Two things happened Saturday night in San Diego that I’m pretty sure we’ve never seen in a Sound Tigers game. One related thing happened that we have seen: Like Hartford did in 2006-07, San Diego put the puck in its own net on a delayed penalty. Unlike Hartford in 2006-07, when the goal was credited to Bridgeport’s Drew Fata, this one was given to Max Lagace: Chicago’s goalie. We’ve never seen a goalie goal in a Bridgeport game. That was a first in Calder Cup playoffs history.
The other was less momentous but pretty fun. Down 5-2 (as it ended, giving Chicago a chance to finish it in six games Monday at home) and on the power play, San Diego pulled goalie Kevin Boyle again. Not much was doing, Chicago cleared the zone, and took a shot from long distance… at which it was revealed that San Diego had put Boyle back in on the fly. That was beautiful. Never seen that before (though I was watching that game in 1992 when Pittsburgh changed goalies on the fly).
Anyway, whoever wins that series will meet Charlotte, which finished off Toronto in double overtime Sunday night in Charlotte. Morgan Geekie crashed the net to put in a rebound 1:52 into the second OT after Stephen Lorentz went in one-on-three and got two shots off. Fun series. Two good teams. But well-earned by the best team in the East all year.
Rouyn-Noranda won the Memorial Cup, beating host Halifax in the final. That’s back-to-back Memorial Cups for Islanders first-rounder Noah Dobson, beating Islanders draft pick Arnaud Durandeau in the final. (Durandeau has to be signed by the weekend.)
Finland won the World Championship, beating Canada; Russia, which beat the U.S. in the quarterfinals, took bronze. The United States finished seventh, lowest since 2012. (The IIHF’s humorous power rankings entry for the U.K. is a beauty.)
Almost Brake Time. (There’s a callback.)
Happy Memorial Day, with thoughts to those we remember today and those who remember them.
This business is often positively baffling. All our best to Mark.
And RIP, John Pinto and Bart Starr.