’Twas the Night Before Hockey
By Sam Jam and Matching Minors Mark
‘Twas the night before hockey, and all through the Can
All the fans were a stirring, even grumpy ol’ Stan;
The banner was hung in the rafters with care
The spirit of Lord Stanley soon would be there.
The fans were nestled all snug in their seats
With visions of a new season… a chance to repeat;
And the Avs in their uni’s, and I in my sweater
We settled our brains…could we even play better?
When out on the ice there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my seat to see what was the matter.
Up to the glass, I saw in a flash
MacKinnon had begun an end to end dash.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear
But Alexandar Georgiev… in all new Avs gear;
With his helmet and blocker and all kinds of splendor
I knew in a moment he must be the new tender.
*
More rapid than eagles, his skaters they came
And Bedsy whistled and hollered and called them by name:
“Now, Landy! Now, Cale!, Now Mikko and Mac!
On Newhook!, On Compher….Press press the attack”!
“To the top of the crease! In the back of the net!
Keep pushing …keep charging it’s not over yet!”
So up to the net, McKinnon now flew
A wrister top shelf, we whopped and woo hoo’d;
And then, in a twinkling, we saw on the ice
A turnover…a breakaway and Mac had scored twice.
*
And after the victory with the press all aflutter
The Captain gave praise to each one and another;
“But one D man stood out among the rest of the crew”
And Landy went on to explain like we didn’t know who.
His eyes - how they twinked, his dimples, how merry!
His nose like a rose, his cheeks like a cherry!
With Norris in one hand, Conn Smythe in the other
#8 Cale Makar…his moves are like butter.
*
In the post-game we saw, he wore paisley and plaid
He grinned and as usual… he was real glad;
He had not a mullet,
but in his hand was a crisp silver bullet.
*
But thanks to a schmuck, and the chumps at Comcast
Avs fans may as well be in Belfast;
With streaming and stealing, we’ll have to make due
And pay for old Stanley’s waning to sue.
*
And at the end of the night, he spoke not a word
From his box up above, he couldn’t be heard;
As Super Joe, he need not say much
With his brains and his skill, he will always be clutch.
He sprang to his car, and to the fans he gave a small smile
He waved, and had gone but a mile;
When I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he went to his better halves:
“Happy Hockey Season to all, and always Go Avs!”