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Name the player who started your love for hockey.


Roger Crozier

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Oooo La La Pierre!

 

When I first started watching hockey, Turgeon was my favorite player by far. I remember saving up allowance money and doing goofy little kid jobs for about 3 months to save up to buy a jersey. Even though I outgrew it years ago, I still have it. The vintage white, sewn on numbers and even the 20th anniversary patch on the chest.

 

I remember hating LaFontaine at first, because we traded Turgeon for him, and distinctly remember my grandpa telling me not to judge LaFontaine too quickly...that he was a great player. Of course after a couple of years it was hard not to love Patty.

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Matthew Barnaby - during the playoffs in 96-97 season - he & Rob Ray played their "culos" off. As I said in a previous post, I noticed him first when he was in the penalty box & tore the place apart - bouncing off the walls and ranting & raving. Then I started watching him on the ice after that & he was playing on the edge of being out of control (sometimes was out of control which got him sent to Pittsburgh) but a blast to watch.

 

My screen name refers to a joke that Matt made while playing for Pittsburgh. One season they signed & traded for almost half the lineup to be from the Czech Republic then hired the former national coach from there (I forgot his name & he's since passed away - Ivan Hlinka or something I think). Anyway, a reporter asked Barnaby what he thought of all the Czech influence and he told the guy that he was going to change his name to Barnabov so he could get some playing time.

 

Another one of my favorite Rat moments was in a Pens-Blues game, he got into a scrum and ended up with Pronger pinning him against the boards. Matt was jawing at him trying to get Pronger off the ice by drawing a penalty (it was at the end of a tight game) but the big guy wouldn't bite until Barnaby stuck the two index fingers of his gloves into Prongers mouth & tried to turn his frown upside down into a smiley face. That set Pronger off like waving red in front of a bull and it was all Matt could keep to do to not get pummeled (clutch & hold on for dear life). Pronger got 5 plus the extra two, Pens scored & won the game.

 

As much as I like Matt, I'll be the first to admit he went too far many a time and has worn out his welcome in places but he's still one of the "instigator role" players of all time - others may copy his style (Tyson Nash, etc.) but few have made a long term career out of it. It's funny now living in Texas to see the Matt Barnaby show here on the Dallas Stars games - all the announcers rave about him & he sparked a comeback win last week against Colorado when Dallas was getting beat bad after fighting LaPerriere - I think that was the 2nd game on OLN/VS.

 

I'm glad we got Stu Barnes in a trade (Pens botched that deal) - who did we get again from Dallas for Stu? It's always interesting to follow the trades and see what value was given over time.

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He shoots, He Scoooores! Rick Martin!

 

"Rick Martin has scored goal number 50 and all the Buffalo Sabres come on to the ice to congratulate Rick Martin on his 50th goal of the season... "

 

As a kid I always liked the goal scorer, until little Danny Gare came along and not only scored goals, but dropped the mitts with guys twice his size.

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Bobby Orr.

 

There is a tape that was shown at my first USA hockey coaching clininc (OK - it was AHAUS back then) that shows him killing off a 2 min. penalty against the Seals. I think Derek Sanderson won the face off and was the only other player to touch the puck during the 2 minutes, winning it back to Orr. And at the end of the 2 minutes he scored - I think against Vachon. Unbelievable. Never a Bruin fan, but watching Orr on TV in the early 70's was like watching Nicklaus play golf. You knew no one was better.

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Bobby Orr.

 

There is a tape that was shown at my first USA hockey coaching clininc (OK - it was AHAUS back then) that shows him killing off a 2 min. penalty against the Seals. I think Derek Sanderson won the face off and was the only other player to touch the puck during the 2 minutes, winning it back to Orr. And at the end of the 2 minutes he scored - I think against Vachon. Unbelievable. Never a Bruin fan, but watching Orr on TV in the early 70's was like watching Nicklaus play golf. You knew no one was better.

Vachon was never a Seal. The goalie was PROBABLY either Gary Smith (if it was late 60's) or Gilles Meloche (if it was 70's).

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Bobby Orr...I still remember being in front of the TV when he scored the OT winner vs. St. Louis to give the Bruins the Cup...was a big Orr fan until he got traded to Chicago.

 

First Sabre fav? Rick Martin. I caddied in a group he was in at Lakeshore in Rochester...jeeziz, had to be around '74. I still remember his blue/gold golf bag! Classic!

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Being from Rochester, with my parents having season tickets, it was mostly Amerks from the early 80's. Jody Gage, Geordie Robertson, Dave Fenvys, Dan Frawley, Mal Davis, Val James and Jim Weimer.

Those are some top-notch names there...I'm from Rochester and remember the Calder Cup party in '82 (?)...anyways Mike Keenan let me take a swig from the Cup, christ it coulda been pi$$ water for all I knew...but MK drank right before I did, so I knew (yeah, right) it was safe...

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Rico. My heart broke when he tore up his knee on a Mike Palmateer submarine, then broke again when Scotty Bowman (who for some reason won a ton of cups everywhere but here) traded him to the Kings.

 

I lost the ability to watch the games when I went away to college, but once I had an apartment that permitted me to get DirecTV, I sprung for Center Ice. This was the year Hasek led us to the conf. finals vs. the Caps. I'd have to say Hasek rekindled my feelings for the game.

 

As far as that goes, I will go on record as disagreeing completely with the anti-Dominik sentiments voiced in this thread. I think he would NEVER fake an injury. As far as engineering his way out of Buffalo, and then continuing to play at an advanced age -- he left us because he wanted to win a cup, and he plays now because he loves to play in the NHL. Who wouldn't?

 

In any case the entire team, with Connolly first among equals, rekindled my feelings for the NHL last year. Certainly the new rules helped a ton since the game is significant improved now.

 

Just my opinion.

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Hasek (and Zhitnik)....

 

My obsession, I mean, my dedication began after the 99' cup run. Before then, I didn't really even give it a second glance on tv, even though it was always on...but after I realized what was happening in 99' and I started watching the finals, I was like, "hmm, this is a pretty cool game".......and even though those 5 years were tough I still thought hockey as a whole was amazing...I had no idea what was in store!!!!

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KeKe Mortson who played for Baltimore in the AHL.. In the late 60's he demanded that the Buffalo Bisons pay him 10% of the gate because he was the only reason that the stands were full. Combine him with Dennis Hextall and you had some great hockey and some great fights...

 

Used to watch the OHA on CHCH on Canadian TV from Buffalo with an antenna to see some really great hocky.

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