Stanley Cup Final Game 1: Puck Daddy’s Postgame Awards
(Ed. Note: We’re changing things up for the Stanley Cup Finals. Instead of writing Three Stars as we normally do on game night, we’ll be handing out some post-game awards.)
First Star: Nick Bonino, Pittsburgh Penguins
With 2:33 to go in the third period and the game tied, Bonino netted the game winning goal. To top it off, he gave the interview of the night with Pierre McGuire. It involved the quote, “… sorry for spitting on you.” What a good Connecticut boy!
Best Twitter reaction to Bonino’s Goal:
Worst Star: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks
Okay, he wasn’t the ‘worst,’ but he did experience a night that more difficult than he’d experienced in the first three playoff series. For the first time in the entire 2016 playoff run, he was a minus-2 in a game (take that stat for what it’s worth to you). He was tasked primarily with shutting down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. It was a tough night, and something he’s probably going to bounce back from in Game 2.
Best pregame speech quote: Pete DeBoer, San Jose Sharks
“We’re heavier, we’re harder, we’re much better looking.”
Sharks are going to have to work on being ridiculously good looking for Game 2.
Best Warm Up Shimmy: Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
First Pittsburgh Pirate honored on broadcast by Doc: Manager Clint Hurdle
This is something friend of the blog and Puck Soup co-host, Dave Lozo, knows all too well. On every broadcast, Mike “Doc” Emrick works in a reference to the Pirates baseball team. Here’s is first mention from Game 1.
It came with 13:12 left in the second period. Tomas Hertl put the Sharks on the board minutes earlier. As the broadcast was going to commercial, Doc says, “Tomas Hertl – no relation to the Pirates manager – has made this a 2-1 game.”
Best Nightmare fuel: Pierre and Sullivan masks
From the first period coach’s interview between Pierre McGuirre and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan with some creepy onlookers.
The ‘REALLY PIERRE?!’ moment of the night: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Bryan Rust.
Doc reads a promo for the new movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.” After he finishes Pierre pipes in, yelling the way he does, “SPEAKING OF OUT OF THE SHADOWS, BRYAN RUST JUST RETURNED FROM THE DARK ROOM.”
Rust, who was hit in the head earlier by Patrick Marleau went to the locker room for evaluation. As Pierre ridiculously alluded, Rust returned to the bench. He played one more shift before returning to the locker room for the rest of the game.
REALLY PIERE?! A TMNT movie title seemed like a good transition to you? REALLY?!
Tweet of the Night: From Laura (a.k.a @theactivestick) on Crosby’s pass to Conor Sheary for the goal and his famed robust backside.
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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.
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