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MINOR OBSERVATIONS, MARCH 20
By admin | March 20, 2008
HAVEN’T I SEEN THIS BEFORE?
Although I’m beat and should be out cold, I’m notoriously a night owl for better or for worse. I know it drives some people nuts since I’m not an early morning type to begin with, but the fact is I can never wind down after a game, even it was as ugly as Wednesday’s loss to Corpus Christi. Either way, the late-night quiet helps me collect my thoughts and work uninterrupted. Perusing Wednesday’s CHL scoreboard, I can’t help but pass along a post in the wee hours…
Rocky Mountain’s third period collapse Wednesday night is an utter shock. I didn’t think Arizona had anything to play for. They’ve locked up their playoff berth, although if Laredo loses its final two games and the Dogs win both, they earn the No. 1 seed in the South. It’s unlikely, but possible.
The game brought back a fun memory for me from the 2002-03 season while I was the color analyst for the Worcester IceCats. The only recap I can find online reads almost like a carbon copy of the Rage’s stunning loss. From March 30, 2003, at Worcester’s Centrum Centre…
SUNDAY, NUTTY SUNDAY … Down 6-1 entering the third period on Sunday, the Worcester IceCats staged an epic comeback to dethrone the Manchester Monarchs, 7-6.
Jeff Panzer and John Pohl each scored twice during the final frame, and Panzer capped the IceCats’ first hat trick of the season and the six-goal rally at the 1:53 mark of overtime. Aris Brimanis scored five seconds after Panzer’s second goal, tying an AHL record for the fastest two goals by one team. Worcester improved to 5-0-3-0 in its last eight home games.
The Monarchs’ overtime loss allowed Providence to clinch the North Division championship.
In the Worcester case, the IceCats were battling for a spot in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs, trying to avoid the three-game qualifying round. Trailing by five goals entering the third, play-by-play man Mike Thornton (now the PR director for Philadelphia in the AHL and a still good friend) asked me if I wanted to call the PBP of the third period. I still vivdly remember walking down through the concourse of the arena as he asked me; I think he was on his way to get coffees or bottled water from the training room while I made a pit-stop in the men’s room before resuming my intermission host duties.
By habit, Mike returned and started calling the third period. What a period of hockey it was. We joked afterwards that he nearly blew calling one of the biggest comebacks in AHL history. I feel for the Rage, but also know how it feels on the other side.
By the way, the IceCats went on to lose 3-0 in the first round best-of-five playoff round to the Binghamton Senators, a team that included the likes of Ray Emery, Brian Pothier, Antoine Vermette and Jason Spezza (though I’m not sure he played in the series - he only appeared in two playoff games that year shuttling between Bingo and Ottawa). Worcester included Christian Backman, Curtis Sanford, John Pohl and Mark Rycroft. Mark never went by “Bencharski.”
Astute fans will recall that Houston went on to win the Calder Cup that year, defeating a Hamilton club that produced several future Edmonton Oilers.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
The Rage do get a point, so with 76 points, they’re tied with the Riverkings for the No. 5 seed in the North. But the Kings have a game in hand and play OKC and Corpus (twice) in a three-in-three to wrap up the season. Rocky plays its final two games vs. Tulsa, who’ve won three in a row (including wins over the Rage and Bossier). If Rocky wins out and Colorado loses out, the Rage win the Division based on a 7-4-1 regular season vs. the Eagles. The Eagles, meanwhile play two more games at Youngstown after losing 3-2 Wednesday. This is the kind of playoff race that makes the game fun. I just wish the Bees were involved this year.
Topics: Minor Observations |