by Dan Adkisson
There are so many amazing memories that NHL gave us in 2022. As we move to year 2023, let’s take a look at some of the unforgettable moments of the National Hockey League from the recent past:
1. Bergeron’s 400th goal
It was the final regular-season home game of last season when Bergeron entered the arena with just three goals away from hitting record 400 goals. He was up against the Sabres with the rest of his mates from the Bruins. We had no idea whether we would be seeing him after the match as he hadn’t confirmed if he would be coming back next season.
The game was at 4-0 and just around 2 minutes were left when Cassidy decided to place Bergeron in an offensive zone hoping that he could exit the arena if the third goal didn’t happen. To everyone’s surprise, Bergeron fired the puck and scored the third point, and that too in just 7 seconds. With that goal, Bergeron had 400 goals in his tally in total.
2. Johnson, MacKinnon’s emotional roller-coaster ride after Cup victory
You don’t have to be a hardcore NHL enthusiast or better on a top sports betting platform to be aware of the Stanley Cup’s highlights. We all know how Colorado won the Stanley Cup by beating rhe Lightning in the sixth game, the Cup’s finale.
As the Avalanche team celebrated the victory, MacKinnon and Johnson just lay with each other and hugged each other. Finally, the former pulled the latter to his feet. It’s worth noting that they were together in a Colorado team in 2016-17. The team had finished last in the series and had 48 points. They were again with each other after five years, and with the Cup to their names. The emotion behind Johnson’s shoutout to his pal was unforgettable: “We did it!”
3. Rantanen’s supreme success
Rantanen couldn’t hold his excitement playing in Finland, a place the Blue Jackets and Avalanche had played two games in Tampere in the Global Series. What he couldn’t have guessed was that he would score three amazing goals in a spectacular 6-3 victory. Everyone was so touched that they started serenading him, who they knew had spent a good part of his life just 100 miles away. As they started singing songs for his praise, Rantanen just couldn’t help but feel loved and he was grateful for the gesture. He said that the cheering gave him chills even as he was quite surprised by what he saw. Who knew that the NFL’s first trip to Tampere would leave with such a profound moment for the sports fans?
4. Salming’s unforgettable moments
The world knows about Borje Salming’s medical condition of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) which makes it difficult for him to show his emotions properly. However, this changed when this 71-year-old veteran was honored ahead of the Hall of Fame match between the Maple Leafs and Penguins at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
As the sea of fans roared in the stadium, Salming’s arm was raised by Darryl Sittler. Everyone got carried away by the powerful moment and then it happened- Salming actually smiled! And it didn’t just end there- he also uttered a speech of appreciation. It’s unfortunate that he is no more with us, but he indeed left with many treasures of memories and an unforgettable year for NHL fans.
2022 was an action-packed year for hockey fans, there are no ways to it. Which matches did you enjoy the most, and how many of the moments above you can remember? Do let us know!