One Last Night At The Crushed Can

I had to be there. I wanted to be at the last ever game between the Pats and Warriors at the soon to be no-more Civic Centre, but I wasn't. I want to be at the last ever game in the old rink and I may get that chance. With the last regular season game going at the place on Friday, I had to be there and I was.

I remember the first time I walked into the Civic Centre, it was to see the old Moose Jaw Canucks play I forget. What I remembered most about the game was the rabid fans and how they just got into the game----perhaps too much. In the 2nd intermission, a catfight broke out that ended quickly when one girl--I think from Moose Jaw---ended it with a cowboy boot kick straight to the unmentionables.

Since that time, I have seen a lot of good hockey players do their thing in Moose Jaw. From Chelios to Howden, from McKay to McIlrath, from Fleury to Brouwer and even from Griffiths to Gallo, I've seen and heard a lot.

I knew it would be different walking in last nite and it was. The team brought in Mark McKay--the Warriors first ever captain to drop the ceremonial faceoff.....

There was only one other person that they could have had to drop the puck and that was the best Warrior ever--one Theoren Fleury, but McKay would be choice number 2. Watching him in his first year as a Warrior was something to behold.

I quickly found out I wasn't the only Indian Head boy in attendance. The other guy I found is just a little more important than yours truly....

I really should smile when I'm getting my picture taken, but I sometimes have a smile that resembles that of Dr. Sheldon Cooper. If you don't watch "The Big Bang Theory" on a regular basis, you don't know what I'm talking about.

In the end, Warrior fans went home happy as Antonin (Tony) Honejsek got the winner in a shootout....

As I walked down the stairs with Kelly "The Silver Fox" Remple, he turned and asked what was the matter. I said "nothing, I just want to take it all in" We sat in seats behind the penalty box for about 15 minutes with Kelly getting embroiled in conversation with Warriors marketing guy Corey Nyhagen. Wheaties coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon walked by and saw the legendary Rob Carnie who had called the final period (was there a hi diddle diddle uo the middle call)coming down the stairs. Kelly just looked at Rob and said "How many lies did you tell during the 3rd period."

I just sat there and thought about the games I had seen in there. The brawl between the Pats and Warriors when goalies Jamie Reeve of Regina and Rex Grant of Moose Jaw hit one another with the force of two locomotives at centre ice during a brawl. I thought of Donovan Nunweiler standing on his head during a playoff victory over Medicine Hat and I thought of Cam Ward standing on his head denying a Mooae Jaw win in double overtime of a playoff game that changed the series in Red Deer's favour. I thought of Dustin Slade being stupid in a playoff game and I thought of a Moose Jaw fan who had just been introduced to Rod Pedersen saying "F OFF to him". I thought of the first ever Trans-Canada Clash and what a great day and night that was. And I also thought "Mission completed". I have been to one last game at the Civic Centre. There's a chance I could be in there for either Gane 3 or 4 of their first round series. If I do get back, its a bonus. If not, I've said my goodbyes. I had to be there for this night and I was.

Ron Robison also informed everyone that the first game of the WHL schedule next year will go at the new Multiplex with the Warriors playing whoever. THAT HAS TO BE THE PATS!! I don't know what the date for that game is, but I'll be there. During the game, Bryn Griffiths texted me that he will be at that game and to save him a seat in the press box. I don't think he'll have any problems getting in and I can't wait. I wonder if I'll see a catfight that night. If its between the Pats and Warriors, I figure there's a 50-50 shot.