Yup, that's been said by so many people over the years, the truth of that still cracks me up ever time I hear it.
This, on the other hand has been debunked by both Gretzky and McNall. Gretzky said that whether the sticks had been checked or not shouldn't have made ANY difference because Marty shouldn't have been using an illegal stick PERIOD. Marty, however, has said that he had no other choice. You know why? Because that's all he had. That's right. Marty McSorley had no legal sticks to use in the 3rd period.
McNall actually denies the sticks were even checked. He did it right next to me while I was watching game 2 vs the Devils last season. Right after Marty had called him to chat.
I agree. Although there isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that the Kings would have won game 2 if there was no penalty, Hrudey has said that a few other players had illegal sticks that Demers could have called for a check on other guys too. Of course, none of them should have played the 3rd with those sticks...but they might have.
And he fell in the draft to #17 in 1993 because he was a coach's nightmare. And he was practically a throw-in in the Carey/Carter for Ranford/Oates/Tocchet deal in 1997 because the Caps had had enough of him.
12 years, eh? I'd call that "having commitment".