Sidney in the Snow

I promised someone (yes, you P.Wayne) that I would watch at least a few minutes of the "NHL Outdoor Classic" on Tuesday. And what do you know, I stuck around for more than an hour.

For the majority of you who didn't realize hockey was still played in the US, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins played a game outdoors on New Years Day at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the Buffalo Bills. For better or worse, the lake-effect loomed large during the game with snow falling throughout all three periods and a thin layer of the white stuff still stuck to the ice as the contest went to a shoot out. In what must have made NBC executives and NHL brass collectively weep, the 'it' kid of the sport - Sidney Crosby - had a chance to win the game for the Penguins on the third and final shot of the shooting match. I confess, I was glued to the TV - even flipping to my channel guide to be sure and DVR the start of the Rose Bowl.

Sid the Kid sliced through the snow, made a few hockey moves that I'm sure have technical terms - picture a point guard dribbling down the lane - and as he approached the net, he must have seen a small opening between the goalie's pads (the "5-hole" as some might say) as he scored a winter wonderland game-winner. Congratulations Sidney, Dick Ebersol, Gary Bettman, P.Wayne, M.Brevet, Don, the Helfmans and Alexis (those are the only 6 people I know who ask bartenders to switch to the NHL Network) - for at least 10 minutes, the sports world was watching your favorite sport. That's all I got, the Rose Bowl is already in the second quarter...