WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – RUN WITH THE BIG BOYS

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

IT’S A GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS KIND OF COMMENTARY TODAY.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS HAVE REMARKABLY STORMED BACK IN ROUND 2 TO TAKE A 3-2 SERIES LEAD OVER COLORADO. (SORRY AVALANCHE FANS)

KNIGHTS CAPTAIN MARK STONE SCORED IN THE FIRST MINUTE OF OVERTIME TUESDAY NIGHT AS VEGAS DOWNED COLORADO 3-2 AND NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO END IT IN GAME 6 THURSDAY IN SIN CITY.

THE EMOTIONS THAT CAME WITH TUESDAY’S GAME REMINDED ME OF WHAT WE MISSED ABOUT SPORTS WHEN IT WAS GONE IN THE PANDEMIC.

I WAS BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED WHEN MARC-ANDRE FLEURY FLUBBED A SHOT TO GIVE THE AVS THE GAME’S FIRST GOAL. BUT THAT WAS JUST ONE OF A FEW MISTAKES MADE BY THE KNIGHTS, AND IT’S A HECKUVA SIGN THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME THEM AND STILL WIN.

THEN IT WAS A ROLLER COASTER THE REST OF THE WAY, WITH MY HEART IN MY THROAT EVERY TIME NATHAN MCKINNON GOT THE PUCK AROUND THE VEGAS GOAL. I’M SURE IT’S HOW JETS FANS FELT WHENEVER CONNOR MCDAVID GOT THE PUCK AND STARTED TO WIND UP.

OH, AND SPEAKING OF THE JETS, WHAT A SAD STORY THAT IS.

THEY GAVE THE PROVINCE OF MANITOBA SUCH A LIFT BY MIRACULOUSLY SWEEPING THE OILERS IN ROUND 1, BUT THEN THEY TOTALLY FORGOT HOW TO PLAY IN ROUND 2 AGAINST MONTREAL.

HOW COULD ANYONE DENY THAT THE MARK SCHEIFELE HIT AND SUSPENSION FROM GAME 1 SPELT DOOM FOR WINNIPEG?

BUT IT SHOULDN’T HAVE.  IT’S A DISCOURAGING SIGN THAT THE BIG GUNS FOLDED THEIR TENTS THE REST OF THE WAY, AND GAMES 2, 3 AND 4 FEATURED ONE MISTAKE AFTER ANOTHER.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THE JETS CONTINUE TO MAKE STRIDES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THEY’RE SEEMINGLY ALWAYS IN THE CONVERSATION. IT’S REALLY HARD TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IN THE NHL AND WINNIPEG’S PRETTY MUCH BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR.

BUT RIGHT NOW THEY CAN’T RUN WITH THE BIG BOYS. THAT’S VEGAS, COLORADO, TAMPA, THE ISLANDERS AND BRUINS.

WELL … THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY