OTTAWA — Prop comedy. Such a simple concept, so rarely incorporated in the NHL's Breakaway Challenge Skills Competition. Alex Ovechkin won the 2009 event in Montreal by donning sunglasses and a goofy hat. In 2012, two NHL superstars finally gave props to the skills competition again.
With Eminem's "Superman" playing over the ScotiaBank Place speakers, Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks got into character before scoring a goal that went glove-to-stick:
Look, down on the ice! It's a Hawk! It's a hydroplane! It's SuperKane!
(Geek critique: The son of Jor-El would never leave his Clark Kent glasses on.)
Kane told the crowd he came up with the concept in the last 24 hours. "It's a tough event for us. You don't want to look stupid," he said. As far as drafting veteran teammate Marian Hossa to assist him, Kane said: "I think he was a little more nervous than I was, putting on the cape."
Later on, Kane's incredible super-strength allowed him to "shatter" a puck on his last attempt.
We'd expect nothing less from the Man of Steel(ing cab fare).
Meanwhile, Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry unleashed two creative shootout attempts of his own.
First, the ole hockey tape on the blade move that electrified the crowd before the sticky went icky at the end:
This final attempt from Perry was even more ingenious than Kane's Superman act: Dropping his gear and using a mini-stick he had stuffed under his jersey to score.
If Perry pulling his little stick out in the middle of the ice doesn't get the NHL on TMZ, really what will?
After the event, Perry returned his prop back to the Canadiens' equipment manager.
Who had the better shootout whimsy: Kane or Perry?