The Mask & The Mic
The Mask & The Mic brings together two longtime voices from the sports world for real conversation beyond the game. Former NHL goaltender and Original Mighty Duck Guy Hebert and veteran broadcaster Kent French sit down to talk sports, entertainment, and life with honesty, humor, and perspective. From stories behind the scenes to conversations with athletes, entertainers, and influential voices, this is a space where experience meets curiosity — and where the talk continues after the final whistle.
The Mask & The Mic
Stanley Cup Playoffs: Vegas Dominates & Goalies Shine
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The Stanley Cup Playoffs are heating up — and so is the pressure.
On Episode 17 of The Mask & The Mic, Guy Hebert and Kent French break down both the Western and Eastern Conference Finals as the race for the Stanley Cup enters its most intense stage.
In the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights shocked the hockey world by sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in four games despite Colorado entering the playoffs with the NHL’s best regular season record and the Presidents’ Trophy. Guy and Kent discuss the impact of Vegas’ late-season coaching change, replacing Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella, and whether Tortorella’s demanding coaching style works best in short bursts.
Of course, the conversation also turns to goaltending — with a spotlight on Carter Hart and the remarkable postseason run helping revive his career in Vegas.
The guys then preview the Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes, where both goaltenders have been outstanding — including Carolina’s Frederik Andersen and Montreal rookie Jakub Dobes.
Guy also reflects on one of hockey’s most legendary playoff environments — Bell Centre in Montreal — sharing his firsthand experience playing there during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey when Team USA defeated Canada. He gives rare insight into the pressure, mindset, and emotional intensity of being an NHL goaltender during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
And finally… Guy shares a recent vacation story from Hawaii that includes an unexpected trip to urgent care after getting water trapped in his ears.
From playoff hockey to vacation mishaps — this episode covers it all.
Hi, this is GA Bear, former NHL Gold Tender, and yes, you are listening to The Mask and the Mike with my pal, Kent French.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and I'm the Mike in the Equation, and uh together we make up the Mask the Mic, as you just heard. And coming up on this uh Rousinger rendition of our podcast, we dive into a little playoff hockey Gebo. Uh Golden Knights pulled out the broom and then uh the canes and the abs going head to head in the Eastern Conference Final.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, who's gonna be the dance partner for the Vegas Golden Knights? Game four is actually tonight, so let's uh buckle up and see what happens. We're pulling for Freddie Anderson uh on a personal level, but great hockey all around, exciting time to be a hockey fan, Frenchie.
SPEAKER_02We also hit on the world championships and how to get water out of your ear when you're on a Hawaiian vacation. That and much more coming up on what we like to call the Mask and the Mike in Ghibow. And good for us. Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of The Mask and the Mike. Kent and Ghee back with you for another uh in-depth conversation about what's going on in the world of everything. Because, you know, it's not just sports Ghibow, it depends on what's going on in our world, which, you know, can uh can certainly uh stray from the world of sports, as was your weekend. You had a weekend that many would would love to uh to be part of. So please let me live vicariously through the weekend that you and Sarah just came off of for Memorial Day. Where in the world was Ghee?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it it's almost like where's Waldo? Uh I would love to listen. I am just trying to remotely catch up to the travels of one Kent French and his French Factivity family, right? Uh yeah, maybe Giboti instead of Fotivity. Yeah, yeah. I like that French Tivity. Hey, maybe we merge these together and at some point we uh, you know, we get some travel business together. Uh all right, so yeah, Memorial Day weekend. Uh didn't have plans, decided to kind of spontaneously jump on a plane and go to the beautiful Hawaiian island of Maui. And it did not disappoint. Uh I mean it never really does, right? Uh, this time of year is the the weather's impeccable. Hey, if you like 78 or 79 degrees, maybe some puffy white clouds, late afternoon breeze, uh picture, baby. Paint picture. Yeah, exactly. And uh stretching out. I'll give a shameless plug to the four seasons, uh, Maui at Waialea. Uh fabulous time there, incredible resort. Uh sat in a sanctuary, uh, just to set the tone for you, and uh worked on my turn. Right? Solo solo trip to solo, solo. Actually, for the first time, I think, in our entire life, it was uh just my wife and myself and our daughter, uh, who's back east with work, even remotely, um, wasn't able to join us on this trip. She had her own stuff going on for Memorial Day back on uh on the New England coast. But yeah, so we just did that. And people always ask, did you golf? Did you fish? Did you surf? Did you whatever? Listen, I I I just kind of made it my my mantra of like I want to get into the ocean like several times throughout the course of the day. So every day, you know, my wife would say, Hey, how many times are you gonna get in the ocean? And then I was like, I'll get in like three, then I was like, five, then I'm like seven or eight. And uh so yeah, so it just it's a very comfortable stroll from the pool area and the sanctuary to just down some steps and then you know, across the hot sand and then diving into the ocean. So uh, but you know, hey, every trip has uh a little side adventure, and uh, and for me was uh I got some uh water in my ear or ears. Okay, and at one point I could not hear, literally at all. And so, you know, you're looking for the over-the-counter remedies and you jump on one side and do all that kind of stuff and shake the hand. Yeah, it's happened before, and I knew that at some point uh I was gonna need a little something a little stronger. So uh on our way to dinner, we had some time. We went out front, said, you know, hey, uh, can you bring us to like a grocery store or pharmacy, something like that? I need to get like something to kind of flush out my ear. And they said, Oh yeah, sure, we'll just so we jumped in the car, went up the street, and uh the pharmacy's closed. But right next to the pharmacy was an urgent care. And kind of looked at each other, and she's she's like, She's a much smarter person than I am, just so you know, for the record. We both married up for sure, and said, Hey, you know what? I we should go in there, and I said, Yes, we should. So we went in there and uh, you know, it's you know, I mean it's it's a process, but at at the end of it, um uh it it was not easy, and I'm not gonna say it was painful by any stretch, but uh had had a couple different people working on me there. Then the doctor came in and uh he was pouring a bunch of stuff down in my ear, hydrogen peroxide, then he had the big, I don't even know, I don't know the gauge, but at some point it was the biggest like needle thing that he could find. And uh not to gross anybody out uh watching or listening to this, but that did the trick. And it honestly went from like I could hear nothing to boom, and I was like, baby, I'm back. So so just for good measure, they did bolt ears and said, Here's some drops. Try not to. I know you're gonna swim, but make sure you take the drops and really try not to submerge your head if you can't. Uh wait, you said needle? You said needle? Well, you know, it's needle with the syringe, and so they didn't use the actual needle part, thankfully. But they had the syringe with the little thing on the end, and then yeah, they uh they blasted it out. So um only take cash, don't take insurance, but gave me some uh stuff. So it was not a cheap visit. Uh but I'll tell you what, you know, I joked it's kind of like the uh, you know, what was it like the uh the old children's story or whatever with the the thorn in the elephant's foot or something, and the little guy comes and pulls it out, and it's like uh it's like a miracle. So that was uh, I mean, that was the most, you know, I guess controversy that we had on our trip. But uh yeah, it was great. I mean, uh wife had to go back to the hotel to keep our uh dinner reservation, and she's like, Are you still there? Yes, I'm coming, whatever. And uh, so like a 6.15 dinner ended up at like, oh I don't know, probably the eight o'clock. So um, but otherwise, yeah, no uh no golfing, no fishing, no surfing, just a lot of time in the sun and yeah uh hanging by the beach in the pool and uh kept the cocktails to uh you know a minimum. Yeah, you know, wanted to enjoy myself, but uh didn't get carried away. So uh that in a nutshell was our trip. Uh great flight over, great flight back. And uh I don't know, should we pump up an airline? Because yeah, do you go to Long Beach?
SPEAKER_02Where do you go?
SPEAKER_00Do you go to Hawaiian air on Long Beach or where do you go? No, so I mean we did it in such short notice that you know I was just all over the the computer trying to find uh the flights. Usually we fly in United uh from LA to uh Kahlui OGG, and uh you know, the prices and the seats that were available, you know, whatever. We ended up on Delta on a round trip and uh right now to LAX ended up being great. Uh everything was on time. And you know, in today's world of traveling, whenever you're on time uh with no hiccups, I mean that's the best travel ever, right? I mean, you you know, I mean it was it was really nice. So a shout out to Delta because uh I don't fly Delta often, but after taking this trip, um, and I'm sure a lot of people have you know horrible stories about all airlines, but uh, I'm happy to say that uh Delta did us right. Like it now, so it's a what a six-hour flight, right?
SPEAKER_02Direct over there about that?
SPEAKER_00You know, yeah, it was like uh it wasn't that bad. It was like five hours and change over, and then it was uh like pretty much five hours or like four fifty-five on the way back. So um it was I listen, around five hours is fine. You know, when you start getting into that six and beyond, that's where you start to really uh I think feel it. So um it's a long way to go, but it was uh super enjoyable. Came back with a couple things. As you can see, I'm always trying to promote something with the uh the headwear. Um sometimes sometimes it's tequila companies putting patches all over you pretty soon.
SPEAKER_02I know I I need to do the same. You never know what's gonna happen. But okay, so Gibbos on a flight for five and change. You do a lot of uh cross-country travel to the East Coast, as you mentioned, where your daughter is and where you guys are from. On the plane, is are you a movie guy? Do you watch movies or or what is you just binge watch a TV show, or do you have incredible um depth conversation with your wife? How did how does it work for Ghe?
SPEAKER_00Well, well, no, she checks out, she's got her Kindle, she loves to read. Uh I I hate the read. I know it's not that's not a good essay or whatever, you know, a public service for good public service announcement that I do not care to read. Uh never have. But yeah, so I I love watching movies. Uh we actually got live TV. I was able before we get into too much hockey. Uh, I did watch the um the Bravo Nation watch the uh Summer House Reunion Part One with the whole thing with uh you know Kyle Cook and his wife now separating. And uh I I know you guys love that stuff. You know, and then there was a uh hookup, and it's thrown it the Bravo universe is is in turmoil over this. It's if you have not seen it, Frenchie, you must tune in. Uh just just binge summer house this season alone and then watch the reunion because there was a lot of stuff that happened apparently after the show concluded last summer's taping. Um anybody who's listened to this and watched Summer House, they're right on board, they'd know. So Sarah and I were with you know dueling TVs and the live TV coverage on direct TV would would like pause or freeze. So we had to like reboot, reboot, reboot. It was hilarious because we were like in synchronicity, right? As we were tapping our screens to try to get them to uh come back on. But uh, so that killed a a good hour right there, uh, of you know, kind of like just shameless reality TV stuff. Uh, but then I actually after that the uh Vegas Golden Knights versus the Avalanche came on, so I was able to watch that game four. And I mean, I don't know. Do you want to get into this? Do you want to talk about something else first? Because dive into it. It's a good transition. Yeah, I got uh I mean a lot of people in Colorado need a cocktail right about now. Oh yeah, there are there are certainly a few.
SPEAKER_02Over uh did a little uh green cheek last night as we uh as we take this on a Wednesday. Um during game four, they usually come in dressed in their Aves sweaters and their Aves gear, and they were they were in not too good of spirits to begin the game, and as you can imagine afterwards, um yeah, I I don't know what to tell you. I didn't see that coming. You and I about a couple weeks ago thought we'd see the Keynes and the and the uh and the Avs as a clash in the finals, just the way those two teams were playing. Um give torts, you know, John Tortarella credit for what he's been able to do. Hired March 30th, I think it was. Um I didn't realize Carter Hart played for him in Philly, so there's certainly a a relationship there. Yes, but but for that team to get together and be, you know, and play. And there was a there was a stretch, Gebo, I think, of 25 minutes where the Avs didn't have a shot on net. I mean, their defense has been amazing. They've been playing wonderful in front of Carter Hart, and of course he's been playing um, you know, he's on a career run right now. So wow. Yes, I did not see this coming at all, but Golden Knights swept the Aves and are now in the finals for the third time in nine years in existence. It's ridiculous what that franchise has been able to do in a short amount of time.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it goes back to the expansion draft and were the rules you know a little less stringent, a little looser. Uh, what could they do? Uh, give all the credit to listen, they are unapologetic in that organization trying to win championships, right? I mean, they they set a mantra and they go after it. Yeah, exactly. Right. It's incredible because I mean it's not uh, you know, traditional in the in the way they treat players, coaches, you know. I mean, they if you don't fit into what they think is gonna bring them a championship, I mean, uh they just move you on. And you know, we saw that with coaches, we saw that with players. Um, you know, I mean, I thought, you know, we joked about the John Tortorella thing. It's like, oh, how is Mitch Marner, you know, gonna kind of blend with John Tortorella? And and and I mean I had my concerns just knowing the history as a fan, as broadcaster, as former player, and and you know, talking to players that have played for him over the years. And and and I don't mean he's not been successful, I just know that he is um, I don't want to say he's Mike Keenan like uh back in that era of hockey, but you know, he's passionate, he's demanding, he demands accountability. And you know, I mean I think that the fact that I think management and ownership of Vegas felt like the team just underachieved all season long. You know, they dealt with different injuries and Mark Stone injury, uh inconsistency and goal, Aiden Hill, uh, you know, then they bring in Carter Hart, and then he had an injury and had to come back. So there were a lot of things moving, and you know, with those moving pieces, I think that the management just finally said, like, hey, you know, we're in a window, and and we all know in the sports world about being in a window with your players at certain ages and under whatever contract they happen to be in, uh, with their term expiring, a year left or two years left. You know, how does that all fit into the big picture of trying to win right now mentality? And they do it. I mean, they you know, I mean, they pulled the band aid off, uh, brought in Tortorella. You know, Carter Hart becomes the starting goalie. He's played incredibly well throughout the playoffs. Mark Stone back from injury, was injured during uh the playoffs, comes Unreal picks up a couple goals, you know, and is two games back. It's ridiculous what he's been able to do. Hart beated the team. So, you know, to throw it back to you and your thoughts on uh on this 4-0 shellacking. Um, I think that Vegas has gotten better with every game in each series. I think they struggled with the speed of Utah, I think they struggled with the speed of the Ducks, and then kind of figured out like, okay, how do we neutralize this speed? And I think the Utah series, the Ducks series, set them up nicely to try to figure out how to neutralize the speed of Colorado. And I mean, watching that game last night, it was a textbook defensive style game where there was just no room in any zones, let alone you know the outlet passes. I mean, Cal McCard was trying to do everything he could. McKinnon injured, doing what he could. Um, really, uh, I thought it was an incredible way to win the series, uh, holding on to a one-nothing early goal in the first period uh throughout about 50 minutes of the game and and and not bending, right? And not giving, as you mentioned, I think it was 25 odd minutes without a shot by Colorado. Uh that's incredible, Frenchie.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and I think John Tortarella is I think we all know who he is, and he knows who he is. And I think he comes in and this is what he does. I mean, his his longevity as a coach might not be there based on the way he coaches, to your point. He comes in, he's very demanding. That can have a very positive reaction earlier on, and and at times it can wear on a team as the season or years go on in his term. So this this situation to have someone like him come in and turn this around, it's working now, right? It'll it'll work and it could work to get a chance, and it could work and end up being in a championship. But post that it's interesting to see what Vegas is gonna do. Do they keep a torturella? Does he, because of the success he's had, do they look and go, you know what, we can't get rid of him? But he is perfect for this environment to come in, make a change, hold a veteran team accountable, and they are responding. To your point, it's a gamble, right? March 30th, they bring him in. Are they gonna respond to him? You don't know how it's gonna go. But I think collectively, that team looked at each other and go, We have the talent, but now we have now we're being held accountable in a different way, and it just all worked out, thankfully, for for Vegas. Um, I think injuries are part of it. We knew McDavid was playing on a broken ankle against the Ducks, but there's no excuses. That's part of playoff hockey. All these guys are playing, and you cannot, and there's certainly some injuries on the avalanche side. Um, but the way this team has come together, and we saw it against the Ducks when Vegas was playing, their penalty kill was so good. And we were talking about you know the Ducks finally finding a way to score in the power play. They were running two units out there almost equally when it comes to time, and they were finding a way to finally score on this uh night's um PK, but they have turned it around again defensively, they've shut things down, they're playing really great in front of Carter Hart. You can you can talk to that. They're getting in shooting lanes, they're blocking shots, but they're giving Hart an opportunity to make saves. And when Hart is is seeing the puck, he has been one of the very best in the postseason. So um, yeah, I I think uh all the credit goes to to Vegas on the run that they're on. My only thing now is you wanna you want to shut them down, right? I mean, the sweep is is ridiculous, but now Gibo, they sit and wait because the canes and abs are at 2-1 heading back to the uh what are they playing now? Is it in are they in Montreal for Montreal for another one? Yeah, in Montreal. So they're that that could go six or seven, depending on the way this has gone. I mean, we'll get into that series in a minute, but then you need to stay sharp. And uh I always go back for me. My experience is back in 2003 when the Ducks um were heading to the finals and they had to wait for the New Jersey series to finish. And remember we talked to Chris Phillips about that? Um, you know, Mike Babcock was running practices like they were games, and Philly being the head trainer is going, I don't want anyone to get hurt, but Babs is like, we need to to to make this such like game game action so these guys are ready to go. So and I was talking to some people about um the Avalanche took down the wild, I think it was four games to one. So they waited a little bit till you know Vegas, you know, finished off the duck. So it'll be interesting to see. That that's now here's here's where coaching and the trainers and everybody really come in to see can they keep this Vegas team as sharp, um, competitive, and ready to roll when the finish uh when the um the winner of this other series you know uh shows itself. So yeah, it's been I mean it's a blessing and a curse. They have totally oh, it's it's such a good way to put it because especially in hockey, you have so many injuries that you're nursing. Uh it gives guys a chance to to get back on the ice. Mark Stone's probably going, oh, this is awesome. He's I'm sure you know he's not right. Um, but he's finding a way to get out there and compete. Um so yeah, so yeah, so what they've done there is is incredible. Um, congrats to the Vegas Golden Knights. Um, as you and I have been to that arena T Mobile Center, it's freaking off the charts when you go there, it's a lot of fun. Um so yeah, they're they're waiting. So now we turn our attention. Well, and and real quickly, let's not forget about Carter Hart. Just just the fact that what he's been able to do and come in and go on this kind of run. Um, he was he played under Tortorella in Philly for a little bit, so there's a familiarity there. Um are you surprised going back to you know, you as a former goaltender, what he has been able to do um in in this run that he's been on?
SPEAKER_00Uh I mean it's kind of a yes and a no uh answer. I mean, I think having such a long layoff, uh, you know, how do you get back into game shape and get back into rhythm of stopping pucks at the NHL level? And you know, I just think that uh, you know, as he's gotten himself back into game shape over the course of the last few months, I just think any time as competitor that you get, you know, the tap on the shoulder, you know, you get into rhythm at the end of the season, you play start to get that confidence, uh, then you kind of know as you're rolling into the playoffs that you're ready to go. And and like you mentioned, the Vegas has done an incredible job, uh shooting lanes, blocking shots, letting them see the puck, uh having them really just it's almost like a shot first mentality, like he is getting a pretty good look at a lot of those initial shots. So when you do that, you know, your goaltender can control the puck. And whether you're blocking it to the corner, which I've seen him do countless times, or he's able to absorb the puck on the initial shot, make sure he gets a whistle, or at the end of the day, making that. One save where even if there's a scramble, you know, he can go and move laterally, and he's done that. So he's making the initial saves, which is always the key. And then uh the scrambling has been held to a minimum because the guys in front of him have done just a really good job. But it's setting up a great goaltender matchup, whether it's going to be Carter Hart, Freddie Anderson, Jakob Dobish, you know, who's going to be that final two goalie uh matchup. And, you know, for anybody who enjoys watching goaltenders, uh, the pressure is immense at any stage of the playoffs, but in the Stanley Cup finals, uh, to be able to be that guy standing there with the you know the hopes and the dreams of your, you know, yourself, your teammates, you know, your city, your country uh on your shoulders. Um, it's a pretty daunting task, but that's why we become goaltenders. We just we love that you know moment to be able to be the guy and make the key save and and try to win that cup. So um, you know, again, it's been a team, I think a team part of the defense that has helped them out. Uh, but he has made critical saves. The first save of the game, I think for him was uh was a breakaway. And you know, you make that save, all of a sudden, you know, it's like, okay, I'm on. The team feels it, and you just have that confidence that, you know, all the guys sitting on the bench. I mean, I've said it a million times, you know, when you make an early big save, everybody on that bench, whether they tell it to you or not, they look at each other and go, Gebo's on. And I'm sure last night they said, you know, hey, our guy is on tonight, it's gonna take a lot for him to get beat.
SPEAKER_02So moving into the other series, which is 2-1, as we alluded to, uh, they are in Montreal again. So Carolina now has taken a lead after giving up game number one. Oh, by the way, back-to-back overtime wins. The Hurricanes, 5-0 in overtime. I mean, that's yeah, that's insanity. And Rob Brindemore was talking about at his post-game press conference saying, we are very comfortable. And the players agree, we are very comfortable when it comes to overtime. And this is not, and this is something that we discussed early on with the Anaheim Ducks when it was a shootout with the Oilers going postseason, though, um, notoriously is 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, overtime, whatever it is, close games, defense goaltending is gonna win, and that one shot. We have been seeing that now the last couple games with the Canes and the Abs. Um and I want to ask you too, as we continue this conversation about goaltenders, you got Freddie Anderson that faced, what was it, 13 shots in game three? And and Brenda Moore's like, you gotta understand that's as hard as facing 45 shots sometimes. Please, please give people an inside look into the difficulty of only facing 13 shots or whatever it was. I think it was 12 shots in game two, and everything in the postseason is seems like it's a grade A opportunity. So when you when you do get a shot coming your way, Gebo, it's usually gonna be a pretty darn good one.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, let me set the kind of the table on this one. So, you know, as a goaltender, but I mean you always want to get into the thick of the action. You want to see some pucks early on, you want to make some saves, you want to get into a rhythm. Uh, the busier you are, that rhythm kind of continues. Uh, even if you get scored against and you give up a goal and then you instantly see some more shots, you know, you get right back into the rhythm of things, and it's more comfortable. And any goaltender will tell you that, yeah, hey, I'd love to have more work than less. You know, the team does a great job in front of you. They only give up, you know, 12 shots. Montreal has struggled in every series. Tampa Bay, you know, there were games with like 12, 13, 14, 15 shots. Right. Uh, so in each series, they have struggled, but they have gotten some quality opportunities. Uh, their power play has been uh exceptionally good, and so they've been able to capitalize on some of those, you know, 12 to 15 shot nights and win games. Uh, they've gotten great goaltending uh at their end with Dobish. So, you know, kind of put it all together. But so Freddie Anderson, I mean, the pressure is on Freddie, right? Dobish is a young guy, he's making a name for himself by playing great during the playoffs. Freddie Anderson's now labeled as like, you know, he is one of the Consmite trophy favorites. Uh he played he's played extremely well uh throughout the playoffs as well. I mean, he's been rock solid, you know, maybe not his best in the loss in this first game of the series. And it's amazing how quickly everybody turned on him, right? They're like, well, if Freddie Anderson can't step up and rebound from this poor performance, you know, uh the the hurricanes might not go anywhere. Now, being defensive for goaltenders, I was like, I, you know, not that we don't expect harsh criticism, but for as well as he played, it it was more of a I'm like, I'm excited to see Freddie bounce back and and show what he's made out of, where some pundits were speculating that, well, what would they do? Would they go to Brandon Boosey or you know, what would happen all of a sudden? And you know, Rod Brindemore and I go way back, and and you know, Rod is uh a calming force in a storm. So I I knew that there were no doubts that Freddie was going to get, you know, get the net again and again and again. And uh, you know, but it is when you think about those 12 shots, it is all mental. Shot volume of 30 or 40 shots, it becomes almost more of just a physical game, and you're just reacting to uh the pucks in the plays. And then when you're sitting there for long stretches, you start to realize how important that next save is. And it drains on you uh it and you probably expend more energy because you're just waiting for that opportunity because you know it's gonna come, and you're you're hoping like I haven't felt the puck in five minutes, or then you start to sometimes wander out of your net a little bit because you want to feel that puck, you want to get engaged into the game. So you'll see that. So if anybody's ever watching a game and they're watching a goaltender not having a lot of shots, watch how active they are trying to get behind the net, the stop pucks to be able to play them up the boards or pass them to their defense uh defensemen because it kind of engages you a little bit more. You feel like you're getting back into the game and into some kind of rhythm.
SPEAKER_02So, in between periods, I think Montreal had maybe eight shots in the opening period, if that. What are you doing as a goaltender to get yourself ready for the next period? I mean, what what can you do? Is it because w back in the day we we'd walk the walls of Honda Center and we see Jonas Hiller throwing balls at the at the um concrete walls, getting his eyes and his hands and everything ready to go? What kind of exercises or whatever it may be are you doing to make sure that you are ready to go for that next period?
SPEAKER_00You know, I mean you could ask uh okay, how many teams in NHL times that by two, say 64 goaltenders or so? Um you probably get everybody's different different answers, right? I mean, I think some guys uh I I know for myself it was all all mental. You know, I would sit in my stall, obviously, no one would talk to me. Uh no one's talking to any of the goalies right now. Leave him alone, don't touch him, don't say anything, don't get him off his game, type of thing. Uh but for me, it was more just sitting there and going over place in my head. Like, what am I gonna expect? Whose shooters on the other team, thinking about their power play? You know, it would be kind of just that uh hey, okay, I'm gonna just mentally visualize a guy coming down the wing and taking a shot. Where is it placed on my body? Where do I put the puck? Can I, you know, make sure I can contain the puck, control the rebounds? Oh, is it gonna be a two-on-one? So I would go through some mental dialogue with you know what opportunities may arise in that next period, and just making sure that, you know, it's funny. Like if you replay them in your mind before they actually happen, I always figured, and I I served me well in my career, that there was that recognition, like instant recognition of, you know, okay, here comes Suzuki down the wing. Uh, Coke Caulfield's going to the back door. I know Suzuki wants to be the passer, not the shooter. I'm starting to anticipate the pass across. And when you've already done that in your mind uh a few times and kind of said, okay, these are plays that could develop, and then you see them actually develop in real time, uh, you get a really great read on the puck and what's going to happen. And I think uh, you know, any goalie that's not facing a lot of shots, that's uh at least that's what I would do. I would sit there and do all that mental visualization just to make sure. But as you mentioned, some guys want to be more physical uh with their hand eye, and they do a lot of that juggling or you know, bouncing the balls against the wall and and just trying to stay mentally sharp.
SPEAKER_02And Freddie Anderson, we've had a both you and I have been fortunate enough to have gotten to know him over the years. And I mean, just the mellow, I mean, his I don't know, his heart's heart rate is so low. He is so mellow, so soft spoken. He's like the perfect um makeup for a netminder, right? He just doesn't get too high, seems like he doesn't get too low. Um, just certainly, I mean him and Gibson were certainly different because Gibby wore the emotions on the sleeve, Freddie was completely different. Um, just just a fun guy.
SPEAKER_00That's even keel. Oh, just yeah, and he doesn't have a heartbeat go through life. But if you want to be an athlete in a very tense, stressful position, uh, you know, that serves you well. I mean, I I I think a lot of goaltenders you'll find they're either pretty volatile or they're very even keeled, where you know, nothing might really rattles them. And and Freddie is a perfect example of that. And and you know, that comes with experience too. Part of it's just your your your nature, part of your DNA that, hey, I mean, uh, that's just the way I am, and it serves you well. But as you become more experienced, especially in these pressure-packed NHL playoffs, you've hey, I've been there, I've done that, I know what makes me successful. I give up an early goal, I know I don't have to get rattled, I know the team behind me, you know, the hurricanes are another really good defensive team. Yeah. Uh, so if they were to move on, and we can speculate all we want here because it's our show, uh, you know, it'd be an interesting final between Vegas and Carolina because they both play defense extremely well. Both have offensive weapons, uh, but will it be that thing, that classic, you know, 2-1 games or you know, whatever, going into single, double, triple overtime, which I know we all hate because it takes a long time, but we're just riveted to the TV. And I I know that like I sit up there and I blurried eye and you know, triple OT, but I'm like, I've invested too many hours to turn this off right now.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we uh we'll have to try to get Freddie on here when this is all said and done to kind of go through, yeah, go through that with him.
SPEAKER_00We all know we're I mean, if he does get to the finals, we're we're certainly rooting for Freddie, and uh it would be great to have him on.
SPEAKER_02Um, a really quick Freddy story just came to mind when it was the Ducks one and only outdoor game at Dodger Stadium taking on the Kings. Uh, we're out there the day before. Uh Hiller's was it morning skate? I don't it might have been morning skate, and hit and uh Freddie, uh Hiller was getting the start. Freddie was backing him up. Um I'm sitting there, and as you can imagine, what a setting. You were there, you know. But it just I'm the home dugout, the first, I don't know what I don't know, I'm the first base dugout on the steps. All of a sudden, this guy comes up next to me and he says, Hey Frenchie. I'm like, he's like Freddie, I'm like, hey Freddie. He's like, you think I can hit it out? Like, what are you talking about? He's like, I think I can hit it out. What do you think? I'm like, yeah, Freddie, I think you can. He's like, I'm like wood bat or aluminum bat. He's like, either. I can hit it out. I'm like, all right, Freddie. I like it. I like it. Just random, just so funny, just so like, and his voice is so so even keel. So it's like, hey, what do you think? I'm like, yeah, I think you probably could. And Freddie's a big guy, we're six four, six, five. I mean, he's and if Freddie gets a hold of something, he's gonna take it out. So yeah, don't Freddie, we love Freddie. But so as you, and I want you to talk to this too, because you have experience. So Freddie played in Toronto for a minute, right? So he has that experience of playing in that type of environment. So you go to Bell, Bell Center, you have what game four, um, no Leafs, no Oilers, no Senators. The weight of the world now is on the shoulders of the Montreal Canadians. You played there, if I if I'm correct, in the uh Pan Am games, am I right? Was it there? You have an experience of Bell at Bell Center and the crowd and how crazy it is.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I I I will correct you. It was the the World Cup World Cup 1996. I did play in the Goodwill games, but I was in Seattle. Um but yeah, it was incredible atmosphere because it was, you know, USA versus Canada for the World Cup title we had lost.
SPEAKER_02That's insane. I don't think people realize that you played in that.
SPEAKER_00I mean, that's insane in Bell Center. Well we'll say played uh as in I was back up to Mike Richter, who uh was the MVP was the MVP. But I was I was there and I'm on the bench, I'm ready to go if called upon, and just to be able to be in that moment was was incredible. But I'll set the scene once again for you. Uh best of three for the final, so it's not one game winner take all. Game one is in Philadelphia, and we lose in Philly. And so now going to Montreal for the next two games, and you know, the I mean the heat is on. I mean, we have to we have to win both games to win it all. We have to win one just to get it to the third game, and and we do that, and we I I can just remember, you know, talk about like you know, the Canadians fans for Montreal, but then you put them in a spotlight of, you know, here is the best country players, yeah. Playing team USA in Montreal, and it it the place was just electric, to say the least. Um I've been in the NHL playoffs. It I've never been to the Stanley Cup as a player, but this I've been in the Olympics. This is by far the most exciting game I've ever been a part of. Game two there, we win. Uh the crowd was gonna blow the roof off early in the game. It was a great game, and we come out, and then all of a sudden, it's a you know, it's winner take all, right? It's the rubber match game. And again, the fans were insane. Uh, and then we came back late in the game and and won. Uh Mike Richter, MVP, was uh stellar. I mean, but you know, I I anybody who's never seen it, there's a couple things on TV that are you probably you can pull them up on YouTube, uh, that that chronicles that series, and it was so ridiculously physical. Uh, like everyone would be in the penalty box all night long in today's game. I mean, the slashing, the hooking, the punching, cross-checking, I mean, late hits. I like, but it was uh uh, I mean, it was a total beatdown physically, and then the best players in the world skill-wise, doing everything out there. Uh, it was an amazing thing. So if people don't know about the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, uh, you know, pull it out of the archives, watch it. Uh, Mike Richter uh just insanely good. Uh he won the MVP and got himself a, I believe he got a Harley Davidson motorcycle for being MVP. Uh it was fantastic. Um, but yeah, just the I think the electricity in that building, uh, getting back to the the series with the uh Carolina Hurricanes. I mean, uh almost everybody in that arena is wearing a Montreal Canadians jersey. Uh I did see that William Carrier's family uh was there supporting him. He's with the Hurricanes now. He grew up 45 minutes down the road. Uh they were like the only people in the building with hurricane jerseys on. So uh, and then ironically, on the winning goal, Franchie, let's just get right into the OT winner. Uh Lane Hudson goes back into the defensive zone. William Carrier comes down, kind of almost leaps at him to check him, leads with his elbow, hits Hudson in the head, no penalty is called. The play continues. Eventually Hudson gets the the puck and then makes a really ill-advised pass kind of by the blue line, creates a turnover. A couple seconds later, all of a sudden, goal game over, and what uh and so now there's been some discussion this morning. Hey, should that have been a penalty? Which I've seen the the clip several times, and I think I know refs are reticent to call penalties an OT, but you know, it was clearly an elbow, uh in my mind. And I'm I mean, I mean, I'm rooting probably if I have to root for somebody, I we're rooting for Freddie um on a personal level, but just watching the game, I mean that could have been, and then you start to wonder, okay, and this is my own speculation. Um, don't want to get anybody in trouble, but okay, so he gets hit to the head, right, Frenchie? Controversy. So I mean, is he dinged as we used to call it? Is he doesn't have his wits about him for right there because he just took a headshot? And did that have any play in him, you know, kind of making a bad play by putting the puck into the middle of the ice? Um, you know, no player's ever gonna say, yeah, I was, you know, I was a little dinged and whatever, and I it caused me to do that, right? But but it makes me wonder um if that could have happened. So shouldn't have been a penalty called, you know, who knows? Uh, but then I know there was a earlier in the game, there was uh there was a trip on Hudson that wasn't called, and then there were clearly six guys on the ice for Montreal. So there was a trip on Hudson in the defensive zone, they didn't call it. Then there was six men on the ice, clearly by Montreal, which should have been called. So I think those negated, but then I think the uh kind of the potential elbow on Hudson that led to the game winner, who knows? But um, you know, that's just the way it goes in overtime. You just you never know how it's gonna end, but it was uh thrilling nonetheless. And then just to add a little more and put it on. So uh Dobish never left the net after the goal was in. Caroline's celebrating the whole thing, Canadians guys staying at the bench, Marty Saint Louis staying at the bench, and all of a sudden you realize that the refs are huddling over by the penalty box, making some discussion. So as I listened to the broadcast, they were talking about was Dobish interfered with. And as you saw the overhead, Frenchie, and that's why the goaltender interference rule, I mean, is just so it's just so bad. I mean, it really is, is because no one, I mean, it's net never clear-cut, too many assumptions, not enough assumptions in some ways, but as Dobish is moving from his right to left, and I can't remember which player was right in front. I don't remember if it was Suzuki, but anyways, as he's going to his left Frenchie, there is a little bit of contact because that Carolina player is uh not Suzuki. Um who was it? I don't know, I'll look it up. Whoever, whoever's in the crease, as he slides over, is inside the blue paint, and he can't technically get to the point where he wants to be, and the puck is deflected or whatever, right in front of him, just misses his glove. So more controversy. But it was reviewed and yeah, it was it was, I guess, reviewed because it was just kind of all of a sudden and it would game was over. So uh a lot of different things. But you know, I mean, Montreal's been in every game, obviously, a bounce here or there, a call here or there, and this series could be uh a lot different than 2-1 for Carolina. But um, I would expect that uh Montreal, it'll be a fun game to watch. We'll be ready to go. They have to put some more pucks on the net. Um, I I think their power play can continues to be the key for them. So if they could draw some more penalties, then they can have some uh better opportunities to get some pucks on Freddie Anderson. Bell Center. Freddie's gonna be crispy rocking.
SPEAKER_02That's gonna be rocking because it's gonna be rocking. So so that being said, too, you know, there's always this conversation as an athlete, no matter what sport you're playing, you go into a hostile environment on the road, um, playoffs or otherwise, and Freddie is gonna be in the crease with what, I don't know how many, how many, how much bell center holds, but 17, 18. Will he hear anything? Do you get to a point where you just are able to block it out based on concentration in the game, and and that is not a factor for the the opposition? Is the crowd or I guess maybe the question is, is there ever a time when the crowd does become a factor for the opposition?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think the crowd always brings the energy to the hometown team, right? I mean, I think they they're the the six-man type of thing, right? They get the players amped up with their energy when something good happens, um, you know, a scoring chance or a block or whatever. I mean, the crowd certainly uh gets engaged. And it does give the team a lift, no doubt about it. And I think that you know the Canadians fans are like most hockey fans, but most Canadian, generally Canadian hockey fans, are very knowledgeable. Um, so a lot of time. In the Montreal and Bell Center, there'll be silence because they know when to cheer and know when not to cheer, type of thing. But I think as a goaltender, I mean, I I used to, I loved like any chance I can to shut up the crowd by making a big save. Yeah, uh is what you want to do, right? You take the crowd out of the game. And that's sometimes in the hands of the goaltender of save after save after save. Um, then the crowd gets a little disappointed, they get a little nervous, and they get a little frustrated uh with their team. So, you know, I think Freddie's gonna hear, you know, I'm not gonna say that he's not gonna hear some bad things being yelled at him, but I will say that you know it will be loud and raucous, especially early on. And then as the game goes on, you know, if you you know, especially if you're in the lead or you're tied, it certainly uh dictates how the fans respond. But uh I just think all goaltenders, I'm sure Freddie will embrace uh because it does energize you as well, uh just knowing that there's just so much electricity in the building.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, that's that's I'm glad you said silence too, because my first um experience uh with hockey north of the border, I believe it was Rogers Arena, right? Rogers Arena, the old barn of the Oilers, and you go in there, and once the puck drops and the game starts, I can hear the players on the ice yelling. I can hear you can hear everything because everybody is silent. There is no side conversation, there is no getting up to get something to eat. There is what once the team is on the ice playing, everybody in that arena, and I mean everybody, is focused on hockey and concentrating. And you're right, there is silence, and it's almost uncomfortable to to for a point. Anyone who doesn't know what the hell's happening right now. Yeah, it's like, is this real? People are actually paying attention. I mean, because at a baseball game, everything's you know, everyone's talking and going on, and even at Ducks games and every other arena, but you go to a hockey arena in Canada, people are actually paying attention to what's going on. It is it is a sight to see. And I'm glad you said that 17,000 plus whatever it is. There will be moments in this game where there is silence and you can hear the players on the ice. I mean, it's that's yeah, it's uh it's different. Let's just put it that way. It is it is truly different.
SPEAKER_00So uh the cathedral of hockey, right? That's the cathedral of hockey. You know, the old Montreal farm and some of those uh old barns in Canada, that's what they called them because it was it was like going to church. And you when you were there, I mean, you knew when to cheer, and like I said, you knew when to just be patient and and and be quiet and enjoy the game and and let the the play on the ice dictate kind of when you got engaged with um you know with your voice, like us, yes, with our voice engage.
SPEAKER_02Uh well, good stuff talking about hockey. It's gonna be a lot of fun, and they got the world championships going on. Oh, by the way, I did want to bring that up because you had a point that I wasn't aware of in a hot in the hockey uh during the Olympic year, the world championships usually don't take place. So all of a sudden, tonight as well as we tape this on a Wednesday, it's Team USA taking on Team Canada in Switzerland, I believe is where it's at. Um, and so that is happening as well. Are you how why? Why is that happening? Do you have any idea why that's going on after an Olympic year and just the the drama of the Olympics and the overtime win by Team USA? I mean, now these players go back and they do this again. It's it's impressive, especially guys like Sidney Crosby, who've been around for so long. For the love of the game, they're competing, continuing to compete, uh, and represent their country. I mean, that's I saw his name on the roster and I'm like, my goodness, that's just awesome.
SPEAKER_00I mean, it is. I mean, Sid never grows up. Um, I mean, he just continues to, like you said, the love of the game. Uh, he sets such a prime example, and I think that's partly why he does it. I mean, like, you'll see him, uh, there'll be stuff now that there's a lot of social media and stuff like that, but you know, like he'll be off for like Christmas or something or whatever, and he'll find a rank. And you'll feel like he's not in Hawaii like me. He he's like at a rank, like just skating and shooting pucks, and someone will video and go, Sidney Crosby's out skating like on his own or with a couple random guys or kids, and you know, everybody else is taking a break. But it but he does. I mean, that's why he's you know, an incredibly elite NHL star and Hall of Famer to be, and Stanley Cup champion, and and all the accolades that go along with a guy like that. And then, which most people would say at the end of a season like this, you know, you make the playoffs kind of unexpectedly. Uh, he had gone through some injuries throughout the course of the year, Olympics, ended up getting injured during the Olympics. Uh, you know, there's a whole bunch of stuff. Like, if the guy's gonna take at his age some time off to get ready for next year, there's no way you go to the world championships. Right. But I mean, he's you know, he's I I think he wants he wants to play with Celebrini. I think he wants to be that mentor uh for Macklin Celebrini, and obviously Celebrini wearing the captaincy and not Crosby, which is unheard of in the last you know 18 years or whatever it might be. Uh, but I think that, you know, again, as a mentor, I mean, they're preparing Celebrini to be, you know, the Sydney Crosby for the next, you know, two decades, you know, at at whatever he is, 19 years old. I mean, you're thinking about Celebrini, much like Sydney Crosby is gonna be playing for 20 years. Um, so I think that's great. And I just think the fact that, you know, when you get the commitment from a lot of your big stars who were disappointed in their seasons or didn't go as far in playoffs as they had hoped, you know, sign up and go and represent their their country is it's always a wonderful experience. And I think for for guys like that to still go and play uh tremendous. It's tremendous for the sport of hockey, but it's tremendous to be an ambassador for the NHL and have those guys there.
SPEAKER_02That's a lot of hockey too. You know, as you would know, you played internationally a lot as well, as we were just talking about. But you go, you play the regular season, you go to the Olympics, you go to the postseason, now you go to the world championships. I mean, that's that's a lot of hockey. And as we mentioned, it's pretty surprising that the world championships are being held during an Olympic year as well. So asking a lot of the players, um, but again, you get to see the guys who love the game, they play for the love of the game. And oh, by the way, Sidney Crosby's running mate, Malkin, you've been Malkin, is signed for another year. So he's coming back at 40 years old. He's coming back to join Crosby next year. So uh a lot of guys playing the game, continue like a Corey Perry. Just keep playing until you won't let me, until you lock the door and I can't come into the rink. That's pretty much what we're seeing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um Brent Burns, 41. I mean, yeah. He's been trying to chase that elusive Stanley Cup and his uh incredible career. And I mean, obviously, uh, you know, I mean, just even as a fan of a guy who's played this long without being able to uh, you know, ever get the Stanley Cup, I mean, you feel for him, right? I mean, because he's put in that work for years and years, I mean, two decades worth, right? Um, incredible amount of hockey that he's played and not being able to uh attain that you know ultimate goal. That's why people say, like, you know, I mean, I like, oh, if you play long enough, you'll probably win the Stanley Cup. And it's like, no, I mean, it is just not not even remote ask. Um I mean, you could ask any player, like, hey, how many times should you go to Stanley Cup? I mean, like, unless you're one of those, you know, uh guys who were on certain teams right at the right moment where you got a couple cracks at it. I mean, Florida Panthers are the most recent example. I mean, Edmonton had a couple cracks at it, did not win. Um, but yeah, it it's an amazing thing where it is just so difficult. It's why they say it's the hardest, hardest trophy to win in all sports, because uh playoff gauntlet to get there. Um, you know, hey, Mitch Marner, I think I just read this stat uh on Instagram, was that in nine years he had two playoff series wins. Nine years in Toronto, yeah, and in one year in Vegas, he has three series wins and is now gonna play for Stanley Cup. So part of it is is the luck of the draw where you are and what team you're on and and you know how they're built. And then part of the luck is, you know, are you on a team that is like Toronto that you know has all the talent in the world, but just cannot find a way to put it all together to get themselves there? So um it makes for an interesting conversation that we should have maybe next week or in the upcoming weeks about free agency, any big deals? Will the Minnesota Wild go out and try to get a big centerman? You know, is Jack Hughes maybe a viable option to bring with one of his brothers to maybe eventually bring the other brother over? Austin Matthews, is he really in play? Uh I think when guys get together in the offseason and Austin Matthews talks to Mitch Marner and says, How is it on the other side? You know, uh, you know, if he goes on to win a Stanley Cup, I gotta think guys like you know Austin Matthews thinking, like, hey, our careers are only determined by how our health. And he got a window. Yeah. So that'll be so we we're gonna have some great speculation uh upcoming to talk about you know, guys and possible moves, talk about Brady Kachuk, maybe uh on his way out of Ottawa. Ottawa says, of course not, but you know, we thought that about his brother Matthew, and he found a way to get himself to Florida and a couple Stanley Cups. So a lot of fun things to talk about, um, and especially the next the next round when we find out who's gonna be the uh the dance partner with the Vegas Golden Knights.
SPEAKER_02I like it. Uh yeah, certainly a lot to talk about. We hit on just about everything we could possibly hit on here today, including the the Hawaiian Islands vacation, which was which was a wonderful way to start uh to start this podcast. Um, but don't forget, ladies and gentlemen, you can uh watch this podcast at the Mask the Mike on YouTube and also listen to us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Gibo, well done. Good insight into what's going on on the ice, but also great insight onto what's you know how you how you clear the ears on a Hawaiian vacation. We've I think we we've hit the spectrum of pretty much everything you could on this on this edition of The Mask of the Mike.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And if you want to be a Bravo Lebrity, then uh I gotta get I gotta get myself on Bravo TV. Let's get on Bravo, Frenchie. Let's figure out a way. Andy Cohen, if you're watching, or if anybody is watching that knows Andy Cohen and get us uh hooked up with uh some kind of something, let's let's get these faces on uh Bravo.
SPEAKER_02Some kind of something. I think that should be a new motto of us of ours. Uh okay, Gibo. Well, we'll done this time, and uh we'll see you next time on the Mask of the Mic. And as always, Gebo, yes, and good for us.