only game in a stretch of twelve in which he appeared.
 
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pappyline

pappyline

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
4,587
182
Mass/formerly Ont
Bobby Hull playing injured

For several years now, the flights of Bobby Hull have been more and more turbulent. Ever since he started averaging 50 goals a year, in 1966, the superstar of the Chicago Black Hawks has been acquiring more than the usual number of stitches, sprains and fractures from those straining to stop him. This year—though it may well be his finest ever—is certainly among the most painful. The leading National Hockey League goal scorer and point getter is playing with a broken jaw.

.....So Hull continues to play with an injury that would sideline many hockey players. Bobby's current state, in fact, reminds one of the 1963 Stanley Cup playoffs, during which he played with a nose so severely smashed that the fracture extended into his skull. With the Hawks one game from elimination, Hull ignored the orders of his doctors, checked out of a Chicago hospital and flew by himself to Detroit. That night—with both eyes blackened, his nose encased in tape and blood draining into his throat—he played against the Red Wings. He scored three goals and an assist, but even that heroic effort was not enough to avert a 7-4 Chicago loss.
 
KarlssonsGroin

KarlssonsGroin

pray
Jul 10, 2010
5,679
570
i hated the fact he did it but, Keith took a Marleau shot to his mouth, lost 7 teeth, and still came back to play the third
 

Tavaresmagicalplay*

Guest
I think we kind of take for granted the Drurys Belangers Smyths and Keiths of the hockey world when they take a puck to the face and come back. It's not even a surprise when they come back anymore, it's a surprise when they don't come back.
 
JaymzB

JaymzB

Registered User
Apr 8, 2003
2,861
129
Toronto
I believe it was the 2004 playoffs against the Bruins, and the Habs Steve Begin's face gets smashed against the top of the boards against the bench. Looked really ugly. Came back the game with a cage on.
 
Blizzard

Blizzard

Registered User
Feb 22, 2010
347
1
Lemieux returning off weeks of chemo treatment not to mention his lingering back problems and scoring(I think it was a goal and two assists) in his first game back against the Flyers, overtaking Lafontaine for the scoring title when he was trailing him by 16 or so points in March, and the team reeling off a record 17 straight victories in that time. They ran out of gas against a pesky Islanders team in the playoffs but what he did late that year was nothing short of astonishing
 
bassassin

bassassin

Registered User
Apr 1, 2008
5,391
0
England


Meszaros gets hit in the face by a Babchuk slapshot. 64 stitches to his face/mouth and was going to come back out, but there wasnt enough time for him to get stitched up before the end of the game.

IIRC he didnt miss a game after, played with a full cage till it healed. He was racking up 25+ minutes a night at that point due to injuries on D as well.
 
TasteofFlames

TasteofFlames

Registered User
May 29, 2008
2,871
1
Athens, GA
But Modano also was a force throughout the playoffs, finishing the Finals with a broken wrist and collecting assists on all four Stars goals in the 2-0 and 2-1 victories that sealed the Cup.
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This man was m idol growing up.
 
Reverend Mayhem

Reverend Mayhem

Lowly Serf/Reluctant Cuckold
Feb 15, 2009
28,276
5,388
Port Coquitlam, BC
jkrx said:
Yzerman in the 2002 playoffs was an feat of heart and soul.
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This wins.

My nomination would be - Salo in the playoffs last year. Gets a ruptured testicle. Usually you aren't walking the next week after that, let alone play a game 2 nights later.

Or Linden in 94. Played most of the playoffs with cracked ribs and a broken nose, and a black eye and playing the way he did. That makes me proud.
 
quoipourquoi

quoipourquoi

Goaltender
Jan 26, 2009
10,123
4,126
Hockeytown, MI
Darryl Sydor for the immediacy of it. He didn't get a whistle, but he was willing to sacrifice himself for his team. No Ripley's Believe It or Not type of play; just a man doing his part. It was beautiful.
 
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