Moose On The Loose In His Touque

History: Sure, the college kids did it first in Michigan. 75,000 people to watch a hockey game. Today in Edmonton about 56,000 will watch an alumni game followed by the Oilers and Canadians. For any of you who have played pond or river hockey....this will be great. If like me, you have played games in an outdoor rink then it will be even cooler.

The more I think about it, the cooler this is. Once you get past the fact that our captain and leading scorer is playing in an old-timers game that is. I'm fine with it. Some things happen only once....and this is one of those things.

I'll give you the links to the locals.....then we'll head north for coverage of today's game. BTW: I'm told that ESPN classic will replay the games at some point. Better than nothing. Maybe one of you will record it and send it to me.

Newsday, Daily News and the Star-Ledger.

Larry Brooks covers the outdoor classic. So does the NY Times....here and here.

I think the Rodent had asked about the line up for the alumni game....here it is. It's amazing to see so many ex-Rangers names on both teams. Several players from the '94 Cup team will be on the ice.....those were good days, eh ?

Sportsnet.ca - "I told Wayne not to stay out late because we might have to double- or triple-shift him," Sather kidded.

TSN - "It would have to be freakin' cold," Cal Nichols, the Oilers governor on the NHL board of directors, replied when asked what would force postponement.

Slam - Instead of the Habs versus the Oil, Ryan Smyth should instruct all players to throw their sticks in the middle of the ice to be divvied up. Even then, no one is to swap jerseys, leaving it up to the players to figure out, over time, exactly who is on their team.

More Slam - On Saturday, if there is a tie at the end of two 15-minute periods in the alumni game that's part of the outdoor Heritage Classic, a shootout will decide a winner, and Gretzky intends to take part this time.

Well folks.....I have to admit, today is one of those days that I wish I was Canadian. No, I'm not sour on being an American....just jealous that a Canadian has hockey as part of their country's history and these games on TV.

I wonder if Little Richard will sing the Canadian national anthem.....that would be funny, eh ? Or, how about Bob and Doug as guest play by play guys ? I'll be purchasing some Canadian beer and will hoist a few in honor of the Great White North, it's people and the greatest game on earth.

Oh...I almost forgot....there's a new entry in the Birdcage.

----}- Bird

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