ESNY

The 2015 NHL Awards Show was a step forward for the the sport, with its mild entertainment and reduced awkward moments.

By Patrick Comia

So, another NHL Awards Show is done.

The hockey community is probably going to soak as much of Las Vegas, as they can before going their separate ways for the offseason. The Stanley Cup is there; and I’m sure it will make the rounds up and down “the Strip,” from the MGM Grand, to the Bellagio, all the way to Fremont Street and take in a few hands of blackjack or Texas Hold’em, whichever Lord Stanley prefers.

Last night’s ceremony was a good showing of the hockey world and Hollywood working together. Remember in our last article about it being awkward between the two merging, tonight was not so much.

The host, Rob Riggle, put on a good face last night. If you had never seen him on tv or film, then you probably did not get his humor. However, he did a good show of standing toe-to-toe with the NHL’s finest.

Yes, there were awkward moments for the actor/comedian, especially at the beginning of the show when he poked fun at the trophies on display behind him on stage. He described the Ted Lindsay Award as “chocolate” looking. To describe the Hart Trophy, he used a “a ball on fire.” That was kind of pushing it, if you are a hockey purist.

However, he tried to liven up the crowd with humor. You could say the crowd was too uptight when it came to joking around. Riggle let loose some good jokes, and the laughs weren’t really getting to anyone, almost to the point of crickets chirping, an entertainer’s worst nightmare.

Despite that, he put on a brave face, didn’t let it affect him, and continued charging through. Perhaps, it was his days in the Marine Corps that helped him through this tough crowd. For his efforts, he did the Corps proud.

As for the rest of show, it was decent. Here are my best and worst moments of the night:

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I'm a blogger trying to make it in this world. Have been, and always will be, a fan of the NYR and NYG. Writing for the New Jersey Devils cause, well, someone has to do it!