Just an aside, Tommy Williams was my little league baseball coach when he was playing for the North Stars. He is the reason I have been a STARS fan for the last 57 years....
I was 6 or 7. He had moved back to Duluth that spring and coached little league baseball for 2 summers. I remember him showing us his Olympic Gold from 1960. (The first of 2 Olympic Gold medals I touched- Phil Verchoda's from the 1980 Miracle on Ice team was the other. His dad was my high school science teacher.) He then said I needed to watch him play on TV that winter. Great guy. He then lost his wife around that time and he quit coaching.
Wow. That would definitely make me a fan as a kid, too. What a cool story, albeit with a sad ending. I'm genuinely glad he's able to be remembered a bit today, though. That stuff is special.
You note that no one has ever done what Mikko is doing right now in terms of points per game, yet Gretzky put up 47 points in 18 games for a 2.61 points per game.
Yes, that Edmonton team in '85 was a dynasty. But what I was referring to in that graf about Gretzky was that even he never had four straight playoff games with 3+ points in each, like Rantanen and Draisaitl. Certainly for any discussion of overall scoring, Gretz is gonna blow the world out of the water.
I'm confused, what IS a natural hat trick if Kiviranta's wasn't one? I always assumed it just meant three goals scored on a goalie, no empty net goals.
Good memories, the Finnish announcer calling Kiviranta's goals. One of the most epic calls ever!
Among all the crazy Rantannen numbers, one hasn’t been mentioned. Between the 7 minute mark of the 3rd period of game 7 vs Avs and 17 minute mark of 2nd period of game 1 bs Jets Mikko scored 6 goals and 7 points in 50 minutes of hockey.
He literally scored 6 goals in less than a game of hockey - in the playoffs - in game 7!
Just an aside, Tommy Williams was my little league baseball coach when he was playing for the North Stars. He is the reason I have been a STARS fan for the last 57 years....
wow, very cool
This is incredible! Do you have any great stories you feel comfortable sharing? I can imagine he'd have a million.
I was 6 or 7. He had moved back to Duluth that spring and coached little league baseball for 2 summers. I remember him showing us his Olympic Gold from 1960. (The first of 2 Olympic Gold medals I touched- Phil Verchoda's from the 1980 Miracle on Ice team was the other. His dad was my high school science teacher.) He then said I needed to watch him play on TV that winter. Great guy. He then lost his wife around that time and he quit coaching.
Wow. That would definitely make me a fan as a kid, too. What a cool story, albeit with a sad ending. I'm genuinely glad he's able to be remembered a bit today, though. That stuff is special.
IYKYK: one time slapper to a gaping net from left circle that Nabokov somehow got with his glove in OT(2nd?) in the Cinquo de Morrow game?
Yep!
Nailed it! That save still lives rent free in my head even though we eventually won that game.
Just rename The GM of the Year award “The Nill”!!!
You note that no one has ever done what Mikko is doing right now in terms of points per game, yet Gretzky put up 47 points in 18 games for a 2.61 points per game.
Yes, that Edmonton team in '85 was a dynasty. But what I was referring to in that graf about Gretzky was that even he never had four straight playoff games with 3+ points in each, like Rantanen and Draisaitl. Certainly for any discussion of overall scoring, Gretz is gonna blow the world out of the water.
I'm confused, what IS a natural hat trick if Kiviranta's wasn't one? I always assumed it just meant three goals scored on a goalie, no empty net goals.
Good memories, the Finnish announcer calling Kiviranta's goals. One of the most epic calls ever!
A natural hat trick is when all three goals come without anyone else on either team scoring in between.
Among all the crazy Rantannen numbers, one hasn’t been mentioned. Between the 7 minute mark of the 3rd period of game 7 vs Avs and 17 minute mark of 2nd period of game 1 bs Jets Mikko scored 6 goals and 7 points in 50 minutes of hockey.
He literally scored 6 goals in less than a game of hockey - in the playoffs - in game 7!
This is a good one.