Probably one of the more interesting home stands I've ever witnessed occurred last January when the Stockton Thunder came to town. Not the best. I said the most "interesting".
There is a long and storied history of bruised bodies and bruised egos between the Stockton Thunder and the Utah Grizzlies. Historically, the Grizzlies are the only ones to consistently get the better of them...and the Thunder have never appreciated that. Their last meeting prior to the January 14-17 stand back in December had 120 penalty minutes combined and plenty of dropped gloves. In November? Nick Tuzzolino dropped his a mere two seconds into the game against them. Utah has more penalty minutes in games against the Thunder than at any other team.
The weekend of the 14-17th saw many of our best players injured and off of the ice. Simon Ferguson, Brock Wilson, and Grizzlies Captain Jake Gannon most notably. Both Simon and Brock were lost during the Friday night game against the Thunder, causing us to lose them again for the Saturday game (and the following Monday)
On Saturday, January 15, I brought a group of people who had never witnessed hockey before to what I was sure would be a thrilling game between Utah and their most hated nemesis. In this party were two young boys who had heard hockey was a violent game with no rhyme or reason. I informed them during much of the pregame warm-ups about the history involved between these two teams and to be mindful of the disrespect the Thunder had demonstrated the previous night.
When the starting lineup was announced a small hush fell on the crowd among season ticket holders; those who understood immediately what those names meant. Emmerson. Kilburg. Tuzzolino. Deeth. Shulz.
Emmerson....enforcer of doom. Kilburg...backup enforcer of doom. Shulz....fearless defenseman of doom. Tuzzolino...wicked tall and fearless assistant captain of doom. Deeth...the Lionheart (of doom).
We knew what was about to take place...and yet even I was stunned by the scale of it. Two seconds into the game all hell broke loose:
The young boys in the party with us had eyes as wide as dinner plates as gloves flew off in a shower of sticks and fists that spilled over into the visitor's bench...our own coach standing on the bench to get a better look and to cheer his boys.
Part of the problem with this particular weekend of note was the presence of the incredibly inept referee Rick Looker who could not keep up with the boys on the ice and who missed, time and time again, infractions against (to be fair again) both teams that forced the boys to police the ice themselves. Which they did.
We highsticked them. They highsticked back. They slashed us. We slashed right back. Cross-checking? yep. Tripping. Hooking. Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Four more times in the evening the gloves were dropped.
To be fair, both the Thunder and the Grizzlies are solid teams that should never be underestimated...they have considerable size and weight and provocations are not overlooked. No referee lacking ANYTHING should ever ever ever be allowed to officiate a game between these two.
Alas, we got Rick Looker.
The mess that was Saturday, January 15th resulted in one of the best coach meltdowns I've ever witnessed. A meltdown that NEEDED to happen and that resulted in a standing ovation:
As for the young boys I brought with me....very very long talk about the law of retribution in hockey...and how important it is for a referee to police...because when he doesn't uphold the law...the players will.
There is a long and storied history of bruised bodies and bruised egos between the Stockton Thunder and the Utah Grizzlies. Historically, the Grizzlies are the only ones to consistently get the better of them...and the Thunder have never appreciated that. Their last meeting prior to the January 14-17 stand back in December had 120 penalty minutes combined and plenty of dropped gloves. In November? Nick Tuzzolino dropped his a mere two seconds into the game against them. Utah has more penalty minutes in games against the Thunder than at any other team.
The weekend of the 14-17th saw many of our best players injured and off of the ice. Simon Ferguson, Brock Wilson, and Grizzlies Captain Jake Gannon most notably. Both Simon and Brock were lost during the Friday night game against the Thunder, causing us to lose them again for the Saturday game (and the following Monday)
On Saturday, January 15, I brought a group of people who had never witnessed hockey before to what I was sure would be a thrilling game between Utah and their most hated nemesis. In this party were two young boys who had heard hockey was a violent game with no rhyme or reason. I informed them during much of the pregame warm-ups about the history involved between these two teams and to be mindful of the disrespect the Thunder had demonstrated the previous night.
When the starting lineup was announced a small hush fell on the crowd among season ticket holders; those who understood immediately what those names meant. Emmerson. Kilburg. Tuzzolino. Deeth. Shulz.
Emmerson....enforcer of doom. Kilburg...backup enforcer of doom. Shulz....fearless defenseman of doom. Tuzzolino...wicked tall and fearless assistant captain of doom. Deeth...the Lionheart (of doom).
We knew what was about to take place...and yet even I was stunned by the scale of it. Two seconds into the game all hell broke loose:
The young boys in the party with us had eyes as wide as dinner plates as gloves flew off in a shower of sticks and fists that spilled over into the visitor's bench...our own coach standing on the bench to get a better look and to cheer his boys.
Part of the problem with this particular weekend of note was the presence of the incredibly inept referee Rick Looker who could not keep up with the boys on the ice and who missed, time and time again, infractions against (to be fair again) both teams that forced the boys to police the ice themselves. Which they did.
We highsticked them. They highsticked back. They slashed us. We slashed right back. Cross-checking? yep. Tripping. Hooking. Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Four more times in the evening the gloves were dropped.
To be fair, both the Thunder and the Grizzlies are solid teams that should never be underestimated...they have considerable size and weight and provocations are not overlooked. No referee lacking ANYTHING should ever ever ever be allowed to officiate a game between these two.
Alas, we got Rick Looker.
The mess that was Saturday, January 15th resulted in one of the best coach meltdowns I've ever witnessed. A meltdown that NEEDED to happen and that resulted in a standing ovation:
As for the young boys I brought with me....very very long talk about the law of retribution in hockey...and how important it is for a referee to police...because when he doesn't uphold the law...the players will.
I may not know a thing about hockey but that had to be one of the most intresting things I've read in a while 1Pen, had comedy and facts in there. All while being very smoothly written.
ReplyDelete@Padfoot7411
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Padfoot! Hockey is an interesting game,...would be difficult to make it sound otherwise. One day you must go and see it. I insist!
GAH. I had the opportunity to go see a Thunder game for FIVE BUCKS. But I was sick. Blasted. I should have gone anyways....:C
ReplyDelete@Riley
ReplyDeleteThe Stockton Thunder have a very supportive fan base from what I've heard. Now, granted, they are our rivals, but anything that gets more people to hockey is alright by me. XD Next time they do that promotion, get down there and cheer!! (I only demand that if they are playing for us...you cheer the Grizz! hehehe).