The Pinnacle of Professional Hockey

As soon as I figure out how to get youtube videos on here, this'll be much better. Until then... courage.

 Anyway, I recently came across this video at the wonderful spot at Deadspin and it made me start thinking about what the greatest in-game sports spectacles are. You know, the coolest thins that happen in sports that aren't the games themselves.

5. The Hat Trick

If the hat trick was a candy bar, it'd be a Snickers. Satisfying, enjoyable, but then again, pretty everyone can and has gotten one. It's still a spectacle to see a bunch of people that still care about hockey throwing their hats onto the ice. You rarely see that type of fan participation these days. Especially something that it team-neutral and rarely happens. Which, of course, is part of the charm of the hat trick.

The only drawback is the fact that, you know, you lose your hat.

4. Walk-Off Homerun

Out of all the occurences on the list, the walk-off dinger is probably the most common, and the most satisfying, if in your favor. I mean, with one swing of the bat, the game's over. Boom, you win. And Boston fans are familiar with what these things look like.

3. Buzzer-Beater

Much like the walk-off home run, expect the buzzer-beater is anticipated, rarer, and, in most, cases, pretty ridiculous. In no other sport is there anything like throwing up a prayer with 0.6 seconds left on the clock and having it go in. Sort of like the hail mary in football, but actually has a chance of working. Also much like baseball, you can identify a buzzer beater with one guy.

2. The Perfect Game

Shut up. It's the third inning, you don't talk about it. If someone even thinks of potentially mentioning it during the eighth or ninth, you've just condemned the guy on the mound.

The no-hitter carries a certain magical aura around with it. The fact that te pefect game is one step above it somply makes it more astonishing. The greatest facet of the no-no, it oculd happen anywhere, and at any time. When you get to the game, and the pitcher throws a 1-2-3 first. Don't deny it. Somewhere in the back of your mind. You think about it. You think that somewhere down the road, that game could turn into that phenomenon that Buchholz threw last year.

1. Goalie Fight

The holy grail of sports. On my list, this is above the Super Bowl, World Series Game 7, and everythign else short of anything that ends up with me having a souveneir worth a lot of money (Barry Bonds' 756 anyone?)

Aynone can go and see a pefect game, a super bowl, an unasisted triple play, or anything else; but only the select few have seen the goalie fight. It transcends the sport. It transends everything sporting events stand for. It's pure, unadulterated hatred combined with comedy, rarity, internet exposure, bragging rights, and being able to release your primal urges as two guys covered from head to toe in padding make the trek all the way across the ice to throw one or two punches and then, for all intents and purposes, leave the game. 

Everytime you see a fight in a hockey game, you sneak a peak, just a little peak at the goals, for that slight glimmer of hope that those lazy masked behemoths are making their move. Because if they do, that stay with you forever.

I really need to get that video up.