Nashville Predators News & Notes
Predators Acquire Defenseman Ben Harpur from Toronto | NHL.com
Eric has a more in-depth breakdown coming up in two hours, but, well, 103 games of Ottawa Senators experience before getting traded to another team that promptly stuck him in the minors isn’t…ideal.
Preds Acquire Ben Harpur for Miikka Salomaki | On the Forecheck
Also, best of luck to Salomaki in Toronto. I don’t love that this sounds like we’re going to keep seeing Jarred Tinordi in Nashville, but maybe the Marlies will work out better for Salomaki, and at some point maybe we’ll get a look at a different seventeenth defender for the Preds to carry on their NHL roster.
Nashville Predators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 3 (SO): Preds Win Shootout for Two Big Points | On the Forecheck
As is unfortunately usual for Saturday nights, I had to miss the game, which sounds like it was played half by random number generator. Shaun has your recap if you, like me, missed the game, or if you just want to relive the Preds’ necessary win and Colton Sissons’s last-minute heroics followed by Rocco Grimaldi’s even more last-minute heroics.
EBUG News & Notes
Worth noting that emergency goalies are undefeated over the past two years.
— Steve “Dangle” Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) February 23, 2020
That streak didn’t break last night.
David Ayres lives the dream in one-of-a-kind win over Maple Leafs | Sportsnet.ca
The Hurricanes’ reactions were delightful. Good, heartwarming stuff. Brind’Amour was ready to give them a motivating speech at intermission, and when he got into the locker room to start that speech he found out that the players were already on it.
Hurricanes turn to 42-year-old emergency goalie vs. Maple Leafs | ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports
Wait, wait, this gets better: Ayres had a shot on goal of his own. If only he’d scored.
Player of Interest: Who is Hurricanes emergency goalie David Ayres? | Sportsnet.ca
Some more info on the latest man, myth, legend to unexpectedly find himself launched into a NHL game.
Legendary 42-year-old emergency backup goalie shames Maple Leafs then gets standing ovation from Leafs fans | Russian Machine Never Breaks
Honestly, the fact that the Leafs fans at the arena were emotionally up for giving him a standing ovation is kind of…a little better than I would normally have expected of Leafs fans. Or, to be fair, anyone–I don’t know that I’d be any less petty in the same situation than I’m expecting them to be–but Toronto doesn’t have a reputation as a kind place.
The Maple Leafs Are The Best Joke In The World | Pension Plan Puppets
Also, the Maple Leafs lost to their own AHL team’s 42-year-old zamboni driver. So there’s that. Heads up that this article contains, uh, rather a lot of swearing. (The PPP game recap contains a little less swearing and a few more gifs of exactly how absurd this game was, if you’d like.)
Ayres Apparent: Emergency backup leads Hurricanes to win over Toronto | Canes Country
However, as Canes Country points out, if the players who got injured aren’t back, there might be a problem. Regular backup goalie James Reimer and defender Brett Pesce aren’t expected back soon, and we don’t know about Petr Mrazek yet. I wouldn’t be planning on David Ayres as a long-term starter, folks.
Other News & Notes
[Video] Alex Ovechkin’s milestone goals from historic 700-goal career | NBC Sports
I don’t even know what else to say at this point. He’s unbelievable, and we’re lucky hockey fans to get to see the Ovechkin era for ourselves (though I’m still mad I missed out on Dominik Hasek).
All the best reactions and tributes to Alex Ovechkin’s 700th goal | Russian Machine Never Breaks
Just incredible.
Canadiens seeking big return for defenceman Jeff Petry | Sportsnet.ca
Also, water is wet.
Behind the Mask with Mariah Fujimagari of the Buffalo Beauts | The Ice Garden
“Goalies always secretly want to be a part of the play,” Fujimagari said in this interview. Who’s going to tell her it’s not a secret?
Miracle on Ice team honored before Panthers-Golden Knights | ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports
When I was first getting into hockey, I absentmindedly said “The Miracle on Ice was when you beat the Russians, right?” to a friend who is still giving me a hard time over that “you”. Which is fair.
Q&A: How Renee Hess and the Black Girl Hockey Club are helping the game grow | Sportsnet.ca
The community aspect of sports–feeling that you matter as a fan, and that there are other fans like you–is so important to be able to actually enjoy sports. What Renee Hess is doing with the BGHC is amazing.