Magicians never reveal their secrets; happily, hockey players – while frequently given to amazing feats of prestidigitation and trickery – are not technically magicians.
So if you have wondered what the secret is to picking the top corner in a shootout before 21,000 screaming fans, you’ve come to the right place, friend.
Scott Gomez, who pulled just that feat against the hugely impressive Ondrej Pavelec in overtime on Tuesday night, exclusively revealed his exclusive secret (to an exclusive gaggle of assembled hacks and television cameras).
“Sometimes you just close your eyes and wish upon a star,” he said.
See kids? You too can be an NHLer.
“It’s not a great feeling when you skate back to the bench and your teammates are surprised you have a shot like that,” he laughed, adding “I probably couldn’t do it again.”
The centre said his mom, visiting from Alaska, picked out his new lucky suit and added the win might complicate his domestic arrangements: “they’ve been staying with me all week; it’s the Mexican way, they’ll probably be here all year.”
Hey, settle down big boy, and maybe leave the yuks to the professionals here at French Immersion LLC, okay?
Then again, Gomez could afford to be in a jokey mood, having exacted the sweetest revenge possible for being rammed into the boards from behind by noted goon Slava Kozlov – as our pint-of-heavy-and-a-deep-fried-Marsy, Queen of the South-supporting pal Jocko might say, “gerritrightupye!”
For non-Scots, a rough translation: “Well played, my fine fellow, but I’ve bested you.”
And when Brian Gionta iced it, the joint (that would be Le Centre Bell) was as loud as it gets, which the new guys admit is addictive.
“It’s an extremely special place to play hockey . . . when you’re a kid watching in your basement, dreaming about scoring a goal in the NHL, this is the place you dream about doing it, in front of this kind of house,” said Mike Cammalleri.
We are nothing if not consistent here at French Immersion, and just as we vowed to pull out the rusty carving knife if Les Boys coughed it, we must compliment them on a victory well merited and well won.
They may never lose another game, plan the parade, etc. and so forth.
That said, a few things stood out watching this one.
Like the fact the Habs went 0-for-5 on the power-play – including one for most of overtime because of the Kozlov hit – gave up a couple of short-handed two-on-ones, and that they only scored one goal in 11 documented scoring chances (the actual total was much higher, by one count they also hit the post five times). You gots to cash, gang.
The first period was dominant, the third was great, the second: pah. Better than some, not as good as most. This is becoming a recurring theme.
They may have limited the Thrash to 23 shots, but Atlanta also had 26 attempts go wide. The Habs also gave up yet another goal from the slot and managed to leave Ilya Kovalchuk wide open there a couple of times. Nice one.
While we’re inclined to cut the new guy some slack, at this point if Marc-André Bergeron is the answer, we’re not sure what the question is.
The Habs snapped a five-game losing skid, but they also still haven’t managed to win a game in regulation.
Maybe we could credit Jacques Martin with taking a page from soccer – pack the midfield, play for penalties – but it doesn’t exactly sound like a winning strategy to us.
Before you ask, we aren’t paid to be negative – or even factual! – no, the doom and gloom are both complimentary in the standard FI vendor contract.
It’s a service-minded business, after all.
