This Week’s Video: Throwback: Steve Yzerman Buzzer Beater vs LA
Game Date: 10/09/03
Notable Nostalgic Names To Look For: Pretty short clip, but Ray Whitney, not yet in his prime at only age 31, feeds Yzerman who beats Roman Cechmanek.
Uploader: awood40
Cultural Significance: A new Red Wings season is open. While this one doesn’t seem to be met with the, um, same anticipation as say Red Wings seasons were in the early 00’s, I think we’re all excited hockey is back. In 2003, Red Wings fans were still treated to Steve Yzerman, who was dogged, making his first opening night line up after knee surgery kept him out in 2002.
Playing through a sleepy match up against a sleepy purple clad LA Kings, Wings fans waned past opening night buzz into what I’m sure they expected to be overtime, then a tepid 2-2 finish.
Instead they got the most dramatic finish a Red Wings fan could ask for; a Steve Yzerman buzzer beating goal.
Some personal background; I assumed this would be Yzerman’s last home opener (I’m sure I wasn’t the only one) so I fired up the VCR, not knowing something called You Tube would ever be invented. I must’ve hit rewind 30 times, to the point I vividly remember Dominik Hasek coming out of his net to set up the break out on the goal.
BONUS OPENING NIGHT VIDEO
Game Date: 10/08/10
Uploader: NHL
Exactly seven years later, Mike Modano scored in his first official game as a Red Wing on his first shot. It was an ideal beginning to his tenure in Detroit—a move that was either met with an over abundance of criticism or unreal expectation. Shortly after this, Modano had to get wrist surgery, derailing his final NHL season and return to his native Metro Detroit.
Yeah, most of you will recall something else cool happened in that game too. A fight happened. Some revenge on a rat faced player for the Ducks who developed a reputation for going after skill players in vulnerable positions. But remember *he* was in that fight. Don’t know if I feel like celebrating that person in any way right now….
Okay fine, here’s Datsyuk fighting Corey Perry.
HOCKEY’S BACK!!! Let me know what videos you find in the rabbit hole in the comment section!
