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Oh, rats.
The “Rat Trick” — an odd South Florida hockey tradition — is going strong once again.
It dates back in Florida to the 1995-96 season, when fan favorite Scott Mellanby used his stick to exterminate one of the critters in the Panthers’ dressing room before a game, then went out and scored two goals that night. Mellanby’s actions soon became part of the team’s lore, and fans are now encouraged to litter the ice with plastic rats after every home win.
Except, well, many don’t wait that long.
“A lot of premature rats out there,” Panthers forward Kris Versteeg noted after Florida beat the Devils 3-0 in Game 5 on Saturday night, moving one win from the franchise’s first series victory since that 1996 season, when the rat tossers watched their team go all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.
“I’m a great believer in tradition,” Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said. “I think it’s great for the fans. It’s kind of a pain when you play.”
Despite repeated pleas from the public-address announcer and plenty of notices being flashed on the team’s massive center-ice scoreboard, there’s more than a few fans who pay no heed. At least a couple dozen hit the ice after every Florida goal.
