Fehr shares win from box

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This article was published 19/07/2016 (3384 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Not many players have counted down the final seconds to a Stanley Cup victory like Eric Fehr did with the Pittsburgh Penguins last month.

The Winkler product, a high-scoring forward with the Brandon Wheat Kings from 2001 to 2005, took a high-sticking penalty against Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks with 10 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the National Hockey League final on June 13.

At the time, the Penguins were leading both the series and the game 3-1.

“I’ve got to be one of the only guys to win the Cup in the penalty box,” Fehr laughed. “I don’t know who else has done that. I got a penalty with about 10 seconds left and I actually had to watch it again on video to see what my penalty was because I didn’t remember taking one. And it was a blatant penalty. Absolutely. I just don’t remember doing anything. At that point you’re just waiting for the buzzer to sound.”

Fehr admits that he was a little concerned as he headed to the box.

“I was trying to do the math in my head,” Fehr said. “Even if they scored off the faceoff, would they be able to come down? I thought that hopefully we would be OK and we would end up winning this thing. Once you kind of realize that … I saw Crosby ice the puck and I was trying to get out of the gate and they wouldn’t let me out. It’s just an unbelievable feeling to know that you finally did it and it’s over.”

The 30-year-old forward was handed the Stanley Cup by Phil Kessel in the ensuing celebration, then handed the trophy over to Ben Lovejoy, joking that penalty killers have to stick together.

He was able to share the post-game celebration with his wife, Rachel, and young daughter Elle.

The Penguins signed Fehr to a three-year, $6-million deal last July, after Fehr had spent nine of his 10 NHL seasons with the Washington Capitals. He said he put a lot of thought into which team would be a good fit, and settled on the Capitals’ traditional rival in the Metropolitan Division.

The fact that the two teams met in the second round of the playoffs, a series the Penguins won 4-2 as all but one game was decided by a single goal, wasn’t exactly a shock to Fehr.

“It was very weird,” Fehr said. “When I signed with the Penguins I knew that we were going to play the Capitals in the playoffs that year. It was just the way things were going to work out. I was kind of preparing myself for it but you can’t fully prepare for that. When you go into the other team’s rink and you’re playing in your old arena, it’s just a weird feeling, especially playing against your friends.

“You’ve seen playoff hockey: It’s no holds barred. Playing against some of your best friends, it’s a bit of a challenge but that’s what the job demands at the time.”

Fehr said that series, which he called the most physical of the four they played, was a big step as they got by the President’s Trophy winners.

In the other series, the Penguins beat the New York Rangers 4-2 and the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3.

The move to the Penguins also provided Fehr a chance to get a closer look at longtime opponent Sydney Crosby. He came away impressed.

“You see him from a distance and playing against him but you don’t exactly know what guys bring to the table,” Fehr said. “With Sid, you have an idea that he’s a great leader in the room and he’s a great player on the ice. He has levels that other guys can’t touch on the ice. When you have players like that on your team, it obviously gives you a better chance to win.”

The irony of his role as he won his first Stanley Cup doesn’t escape Fehr.

Fehr centred the fourth line, taking faceoffs in his own end and killing penalties as a defensive specialist. Fehr won a WHL scoring title in 2004-05 with the Wheat Kings and had 277 points in the WHL in 279 regular season games, with 50 more in 60 playoff games.

In 509 NHL games, starting in the 2005-06 season, he has 191 points, with 10 more in 60 NHL playoff games.

The six-foot-four, 212-pound forward said his ability to adapt has allowed him to stay in the league.

“I still talk to Kelly McCrimmon about it,” Fehr said of the Wheat Kings head coach and general manager. “Who would have ever thought that I would be a defensive specialist in the NHL? We just laugh about it. It’s a big change for me. I think it started three or four years ago when (former head coach) Adam Oates switched me from wing to centre. He saw something there and I’ve slowly been adjusting to becoming a better defensive player. Now it’s something I’m kind of known for. It’s definitely something that I pride myself on.”

Fehr had three goals and one assist in the playoffs, scoring once in the six-game final.

He was one of 14 Penguins dressed for Game 6 to win their first NHL championship.

Fehr has his day with the Stanley Cup on Wednesday, and will spend it in Winkler. He has an appearance at the Southland Mall from 1 to 3 p.m., for anyone wishing to get a photo with him and the Cup.

Despite his own success, the season enjoyed by his former team as they won a Western Hockey League title didn’t go unnoticed. He kept a close eye on their playoff run and was happy when they won.

“I’ve always followed the Wheat Kings,” Fehr said. “I really loved my time in Brandon and was always disappointed we weren’t able to win.”

Fehr will also hosting a private party in Winkler on Wednesday and former Wheat Kings Lance Monych, Tim Konsorada and maybe Ryan Stone are expected to join him. He said it doesn’t seems that long ago that he and Stone were together at the Keystone Centre.

“It’s been a long grind but it still feels like Stoner and me were playing together just a couple of years ago.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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