On changing one moment in sports history, Doug Gilmour said it all with one single emoji
There are a lot of memorable moments in Leafs history, both good and bad. For a franchise that has been around as long as the Leafs/St. Pats/Arenas, there is no shortage of memories. For Doug Gilmour, one stands out above all the rest in during his Leafs career. Game 6 of the 1993 conference finals against the Los Angeles Kings. So when NBC Sports threw out a tweet asking what one moment in sports history you'd change, he didn't even need to answer. A simple emoji would suffice.
The Leafs held a 3-2 series lead over the Kings, just one win away from going to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens that year. Wendel Clark had scored a hat trick in the game, including the game-tying goal late in the third period, with just over a minute to go in the game.
A late Leafs penalty put the Kings on the power play to start overtime, where arguable the most controversial non-call in Leafs history took place. Wayne Gretzky's infamous high stick on Doug Gilmour. If it has been called, Gretzky would have been tossed out of the game, but referee Kerry Fraser did not see the play and the linesmen claim to have missed the high stick as well, so the game resumed. A few seconds later, the puck was in the back of the net off of Gretzky's stick and the Kings had forced Game 7. The Kings, of course, went on to win Game 7 in what Gretzky calls one of the most memorable games of his illustrious NHL career.
Not only does Gilmour believe it was a penalty, but Kerry Fraser admitted that it should have been a penalty, but only after he saw the replay after the game.
To add insult to injury, a few years ago, Jeff O'Neill asked Gretzky what would have happened had the Leafs had won that game, and even Gretzky admitted that they had an excellent chance at winning the '93 Stanley Cup, based on how Gilmour and Clark had been playing that year, and also with how great of a coach Pat Burns was.
So yeah.. as far as the one moment in sports history he'd change - this one is a no-brainer for Gilmour.
| POLL | ||
MARS 24 | 423 ANSWERS On changing one moment in sports history, Doug Gilmour said it all with one single emoji Would the Leafs had won the Cup in '93 if Gretzky had been thrown out for high sticking Gilmour I'm OT? | ||
| Yes. Not a doubt in my mind. | 292 | 69 % |
| There's no guarantee that they would have | 90 | 21.3 % |
| Not a chance | 21 | 5 % |
| The Habs still would have won | 20 | 4.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
