Excuse Jamie Pushor for looking rather beat come Saturday evening. His new club, the Syracuse Crunch, were just defeated by the Cleveland Barons 1-0 in front of a raucous home crowd. It was the second game in as many nights for Pushor and the Crunch and the effects of playing in back-to-back games for this long-time NHL veteran were beginning to take hold.
Despite looking like any non-Kenyan at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, Pushor felt rather good after seeing his first game action since playing in the NHL with Pittsburgh last season.
"It was different. I haven't slept much. I've actually been pretty nervous and excited at the same time to get back playing," stated Pushor. "To go back-to-back right off the bat is a bit of a challenge."
Pushor's journey to Syracuse actually began a few weeks back. He was in camp this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was not offered a contract by Toronto. He soon found himself without any immediate suitors so to stay in shape he was skating with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, which is close to home for Pushor.
A visit to Columbus, Pushor was one of the original Blue Jackets, yielded an opportunity to sharpen his skills and display his wares in Syracuse. Knowing full well that he may not be around too long, Head Coach Gary Agnew wasted little time in utilizing his talented newcomer.
"I can't complain. That is the best way to get involved in the game is to have that much ice time," said Pushor. "Fortunately Gary has let me do that."
Where this opportunity leads for Pushor is anyone's guess. He was signed to a P.T.O. by the Crunch with hopes of making it back to the NHL, but even Pushor acknowledges that he has to be patient and just see what arises.
"I know it is a cliche but it is just one day at a time, stated Pushor. "They are giving me an opportunity to play and to practice and get in game shape and we will see how things go."
It is a good thing he wasn't driving himself. Mike Walsh that is. With today's new laws regarding cell phone usage while driving, he just may have chosen to obey the law and let that phone ring. As it turns out, since was just an occupant he answered the call and his future may change because of it.
Walsh's odyssey began early this past Saturday. Unbeknownst to him, Marc Denis, the number one goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets woke up in the middle of the night feeling the effects of the flu. With Denis status for Columbus's game that evening in jeopardy, Columbus recalled Pascal Leclaire from Syracuse leaving a void in net for the Crunch. That is when Walsh received the call.
"I was actually on my way into Buffalo to do Christmas shopping and I just said to my brother-in-law that he could turn the car around because I was going to Syracuse to play hockey," recalled Walsh. "We just sort of looked at each other."
So despite being out of hockey since last season's brief two game stint with Crunch and working a nine to five in the meantime, Walsh headed for the War Memorial. He was summoned more as an emergency replacement than anything else. This is no indictment on Walsh's talent level. Anyone who plays four years at a respectable hockey school like Clarkson obviously is skilled, but this is the American Hockey League. You just don't walk away from a desk on Friday and then strap on the pads Saturday night to face the likes of Brad Boyes or Miroslav Zalesak.
So there he sat in the runway heading to the ice watching intently as Karl Goehring manned the crease for Syracuse. The last thing the Crunch wanted to see was for Goehring to go down. Well guess what?
With 8:42 remaining in period number two, Goehring, following a scrum in the crease, lay prone on the ice and Gary Agnew and company held their collective breath. While the Crunch's trainer Mike Derecola tended to Goehring, Walsh rose form his folding chair and began to get loose.
If Walsh was a little panicked who could blame him? Maybe he just wasn't aware of the situation at hand or everything was just happening to fast. Either way Walsh was never fazed. "I wasn't thinking of anything," stated Walsh. "I wanted to play. I thought I was ready and I was looking forward to it."
Goehring eventually shook off his injury an he remained in the game, but just getting a taste again and getting that close stirred something inside this young netminder.
"I thought I had moved on," stated Walsh. "You come back and you play a game after you thought you were done and it puts a little question in your mind as to what you want to do."
For now Walsh's desk beckons, but who knows what the future may hold. "I will play it by hear and see what happens," said Walsh. "Maybe I can find a couple people I know and make some calls to see if there are any openings anywhere and take it from there."
While surfing the web a few days back a rather interesting quote caught my attention. It was given to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle by Amerk defenseman Ryan Jorde on his bout Friday evening with Crunch enforcer Brandon Sugden. Jorde took umbrage with Sugden for breaking out the six-shooters on the way to the penalty box.
"That was one of the stupidest things I have ever seen," Jorde told the D and C. "I could see if he won the fight. But I buckle him at the end and he gets up and does this Tie Domi thing. Ridiculous."
He could see if Sugden had won the fight? Hopefully this interview was given post game at the War Memorial. Then you could excuse Jorde from retaining a firm grasp of the facts after taking a beating like he did.
Anyone who was in attendance, or has since seen the video, who claims that Jorde won that bout should visit an optometrist pronto. Sugden hit Jorde with more clean punches to the face than the War Memorial audience has seen in years and as for Jorde buckling him at the end, the video just doesn't support it.
Jorde deserves all the credit in the world for stepping right in and exchanging blows with Sugden, but he is living proof why that is not a wise decision. Jorde did get a few shots in, Sugden had a nice cut above his left eye in the post game, but Sugden still connected four or five times to every one that Jorde landed.
Also, for once and for all, can we clear up this misconception that taking a player down at the end of a fight constitutes victory. The Sugden, Jorde bout is a prime example. Sugden hits Jorde with 10-15 clean blows (conservatively speaking) to maybe 5 for Jorde before Sugden loses his balance and Jorde falls on top. Decision Jorde?
One thing is for certain. After hearing Jorde's version of the bout, if this hockey thing doesn't work out for him, he sure has a future as a judge in international figure skating.