The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article discussing the highs and lows of the Red Wings’ traditional Thanksgiving Eve game tradition:
Sweet taste of revenge: Fedorov was the prime dish when the Wings took on the San Jose Sharks at the Joe on Nov. 22, 1995. He scored twice in the 5-2 victory, extending his seven-game point streak to five goals and eight assists. The most satisfying performance though, belonged to Igor Larionov, who had been acquired from the Sharks a month earlier. Larionov scored on a penalty shot in the third period.
Thanks, Shanny: Brendan Shanahan had joined the Wings with minutes to spare before the 1996-97 season opener, part of a blockbuster trade made to strengthen the Wings’ Stanley Cup hopes. He showed off just what a spectacularly good trade it was with a natural hat trick during a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 27. It was the Wings’ first hat trick since Slava Kozlov netted three in Patrick Roy’s infamous final game in Montreal.
Glistening goodies: Never mind the game (it was a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 27, 2002); on Thanksgiving Day, players were treated to a team dinner at the Fox Theatre, with the Rockettes serving the main course. They set out a silver platter as the centerpiece of a round table — but when the lid was lifted, there glistened the 2002 Stanley Cup rings. The rings were made of gold and featured a Cup made of diamonds, overlaid with a winged wheel made of rubies, with a diamond as the axle.
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