Former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman, one of the most legendary figures not only in the history of Motor City hockey but in the NHL, celebrates his birthday today.
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And it was on this day in 2002 that it was made extra special thanks to a gift served up to him by St. Louis Blues goaltender Brent Johnson.
The Red Wings were in the midst of a second round series against the St. Louis Blues, leading two games to one.
After initially falling behind by a 1-0 score thanks to a power-play goal from Scott Young, Detroit rebounded with three straight goals from Brendan Shanahan, Jiri Fischer, and Tomas Holmstrom.
In the third period, Johnson caught a dump-in attempt and tried the clear the puck himself, unaware that Yzerman was barreling down on him.
The puck deflected off Yzerman and into the net, giving his team a commanding 4-1 lead.
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The Red Wings withstood a late comeback effort from the Blues, winning the game 4-3 and taking a 3-1 series they’d later close out in Detroit in Game 5 at Joe Louis Arena.
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The series win set up a date with the rival Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.
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