The playoffs are a tough time, when I want all my favorite players to have transcendent, legendary, career-making experiences… while their teams still lose. But someone has to win every round, and so it may as well have happened like this:
John Tavares, middle school science teacher, registered tax lawyer and upholder of dad-styles, scores to tie the game with 53 seconds left, giving his team the chance to clinch their first playoff series victory in 23 years.
Just when you think it's over…#FLAvsNYI #StanleyCuphttps://t.co/hoetdpkeEI
— #StanleyCup Playoffs (@NHL) April 25, 2016
Then John wins the game in double OT – which is waaaaaay past his bedtime, y’all.
John Tavares IS Captain Clutch. #StanleyCuphttps://t.co/sKMZzymhJv
— #StanleyCup Playoffs (@NHL) April 25, 2016
The Empire State Building says “Hey Brooklyn”, while the tears of Rangers’ fans fuel my sweetest dreams.
Orange and red look really similar at 100 floors, but…
There is hugging.
I hoped they were going to do the Lift from Dirty Dancing.
And, as ever with John, helmet hair.
And front page news is made.
Okay, it’s back-page news, but on a tabloid. #same
Now when we write a Disney movie based on this blog, it’ll just be clips of last night.
I hope John celebrated wildly after the win. That he rushed out without even ironing his shirt collar, then drank ice tea, but in a pint glass so it looked like beer.
#protip
As mentioned, the Isles last won a playoff series in 1993. As a Pens fan, I remember this victory – it ended Pittsburgh’s bid for a third-straight Cup. John does not remember: he was 2 years old. I consoled myself by blasting The Bodyguard soundtrack and singing along to Whitney Houston in the shower – because it was the #1 album, and I wasn’t old enough to drive.
Was there a vote? I missed it.
I’ll soon be back to work, hoping every team (that isn’t mine) loses every single game. Two losers per series, zero winners, except the Penguins. Such is my playoff bloodlust that I would bend the rules of reality to my will. But for now, I’m taking a moment to be happy for John, because you know this is his wildest, lifelong dream of an aw-shucks moment.
Internally screaming
Tags: john tavares, New York Islanders
Yay John! That was such an awesome game
I hoped they were going to do the lift from Dirty Dancing…lolololol! Go Pens!!
“I consoled myself by blasting The Bodyguard soundtrack and singing along to Whitney Houston in the shower – because it was the #1 album, and I wasn’t old enough to drive.”
2016 playoffs soundtrack, Pants. If/When (let’s go with if, shall we?) the Pens (and maybe the Bolts too?) lose, you’ll find me crying in the shower to this.
I am super excited by John’s playoff beard potential if they are in long enough. Lumberjack John!
Love JT even though not a big fan of Isles. Have fun beating Bolts!
Guys, I really hope you see this! Check out Shelly Anderson’s Twitter. She retweets Slava Malamud’s tweet that if the Pens had lost, Geno wouldn’t have went to Worlds because his wife(!) is PREGNANT. Baby Geno!!!!