Sometimes, Hockey Happens

1996 Eastern Conference Finals.   Ron Francis is hurt.  Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr just defeated an excellent New York Rangers team in 5 games.   New York’s coach says, “Good luck to the next team that has to stop Mario and Jagr.”   

The Florida Panthers stop Mario and Jagr.

To the tune of 1 goal in 7 games.

Mario is in the Hall of Fame.

Jagr will join Mario in the Hall whenever he decides to hang up his skates.

Mario and Jagr were, individually,  better than any player on that Florida Panthers team.   They still lost that series.    They scored one goal between them.

Sometimes, hockey happens.    Teams win and lose.

Keep that in mind, should you be tempted to scream that it’s time to “blow up the Penguins” or that franchise players aren’t really franchise players.

Mario and Jagr.   In their primes.  One goal against Tom Fitzgerald and the Florida Panthers and their blasted rats.

Yeah, what happened to Sid and Geno in 2013 happened a generation ago to Mario and Jagr—and it will happen to another team replete with future Hall-of-Famers in some upcoming NHL playoff season.

Cause that’s hockey, and that’s the NHL playoffs, and teams win the Stanley Cup, and it’s really hard to win the Stanley Cup—and that’s why we watch, and that’s why we celebrate when our captain hoists the silver chalice.