Remembering "Big Bob"

Just wanted to tack on another thought on Dave Merchant's blog on the passing of former Detroit Red Wing Bob Probert. We all remember the wild fights he had on the ice with the likes of Marty McSorely, Troy Crowder and Tie Domi, but one of the most underrated aspects of Probert's game was his hands. The guy had a scoring touch, once bagging 29 goals (1987-88). And, Probert scored the winning goal at the first Wings game I ever went to.

It was the home opener of the 1990-91 season, and Dad landed tickets. The Wings were playing the Calgary Flames, who were just two years removed from winning the Stanley Cup, and the Red Wings were coming off a 28-win season in 89-90, their last non-playoff season. The Wings had a new coach in Bryan Murray and a rookie import from Russia named Sergei Fedorov, and I was in the third grade.

I remember the Wings having three one-goal leads, only to have Calgary rally and grab a 5-3 lead early in the third period. The Wings stormed back to make it 5-5 and send the game into overtime. Then with 54 seconds remaining, Probert rushed the net and muscled the puck into the net for the winner. Ironically, the Calgary goalie that night was Mike Vernon, who six years later would backstop the Wings to the Stanley Cup.

It was that night that I knew I either wanted to be a pro hockey player or sports reporter (guess which one turned out). Rest easy Probie, and thanks for the memories.