If there was a local sports time machine, where you could go back in time and witness a special moment, there would be many candidates.
Among the leading moments on my list would be an Owen Sound Plater game on Friday March 13, 1992.
The memory was triggered last week, when veteran Red Wing Kirk Maltby signed for a one year term with Detroit, a term in which he’s expected to spend most of his time at Grand Rapids in the AHL.
But more than 18 years ago, Maltby was the captain of the Owen Sound Platers playing their final regular season game at Kitchener that night.
Going into the game, Maltby had 48 goals, two shy of the milestone.
Very early in the first period, the Cambridge native got his 49th, on what to this day remains as one of the all time great individual scoring efforts I’ve seen.
The Rangers were pressing in the Owen Sound end and netminder Jamie Storr made a save for the Platers.
Maltby was coming hard on the backcheck and scooped up the loose puck almost in the crease area.
At full speed, he darted into the right wing corner getting the puck out of the danger zone, spun and went up ice along the boards.
In an instant, it was just Maltby one on one against Ranger defender Shayne McCosh.
Using the patented ” Maltby Move “, the Attack captain went inside-outside, then tapped the puck through McCosh’s feet and was in alone on Ranger netminder Mike Torchia who he beat by going forehand-backhand for his 49th goal.
Later that night, Kirk Maltby would get his 50th of the year, but the 49th remains a great memory and something that would be a YouTube Classic if that concept had been alive on March 13th, 1992.
I’m Fred Wallace