BuffaLatvian Love Affair (foligno)

foligno

BuffaLatvian Love Affair

By GARTH'S CORNER

Jan 24, 2015 • 9:45 am

0comment-bubble

1,574,896.

That's the number of NHL All Star Game votes that Buffalo Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons received during the six week voting period.

I don't want to hear crap from the haters about how the Latvian Locomotive does not belong at the NHL All Star Game. That's rubbish. Zemgus is already respected by his NHL peers at the age of 21. He's a natural born killer and his teammates and opponents know it. He doesn't have to apologize for being shoved into the spotlight. He's a humble blue collar guy. He can handle the media requests and the added attention. He's earned this opportunity. He can handle the pressure. The kid earned his way in on the strength of being the #1 vote getter. manipulating /cheating the system like Tom Brady and the New England Cheaters.

No, it took hard work of 3 million hockey (2 million Latvians, 1 million Buffalonians) crazed people to get Zemgus Girgensons to the NHL All Stare Game. 3 million and 1 if you count the Locomotive himself.

“I had no plans to be here,… Zemgus told the NY Times on Friday.

Anze Kopitar, a native Slovenian and two time NHL All Startold the NY Times that he took notice early on of the Girgensons love affair with Latvia and Buffalo.

“I saw it on TV pretty much every week — he was leading the votes by quite a big margin,…

“But one thing I know: Latvian fans are very passionate about their hockey,… he added. “We’ve seen it at the world championships — they always have the big fan base where lots of fans come and cheer all the time. I’m not surprised that happened.…

In 2013, Girgensons (Buffalo Sabres1st round 14th overall pick 2012 NHL Draft)received the Rising Star Award in the Latvian Sports Personality of the Year honors.

Last week, Zemgus told ne that he appreciates the love of his Latvian admirers:

“They’ve always been crazy for hockey. Its great".

For the past few weeks, Girgensons has been a man of few words regarding his All Star Game experiences. That's how he rolls. I have asked him several times to comment on the voting phenomena and each time he blushed and opted to talk about his Buffalo Sabres. That is his true character. He isn't a "me guy". He is a "team guy". His Sabres have lost 11 straight games and 15 of the last 16 heading into the All Star break. There hasn't been a lot of joy in the Buffalo room. The last thing that a team-first guy like Zemgus is going to do is pump his own tires and brag about his All Star Game exploits. That's not in his DNA. He's a Buffalo Sabre first and foremost and he told me that he's going to be representing his Buffalo teammates past and present when he steps onto the ice surface on Sunday. Zemgus will play alongside his good friend and fellow Buffalo soldiers Pat Kane and captain Nick Foligno.

Zemgus won't be star stuck or in awe of those NHL stars surrounding him. He told me last week "it's just hockey" when asked about the enormity of the opportunity. Hey now, you're an all star. Get your game on, go play. That's how Zemgus is approaching the All Star Game experience. Down deep he knows that he belongs at the NHL All Star Game. So, he will enjoy his time spent with some of the nest players in the world. He can take a tips from and observe how the greatest of the great players prepare themselves for battle, how they communicate on the bench and how they battle for one another on the ice.

The hard part is done. He was the #1 vote getter for the 2015 All Star Game. Now, its time to have fun playing the game the game that he has loved since he was a young locomotive.

He will be representing Latvia and Buffalo on Sunday in Columbus.

“I don’t think there’s too much pressure here at the All-Star Game,… he said. “It’s for them.…

He knows that Latvians will have their beer glasses raised in a toast every time he steps out onto he ice.

“They (Latvians) know how to party!…

**

Judging from all of the selfies taken at the NHL All Star Draft, Zemgus Girgensons has a new bro in Alex Ovechkin.

Ovi reaaaalllly wanted the 2015 Honda for being selected last overall in the draft, however, what he got instead was to spend some quality time with his hockey bro, the Latvian Locomotive.

***

The 2015 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft was a far cry more entertaining than the two previous events. I liked that that the captains and draftees were able to drink while making their selections. I loathe the fact that Phil Kessel was drafted first overall by team Toews. I love that Kessell was traded for Tyler Seguin in the first ever NHL All Star Fantasy Draft trade. I also love that TV cameras busted creepy Kessel gawking at the hired help. Talk about an awkward dude acting awkward.

It was fun to hear the chirping between the players like Drew Doughty calling out Kevin Shattenkirk for his premature baldness. Ryan Getzlaf buried the public with Calgary captain Mark Giordano. Alex Ovechkin was begging to be selected last overall so that he could drive home the 2015 Honda sled.

My favorite moment of the night was Pat Kane and Nick Foligno selecting Zemgus Girgensons to play for the black team. You may not know it, but Kane, Foligno and Zemgus all have something in common: they are all Buffalo soldiers. Foligno and Kane were born and raised in Buffalo. Zemgus wasn't born here, however he may as well have been. Buffalonians adopted Girgensons with open arms three years ago and its as if he's lived here his whole life. There exists an undeniably real connection between Zemgus and his adoring Buffalo family members.

I love that an Edmonton Oiler, RNH, won the car for being selected last along with Nashville's Filip Forsberg.

Here are your rosters:

Team Foligno

1. Ryan Johansen 2. Duncan Keith 3. Anze Kopitar 4. Steven Stamkos 5. Tyler Seguin 6. Carey Price 7. Claude Giroux 8. Dustin Byfuglien 9. Marc-Andre Fleury 10. Brian Elliott 11. Brent Burns 12. Kevin Shattenkirk 13. Bobby Ryan 14. Radim Vrbata 15. Oliver Ekman-Larsson 16. Zemgus Girgensons 17. Alex Ovechkin 18. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Team Toews

1. Phil Kessel 2. 2. Shea Weber 3. Jake Voracek 4. Corey Crawford 5. John Tavares 6. Roberto Luongo 7. Brent Seabrook 8. Vlad Tarasenko 9. Patrice Bergeron 10. Jaro Halak 11. Aaron Ekblad 12. Patrik Elias 13. Ryan Suter 14. Mark Giordano 15. Justin Faulk 16. Tyler Johnson 17. Filip Forsberg (car winner)

***

Show Comments
Loading...
Loading...
0
Show comments for this article