 |
2nd Annual Hockey Hall of Fame Game
|
 Eric Daze scored with just six seconds left in regulation time to give the
Chicago Blackhawks a 3-3 tie with Toronto at the Air Canada Centre on
Remembrance Day in the second annual Hockey Hall of Fame Game. Daze had
scored and assisted earlier in the game and earned Chicago's player of the
game honours, while Sergei Berezin was voted Toronto's best as he scored
once and had several other great opportunities.
Pre-game ceremonies
included a parade of Hall of Famers to centre ice, from Fern Flaman to Tony
Esposito to Johnny Bower, followed by the newest inductees, players Denis
Savard and Joe Mullen, and builder Walter Bush. A moment of silence was
observed, and then a lone 48th Highlander played a chilling rendition of
Amazing Grace on the bagpipes to honour Canada's dead.
Chicago twice held
leads, of 1-0 and 2-1, but two quick goals by the Leafs' Darcy Tucker and
Tomas Kaberle just 32 seconds a part midway through the third gave the Leafs
a 3-2 lead and set the stage for Daze's heroics with Hawks' goalie Jocelyn
Thibault on the bench. Both teams had excellent chances in the overtime,
but the Hall of Fame Game ended 3-3. In the first game last year, Toronto
played the New York Rangers in honour of 1999 inductees Wayne Gretzky, Scotty Morrison and Andy Van Hellemond.
The Legends of Hockey Game
More than 9,000 fans were on hand at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Sunday, November 12 to see the Maple Leafs' alumni play the Hockey Hall of Fame Legends alumni in one of a series of weekend events which culminated with the induction of Denis Savard, Joe Mullen, and Walter Bush into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Leafs' Alumni ("not oldtimers," as Lanny McDonald pointed out with a smile behind his ever-thickening moustache) featured Allan Bester in net and two of the team's top lines from the late '70s and early '80s: McDonald, Darryl Sittler, and Tiger Williams; and Bill Derlago, John Anderson, and Rick Vaive. McDonald and Vaive each had a hat trick for the Leafs, two of Lanny's goals being set up by perfect Tiger passes.
The Hall of Fame Legends lineup was just that, featuring the Esposito brothers, Phil and Tony, Marcel Dionne, Peter Stastny, and the famed French Connection Line from the Buffalo Sabres: Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin, current NHL Alumni president Rene Robert, and a number of members from Team Canada '72. Joining the Hall of Famers for the second of two, 20-minute periods were Denis Savard and Joe Mullen, both who scored quickly upon entering the game. Officials Andy Van Hellemond and John D'Amico, also Hall of Famers, were joined by commentator and comedian Jim Ralph for whistle duty. In another blast from the past, doing the p.a. announcing was Paul Morris, voice of the Leafs for more than 35 years. Toronto won the game 7-4.
|
