You have to think that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Josef Marha had some remorse sitting in the penalty box in a game around Thanksgiving in 1999. Martha took an interference penalty–an unnecessary one as well–and St. Louis Blues got on the power play.
Jocelyn Thibault was the goalie, and all he was hoping for was for his teammates not to give Al MacInnis any room. MacInnis had the most terrifying and powerful slap shot in NHL history, and when he released it, you’d do best not to get in the way. And 90 seconds into this power play, Thibault’s nightmares came true.
MacInnis found some room on the right side of the offensive zone and blasted an absolute hammer of a slap shot on goal. The shot went straight through–yes, through–Thibault and in goal. Thibault’s reaction was immediate.
The blaster from MacInnis had gone through Thibault’s glove, and as he tried to stop the puck, he even broke his ring finger.
Thibault would miss the next two weeks because of the injury, and you must feel for Josef Marha. Why did he have to make that inference play?
