There Is Pretty And There Is Great

Being a hardcore hockey fan, I love most everything about the game. Last week I was watching a really good game between the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres. Both teams competed well and there were several good goals. There was one goal that really stood out to me. It wasn't the highlight reel goal by Buffalo forward Drew Stafford that forced O.T, or the shifty S.O. goal scored by his teammate to win it. It was a quick wrist shot from the slot by Boston forward Phil Kessel. Growing up watching hockey in St. Louis, I saw a lot of similar goals by one of the greatest goal scorers in the history of the game, Brett Hull. When I saw Kessel rip off that shot, I thought, "Wow, that was Hull. This kid might be as good as advertised." Most goals that are scored in the league today seem to be off of great passes, highlight reel moves, deflections or rebounds. I never see a great, unscreened wrister from the slot beat a goalie anymore. We have a kid in St. Louis that can do it every so often (Lee Stempniak), but he is not a pure goal scorer. I hope for the sake of every kid growing up watching Boston (or the NHL for that matter) that Phil Kessel can be that guy. It will make watching those simple looking, really hard to score goals, something to be appreciated again.

Today I read this story. I am just glad that other people can appreciate the plays that aren't flashy, but are just pure hockey at it's finest.