We returned to the St. Louis area around 4:20 pm and I dropped off David
and Marleen at my house so they could spend some time with area friends. I then drove to Pam’s house, and we decided
to eat, drink and watch Blues Stanley Cup Finals game 5 at Johnny’s West.
Even though we knew not a single person there other than recognizing a
few waitresses, it was FAR different from the couple Twin Cities bar and grills
from the previous several days. The
crowd was huge and everyone was emotionally charged to cheer on the Blues!
It was against a different opponent, many Blues fans viewed this game as
evening the score on this Thursday, June 6 evening in Boston. As you recall, in game 3 of the previous
series, San Jose scored an overtime goal on a hand pass.
In this game 5 against Boston, Blues center Tyler Bozak got away with an
obvious trip on forward Noel Acciari.
Blues right winger David Perron scored moments later with assists from
Bozak and Ryan O’Reilly. But this goal
was in the middle of the third period, and St. Louis already had a 1-0 lead on O’Reilly’s
early second period goal.
The crowd at Johnny’s West really erupted at this point in the game
because previously, we were all cringing at the barrage goaltender Jordan Binnington
had been facing throughout! In fact, the
Bruins outshot the Blues, 39-21, as Binnington was unbeatable until Jake
DeBrusk’s goal with 6:28 left in regulation time.
It was one of those pins-and-needles games for which we had become
accustomed over the past few months. The
Blues garnered an early lead, dumped the puck to center dozens of times leading
to opponents’ rushes into our zone. And,
as he had done throughout most of his late 2018-19 Blues stint, the rookie goalkeeper
was remarkable!
The clock struck 0:00, and we all collectively breathed a loud, lengthy,
heart-pounding sigh, then exploded! This
was the atmosphere at households, bars and watch parties throughout the greater
St. Louis area!
After the game, Blues first-year coach Craig Berube said that it was
great to survive the game and eke out a win.
He also said that they would have to play much better in order to claim
hockey’s ultimate prize. But it was yet another
road playoff victory and the Blues were just one win away from capturing the elusive
Lord Stanley’s Cup!
Having another vacation day on Friday was like a double-edged
sword. I had soooo much more time to think
about the fact that we were just three days away from what I waited for since
October 1967: a Blues Stanley Cup
championship! I was certain we would win
it in game 6 on June 9 in St. Louis!
But there were other things on my mind and the minds of my girlfriend
Pam, my son David and his wife Marleen for the next two days. Friday night was the rehearsal dinner for my
nephew Keith and his bride to be Hannah!
Since David and Marleen were only going to be in town until early Monday
morning, I spent more time with them and also got them gift bags and tissue
paper ready for the wedding gifts they had brought from Germany.
In order to kill more time, I drove to Creve Coeur Park, but the main
road was still flooded & closed. So,
I spent some time in the upper section overlooking the flooded lake and boat
rental area. While there, I snacked and wrote about what a Blues Stanley Cup
championship would mean to me before heading back to Pam’s and posting it on
Facebook.
David and Marleen came by around 4:30 to change into dress up clothes as
I did. Pam was home from work around 5,
and we left in separate cars before 5:30 for the elegant St. Louis Club in
Clayton. There were lots of fantastic
food dishes and even more great speeches.
A couple of the more memorable speeches were by groom to be Keith and
his brother-in-law Kyle. They had just
come back from across the street at the Ritz Carlton. The Boston Bruins just happened to be staying
at that hotel.
In their rehearsal dinner speeches, both mentioned that they ran into Boston
coach Bruce Cassidy and another player or two in the hotel. They ultimately met again heading down on the
elevator as Keith and Kyle made their way back to the lobby to walk across the
street. While leaving, Keith decides to
hum the Blues’ fight song, “Gloria,” recorded in 1982 by the late Laura
Branigan.
Everything that night was just right, and I was set off into a crying
frenzy when I was told that Hannah’s wedding ring was my own late mother’s from
way back in 1948! Hannah and I also
shared a lengthy cry while hugging one another over that fact.
More surprises were in store the following night at the Meadowbrook
Country Club wedding. First, there were
12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen, and Keith’s nephew Bennett, just shy of a year
old, was also wheeled up to the altar.
On the way to the Reception Room,
there was a table with large wedding photos of Keith and Hannah’s parents and
grandparents. That’s where again I got
to be reminded of my own parents from a photo I had supplied from so many I had
inherited after my mom had passed away in November 2014.
But the piece de resistance occurred moments later. Turning the corner to look for our table to
the left, I gazed to my right and saw that tonight’s entertainment would be
handled by none other than the Charles Glenn Band! 
For those who are not hockey fans, Glenn has been the “National Anthem”
singer for the St. Louis Blues since 2000.
Recently, Glenn, who has been battling Multiple Sclerosis, announced
that this playoff run would culminate his very last season serving in that
capacity.
The Charles Glenn Band not only performed a lengthy “Hava Nagila,” which
we turned into a typical wild and frenzied one at this Jewish wedding, but they
also performed many more mostly upbeat tunes from the past several decades.
We were also all pretty psyched to be able to sing and dance along to
the recently re-popularized “Gloria” and the 1967-68 version of “When the Blues
Go Marching In.”
The wedding was held on Saturday, June 8. Guess what?
With the Blues leading the Stanley Cup Finals 3 games to 2, win or lose,
tomorrow night’s game 6 at the Enterprise Center, would be Glenn’s last “National
Anthem” performance!
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