Only Moment Alone

Thanks to my dad scoring some free tickets, I was at the Joe last night watching the Red Wings host the Dallas Stars with my brother Clint, my best friend Craig, and of course my dad. The seats were amazing, 16 rows up right behind the net that Detroit shot at during the first and third periods. I have come to the conclusion that I like behind-the-net seats much better than mid-ice side-to-side action seats. It is just a better view of the entire game and flow. Anyway, besides watching a great game (Wings win 5-3) in great seats with some of my favorite people, there was one moment I feel compelled to pass along.

During a break in the action the PR team interviewed a Red Wings season ticket-holder of 49 years. [49 years!!!] The first question posed to the old man was, “What is your favorite Red Wings memory?”

To a huge roar from the crowd he responded, “When Darren McCarty took down Claude Lemieux!”

So, just for the record, it wasn’t Steve Yzerman’s famous slap-shot in double overtime of Game 7 against the Blues in the 1996 playoffs. Nor was it the Stanley Cup clinching wins at home in both 1997 and 2002. Not even the epic 7-0 romp over Patrick Roy and the Avalanche in Game 7 of the 2002 Western Finals.

It was Darren McCarty getting revenge on Claude Lemieux and pummeling him as he went into the turtle position.

So apparently besides being my favorite Red Wing of all time, Darren McCarty seems to still have quite a few fans in Detroit. Now that he is back with the Wings, a bit of harmony has been restored to the world.