The goal that was; that wasn't. A Canes Corner presentation

Earlier this week I was roaming around youtube, mostly checking out hockey videos. I came across one such video from the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, a series that I watched very closely knowing that the 2004-05 season may not happen( which it didn't). It was a clip of Martin Gelina's "Phantom goal" in game 6, which would have given the Calgary Flames the lead and the Stanley cup. Their Opponent, the Tampa Bay Lightning, ended up winning that game in double overtime, and won game 7 back in Tampa two nights later.

The Flames were a surprise team in that year's playoffs, their cinderella run captured Hockey fan's attention from Canada to Europe. Canada's prime minister dubbed them as "Canada's team", the United States assembly flew a Calgary Flame flag next to the Canadian flag, and even fans from rivals Edmonton and Vancouver were hoping to see the Cup return to Canada.

In game 5, Calgary's Craig Conroy scored the game-winner in Tampa to give the Flames a 3-2 series lead. It would seem that the glass slipper would fit cinderella, it was almost destiny.

However, destiny would have other plans for game 6. With the score tied at two with about 7 minutes to go in the 3rd period, Calgary got a man advantage, a raucous crowd roared as the Flames pelted Lightning goalie Nickoli Kahabebulin, it seemed a goal was coming. And then, all of a sudden, it happened. A long shot bounced of Kahabebulin's pad, Flames forward Martin Gelina made contact with the puck, and it seemed to go in. However, Gelina, did not raise his hands in the air as most players do when they score. Instead, play continued.

At the time, I was over at a friends house, we both thought the same thing, it should have been a goal. Replay seemed to show the puck bouncing off Gelina's stick and across the goal line. A later investigation however, showed that while the puck did indeed cross the goal-line, the puck may have deflected off Gelina's skate, therefore, it would not have been a goal.

The game ended up going into double overtime, where Martin St. Louis scored in the early morning hour of June 6,2004, to keep Tampa alive. The Lightning ended up winning game 7 at home 2-1, to win the Cup. The cinderella run had ended, destiny chose Tampa.

To this day, even though to me it does not seem so long ago, the "phantom goal" still a hot topic among Hockey fans. To some, it was a dream come true, others it was a dream crushed. To me, the 2004 Stanley cup finals was "The one that was, but got away". And to this day, Canada's last cup win is 1993.

if anyone is interested, Here is a video on the "goal"

Thanks for checking out Cane's Corner. Until next time, be happy, be healthy.