There is not a better souvenir to leave a hockey game with than a player’s stick. When that player is Henrik Lundqvist, that stick is worth fighting for.
After Lundqvist, the New York Rangers goaltender, blanked the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0,he threw his stick into crowd. Several fans tugged at the stick for several minutes as security tried to get a hold of the situation.
Goalie sticks are not that cheap. A good goalie stick, according to Dick's Sporting Goods, can cost more than $100.
After a few minutes of fans refusing to let go of Lundqvist’s stick, Madison Square Garden security took the stick back to the locker room, leaving everyone empty handed.
If everyone had just played nice…
The tradition of giving fans a souvenir has been around in hockey for quite a while. After each NHL game, three stars of the game are announced to the fans. The three stars that represent the home team typical skate back onto the ice to take a bow for the fans, and typically throw a game-used stick into the seats as a thank you to the fans.
Lundqvist has been a big part of the Rangers’ success this season. He is second in the NHL with eight wins. Lundqvist has consistently been one of the top goalies in all of hockey in the last decade. He won the 2012 Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender.
Justin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @jjboggs.
