Do you know how long I had to think before I even came up with a headline as dumb as that one? Days.
There are only two NHL players whose names begins with a “Q” and if Jonathan Quick, the Milford CT native wins the Stanley Cup, he will be the first PLAYER whose name begins with “Q” to be etched on the silver ring. Joel Quenneville is on there as a Coach, Charles Querrie is there as a GM, Percy Quinn as Owner of the Toronto BlueShirts in 1914. Kyle Quincey had the opportunity to be the first when the Detroit Red Wings won the cup, but it was deemed he was ineligible.
Enter Jonathan Quick, the goalie who has been stellar throughout this playoff series. The brother-in-law of Matt Moulson has seen playoff action before having played six games for the Kings in each of the last two NHL seasons. But something seems different this year.
As my husband said on Saturday night while watching the Devils try to win game two of this year’s Cup finals, “Who is this guy Quick? Did they get one of the Avengers to play in net?” He’s been that good.
The 26-year-old has won 14 of the last 16 playoff games he has played with a save percentage of .947. He has had two shut outs. Quick only needs to win two more games before he becomes a member of the elite club of Stanley Cup winners and the first of a sort.
Martin Brodeur is 40-years-old and has his name on the Stanley Cup three times. He is looking for a fourth. His save percentage during this series is .924 and has had one shut-out during these playoffs.
The Devils may indeed “dread’ facing Quick. But they may also dread facing overtime where the LA Kings seem to be able to sneak by their veteran net minder. They will not want tonight’s game to get that far. The Devils will want to win it in regulation while the Kings will be looking to take a commanding 3 -0 lead on their home ice in front of their loyal fan base.
Perhaps Wayne Gretzky will be the lucky charm as he drops the puck for tonight’s game. Making an appearance for the NHL after a long absence, he is sure to bring the house down.
Matt Moulson was there in New Jersey to see his brother-in-law get that much closer to hockey’s holy grail. Perhaps he will fly to LA to see the next two games. But you can only imagine how mixed with the happiness for Quick is the desire to be there on the ice himself.
Watching this series so closely can only make Matt that much more determined to find a way to get the NY Islanders in a similar position in the near future. Should Quick make it, Matt is sure to share in his brother-in-law’s day with the cup. It will only make him want it more.
Sidenote: Watch for Mathew Perry to be all over the Kings broadcast like white on rice. Not only is he a huge hockey fan and Canadian National, his new show that will premiere (where else?) on NBC is about a sports caster in group therapy for the death of his wife. He told Gary Bettman on the NHL Hour that he hopes to have a LOT of NHLers on his show. I like Perry, I just hope this show is better than his last one.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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