Quote:
Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr
Screw Ratanen
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Only if you take the refs with him. You know, the ones who missed Viktor Arvidsson cross-checking Gavrikov in the face in the 3rd period of Game 6. Both linesmen saw it, but they can't actually over-rule the refs unless it's a double-minor or a major. But why do you have two refs on ice if they can't spot a blatant case of "stick, meet chin; Chin, meet stick"?
And then there's the case of when, with Pickard out of the net, John Klingberg sat in the goal-mouth (understandable; it's not as if he was going to play defense, after all) and when the puck bounced into the crease, put one leg on top of it, and then put the other leg right next to it for maximum coverage. Sure, anybody but the goalie covering the puck in the crease is supposed to be a Penalty Shot, but why quibble? This a
Canadian team (with "McJesus" still looking for the Promised Land), so the rules are different, don't you know, eh?
(And yes, none of this would have mattered if Jim Hiller hadn't been so spooked by the near-choke in Game 1 that he went into panic mode in both Game 3 and Game 4, shortening the bench to about 13 skaters (3 lines, 2 d-pairs) which didn't work so well. Or if the refs hadn't screwed up Game 4 as well. Or if Byfield had made a proper clearing pass with the clock ticking down, although honestly I'm less upset about that. Sigh.)
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"Fun" playoff stats: The Kings averaged 4 GPG across the 6 games, and our power play (8/20, 40%) was the best in the playoffs.
And with a great defense like ours, to boot…
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And so goes Nick Nickson's broadcasting career. 44 seasons with the team, from TV to rado and back. Tying Bob Miller's club record for service, and presumably tying Bob (and Gretzky, Robitaille, Dustin Brown) for number of statues outside the arena, sometime next season.
Not that the Kings didn't already give Nick a fine send-off, before the Winnipeg game described upthread. Highlight was their digging up an interview Nick did with Dave Taylor in 1991 (right before the newly-injury-retired Jim Fox bumped Nick from his analyst role and sent him to the radio booth), where Nick had "dug up" a "lost" "interview" Nick did when Dave first joined the team, back in "1977".
(Quite a feat, as math tells us Nick didn't join the broadcast crew until 1981, but anyhow.)
Dave and Nick were both sporting big 1970s hair and Nick's mustache (still large by 1991 standards) was almost big enough to qualify for AFTRA membership "back then" as we watched Dave talk about how the NHL was really different than he expected, but this Gretzky kid might turn out real good and other "prescient" "insights". The worst part, "Dave" told us, was the cost of LA real estate…why, a 4-bedroom house around LA might cost $70,000! Shocking!
Hilarious stuff (I don't think I did it justice). Happy Trails, Nick!
(If they promote Josh Schaefer, I riot.)