from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

Imagine being a kid from Northern Ontario, who played hockey, lived hockey and idolized Rocket Richard, and you get called up as a teenager for your first NHL game. And there you are, at Maple Leaf Gardens, all set to face the iconic Montreal Canadiens.

This isn’t a children’s book.

This was Frank Mahovlich’s life.

“Howie Meeker was the coach and, before the game, he looked at me and said ‘You’ll be checking Rocket Richard tonight, ‘A ” the great Mahovlich, now 83 years old, said in a rare and lengthy interview.

“I’m 19 at the time. I think Rocket was 38. I’d read so many books on him. The first time I’m on the ice, Meeker tells me, ‘Don’t let him get away, he’s too dangerous.’

“I’m right beside Rocket at the red line. And everything I knew about him was, if he got the puck at the red line, we were finished. I panicked, of course. I was bigger than him. I wrapped both my arms around him and held on. He got a little frustrated. At one point, we were so close together his nose was touching mine.

“A ‘Let go, kid,’ Richard said.

“And I’m thinking, ‘Rocket Richard just spoke to me. He spoke to me.’

“A ‘Yes Mr Richard,’ I said, and I let him go.”

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