Three Amusing Games from the Past

It's the time of year when I really start hankering for hockey. The NFL starts this week, and soon the days will be getting cooler and shorter, and I will increase my appetite for the puck to drop. Of course, it's still kind of far away. So on the days when I'm really jonesing for hockey, I will pull up the NHL Vault and play a game. The following games are some of my favorites to help me make it through the off-season. These are not necessarily the most beautiful. They are not shining examples of hockey the way that it should be played. They are also not the most suspenseful, as games that happened a while ago tend to lose their immediacy. These are games that are merely amusing for one reason or another: popcorn hockey games from the past, not to be studied, but to be experienced.

The Wild added to my favorite's catalog last season with the November 5th game versus Calgary. This game took a few periods to get interesting, but once it did, there were plays that are among the most beautiful ever scored by the Wild. You may remember this game as the one with the epic passing play that shocked even Zach Parise. It also showcased Zenon Konopka scoring a goal. How often does that happen?

The March 16th, 2013 game versus Colorado was the second part of a home and home. Second games in a row can start off with a bit of goony buffoonery, and this game delivered on that count. But once things settled down, the Wild and the Avs played a sloppy hockey game with more than its share of goals.

One of my favorite bad games to watch is the March 1st, 2012 game at Montreal. Since both the Canadiens and the Wild stunk, it was going to be a toss-up as to which one would win. The most memorable lowlight from this game is the Setoguchi shootout fail, but there are also some dreadful plays in the actual game. A couple Canadiens check each other. Matt Kassian scored two goals, so it was a strange game on many levels.

Enjoy the highlights and leave other suggestions of amusing games in the comments!