This moment of Zen was captured by Big League Stew blogger Kevin Kaduk at the Nashville Predators/Chicago Blackhawks game on Sunday night at United Center. From the 'Duk:
A bird flew down to the ice a few times before the game and during the first period James Wisniewski tried to hit it with his stick. You might want to keep an eye out for any good pics or video of it. It was pretty funny. Here's a shot I took with my terrible point-n-shoot.
Is there another Blackhawk you'd picture chasing a pigeon around the ice, trying to skull-crush it with a hockey stick, other than James Wisniewski? OK, we'll give you Ben Eager, who after smacking the bird would have probably taken a bite, Ozzy style.
A much clearer photo of the hockey bird -- identified as a pigeon -- can be found on Shooting from the Hip; a photo blog by Scott Strazzante, who writes:
I saw something tonight that I have never seen in my 20 plus years of shooting sports- a pigeon standing at center ice during the middle of a Chicago Blackhawks' game. I was hoping that the bird would get caught up in a play but no such luck. The pigeon was eventually chased off by a referee and never returned to the field of play. However, I assume at this point my flying friend is feasting on spilled popcorn.
So astonishing was this feathered intruder that the Chicago Tribune actually built the lede for its game story around a pigeon at center ice. Ah, deadline sports journalism ... the things you make us do.
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Have you ever witnessed bird-related hijinks at a hockey game? In a somewhat related question: What's the strangest thing you've ever seen land on the ice; living, dead or lingerie?
