A CUP-WINNING GOAL FOR CAL GARDNER

In a year where the possibility exists that the Stanley Cup will not be awarded, it is good to be reminded of past Cup champions.

And that was the case this morning when I read a Facebook post by Paul Gardner. His dad, Cal Gardner, scored the Cup-winning goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1949 final. With the score deadlocked at one goal apiece late in the second period, Gardner notched the winner against Detroit netminder, Harry Lumley.

A newspaper article described the goal as follows:

With 15 seconds left in the middle period, Jack Stewart became more interested in separating a stickless Bill Ezinicki from his wishbone than protecting "Lum." Bill promptly kicked the puck to Jim Thomson, who fed Cal Gardner a pass. Cal raced down the lane left vacant by Stewart, shifted Lumley from the post with a twist of his hips (rhumba style), and then fired home the winner.

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The 3-1 victory made the Leafs the first modern day team to capture three consecutive Stanley Cups.

Also, the post by Paul Gardner brought back a wonderful memory from my childhood that included Cal Gardner and my dad.

On what seemed like a typical late afternoon, Dad arrived home from work and headed right for my room. The big smile on his face was an indicator he had some good news to tell me. Instead, there was silence as he pulled a piece of paper from his suit pocket and placed it in my hand.

It read, "Jim, loads of luck, Cal Gardner."

Dad broke the silence as he told me Gardner visited the office, and of course, Dad got his autograph for me. I didn't know much about Cal Gardner, but the fun part was listening to Dad tell me about him and his two Stanley Cups with the Leafs.

A treasured moment with Dad that is relived every time I look at that glorious, aged piece of paper.