Ty Rattie's feelings

I was fortunate enough to get some circulation from my Game 5 / series recap post, and some fans seemed to gravitate to Ty Rattie's quote about the shorthanded goal which sealed the series:

  

Rattie is the No. 2 playoff goal-scorer in WHL history, so he’s seen those lights go on lots of times in the post-season. Still, he said, that goal was special. “That would be top goal of my career, with the crowd being so loud and how close a game it was. It was awesome to score. … an exciting game to play.’’

Rattie reflected on a major-junior career filled with playoff highlights. “Unbelievable,’’ he said. “I’ve been so lucky to be here for four deep playoff runs, three WHL Finals. Now the last thing to do is win this next series and go on to the Memorial Cup.’’

 

Rattie was featured in the postgame radio coverage - where he put some importance on his most recent goal:

"...that feeling - I wish everyone could feel what I felt after that goal, 'cause it was one of the best feelings I've ever had"

He doesn't exactly address where it ranks career wise,  but it does assign some value.  I like the idea of wanting everyone to know that feeling.  Its apples & oranges, and none of us will ever know what its like to score a huge goal on a stage like major junior, but we all know what it fells like to be in the barn to witness such a feet - and its a pretty nice feeling as well.

There's no fans in the goal shot, but take some time and look at the faces in the two celebration pictures - that was a special moment shared by 9,700+ of our closest friends (click on the pictures to blow them up):

 

highlight video of this game 

Now, the other goal being discussed was pretty special as well:

  

That was a huge series for all sorts of reasons.  It was the return to the playoffs for the first time in 3 seasons, which happened to be the first full season for Mike Johnston behind the bench as well as Ty Rattie on the ice.  The Chiefs still had some of the members of their 2008 squad, which broke the Memorial Cup. This was to be the last run with that group - featuring a hot Kyle Beach.  The road team won all 7 games in the series, which is the only time in WHL history that has happened.  The 'Hawks went down 3-0 in the 2nd period of that Game 7, before finding a way to get to OT.

I think my personal favorite Rattie goal might be the Game 2 OT winner in Tri-City last Western Conference Finals - a series where I was fortunate enough to attend the entire thing:

I happened to be sitting in the other end of the rink, and saw that play develop all the way.  I think I was standing about when Rattie hit the redline - and I'm pretty sure the locals were upset with how that game ended.  I will say that for the whole weekend all the TC fans I interacted with were falling all over themselves to be nice, which has been my experience for WHL road games (for the most part).