They spoiled the Senators' bid for a Stanley Cup two springs ago, but the Anaheim Ducks couldn't disrupt the 11th annual Ottawa Celebrity Sports Dinner last night.
For a while, though, it looked like they might.
News of the Ducks managerial shakeup yesterday forced Celebrity Sports Dinner master of ceremonies Michael Landsberg to withdraw his services in order to retape his popular TSN program Off The Record.
Stuck for a replacement, the event's organizers contacted long-time TSN and CTV Sports broadcaster Rod Black at about 3 p.m.
Black not only answered the bell, he was outstanding.
"Any time I can get the hell out of Toronto I want to be here," Black told the 1,200 folks at the Civic Centre Assembly Hall, on hand to help hit the event's goal of raising $250,000 for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, Sens Foundation, Roger's House and Soloway Jewish Community Centre.
Black fibbed about Landsberg's absence ("Michael had a Botox injection that went wrong and a torn ligament in his tongue") then proceeded to do some pretty fast talking himself. He did solid impersonations of fellow TV stars Brian Williams, Don Cherry and Bob Cole, then explained that like all of the above, Mats Sundin was also asked to fill in for Landsberg.
ALFIE AN YZERMAN FAN
"He's still deciding," Black said of the ex-Toronto Maple Leafs captain, who remains in contemplation of his future.
Meanwhile, Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson showed once again he is a key contributor in this city, both on and off the ice.
Alfredsson spent $1,600 in the live auction for a Steve Yzerman Detroit Red Wings jersey.
Afterwards, he stood facing a very long and impromptu line of people to sign autographs on mini Senators helmets.
Just another reason why Alfredsson is as popular as he is in this city.
STARTS AND STOPS: What would you bid for a 1976 Team Canada No. 4 jersey personally autographed by Bobby Orr himself? Last night, one went for $3,000 .... Another generous bidder spent $3,000 to have a Japanese food party hosted by Senators winger Antoine Vermette ... Recent Hall in Fame inductee Glenn Anderson was asked who was the dirtiest player he ever faced. "Mark Messier, in practice," said the former Edmonton Oilers great ...
BETWEEN PERIODS: Former Renegades linebacker Jason Kralt has just returned from a seven-month tour of duty with the Canadian military in Afghanistan. Kralt lost 63 lbs. running up mountain sides. He looks like he could help another CFL team ... Receiving the Brian Kilrea Award for community leadership was Cyril Leeder, the chief operating officer of the Senators and Scotiabank Place ... Former Habs great Steve Shutt says he scored 40 goals one season without breaking a sweat? How's that? "Because Peter Mahovlich would stickhandle through the whole team, and when they finally stopped him, I'd pick up the loose puck and put it in the net." ... Shutt also said Mahovlich led the team in partying. "Winning was fun but it was hard on our livers," Shutt joked, with the "Little M" laughing along.
POINT BLANK: Not only is Brian Patafie a superb trainer for the 67's, a terrific joke-teller and author of Ice It Down, A Look at Pro Hockey Through A Trainer's Eyes, but he's also a life-saver. Patafie spotted the most worried-looking individual in the place around 8 p.m., then led me to his office for an Internet connection that allows me to file this column ... One of the celebrities was Le Droit sports editor Marc Brassard, who at the start the evening told us he had to bolt early because he had a hockey game at 10 p.m. "You're going to disappoint the people who get the privilege of having you at their table," Brassard was told.
In response, he said: "They're going to be disappointed when they see they've got me as their celebrity." As fate would have it, Brassard wound up at the Ottawa Sun table. We were honoured ... The best hockey players of the celebrities in the house included: Bernie Parent, Billy Smith, Michel Goulet, Dale Hawerchuk, Mahovlich, Anderson, Shutt, Darryl Sittler, Guy Lapointe, Wayne Cashman, Brad Park, Yvan Cournoyer, Paul Henderson, Kilrea, Chris Phillips, Antoine Vermette, Luke Richardson, Jarkko Ruutu, Shean Donovan, Nick Foligno, Fred Barrett, John Barrett, Ted Bulley, Todd Gill, Bill Kitchen, Jim Kyte, Kent Manderville, Shawn Rivers, Doug Smith, Chris Valentine, Jason York, Chris Byrne, Adam Courchaine, Tyler Cuma, Logan Couture, Julien Demers, Corey Cowick and Thomas Kiriakou. Oh, and Alfredsson.
