My NHL Moments

Hockey is a sport that the majority of Canadians have a passion for. Not everyone I'm sure but for most our National Sport is something we all enjoy and to some extent worship. 

All levels of the game are appreciated and celebrated. I liken it to the fervor that surrounds football in the United States or soccer in Europe. Hockey in Canada is a way of life and a source of national pride. And aside from international tournaments where our very best compete, the highest level of competition comes from the National Hockey League.

The NHL provides the best and brightest in the game a place to play and entertain. Certainly the talent level is watered down now that the league has grown from six to 31 teams but each team has its stars and there's nothing like sitting in the crowd to cheer on your favourite team in person.

My favourite team is the Montreal Canadiens. Twenty-four Stanley Cup victories and a perennial playoff participant usually. I've been fortunate to be alive for 10 of those Championship seasons. Sadly, this season they've faltered but don't get me started on that.

I come by my love for the Habs honestly. My father is and always has been a Montreal fan all of his 80 years. We'd sit in front of the TV and listen to Danny Gallivan and Dick Irving Jr on Hockey Night in Canada. Of course for my dad, it started with Foster Hewitt and the Montreal and Toronto rivalries.

My grandfather was an Engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railroad and my father as a young man also found work with CP in the train yard in our hometown. Back then CP ran passenger trains as well and among those passengers were the Montreal Canadiens players who would from time to time stop in Trenton on the way too and from Montreal. For a young man to see these legendary figures was something to behold.

So the Habs have been my team for 50 years and I hear if from my friends who are Toronto Maple Leafs fans quite often. We enjoy some friendly jabs back and forth but despite our loyalties to our respective teams, we all share a common love for the game.

Over the years I've been lucky enough to attend some of these game in person. Ticket prices now are for the most part obscene and attending a game is a rarity. I have however been witness to some wonderful memories at the few games I have enjoyed at the rink.

The best player to ever play the game, in my opinion, is Wayne Gretzky. Number 99 holds all kinds of records and to see him play with Edmonton and Los Angeles on TV was a treat. But there was nothing compared to seeing him play live. I had an opportunity to see Wayne play for L.A. in 1991 at Maple Leaf Gardens.

My ticket stub from the game.

When you see what he did when the camera wasn't on him it was so impressive. The way he could anticipate the play and where he needed to be was one of a kind.

Going to the game I remember thinking to myself, "I'd just like Wayne to score a goal." It was the one and only time I was going to see him play and I just wanted to say I saw him score once. My all-time favourite player was Guy Lafleur and I did have an opportunity to see him play in person at the end of his career but his age was a factor and even though the thrill of seeing him was there, he just wasn't the player he used to be. That wasn't the case for Gretzky on this night. Not only did Wayne score one goal but he added another and two assists on the way to a 5-2 win over the Leafs. Luc Robitaille also had two goals in the game and one assist. I left the rink a very happy 23 year old kid at heart.

My last time in Maple Leaf Gardens was also the last time the Montreal Canadiens played there as well. I had a pair of tickets to see the Leafs host the Habs in the final meeting between these two teams at MLG. Being able to say you were there was pretty cool.

My ticket from the game.

My friend Matt and I were seated at the south end of the rink and before the game even started, the level of excitement was intense. It usually is when these two teams meet but on this night with what it represented it went to a whole new level.

The game itself was entertaining and Montreal would win 2-1 but it was the pre-game festivities that I was most excited about and will never forget. With this rivalry and the history we knew something special was going to happen and we weren't disappointed. Welcomed to the ice for the ceremonial puck drop were two legends, former Maple Leaf Ted "Teeder" Kennedy and former Canadiens player Maurice "Rocket" Richard. I didn't put a stop watch on it but the standing ovation for these two greats had to have lasted at least 10 minutes if not longer. My hands were killing me by the time the applause finally subsided. The love and appreciation shown to these two men I'm sure was something to see on Hockey Night in Canada but to be there in person was exhilarating.

The last of my favourite NHL hockey moments doesn't involve any player. It centers around a man who I've admired, loved and aspired to be like my whole life...my dad.

In the past I had on a couple of occasions to take my dad to see Montreal play but it was always on the road. We saw them play the Lightning in Tampa a couple of times and after this we saw the Leafs and Habs play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Seeing a game with my dad has always been special, even a Junior hockey game.

My dad had never seen Montreal play in Montreal. The Forum would have been fantastic but sadly it was gone and the team was playing in the Bell Centre but I was determined to get him to a game to experience a Habs home game first hand. 

The game was on Valentine's Day in 2012. We took a train to Montreal and got our hotel room for the night.

Dad standing beside the plaque of his favourite player.

It was freezing cold so we couldn't venture out too long but we could see the Bell Centre just a block away so we decided to bundle up and go down in the afternoon to view the monuments and history outside the rink. We then went and enjoyed an early supper before going back to the hotel to get rested and then left for the rink to be there when the doors opened. I must say, we didn't speak a word of French and anyone we talked to were kind enough to switch to English no problem at all both on the street and in the arena.

Seeing dad look out at the ice once we get inside was kind of a cool moment for me. He was finally going to see a Habs home game. It didn't matter if they won or lost, we were just thrilled to experience the atmosphere first hand. And I can tell you, even for a regular season game against Carolina, the crowd and feeling inside that arena was like nothing else. It's true what they say about seeing a game in Montreal. In the end the trip cost me a pretty penny but the memories I have and to experience that with my dad was priceless.

I've included a video below that I shot of my dad walking out and seeing the rink for the first time.

I have been very lucky to witness some very cool NHL moments in person and I'm sure many of you have similar experiences as well. What saddens me is seeing what the prices of tickets are now and knowing that there are a lot of hockey fans who will never get to have similar opportunities simply because they can't afford it or justify spending so much money on tickets to a game. Greed has taken priority today.

Photo Fun

After sitting here wracking my brain trying to get my creative juices flowing to put forth some words of wisdom or create some controversy with my own warped sense of humour and thinking, I've decided that I just don't have anything thought provoking to share. I can't recall the last time I struggled this much to put my thoughts in my blog.

To be honest, I need to invest in a new laptop. My old one died and I had been using it to write most of my postings while at work when I had some free time to do it. Since it stopped working, my blog posts have taken a sharp decline.

In the meantime, I've found a little time lately to put my photography skills to use. My new camera has been patiently waiting in the bag for me to pull it out and give it a workout. So I've managed to take a few shots worth keeping.

I'm actually working on my second photography book right now. My first one was enjoyed by many, although I never actually sold any copies. Everyone just looked at my copy. To be honest, that's all I really wanted any way. I take all these photos and most people never see them unless they gather around my computer. A book is a great way to share them with others by having it laying out for family and friends to look at.

Here are a few of my latest photos that people seemed to enjoy. Hope you like them as well.

The Psychedelic Pslinky


Go Habs Go


Will Winter Ever End?


It's A Bird

The Thrill of Victory

I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I knew all along that the Montreal Canadiens would win their first two playoff series this year and advance to the Conference Final.

Sure, like all Habs fans I was hoping and even praying for it but after the way they limped into the post season, I had my doubts that they’d even win a game or two against Washington.

Of course, not only did they win a game or two but they won three straight games to oust this seasons President’s Trophy winners in seven games. The look of disbelief on the faces of Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau and Alexander Ovechkin reminded me of those MasterCard commercials…Priceless.

That isn’t to say I don’t like Boudreau or most of the Capitals and I do think Ovechkin is a very talented and exciting player to watch but I was thrilled to see him shutdown by the Habs and sent packing.

Ovechkin plays like a spoiled kid with little respect for the traditions of the game. His on ice celebrations are a slap in the face to his opponents and totally unnecessary. A fist pump, raising your arms in the air or hugging your teammates after a goal is perfectly fine. But there’s no need to go jumping into the glass or jump on the backs of your teammates unless you score the game winner in overtime of a playoff game. That’s something worth getting excited about. I think Ovie may have celebrated a bit too hard during the regular season because he had nothing left in the tank during the first round.

After whipping the Capitals the road didn’t get much easier for Montreal as they had to face Cindy Crosby (not a spelling mistake) and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Just when I thought Crosby had matured as a player and was starting to respect him more, his constant whining, embellishing and complaining to the officials was beyond annoying. Once again, he’s also a player that can be very fun to watch and I’ll be the first to admit; I wanted to kiss him on the lips after he scored in overtime against the U.S. to win the Gold Medal at the Vancouver Olympics, but the incessant bitching when things didn’t go his way was nauseating to watch.

Now I’m not saying that Montreal is a better team on paper than both the Caps and Pens but the Habs did what they needed to in order to secure victories in both seven game series. The key to any underdog having a fighting chance is goaltending and Montreal has had that in abundance. Jaroslav Halak has clearly been the star of these playoffs so far. Just when you think he can’t make a better save, he comes through one more time.

Aside from the goalie, the Montreal defence has gone through injuries, viruses and resorted to calling up a young player from Hamilton of the AHL in P.K. Subban. He has stepped into the injured Markov’s skates and not missed a beat for such a young and inexperienced player. It’s no wonder the fans at the Bell Centre chant his name when he’s on the ice. Hal Gill was a player I yelled at all season. Of course he never heard me since I was only yelling at the TV but you get my point. Gill seemed to make the biggest gaffs in the regular season at the wrong times but this post season, “No Skill Gill” has quickly turned into a puck blocking machine.

Mike Cammalleri has also picked up his game at the right time and currently leads all goal scorers with 12 in the post season.

The Canadiens haven’t advanced this far in the playoffs since 1993 and we all know what happened that year. Will it happen this time around? Only time will tell. One thing is certain… this is a fun time to be a Habs fan.

October This and That

I was just sitting in front of the computer and figured I should probably post an update on the blog but I really don't have any particular topic that has peaked my interest lately.

My Habs have been playing fairly well despite a bad night tonight in Vancouver and the fact they're starting the season with a long road trip and the Leafs haven't won a game yet, so that's all good. Plus my hockey pool has begun and that helps to keep the season interesting.

The world has been dealing with some crazy stuff lately with typhoon's, tsunami's and earthquakes and thankfully none of it has really affected me at all other than feeling sorry for those who have suffered.

I tried my luck at Geocaching the other day but gave up after about ten minutes. I just don't have the patience to trek through the bush looking for hidden "treasures" just for the heck of it. If I was searching for the secret location of a group of undersexed sorority girls then that might prove to be a bit more motivating.

I went out golfing earlier tonight for the first time in about a month and it wasn't a compete failure. It was cool, the winds were blowing at about 1000 km/h and my tee shots looked great until I made contact with the ball. Eventually the sun came out and the colours of the leaves on the trees were amazing. I had a lot of fun golfing with the guys. Truth be told...I've golfed a lot worse and actually hit a few good tee shots. My putting sucked though. Hopefully I play better on the 17th as I take part in the annual Terry Fox Golf Tournament.

Thanksgiving is coming up on Monday and I'll be working all day so that won't be too exciting. On the plus side I'll be enjoying some delicious dead fowl drowning in golden gravy on Sunday night. I love my mothers cooking.

And the other day I had some fun watching the local Air Force Search and Rescue Techs practicing their skills on the bay south of Brighton. Of course, I had my camera in hand and managed to snap a few frames (see below). I've seen this stuff before but it's still impressive to watch as they drop guys in wetsuits into the water and then come around to pluck them out over and over.

So aside from some boring work related stuff, that's about all I've been up to lately. I hope your life is more interesting than mine.

Copyright © All rights reserved.

Copyright © All rights reserved.

Florida Trip Journal 2007-2008

The following, for those who are interested, is a brief but lengthy log of my family's holiday vacation from the time we hit the road on the morning of December 14th to our return on January 9th. This will give you just a bit of an idea of what we did to celebrate the holiday season on the sunny and warm Florida Gulf Coast.

Day 1 - Friday December 14th
My mom, dad and I loaded my car and were on the road at 3:00 a.m. With one storm ending and another on the way we did our best to travel between them. For the first time in all my trips South I actually saw the sun in Pennsylvania. Light snow in New York and part way into Pennsylvania but then it turned much nicer. Lots of ice in the trees down to Harrisburg as well. We stopped driving around 5:30 p.m. and rested for the night in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. I was ready to see a bed.

Day 2 - Saturday December 15th
Up and on the road by 4am for another long day on the road. A little rain and heavy traffic at times but overall it wasn't a bad commute. I'm sorry ladies but I have come to the conclusion that the worst drivers on the roads are women. If it isn't the case, you certainly have plenty of fellow females who are adding some weight to the rumour. We arrived at Scott and Erin's at 5:20pm. Out for a quick supper at Outback Steakhouse...mmmm prime rib, and then home for an early night.

Day 3 - Sunday December 16th
I slept in late and it was a quiet day. Shopped at the WalMart, played cards and relaxed. Also kept an eye on the computer to try and get news on the big snow storm hitting back home. I'm glad to be in Florida but wondering what's happening at the house.

Days 4-10 - Monday Dec. 17th to Sunday Dec. 23rd
Mostly shopping during these days and relaxation in the evenings as we continued to prepare for Christmas. I've come to the conclusion that it's much easier to spend money rather than earn it...but I think we all knew that already. WalMart is like a second home to me now and the massive malls are almost as familiar. Went to have the car detailed and it looks like new all washed and waxed and the inside cleaned.

Day 11 - Monday Dec. 24th
Scott and I were up early and on the road to join the masses for the final pre-Christmas shopping day. We traveled up the road, over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and into Tampa where we found the International Plaza Mall which is a gigantic two level mall. It's an impressive place but most of the stores were well out of my price range. The Apple store was nice to visit though. Erin had to work today so it was just the four of us for our annual Christmas Eve supper at Outback Steakhouse. We used to eat at Ponderosa but sadly they no longer exist anymore to keep that tradition going. It was a quiet evening at home as we prepared for a busy Christmas Day.

Day 12 - Tuesday Dec. 25th
Up early for breakfast and then it was present opening time. It was a very good haul for all of us with lots of new toys including a new laptop for me, diamonds for mom, iPod and telescope for dad and two iPhones for Scott and Erin. We were spoiled as usual. It was then off to Erin's parents house for supper, more gift opening and a lot of laughs. Both sets of Erin's grandparents, mom and dad and sister Ashley were there. By the way it was in the 80's and sunny today...not what I'm used to for Christmas but I'm not complaining.

Day 13 - Wednesday Dec. 26th
Scott and I went golfing today at Stoneybrook Golf Club just down the street from the house. The good news was I played better than the last time I played that course but the bad news was I still didn't play great. Scott had a good round though. It was nice to get out on Boxing Day to play 18 holes on a warm day and I got to work on my tan a little bit. I was quite sore in the evening since I hadn't played in almost 3 months.

Day 14 - Thursday Dec. 27th
Most of the day was spent around the house relaxing. Late in the afternoon all five of us jumped in Scott's truck and headed for Tampa to watch the Montreal Canadiens play the Lightning at the Forum. It was a packed house with lots of Habs fans in attendance and of course we had our Montreal jerseys and hats to fit in and cheer our team on. Our seats were awesome and the Habs won 5-2. It was a fun night and worth the price of admission.

Day 15 - Friday Dec. 28th
More shopping on a very hot day. I actually got some tan this day as I spent time waiting for my parents to shop. It was a quiet day overall which is always nice.

Day 16 - Saturday Dec. 29th
Mom, Dad, Scott, Erin, Ashley and I hit the road for Tampa to spend the day shopping, or browsing as I would describe my involvement. It was a full day at the International Plaza and the place was very busy with lots of sales. Of course even the sale prices were more than I was willing to spend at this ritzy place. Supper was spent at The Cheesecake Factory which was very nice and very filling. The Tons of Fun Burger was truly more than a mouthful. It was a good day.

Day 17 - Sunday Dec. 30th
Another quiet day mostly spent around the house. Watched some football in the afternoon and then a couple of movies in the evening.

Day 18 - Monday Dec. 31st
It was an overcast day with scattered showers so our plans changed and we didn't do much. Did a little shopping with Mom, Dad and Scott. We had a very good lunch in Sarasota at Cheeburger Cheeburger. It was very filling and tasty. In the evening Erin's sister Ashley joined us for food, games, cards and champagne as we rang in the New Year 2008 together.

Day 19 - Tuesday January 1st
Other than a quick outing to Walmart with Scott it was a day spent at the house watching college football, playing games and eating lots of food on this first day of the new year. Erin's sister Ashley and her parents Lynette and David also spent the afternoon with us. It was a small but nice gathering.

Day 20 - Wednesday January 2nd
Slept in a bit but got up and booked a campsite online at Presqu'ile for mom and dad for this summer. It seems so far away right now. Out and about with ma and pa on a much cooler day as we visited the Outlet Mall at Ellenton and checked out a few other places. Home for supper and a relaxing evening.

Day 21 - Thursday January 3rd
Woke up to a very cold morning for Florida as the temperatures were just above freezing. Thankfully it wasn't expected to last more than a day or two. Scott, Mom, Dad and I headed for Myakka River State Park to check out the wildlife and be one with nature. The gators were scarce today thanks to the cold weather but plenty of varieties of birds. We also made our way down to Lido Beach by St. Armand's Circle. After supper at Red Lobster it was home to watch TV and play a few games on the Xbox 360 before calling it a night.

Day 22 - Friday January 4th
Woke up feeling a little ill today so I decided to spend a quiet day resting around the house and watching some movies. It is expected to be a busy day tomorrow for mom and dad's 45th wedding anniversary party here.

Day 23 - Saturday January 5th
This was a busy day as mom and dad celebrated their 45th anniversary today. I took mom and dad out for a little light shopping while Scott and Erin got things ready at the house. Upon our return we were joined by the Hinman's, Ashley and Grandma Lusk. We had a delicious turkey dinner, presents were given and emails from friends back home were read. Mom and Dad also received a letter personally signed by the Prime Minister and another from the Premier of Ontario congratulating them. After supper we played some games and then relaxed. It was a good day. Of course dad and I also kept an eye on the World Junior Hockey Gold Medal game which Canada won. They beat Sweden in overtime for their fourth gold in a row.

Day 24 - Sunday January 6th
Another day of relaxation mostly. Mom, Dad and I went up I-75 to the Ellenton Outlet Mall for a quick visit and then to lunch before returning home. Spent the afternoon playing games on the Xbox 360 with Scott and then a quiet evening as we get prepared for the trip home.

Day 25 - Monday January 7th
Up fairly early and started to get ready to leave as we're expecting to hit the road very early tomorrow. We had a lot of stuff to pack and we managed to get a lot of it in the trunk of my car. Safe to say the load won't shift any as it is packed tight. Scott and Erin worked today so the folks and I did some last minute running around before coming home, having supper and calling it an early night.

Day 26 - Tuesday January 8th
Up at 3:00am, finished packing the car, said our goodbyes to Scott and Erin and on the road by 3:45am. Dad and I shared the driving duties as usual and the trip went well overall. Traffic was OK for the most part until we got up around Richmond, Virginia in time for rush hour at 5:00pm. The only problem occurred on I-275 when a dump truck went flying past us and kicked up a rock which hit the windshield and cracked it on the drives side. I was quite angry as you might imagine. The crack spread about 8-10 inches before it stopped. We decided to get off the road and grabbed a motel in Fredericksburg, Virginia as we figured 15 hours driving was enough for day one. The temperature was very warm and mostly dry the whole way which was nice.

Day 27 - Wednesday January 9th
It was another early morning as we were up and on the road by 5:00am. It was a long day with the some rain to start and then sunshine and high winds the rest of the way. We saw several transport trailers and one fifth wheel camper that had been blown over by the winds. We lost a little time in Wilkes-Bare, Pennsylvania as we took an off ramp to get gas that didn't have an on ramp but thanks to my GPS we were able to go cross country a bit and back on to I-81. We also had a delay at the Ivy Lee bridges at the Thousand Islands. Due to the very strong winds the transports were not being allowed over and they were only letting vehicles over in one direction at a time. We finally make it to the house and got the car unpacked and relaxed.

Despite the cooler weather it was nice to be home again but I do miss the heat and weather of Florida already. It was a great trip and I only hope the warm weather returns to Canada sooner rather than later. I should also thank my employer for allowing me the time off. Luckily it was a slow time at work so I wasn't missed too badly.

And a reminder you can check out more photos from the trip by clicking Bundy's Photos in the right column.

Favourite Sports Memories

Welcome to part two of my series on sports. Actually I didn't plan this but I was reading the Toronto Sun today and over the next few days their reporters or writing about their favourite moment in sports history from their perspective. Obviously they won't be talking about the 1906 World Series or the Montreal Maroons Hockey team but instead they'll discuss a sporting event they actually witnessed.

So along the same lines, I've decided to post a few of my favourite sporting moments in the last 40 years of my life. OK, I'm 39, but who's counting. I've also included plenty of video evidence to help you enjoy the moments again. Hopefully the links don't disappear.

In no particular order, here we go...

1993 Stanley Cup Final
I can remember it as if it was yesterday as the Montreal Canadians (my team of course) defeated the L.A. Kings in five games to win their 24th Stanley Cup. Sadly they haven't won again since then but I've been fortunate enough to see the "Habs" win ten Stanley Cups in my lifetime. I don't recall ever seeing the Leafs win one however.


1992 Blue Jays Win World Series
As a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team since they were born in 1977 I was thrilled to watch as the Jays won for the first time. The 1992 World Series was the first Series ever played outside of the United States of America. It pitted the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays against the National League champion Atlanta Braves. Toronto defeated Atlanta, 4 games to 2, marking the first time a non-United States based team ever won the World Series.

You may remember a faux pas occurred when a United States Marine Corps colour guard erroneously displayed the Canadian flag upside down during the opening ceremony of the second game. In the end it didn't matter as Toronto beat the tomahawk chopping Braves.

I'll always remember the thrilling 11th inning win in game six for Toronto. Otis Nixon bunted the ball to Jays reliever Mike Timlin who turned and tossed the ball to Joe Carter at first base to earn the first World Series for Canada.

1993 Blue Jays Repeat
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays of the American League against the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. With Toronto ahead 3 games to 2 in the series, Joe Carter hit a three-run game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 6 to win the series for Toronto, giving them their second consecutive championship (the first repeaters since the 1977-78 Yankees).

This was only the second Series concluded by such a home run (the first was in the 1960 World Series on a Bill Mazeroski home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates), and the first such occasion where a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.

I was in Toronto on Younge Street watching the game on the big screen at th HMV store and it was pandemonium when the game ended. I never kissed so many girls I'd never met before in my life. It was awesome...and a little scary.


1987 Canada Cup - Game 3
This was simply the best series of hockey I have ever seen in my life.

The final three-game series of this tournament between Canada and the USSR is considered by many to be the best exhibition of hockey in history. The tournament also was the first time ever that the two most dominant players of the last quarter century, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, played on the same forward unit, and as expected dazzled fans with electrifying goals.

With the series tied 1-1, the Soviets stunned all of Canada by scoring three times in the first eight minutes to take a 3-0 lead in Game 3. Canada's grinders took over after that (particularly Rick Tocchet, Brent Sutter, and Dale Hawerchuk), and pulled Canada into a 5-4 lead after two periods. The Soviets tied it back up in the third and the game looked like it would head to overtime again. But late in the third period, Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky-Lemieux-Hawerchuk line out to play, with a faceoff in Canada's end.

The rest is history as Hawerchuk tripped up Vyacheslav Bykov and Gretzky, Lemieux and Larry Murphy rushed down the ice on a three-on-one. Once again, Gretzky set up Lemieux, who fired a shot over the glove of goaltender Sergei Mylnikov with 1:26 remaining. The Gretzky to Lemieux play is one of the most memorable plays in Canadian hockey history.


Canada Wins 4x100 Relay in Atlanta
It was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad and I were in Toronto to watch a Jays game with some American friends who were up camping. After the game ended and everyone was making their way from their seats, all of a sudden the Jumbotron screen came alive just in time with the start of the race.

Donovan Bailey teamed up with fellow sprinters Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie to defeat a faltering American team in the 4x100 metre relay. The year before the Olympic final, the Canadian foursome captured the title at the world track and field championships. But some commented that the absence of the United States left some lingering doubt as to how good the Canadians really were.

In Atlanta, their victory confirmed their status as the champions. The cheering in the dome was deafening as everyone was cheering wildly. Our American friends didn't feel too welcome with the anti-American comments being thrown around following the win.


1972 Summit Series
My memories of this series are dim at best as I was only four years old but it still remains one of the greatest sports moments ever and if you're Canadian then you know all about it. Canada needed a in win in game eight of the series in Russia to claim victory after a slow start. In the end they did just that thanks to a late goal by Paul Henderson.


1988 World Series - Game One
I'll be honest...I don't remember much about this series other than the fact that the L.A. Dodgers went on to upset the Oakland Athletics. However, one of the most amazing moments in baseball history took place in the bottom of the 9th in game one when an injured Kirk Gibson came off the bench to pinch hit and hit an impossible homerun to take the lead in the series.

To see Gibson hobble around the bases was unforgettable and to see Manager Tommy Lasorda jumping up and down like a little kid reminded us all that baseball is still just a game.


Red Army versus Montreal - December 31, 1975
The game showcased two distinct systems: not capitalism versus communism, but the determined, linear play of a Montreal team on the cusp of a dynasty versus the swooping, circular style of the Soviets -- the one now prevalent in the NHL.

The Canadiens outshot the Red Army 38-13, but Boris Aleksandrov beat Montreal goalie Ken Dryden on a three-on-one late in the third period to secure the tie. After the game Montreal defenseman Serge Savard said, "God was Russian tonight." It was a game for the ages.

1987 World Junior Hockey Championships
The "Punch-up in Piestany" erupted halfway through the final game of the 1987 world junior hockey championship. Canada was assured a medal, and would have moved ahead of Finland for the gold if they had beaten the Soviets by at least five goals.

The blow-up began as a fight between Pavel Kostichkin and Theoren Fleury. Four Soviet players left their bench to join the brawl, and then all the players on both teams swarmed onto the ice. I was never so proud as I was to see our boys stand up to the Russians and in the end...kick their Commie asses.


1984 Adams Division Finals - Game 6
Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Nordiques - Known as "Good Friday brawl/the battle of Quebec" this is possibly the most famous game ever played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques. A bench clearing brawl erupts and during the brawl Louie Slegr KO's Jean Hamel and later Dale Hunter goes ballistic. I really miss this old rivalry.


2002 Winter Olympics - Canadian Gold
It had been a long time since Canada had won a Gold Medal in Men's Hockey at the Winter Olympics and this time they were on a mission that nobody was going to stop. The final game was an awesome match-up with Team U.S.A. and was the perfect finish.

Sadly my memories of this game are mostly from video tape and from what I saw at the airport. I was flying home from a cruise of the Caribbean and we had left New Orleans and landed in Houston to catch our connecting flight. We didn't have a lot of time but we did see a bit of the game before we had to board the next flight. At that point the game was still close. We had asked the Captain to give us updates which he really never did until the game was over and when he announced that Canada had won...the plane erupted in cheers and applause by the Canadian passengers...mostly in our group.

Upon our arrival in Toronto there were people waving flags and blowing their car horns in celebration. Thankfully my parents taped the game for me and I was able to watch it once I got home. Knowing the outcome certainly made it easier on the nerves to watch. It was an amazing game even on tape.


And so that's a list of my favourite Sports Moments. I'm sure I've missed a lot of others but perhaps I can save those for another day. If you can think of any, please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.