Page 10 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 112
P. 10
10 Issue #112 May 2022 www.sportsenergynews.com
Continued from page 1 Throughout the years, I was fortunate
to spend parts of several days with
77, 78), and one Conn Smythe Trophy the icon. . . including a memorable
for MVP of the playoffs (1977). dinner, as well as an interview for my
And, of course, everything you website when he spent some time at
would expect would soon follow – the Civic Complex to help celebrate
his number 10 retired by the Montreal Newsy Lalonde Day, back on July
Canadiens, made an Officer of the 21st, 2016. I hope that this interview
Order of Canada (in 1980), Hockey from that day will bring back some
Hall of Famer (inducted in 1988 – fond memories of a man who brought
he would become one of only three so much excitement to this world.
players to return to the game after Nikolai Adams: Nikolai Adams
receiving the honour – the other two, here with Guy Lafleur. . . a man who
Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux), needs no introduction – one of the
Canadian Sports Hall of Fame most iconic Montreal Canadiens.
(in 1996), bronze sculpture at the I’d like to go back to the Quebec
Bell Centre, and named one of the Remparts first actually, if you don’t
hundred greatest players as part of the mind. 130 goals, 214 points. . .
League’s Centennial Celebration (the coming into Cornwall and playing
Hockey News placed him at number against the Royals at Water Street
11 in their 1998 rankings). Arena, what was that like? Putting
Yet sadly, this legend lives no up those points, as well as playing in
more. . . succumbing to a long battle Cornwall.
with lung cancer on April 22nd, 2022 Guy Lafleur: It was always a tough
– a very tough day for not only the game when we used to come play
Montreal Canadiens and their fans, here, because they had a tough team
but for all hockey fans worldwide. at that time. There were always a Guy Lafleur and Nikolai Adams Submitted photo
few guys who would fight during the the score sheet and you miraculously
game. So we got rid of the fighters didn’t have a penalty minute.
and we played hockey after. We had
GL: That was a sad game, because
maybe a little more talent than the I don’t think the players were
Royals, but some of the games were looking forward to that type of game.
close. . . and usually high scoring. You know, the rivalry between the
Also, the fans here were something Nordiques and Montreal was mostly
else. between the media, between the fans
NA: I’ve heard.
– they were building up so much
GL: You know the place was just pressure before each game that the
jam packed. There was kind of a players were stuck in between and
rivalry between both teams. We had a it became the kind of a game where
lot of fans from Quebec City coming players didn’t play hockey. . . they
to see every game when we were on were just trying to hit each other and
the road. NA: Quite the atmosphere! knock everybody’s heads off, and
GL: Very interesting [while things
laughing]. like that – it was not hockey.
NA: Now, a lot is made out of NA: But a miraculous comeback,
the rivalry between the Montreal nonetheless.
Canadiens and Boston Bruins, but
GL: Yeah, but I look at that game,
back while you were playing, there and I remember Jean Hamel was our
was quite the rivalry between the defenseman – he got a sucker punch
Montreal Canadiens and Quebec and his career was ended there, so it
Nordiques. One of the matches I’ve was sad.
watched several times was the Good NA: So was it awkward then,
Friday Massacre, 1984 – what are going across to Quebec City to play
you memories of that? I looked at
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