Chicago Blackhawks goalie Marty Turco hasn't started a game since Feb. 11 and hasn't appeared in a game since St. Patrick's Day, so the veteran has to find ways to keep himself amused on the bench.
Like, apparently, making wagers with opposing fans during games.
The photo above appears to depict Turco and a Montreal Canadiens fan passing a $5 bill through the glass at Bell Centre on Tuesday night, when the Blackhawks lost to the Habs, 2-1, in overtime. A Montreal season-ticket holder named Robert called in to "Game Points with Matthew Ross" on Team 990 after the game, and spun a humorous tale of Turco making bets with him (and eventually losing in overtime):
For the video challenged, Robert claimed he bet Turco, after Michael Cammalleri's goal for Montreal made it 1-0 in the first period, that Chicago wouldn't score again. When Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks tied the game, he passed Turco a $5 bill with "Habs Rule" written on it.
They went double-or-nothing after the first period, and then triple-or-nothing for the third; and then, in overtime, he gave Turco 5-to-1 odds that the Canadiens would win the game.
"And he took the bet!" said the caller. "When the Canadiens scored in overtime, he handed me back a wad of $5 bills and inside was that $5 bill that I gave him. He crossed out 'Habs Rule' and wrote 'Turco Rules.'"
Via Moe Khan of Team 990, who also provided the audio, what he claims is that $5 bill:
Greatest fan story of the season? You bet your defaced Canadian currency it is.
As Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, Turco probably didn't expect this interaction to go viral, and the NHL will probably frown upon it if the caller's claims are accurate. Fact is that the Exhibit 14.2 in the NHL CBA states: "Gambling on any NHL Game is prohibited."
Which is a shame, of course, because there isn't a hockey fan in North America with an ounce of joy in their soul that doesn't think Marty Turco is Capt. Awesome after hearing this story. If there was ever a "lighten up" provision in those regulations, now would be the time to use it. Because, as you can see, Turco Rules ...
Thanks to Shawn Greenstone and Jeremy Lang on Twitter Tuesday night for the lead image.
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