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Technically speaking, that was a game of hockey.
It might have been the worst game of the season in terms of entertainment value, but it was still a game of hockey. There were two teams, a puck, a couple of referees, and a rink with ice and two nets. It was all very official.
And yet, despite this being a truly dreadful game that was painful to watch, there were a couple of things made it a special night.
With an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime, Quinn Hughes tied Alex Edler for the franchise record for most points by a Vancouver Canucks defenceman. He matched that record despite having played 493 fewer games for the Canucks than Edler.
That’s special.
“I was lucky enough to watch Edler break it — I think it was my first career game when he did it — so I’m very honoured,” said Hughes to the Canucks’ Olivia McDonald after the game. “It’s been a blessing to play here.”
It was also an important game for Kirill Kudryavtsev and Nikita Tolopilo, who both made their debuts in the NHL after getting the call up from the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL.
“That’s pretty special, we’re roommates in Abby,” said Tolopilo. “Kind of split the rookie lap with him.”
“Kirill…is like my little brother now,” he added.
Was Tolopilo nervous? Well, no.
“I really wasn’t too nervous,” said Tolopilo. “I’ve played hockey for a while.”
It wasn’t just Tolopilo’s first NHL game, of course; it was also his first NHL win. He wasn’t too busy, as the skaters in front of him limited the Sharks to just 16 shots, but he stopped enough pucks to get the victory, as well as a pretty decent-looking .938 save percentage.
This could be the first start of many for Tolopilo; it could be his only chance to play in the NHL. Either way, it was a special moment and it’s given Tolopilo a hunger to get back to the NHL in the near future.
“I’m just so glad that I got the chance,” said Tolopilo. “It was a long journey for me and I’m so happy with what I’ve done before and now I just have to do even more hard work in the summer. And we’re not done in Abby, I want to have a long run there too. Just to build from this game, I think it’s going to give me a little bit more confidence, for sure.”
Tolopilo said that he grew up watching NHL games and highlights as a kid in Belarus, dreaming of one day playing in the NHL like his favourite goaltender, Pekka Rinne. It was a goal that sometimes seemed impossible.
“It’s the best league,” said Tolopilo. “I was dreaming about that since I was a kid…My hometown in Belarus is far away from here. You just want to play here. Every day, it’s tough to be here, it’s not just given to you.”
So yes, it wasn’t a particularly good game. At times, it was mind-numbing and even sleep-inducing. But it was also the culmination of a kid’s dream that took decades to come true. It doesn’t get much more special than that.
Thanks to Tolopilo, I reevaluated what I had just seen after I watched this game.
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