Monday, September 26, 2011

Say it ain't so Mo



What a career. What a player. Never will we ever see another player like Mike Modano in the NHL again. He is the reason why Dallas is a successful hockey market to this day, he is the reason why Texas is aware about hockey, he is the reason why there are kids playing hockey in Texas, he is the reason why Dallas has 25 + hockey rinks since the Stars moved to Dallas when they only had 1 rink. I could go on for 24 hours of why Michael Modano is a one of a kind hockey player that will never see again and how much he influenced hockey in America but I won't because I am sure everyone knows how much he meant to the hockey world.



Watching that video gives me goosebumps and makes me wanna tear up. It's hard to believe he is retiring. Mike Modano was one of the main reasons why I became a die hard Stars fan and NHL fan to this day, and I am sure there are thousands or more who could say the same. If it wasn't for Modano, I don't think Dallas would have an NHL franchise today.

Took me a few days to make this post because quit frankly, I don't know how to put it. How to write it. I Just never felt like it was real to me when he retired. I've been watching Modano for the longest time, it's hard to accept that he has retired after 21 great years in the NHL.



It all started in Livonia, Michigan where a young boy at the age of 7 found the sport of hockey. From the very beginning he had tremendous talent. Mike was a hard worker and never gave up, he played in Youth hockey groups in his area and by the time he was 15 Mike found himself moving to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.  From there on, he never looked back.



Mike Modano played three season in the WHL with the Raiders, he played a total of 176 games and tallied up 294 points (118 goals and 176 assists). Many coaches in the WHL couldn't believe they missed him and regret not picking him up. Prince Albert Raiders found a gem. In the 1988  NHL Entry Draft there was many speculation on who the Minnesota North Stars would select with their 1st overall pick. The discussion was between two young players, Trevor Linden or Michael Modano. It came down to the end to see who the North Stars would pick 


Mike Modano didn't make the jump to the NHL after being drafted, he decided he wasn't ready for the NHL just yet, so he played another year in the WHL getting 105 points in just 41 games. Although Mike did make his NHL debut that same year during the 88-89 playoffs where he suited up for just two games for the North Stars.

In Mike Modano's rookie year he played 80 games, getting 29 goals and 46 assists. Mike Modano would go on to lead the North Stars into a magical playoff run leading the Minnesota North Stars to the finals in 1990-1991 only to lose to the Penguins. Modano did all he could for Minnesota in his 5 year stint with the franchise, but it wasn't enough to get fans in their seats. Which lead to the move.



In 1993 Norm Green who already explored his options about moving the franchise in 1991, finally got it done. The Minnesota Franchise got moved to Dallas, Texas. At the time no one thought it would work in Dallas, Texas, but  boy were they wrong. Many will tell you to this day, Mike Modano made hockey work in Dallas, Texas. If it wasn't for Mike, Dallas might not have a franchise today.

In Modano's first year in Dallas, he tied a career high in points with 93 for the second straight year in a row, and had a career high in goals with 50. He would lead the Stars to the playoffs in their first year in Dallas shocking the hockey world eliminating the St.Louis Blues in four games and eventually losing to the Canucks in the second round. Mike gave a reason for fans to come and watch the Stars play, which is why the Stars became a successful franchise and still is to this day.



As the years past since the move, Texas was more aware of hockey and the NHL, parents started to enroll their kids in hockey, more rinks were being build. All because of the success the franchise was having and how much Modano was making an impact to the city and state of Texas. Modano was now the face of the franchise. His next goal, was to become a Stanley Cup Champion. The Stars 98-99 team was one of the best teams the NHL has ever seen, with players like Modano, Hull, Belfour, Nieuwendyk, Hatcher, Lehtinen, Carbonneau and many more and with Ken Hitchcock behind the bench and Bob Gainey as the manager they were heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Modano and his Stars would go on to win the President Trophy for the second year in a row and reaching a franchise record with 116 points and 51 wins (still stands to this day for the Stars franchise). That same year saw Modano change his game to play a more defensive game and become a two way forward with the help of Bob Gainey and Ken Hitchcock. Modano and the Stars would sweep the Oilers in the first round, beat the Blues in the second round (thanks to Modano's game 6 overtime goal) and defeat the Colorado Avalanche in 7 games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since the move to Dallas.

All the pressure was on Modano to see if he can live up to the expectations. It was a long hard fought series that came down to game 6 in the third overtime where Brett Hull would put in a rebound past Hasek with Modano by his side. Mike Modano was finally a Stanley Cup Champion!


Mike Modano and the Stars would go till the end of next season to try and defend their title, but found themselves in a similar situation as last year but on the other end. The Stars would lose in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in double overtime.

As Modano got older, he started breaking records and reaching milestones. Soon enough, he became America's Greatest Scorer to ever play in the NHL passing Phil Housley on the night he scored twice against Evgeni Nabokov and his Sharks.

Mike Modano's last game as a Dallas Star came in April of 2010 in the Stars last home game of the year against the Anaheim Ducks. That to me was the the most memorable game I've ever watched.




Stars last game would be against the Minnesota where Mike started his career, at the end of the game he was selected as the first star of the game and came out onto the ice with a vintage North Stars jersey. After that game both parties moved on in the off-season. Modano signed a one year contract with the Wings while Stars decided to go young. Modano's one year stint with the Wings didn't go as he planned when a wrist injury sat him out for most of the season. By the end of the 2011 season, he knew what he had to do.

Mike Modano officially announces his retirement on September 23rd after signing a one day contract with the Dallas Stars so he can officially retire as a Star.

It's been a dream career for Michael Modano, he became a face of a franchise, spent 20 of his 21 years with the same franchise, won a Stanley Cup and is an American Icon with the most points ever by an American born hockey player.


Thank you Mike, for all you have done for Dallas and hockey. I will miss watching that jersey flap while you skate, I will miss announcers say your name after getting the Stars a goal. You will be greatly missed, Thanks for the memories Mike Modano. Never will we see another player like you ever again. Number 9 forever.


MB

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Stars Win In Montreal 6-3

What a night yesterday! Most of you know I live in Montreal and yesterday I spent the night at the good old Bell Center to watch my team beat my home town team 6-3 with a friend and my dad. It was a great experience, it was the first time I saw the Stars play live since 2009 when they came to Montreal during the season. It's also my third time seeing the Stars live, so when I found out the Stars were coming to Montreal for an exhibition game September I jumped on the opportunity and was lucky enough to get tickets from a friend.

Stars and Habs During The National Anthem

I had greats seats that night right near the Habs net. I was wearing my Stars home jersey and had a Dallas flag with me whenever we would score. I didn't have to wait too long before I had to wave my flag, just 3 minutes and 14 seconds in, Morrow was able to poke in the puck that was laying in the crease behind Carey Price to make it 1-0 for the Stars. About three minutes later Pardy put the Stars on the board again on the powerplay after getting a point shot past Price. At this point I was the only one cheering for the Stars and was getting a handful of boo's from Habs fans while waving my Stars flag. A little over the 10 minute mark the former Hab Ryder gets on the board with a great move to get it past Price to give the Stars a commanding 3-0 lead early in the first.


Both team take a breather after an exploding start by Dallas.

I missed the first five minutes of the second period because I wasted most of my time in line for some Pizza. Although when I got back in my seat Stars were up 4-0, goal was scored by the best player on our team Barch haha. Then things went down hill from there, Montreal found a way to get three unanswered goals, one being from former Star Jeff Woywitka. Things weren't looking good for the Stars, not long after their was a goalie change for both team, Lawson was replacing Price while Raycroft got replaced by Stars prospect Tyler Beskorowany.


Beskorowany comes in relief after Rayroft allows three goals

At this point it was 4-3 for the Stars. Until Alex Goligoski from his own end entered the Canadiens zone, released a shot that was tipped in past Lawson by another former Canadien Mike Ribeiro to give the Stars a 5-3 lead before going into the 3rd period. Felt good to get up and wave my Stars flag after the Habs scored three unanswered goals.

Going into the third period Stars were dominating in the shots and face off department. Not much happened in the third period, Beskorowany was playing well while rookies like Vincour and Larsen were having a solid game. Other players that looked good was the whole first line with Morrow, Ribeiro and Ryder (Ryder was all over the ice throwing hits and generating great scoring chances with Ribeiro). Goligoski was another player that stood out to me.

With a little under two minutes left in the game Fraser was able to rip one passed goalie Lawson to give the Stars a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Stars celebrate a 6-3 victory over the Canadiens

Overall I enjoyed it very much, it felt great when I was one of the few standing up and waving my flag when the Stars would get on the board. Whenever I get a chance to see my team play live it will always be a great experience that i'll remember for a long time! I still remember watching my first ever live Stars game in Montreal in 2001 with Eddie in nets winning 4-1!

Most memorable  moments in the game :

- The small tribute they had for the players who passed away during the off-season and seeing Skrastins in the video, it broke my heart. I could only imagine how the Stars players felt seeing Karlis in the tribute.

- Seeing Schultz and Wathier fight. My first ever live fight I experience, it was a great one too.

- Being one of the only fans standing up and waving my Stars flag when the Stars would score and getting boo'ed left and right. Proud to be a Stars fan!

- My favorite .... Seeing Ribeiro come out on the ice after being announced the first star mocking Montreal! Luckily I got a couple of pictures of him doing so!

Love having him on my team!

Here are a few more pictures I took from the game, enjoy and thanks for reading! Stars come back to Montreal on February for a regular season game! Can't wait for that!!!










MB