No Goal, or That Was In The Crease!

HOYNES
I heard you had Caps tickets.

SAM
Yes, sir.

HOYNES
How was the game?

SAM
Not very good.

HOYNES
Have you ever seen a good hockey game?

SAM
No.

HOYNES
Me neither. I love sports, I just can't get next to hockey. See, I think Americans like to savor situations. One down, bottom of the ninth, one run game, first and third, left handed batter, right hand reliever, infield at double play depth, here's the pitch. But scoring in hockey seems to come out of nowhere. The play-by-play guy is always shocked. "LePeiter passes to Huckenchuck who skates past the blue line. Huckenchuck, of course, was traded from Winnipeg for a case of Labatts after sitting out last season with... Oh my God, he scores!"


The above caption is from a scene from West Wing in which Vice President John Hoynes and Assistant to the President Sam Seaborn converse about truthful demerits of hockey. I think about it every time I see a hockey game.

Like Hoynes, I am a sports nut; exception usually provided for hockey. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy it and appreciate the immense talent it takes to skate, guide a puck, and remain balanced after full-body contact with another.

Over the past nine years, hockey has been a rare albeit fun exploration of sports I know too little about. I was first introduced to my then-future-father-in-law at a hockey game and I was more excited to see Dominik Hasek play than I was to see Cal Ripken during his last season.

On the other hand, I got Bobby Hull's autograph on a game program and was about to throw it away the next day until I realized I could give it to a friend who actually knows something about the game. I could have had my picture taken next to Lord Stanley's cup but I would have had to drive ten minutes to it so I declined.

Consistent with other sports, I don't root, root, root for the home team. I'm sick of fans saying God wanted them to win when they won and the refs cheated them when they lost.

Case in point:

In 1999, the Stars won the Cup on bad reffing. A decade ago, referees regularly called off goals when a player scored while in the crease even if he had possession. NHL officials defended the decision to count Hull's goal and said they were going to change the rule for the following season anyway.

A few nights ago, Morrow's goal was called off because he guided the puck into the net with his skate, a violation of the rules. Instead of moving on and not blaming the meltdown on the blue, the homers are upset with the rules and are demanding a change.

I'd love to see a Shark's comeback down three games to none but I hope the Stars will wrap it up tonight. Though Hasek is now with the Red Wings and hasn't played since April, I'd love for him to hold up the Cup one last time at the Star's expense.