Advertisement

Stanley Cup Final Game 3: Puck Daddy's Postgame Awards

Jen Neale

(Ed. Note: We're changing things up for the Stanley Cup Finals. Instead of writing Three Stars as we normally do on game night, we'll be handing out some postgame awards.)

First Star: Joonas Donskoi, San Jose Sharks

For the second straight game, the Sharks forced overtime. Donskoi assisted on Joel Ward's game tying goal and netted the game winner with 7:42 left in the first overtime.

Here's the goal call from Hockey Night in Punjabi.

Worst Star: NBC

Games 2 and 3 were moved by NBC - the NHL TELEVISION RIGHTS HOLDER IN THE U.S. - from the national broadcast to NBCSN.

The move for Game 2 was to allow for the premiere of American Ninja Warrior. As for Game 3? Only thing that was on NBC when the puck dropped was Dateline (on the East Coast) and the local news (on the West Coast).

Linda Cohn, anchor for Sportscenter on ESPN and fellow puckhead, summed it up best.

Too bad her employer wouldn't ante up the cash for the rights in the first place. But hey, at least they'll have the World Cup of Hockey...?

Best impression of an old NHL.com headline:

(Because Donskoi is Finnish ... get it?!)

No. of Games without a Pittsburgh Pirates reference from Doc: 2

Most truthful statement ever said by Liam McHugh on NBCSN pregame: "We’re not wearing the headsets because we don’t always like to hear what each other has to say." As usual, he was standing with Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.

Best pregame good karma: Brent Burns and a little fan

Best/worst Pierre McGuire question-answer session: With Joel Ward in the pregame

Pierre: You’re 7 and 2 in this building. WHY????

Ward: Just. Uh. We just are.

Best examples of what Uncle Rico from Napolean Dynamite would look like if he played hockey and still pined for his old life: Roenick and one of the Hanson Brothers

Best chirp of the night: From @MikeFAIL

Remember that one time when Jeremy Roenick referred to Patrick Marleau as 'gutless'? He probably wants to walk that back (like 90 percent of the things he says now).

Best Mike Milbury double entendre while analyzing Nick Bonino's four minute double minor, "Let’s face it. Nick Bonino doesn’t want to put his stick on the stick of Joe Thornton’s and hit him in the mouth."

Best 'I was asking myself the same thing' moment: From Don Cherry during Coach's Corner

Best moment presented without context: Brent Burns and Patric Hornqvist

Best random Doc-ism of the broadcast: Going to commercial on a TV timeout and no penalties called, "Alcatraz less than an hour away. You’re watching the NHL presented by Geico."

Best celebration by a player's dad: Harvey Jones father of Sharks goaltender Martin Jones

Best reaction to a Sharks goal: Mario Lemieux after Ward's goal. According to Martin Biron, Mario is dropping le f-bomb in Francais.

Best random Sharks GIF of the night: From @jocelynaspa

Best Pittsburgh Penguins related tweet of the night: After Hornqvist scored to put the Pens up 2-1 in the game.

Best tweet of the night: It's a 5pm PACIFIC start time folks...

- - - - - - -

Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY: