ST. LOUIS-Despite a valiant effort by the undermanned Blackhawks, the overpopulated St. Louis Blues won the Winter Classic Alumni Game 8-7 on this shiny New Year's Eve afternoon before a packed Busch Stadium.
Despite the outcome, the visiting former athletes took heart in the fact that all of theirs were still operating normally.
"At this point in our lives, winning isn't as important as surviving," offered Murray Bannerman, who faced the music during the middle period for Chicago, succeeding Darren Pang and preceding Jimmy Waite. Frankly, none of the three took the job and ran with it. Good thing they all have other jobs. Pang is a Blues broadcaster; Waite expertly coaches Corey Crawford and Scott Darling. Otherwise, this would bear all the ingredients of a goalie controversy.
Verdict: Alumni game recalls old divisional rivalry
Then again, the ice did seem tilted slightly toward the home forces. The Blackhawks suited up 21 players, the Blues 27. Among them was Barrett Jackman, 35, who retired 20 minutes ago. The Blues were loaded with the rich and famous, none richer or more famous than Wayne Gretzky. He played 18 games for the Blues, but wife Janet is from here.
Meanwhile, the scrappy Blackhawks depended on grinders. Kyle Calder scored twice; Jim Cummins, Brian Noonan, Reid Simpson, Ben Eager and Dan Carcillo had one each. Unlike many of the taffy pulls back in the day when results counted, this rematch was fist-free. Then again, to fight is to require energy. But even though these onetime boys of winter took the fastest game in the world and slowed it down a notch, the audience loved it.
"I thought there might be 6,000 people in the stands," Adam Burish said. "What were there, 50,000? I was blown away."
Gretzky opened on a line with Brett Hull and Adam Oates. Yet Chicago captain Troy Murray, who carried two microphones, was not wearing No. 99. Gretzky lists Murray as one of the two or three best shadows ever, but the Blackhawks' popular radio analyst expressed no desire whatsoever for a reprise of assignments. He did, however, request a stick from "The Great One" after 60 minutes of running time ran out.
"Wayne said I always held onto his stick, anyway," recounted Murray. "So I might as well have one I can hold onto for good."
Tony Esposito, the Blackhawks' Hall of Fame ambassador, was back behind the bench for another try after co-coaching last February's loss to the Minnesota North Stars Alumni with Hall of Fame broadcaster Pat Foley. Cliff Koroll, president of the Blackhawk Alumni, replaced Foley, who was not fired. The Blues had four coaches, for goodness' sake, including one who is not only legitimate, but legendary: Red Berenson, who has been at the University of Michigan forever. He's got more than 800 wins there.
But Tony O was undaunted.
"Another tough loss," he sighed. "But I like our team."
Esposito noted that although everyone is getting older, his roster was younger. However, his fellow Hall of Fame ambassador, Denis Savard, was absent. He would have helped. Nor were Dave Manson or Scott Stevens in the building. Both have probably mellowed, anyway, but on March 17, 1991, they were featured heavyweights atop an ample undercard in the fabled "St. Patrick's Day Massacre" at the Stadium.
The Blackhawks and Blues have a history of disagreements, and that game nourished it. There were 278 penalty minutes-24 minors, 17 misconducts and 12 ejections, six combatants per side. After a series of grouchy preambles, Manson and Stevens cut to the chase and squared off at center ice, all the better to provide a clear view for everybody.
But it has been that way for decades. Since 1970, three years after the Blues were born, these two franchises have resided in the same division. The labels have changed, from West to Smythe to Norris to Central-but not prevailing attitudes. The Blackhawks and Blues have met 12 times in the playoffs, the last being one April ago when St. Louis advanced after a typically edgy seven-game series.
Although the Blackhawks, by popular demand, lead the NHL in outdoor appearances, their only victory remains a 5-1 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2014 at Soldier Field. Jonathan Toews registered two goals and an assist, defying a wintry mix at night on the lakefront. Maybe that's the problem. The Blackhawks don't mind weather, as long as it's foul.
By all accounts, there an excellent chance of that for Monday's Winter Classic.
