The Stanley Cup finals are well under way. A single seven-game series will determine whether the Boston Bruins or the Vancouver Canucks get to hoist the coveted chalice of Lord Stanley of Preston. Both teams have played well through the first two games, but they also have to work on some things, so this week's top ten list aims to extract lessons (in no particular order) from ten hockey movies that might help either team win the Cup.
Youngblood (1986)
Rob Lowe's idealistic Dean Youngblood may be a wizard with a hockey stick, but he soon learns that it takes more than speed and skill to survive in the unforgiving world of pro-hockey. It takes what Charles Portis might describe as true grit, and by the end of the film's climactic fist fight (let's forget about that ludicrous hockey stick duel), he's learned the importance of playing physical, and playing tough. The Bruins shut down the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals via tight checking on the boards, but have failed to be quite so tough on the Canucks, who themselves have checked Boston very well.
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
I couldn't in good conscience leave out the movie that actually inspired an NHL expansion team. And let's face it, who wouldn't want to have Gordon Bombay behind their bench? He may have his human faults, but his clever drills make for a good practice montage. Of his numerous inventive training methods, the one to take away from the film is his egg-passing exercise which emphasizes the importance of accepting passes with soft hands. Vancouver's twin all-stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin put on a passing clinic against the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals, and if they keep clicking, it could spell disaster for Boston.
Les Boys (1997)
This unabashed Quebecois buddy ensemble piece might not teach you as much about effective hockey technique or strategy as it does about the sort of stuff troubled middle-aged men talk about at the local pub, but one tidbit of a subplot that could pertain to our two Stanley Cup contenders is the importance of consistent goaltending. In the film, hockey trivia know-it-all Fernand doubts his own goalie abilities more than his teammates, and consequently puts his team in the hole early. Fortunately, neither Vancouver nor Boston need worry about shakiness in net. Vezina Trophy candidates Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas have been exceptional for their respective teams. If the first two games are any indication, this has the makings of a tense, low-scoring series.
Mystery, Alaska (1999)
In this loving ode to the beautiful sport known as pond hockey, a ragtag team from Mystery gets the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on the New York Rangers in a nationally televised match. Those Alaskans might not be completely ready to tango with a slick band of pros, but it's the media frenzy that engulfs their tiny town that proves to be the more daunting challenger. The importance of enduring the pressures of publicity cannot be understated at the NHL level. Expectations are high for both Vancouver (who finished first in the Western Conference this season) and Boston (who haven't been to a Cup Final since 1992), and nervous jitters need to be quickly overcome.
Miracle (2004)
Disney Studios' stirring interpretation of the inspiring Miracle on Ice is thoroughly drenched in patriotic pride. And rightly so. Team U.S.A.'s unlikely gold medal victory over the heavily favoured Russians at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics was a big deal; a true underdog story on home soil. There's something empowering about having an enormous stadium filled with people cheering for you to win. Mind you, the importance of home ice advantage hasn't actually been all that important this postseason, with the away team winning 40 out of 82 games, but Vancouver and Boston's home records are quite favourable (both were 7/10 at home through the first three rounds). After dropping the first two games in Vancouver, Boston has to capitalize on the next two games at the Garden.
The Rocket (2005)
This nostalgia-steeped bit of Can-con about Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice “The Rocket” Richard spent a little more of its time off the ice, focusing on Richard's personal life and struggles, than it did on the ice. But if there's one thing you could surmise from the brief vignette-style hockey sequences, it's the importance of covering the man. Richard dominated the NHL scoring race for years because no defender could match his speed and puck-handling skills. Boston blueliners Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg have been doing an good job of suppressing Vancouver's skilled players at even strength (except in Game 2's swift overtime loss).
Canada Russia '72 (2006)
This gritty two-part docudrama examines the historical 1972 summit series between Canada's top NHL stars and the those of the Soviet Union, a hard-fought eight-game contest that opened the eyes of unsuspecting Canadians to the fact that other countries were good at this sport too! Besides painting an accurate portrait of the tense Cold War climate of the time, this docudrama might also stress to coaches and players the importance of knowing your opponent, as it was the Canadian team's blind arrogance that caused them to give up an early lead in the series. Vancouver needs to recognize Boston's strength on the boards, and Boston needs to be aware of Vancouver's dangerous passing.
Happy Gilmore (1996)
True, Happy Gilmore isn't really a movie about hockey, but Happy's always a hockey player at heart, and like a real hockey player, he needs to learn to adapt his style of play in order to triumph. But the most pertinent lesson to be learned from Adam Sandler's obscene enforcer-turned-golfer is the importance of playing with discipline. You can't score from the penalty box, just like Happy can't win golf tourneys when he's been suspended for attacking fans and fellow golfers. Neither team can afford to keep taking penalties the way they did in Game 1. It'll eventually cost them.
The Mighty Ducks (1992) and D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)
That's right, Gordon Bombay and his Ducks earn a second spot on this list because they understand the importance of the fast break. Not that I'm suggesting either the Bruins or Canucks try to resurrect The Flying Vee, which looks pretty cool in the movies but would prove laughably ineffective in a real game (a basic trap defence would easily stop the three lead attackers at the blue line, leaving the back two with no option but to dump the puck before getting pinched on the boards). Nevertheless, keeping pace with your teammates and making precise passes on the fly is a must. Vancouver's creativity on the break led to the game-winning goal in Game 1, while the Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo can easily handle Boston's impotent rush.
Slap Shot (1977)
The bespectacled Hanson brothers provide the physical spark that propel the Charlestown Chiefs to bloody “glory” in George Roy Hill's irreverent lampoon of hockey's violent tendencies, but you can't even get away with a mild hook nowadays, let alone the kinda dirty play the Hansons exercise (and in an era when players weren't required to where helmets!). The Chiefs' real MVP is Paul Newman's wily Reggie Dunlop, a man who appreciates the importance of a veteran presence on the bench and in the locker room. Whether he's feeding his players' killer instinct or pleading for respectable, old-time hockey, he knows what to say to motivate his team. Boston veteran Mark Recchi has plenty of Stanley Cup experience to share with his young Bruin teammates, but Vancouver is lacking such a figure on their squad.
