missed connections

I'm reading a book called The Puck Stars Here: The Origin of Canada's Great Winter Game Ice Hockey by Garth Vaughan. It's pretty neat- he chronicles the start of ice hockey- not indoor organized hockey (which was more or less introduced to Canada by James Creighton in Montreal in 1885), but what came before. And it all started (like many things in Canada) in Nova Scotia in the early and middle 1800s.

Now that makes for a cool story and it's interesting in itself but what is really fascinating to me is the fact that I had ancestors in Nova Scotia just prior to that time. My something-times great Grandfather, Michael (not Michel, interestingly enough) Dupuis, went from France to NS (for reasons unknown to us) in the 1640s or so- we dont know exactly when but his son Martin was born in Port Royal, NS in 1665 so they were there then.

The Dupius lived in Nova Scotia in the area of Grande Pre and Port Royal (close to Wolfville and Windsor) until 1785 when the British gained occupation of Nova Scotia and expelled the Acadians. The Dupuis (at least the ones in my line of ancestry- don't know about others, though if I ever visit, and I want to, I want to try and trace them too) left for Louisiana and the rest is history (that's where my Mom (and Dad) are from).

And where was hockey (or hurley as it was initially called, after an Irish game) being played? In Halifax, Dartmouth, Windsor and Wolfville, primarily. Right where my people (had they not been French) would have been living.

So I can't help but imagine how life would be had the French not been expelled from Acadia. (Obviously I wouldn't be here and be me, since my Dad's fam came straight from France but that is not the point.) It's all about decisions made or not made, turns taken and not taken, and the paths we choose or are sent on. How close we can come to history and yet miss it entirely.

Just something that made me think...

Gretzky's Tears

I am reading a book that I heard about over at The Goose's Roost. The guys there are reading and reviewing as part of a "Read With the Roost" series that they are doing. Since they talked it up, and I happened to have a coupon for 40% off at Borders, I made a purchase. The book is Gretzky's Tears:Hockey, America, and the Day Everything Changed by Stephen Brunt. I already read Searching for Bobby Orr, another great book by Brunt so I was thinking I'd enjoy this one as well.

I'm not quite done (got another 40 or so pages), but so far I really like the book. I will probably review it in more detail in a later post, but for now I want to point something out.

On page 200, it says "In the early part of the 1989-90 season he was closing in on Gordie Howe's career NHL goal-scoring record, a stunning achievement given that it had taken Howe 1,767 games to record his 801 goals, while Gretzky would hit the mark in just 780."

There is something very wrong with this fact. Gretzky did not score his 802nd goal until 1994- March 23, 1994, to be exact-- and I remember because I WATCHED THE GAME. I still have it on tape somewhere. It was during my first, fledgling season as a hockey fan. I came on to hockey during the all-star game and watched some games here and there before becoming fully immersed during the playoffs. We knew Gretz was getting close to the record, so we started recording games and we manged to get this one on tape. It happened to be against the Canucks (my first favorite team) and they stopped the game and made a huge presentation. (it was a big deal, but couldn't they have waited till the game was over?) I think the Canucks actually won the game, and I know that Pavel Bure scored his 50th goal, and the Canucks made an ironic show of being excited for him. Wild stuff.

What I think Mr. Brunt meant to say there was that Wayne was approaching Howe's point-scoring record, which he did break in 1989, against the Oilers. (his 802 goal took around 1, 178ish games to complete, still pretty amazing.) MAJOR difference there.. and I am really surprised that no editor caught that. I noticed it just from reading, then did some quick internet research to be sure that I wasn't imagining things.

I have a really good memory for sports-related things, especially when it comes to Pavel Bure and the Canucks, so I was pretty sure I was right about this one, and it turns out I was. Hmmm..

umm...

WOW it's snowy at my house! We didn't get anything yesterday when Buffalo itself and the Southtowns were getting hammered all day.. but last night around 9;30 or so, all that Lake Effect settled in.. and it's still here. We have probably at least a foot of snow on the ground and it is still coming. Good thing I'm not going to the game tonight, I'd have a tough time getting out of here. I do plan to watch it though! wooooo Sabres!

I'm assuming the Blackhawks managed to get a flight into Buffalo as we haven't heard otherwise. Maybe it was a late or long delayed flight and they're all tired! We can hope, eh?

I plan to spend my day reading my new book: Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Liferby Bruce Boudreau. It should be very entertaining! :)

And really.. who writes these things? The game notes for today say that Lalime will be the starter, then proceed to talk about Miller the rest of the way. Say what? I'm not a professional writer or anything, but that just doesn't make sense. How can Miller be the 'game changer' when is isn't scheduled to play? Hmm..

That's about it. Maybe I'll do a semi-live blog tonight but no guarantees.. ;)

Be safe, everyone who is going to the game!!