Posts Tagged Peter Forsberg
21 is Significant.
This has been a significant number in my life, not because it is the legal drinking age in Amercia, but because of the the legendary player who the number 21 belonged to: Peter Forsberg.
Although his short lived return to the NHL last season was a huge let down…I will forever love Peter Forsberg. I once re-named my pony Foppa in honor of the swift skating Swede.
I’ll even tell you a secret about myself…I used to HATE hockey. I hated hockey until middle school when my older brother Eric, sat me down in front of the TV during an Avalanche game, and explained the rules to me.
Suddenly, I was obsessed with the sport. Following hockey became my new hobby. In June of 2001 I visited Denver with my Girl Scout troupe (that’s embarrassing to admit) the night the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 in game seven to win the Stanley Cup. I missed the game because I was forced to go shopping at the mall with the girls in my troupe. I begged my leader to let me stay at the hotel so I could watch the game on TV, but I ended up just watching the highlights that night…and listening to Denver celebrate its victory all night long.
Not to bore you with my nistalgia…but Peter Forsberg was one of the main reasons I loved the Avalanche. He was just SO good at hockey, and so humble. It’s sad to see him now. He was born to play hockey…but injury keeps plaguing him.
Whenever the Avs were behind in a game, each time Foppa stepped onto the ice–you just knew anything could happen. It was like the puck was an extension of his person–he could coax it around the defense, skate in behind the net, and then somehow he could flick the puck over the goalie’s shoulder from an impossible angle. Number 21 was the greatest player in the world.
I hope that while I am 21 he will return to the league for another brief stint– even if he will never play as good as he once did.
Add comment November 7, 2008
The Cup Changes Everything – Round Two
The Avalanche, Rangers and Sharks all find themselves down two games and battling to hang onto their playoff hopes tonight. Before the games start I will share a few quick thoughts:
On the Red Wings vs. Avalanche series: If the Avs have any hope of advancing (which they pretty much don’t) They need Forsberg to play (I don’t care if he is on his death bed!) and Theodore to stop goals. It seems so simple, yet, so impossible. The Wings are looking hot, scoring goals, drawing penalties, scoring short handed, playing defense–basically they are playing hockey. Something the woebegone Avalanche could aim for. Sadly, apart from Cody McCormick’s scrap with McCarty, neither team is doing much to rekindle the rivalry.
On the Rangers vs. Penguins Series: Both teams fought hard on Sunday afternoon but the Ranger’s simply couldn’t get the puck in the net (before the whistle that is). Expect more physical play, and energy from the young Penguin’s team. Lundqvist was good on Sunday, but his team needs to help him out. As for Fleury, I’m still not convinced that he is a Cup caliber goalie, but he has proven himself so far.
On the Sharks vs. Stars Series: I expect the Sharks will come back now that they have had a chance to feel out the Stars. I’ll be honest though, I have been so busy following the other games I haven’t watched any of this series.
Add comment April 29, 2008
The “Blood Feud” Continues
My first live NHL game was an Avalanche Red Wings tilt at the Pepsi Center in Denver. I was a gangly fourteen-year-old with braces and high waters. My family could only afford individual tickets in the nose bleeds. My Dad helped me find my section before leaving for his seat. I had seen tons of hockey, but never like this.
I was sitting between some drunk college guys and two women brave enough to don Wings Jerseys. The Guys kept shouting things like, “Go back to Russia you Commies!” Some other drunk fans poured beer on the Red Wing’s fans when the Wing’s took the lead. I loved the intensity. In the third period I remember the electric atmosphere when Patrick Roy skated to center ice to fight Dominik Hasek. It was history.
The rivalry between the Avalanche and the Red Wings is epic—no doubt about it. Round two is going to Rock! Adrian Dater, an Avalanche beat writer with the Denver Post since the beginning of the franchise, describes the anticipated round two as, “a renewal of one of the league’s most notorious playoff rivalries — or rivalries, period — in the past 20 years.” Dater is also the author of the book, Blood Fued. If you love hockey you must read this chronicle of the Wings Avs bitter rivalry. I couldn’t put it down, and I have to confess that I was a little misty eyed by the end of the book–just the thought of the rivalry being over. The good news is that the old rivalry is about to be defibrillated to life with this Western Conference semi final.
The rivalry that started when Avalanche Claude Limieux re-arranged the face of Red Wing Kris Draper will be re-kindled because:
- The Avalanche still has Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, and Adam Foote.
- The Wings still have Daren McCarty, Kris Draper, and Niklas Lidstrom.
- Last time these teams met in the regular season Ian Laperriere contributed to a hit that had Wings’ Captain Nicklas Lidstrom out for several games with a sprained knee. The Wings want revenge.
- The Avs want revenge for their embarrassing 7-0 loss to the Wings in their last post-season match up.
- The Denver media and the Detroit media have a history of hating each other in this series. (Note the Detroit Free Press’s reaction to a Rocky Mountain News opinion piece from 4.23.08 )
One thing is for certain: I will be cutting out of my Rhetoric class early on Thursday night to catch the game on TV!
2 comments April 24, 2008
