COVID Cup a thrill-filled ride, so far
To celebrate our return to Edmonton and hockey in mid-August, here are the Monday morning musings and meditations on the world of sports.
The COVID Cup continues to deliver in a big way, and Sunday’s epic tilt between the Dallas Stars and the Calgary Flames ranks as another remarkable entry in this weird post-season.
In the Stars’ 5-4 overtime win, the two teams combined for 102 shots on goal and almost as many scoring chances as the lead changed five times.
There was a hat trick for old folk Joe Pavelski, whose biggest play might have been a shot block on Johnny Gaudreau in overtime; two goals for 18-year-old Sam Bennett; and another shorty for Tobias Rieder.
The Stars were also 12 seconds away from falling behind 3-1 when Pavelski’s third goal sent the affair to overtime. As it stands, the series is now tied 2-2 and the biggest question seems to be: Can Flames goalie Cam Talbot make up the difference in talent between the two teams?
“That was fun to be a part of,” said Rick Bowness, the Stars’ irrepressible head coach. “I know we’re going into overtime and it’s give and go and there are mistakes.
But sometimes when you’re behind the bench you have to enjoy the moment.
“There’s a lot of downers as a coach and bad games and bad periods and bad plays. But when the game is going like that and there’s a lot of passion on both sides, man, you’ve got to enjoy that.”
Bowness, of course, was part of Alain Vigneault’s staff on the best-ever Vancouver Canucks teams and he’s been chasing his Stanley Cup dream in 45 years as a player and a coach.
He has a lot of friends in the game. They’d all be thrilled if this was finally his year.
Oilers fans have to be excited about Rieder’s performance in the post-season. The Flames forward has scored a record-tying three short-handed goals to date and has moved into a top-six role with the injury to Matthew Tkachuk.
Last year with the Oilers he scored, roughly, zero goals in 67 games.
The Canucks have had a number of heroes in the playoffs thus far but, curiously, Tanner Pearson has flown under the radar.
The production is one thing — three goals and six points through the first six games; a goal and three points in the first two games against the Blues. But his presence and hard two-way game is almost as important.
The Blues might play the heaviest game in the NHL and, through the early part of the series, the Canucks have stood up to it.
The Wild aren’t the Blues but they play a similar style. It’s big-boy hockey and Pearson and others can play that game.
One other thing. His goal in the first minute of Game 2 against the Wild when the Canucks were down 1-0 in the qualifying round has been one of the key moments in the post-season.
And finally, everyone, it seems, has a take on Tuukka Rask’s decision to opt out of the post-season and not all of them have been sympathetic. But for those who are sitting in judgment of the Boston Bruins goalie, we invite you to think about life inside the bubble and everything players are enduring this post-season.
There is, of course, the pressure of the playoffs, which is no small consideration. But it’s everything piled on top of that which should be the concern for all teams.
Players are now approaching a month inside the bubble. Those who move on to the second round are looking at another three weeks in the biodome. The conference finals begin on Sept. 8. The final begins Oct. 4.
There is nothing remotely normal about this existence. Games and practices fill up some of the time but there’s a vast expanse that no amount of Netflix can fill. There’s no wife, no kids, no friends and nothing that feels familiar and reassuring. There is only the hotel room and teammates, and that’s not enough.
Rask, as it happens, has three daughters including a newborn.
Early in the 2018-19 season, he was granted a three-day leave of absence by the Bruins to be with his family, which suggests he’s wired differently than most.
But as Corey Hirsch, the former goalie and current mental health advocate, says, Rask might be the only player who’s opted out of the bubble to date but others can relate to his decision.
“I think the peer pressure is so immense to stay, most guys wouldn’t leave,” says Hirsch. “They fear the backlash from their teammates and fans, but I bet there are a ton more guys like Tuukka. We may see a few more.”
Counsellors are available to players though the league’s and PA’s substance abuse and behavioural health program. It’s unclear if they’re available on site in either Edmonton or Toronto, and Hirsch suggests teams should be aware of early warning signs.
“They need to watch for guys withdrawing from their teammates, guys who are sleeping a lot or sitting in their room alone all day,” he says.
“They need to check in with each other.”
Now more than ever.