Game in Pittsburgh very special to Valk

By MIKE ZEISBERGER -- Toronto Sun
No matter how you spell his name, nothing can tarnish Garry Valk's place in hockey history.

Tomorrow night, Valk returns to the Pittsburgh Civic Arena for the first time since scoring what he calls "the biggest goal of my hockey career." He scored on Penguins goalie Tom Barrasso at 1:57 of overtime in Game 6 of the 1999 Eastern Conference semi-final, giving the Maple Leafs a 4-3 series-clinching victory and advancing Toronto to the conference final against Buffalo.

Valk's accomplishment is documented in the list of overtime goals on Page 258 of the National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book. Too bad the editors erred by spelling his first name Gary instead of Garry.

No big deal. At least Valk had plenty of time to watch replays of the goal this summer after Hockey Night in Canada sent him tapes of the game and related interviews.

"You don't really know what will go through your mind until you walk into that arena again," Valk said as he looked ahead to the Leafs-Penguins game at The Igloo tomorrow night. "The reality of hockey life is, you're usually looking ahead to the next game, not back in the past.

"There's no doubt that playoff game was special for me. To be able to score two goals in that game and help your team advance makes it one of the biggest games I've ever had. Yet even after it was over, we already were looking ahead to Buffalo.

"I know it's something I'll treasure when I look back on it once my career is over."

The memorable goal brought notoriety to the entire Valk family. What better way to gain publicity for Valk's Auto Service, an Edmonton-area business run by Garry's father, Phil Valk?

"Dad's business was bombarded with interviews," Garry Valk said. "There were something like three camera crews there. "It certainly gave (the family) recognition, and some fun, too."

In 20 games this season the defensive-minded Valk still is looking for his first goal. How fitting it would be if No. 1 came at the Igloo, the site of arguably his greatest on-ice triumph as a professional.

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