Hockey

One of his favorite victories was in game 7 of the Adams Division Final against Hartford, when Claude Lemieux scored the game-winning goal in overtime. He remembers feeling an incredible sense of elation afterwards, and they went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.
 
Transcript: "Yeah, what was a favorite win in my career? You know, listen, there were a lot of them, but I guess obviously the Stanley Cup winning game in 86, I wasn't playing. But to see my team win, I ended up hurt my ankle and game the game before and we beat Calgary in five games. So it was game five and we won in Calgary. So that was my favorite win, honestly, because we won the Stanley Cup, even though I wasn't playing. But one of my favorite games to play in and the favorite win was that year against Hartford, game seven. We won in overtime. Claude Lemieux scored the goal. I got to tell you, that for me was probably most, my most exciting win being on the ice. Well, I wasn't on the ice, but on the bench and being involved in that game like I was. It was incredible feeling of elation and just, you got to let the air out of the tires a little bit right after he scored that goal. I mean, it was unbelievable. Just an awesome victory for us. And we went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. That was the Adams Division Final. And man, hard fought game, Hartford played unbelievable, but we won it in seven in overtime."

Adjustments can be made to your breakout system, but speed and support will be the most effective. Making sure everyone is coming together, being predictable and willing to hold a puck to create possession are important too.
 
Transcript: "I think you can easily adjust your breakout system, but I think most teams you'll face the same thing at the blue line. It'll be a stand of two defensemen trying to regap and then adjust their speed with timing themselves with your entry speed. So I think whatever you can do to get the most speed and support and coming together in your breakout system, I think that's going to be the most effective for you. So whether you face a 1-3, which most teams will do, they'll have one forward up ice and usually the other forward in that system would be the bench side or they'll be on a strategic or a strict side of the ice so that it's easier for the defenseman to know where they're going. So most teams will face a 1-3 where their F1 is kind of up trying to create trouble for you to make that drop pass or that first pass, then the other three are kind of at the blue line. So I think any adjustments made have to still ensure that you create top speed with numbers in support once you hit the in-between the red line and the opposing blue line. I think that's the most important. And then finishing your routes, making sure everybody comes together, being predictable for each other, and then the willingness to hold a puck and create possession for your power play breakouts. So there are some definitely some adjustments that have to be made, but I think speed is the main key."

I used to do shootouts in the IHL and I wasn't as skilled as Pavel Datsyuk, so I just liked to get the shot off. I scored against Germany in the Olympics in 1992 with a glove side, top shelf shot. My strategy when shooting was to make a split-second decision and go with it.
 
Transcript: "So, that's a good question. I have been in a lot of shootouts back in the IHL. We used to do shootouts and I had a pretty good record. I just like to shoot the puck. I wasn't that although I was very skilled. I did not quite have the moves like a Pavel Datsyuk to make those play. So I was a shooter. I just like to get the shot off. Quick, back in 1992. I did score in the Olympics and the In the quarterfinals against Germany. And I want glove side, top shelf. I don't know. I think at the end of the day I just want I just closed my eyes and shot to be honest with you. So that's I always made the read. As I went down there, I didn't have anything set. I just tried to take what the goal. He was giving me and make a split-second decision and go with it."

Mario Lemieux was the most difficult score to play against in my career. He was a five foot nine player with an incredible reach, who could finesse and overpower his opponents. His eyes lit up when he saw a smaller goalie in the net because he knew he had multiple ways to beat them. He took his teams on his back and propelled them to Stanley Cup wins.
 
Transcript: "The most difficult score to play against in my career. Well, that was pretty easy for me to decide that answer was always Mario Lemieux. He, he posed the greatest challenges for goaltender, a five foot nine goaltender. At least they said five foot nine in the program. I think I was stretching it to get the 59 but Mario had six food for 6. With five with that incredible. Reach was just devastating for a smaller goaltender. He had to be so respectful. Full of his ability to move the puck side to side, whether it was passing it, whether it was taking a stick handling and skating himself, he was devastating and he put the pressure on the, on the small goaltenders because of his reach and then he had the power to finesse. Yeah, he could, he could do deception really. Well, he could, he could overpower you with his play with his shot. He just had so many weapons in his Arsenal. He was just devastating. And I think he had a real. He really is eyes lit up when he saw a small goalie in the net, That particular night because he knew that he had multiple ways to beat you versus a big goalie who may limit some of those options. So for me, it was Mario and it was in those early 90s when he playing on those Powerhouse teams. We saw Mario on two separate occasions in Boston during Conference Finals. And he was at his best at that time. And, you know, he took the team on his back and propelled him through to their, to Stanley Cup wins and Mary was the toughest for Mary living you."

I'm still recovering from a leg injury I sustained during the Olympics, but I'm hoping to be healthy and ready for the next event in Italy.
 
Transcript: "Hi, Sam. Am I going to play at the next one? Picks in Italy. I'm not sure yet. I'm hoping. So I'm still recovering from the Olympics, from a leg injury. But you know I'm just hopefully we'll get back and be healthy and ready to go, but as of right now, just training and rehabbing"

One thing that I am seeing as lacking in players who are trying to make it to the NHL is a lack of experience and knowledge of the little habits of being a professional athlete, such as stick on puck, getting back quickly, taking away time and space, and being hard to play against. These skills must be developed with experience, so players need to focus on these habits in order to reach the NHL.
 
Transcript: "What is one thing that I am seeing as lacking in players who are trying to make it to the NHL? I would say it's definitely different for every player. Obviously there, every player has their own strengths weaknesses and things that they need to work on to be able to make it to the NHL. So I would I would generally just say I think those the little habits of being a professional athlete, you know just on the ice off the ice knowing how important it is to do the little things right on the ice. Ice. So you learn that as you play and, and as you play against better competition. So I just think generally those, those little habits and they start to get better and better as they're more aware of, you know, stick on puck, or, or getting back quickly, or taking away time and Spades being hard to play against all these little things that will help them become an NHL player. One day I think are, are areas that they can improve them for sure and it's Just that lack of experience and just going through through that and just developing as a whole they start to learn that as the more experienced that they get."