MONDAY COMMENTARY – GET USED TO IT

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

SUNDAY WAS A DAY FOR HOCKEY. AND THE GAMES WERE WILD.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE’RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.

IT’S HARD TO TELL WHICH OF SUNDAY’S TWO MARQUEE GAMES GARNERED MORE ATTENTION; THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AT THE CENTENNIAL CUP IN ESTEVAN, OR THE GOLD MEDAL GAME AT THE WORLD MENS HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP IN FINLAND.

TSN CARRIED THEM BOTH.

LET’S BEGIN WITH THE JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP SIMPLY BECAUSE IT’S CLOSER TO OUR HEART. IT WAS BETWEEN THE BROOKS BANDITS AND THE PICKERING PANTHERS AT AFFINITY PLACE AND IT APPEARED FOR THE LONGEST TIME LIKE THE UNTHINKABLE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!

BROOKS WALTZED THROUGH THE TOURNAMENT, NEVER LOSING A GAME, UNTIL SUNDAY’S FINAL WHEN THEY TRAILED PICKERING 1-0 FOR MOST OF THE CONTEST. THEY’D BEATEN THE PANTHERS 9-1 IN THE ROUND ROBIN.

WAS THE ULTIMATE UPSET IN THE MAKING?

AS IT TURNS OUT, NO.

THE BANDITS ERUPTED FOR FOUR GOALS IN THE THIRD PERIOD AND SKATED OFF WITH THE TROPHY WHICH THEY WERE TABBED TO WIN WAY BACK IN SEPTEMBER.

THANK HEAVENS OFFICIATING DIDN’T DECIDE THIS GAME. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

BUT THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID FOR THE MENS WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE FINLAND WAS AWARDED A POWERPLAY AFTER A PHANTOM HIGH-STICKING CALL ON CANADA’S COLE SILLINGER (OF REGINA). REPLAYS CLEARLY SHOWED THE FINNISH DEFENCEMAN CAUGHT HIMSELF IN THE FACE WITH HIS OWN STICK. BUT THEY SCORED ON IT.

AND CANADA WAS IN THE PENALTY BOX AGAIN IN OVERTIME WHEN FINLAND SCORED AND WON THEIR FOURTH SUCH CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE COUNTRY’S HISTORY.

CANADA’S PLAYERS SAY THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THE RULEBOOK IS ANYMORE.

THIS COMES ON THE HEELS OF PEOPLE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL “DIRECTED IN” GOAL WHICH COST THE FLAMES GAME 5, AND EVENTUALLY THE SERIES, AGAINST EDMONTON THURSDAY NIGHT.

QUESTIONING THE REFFING IN SPORTS IS AS OLD AS THE GAMES THEMSELVES.

YOU’D THINK WE’D BE USED TO IT BY NOW.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provide for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)

(Photo: Wanda Harron)