Fort Nucks: Goon

In-flight, when Air Canucks is high above the clouds, I don't bother the players. It's movie time, or book time, or naptime. I expect the same courtesy in return.

While jet setting to San Jose Wednesday I put on Goon: Last of the Enforcers, the sequel to Goon, a hockey movie directed by comedian Jay Baruchel, starring Seann William Scott (Stifler from American Pie) as Doug Glatt, a journeyman hockey player making the most of his playing days in the EMHL.
Midway through the movie Glatt's Halifax Highlanders are playing the St. John's Shamrocks, with both teams in need of points to keep their playoff hopes alive. With the Shamrocks on offence, the puck goes back to the point and No. 3, Carlsson, blasts a shot that is blocked in front.
Who is Carlsson? None other than Michael Del Zotto, the Canucks defenceman seated six rows behind me in 13A. So much for in-flight boundaries, I can't even watch a flick without seeing a co-worker.
I took my laptop back to Del Zotto, mid-video game battle, who is pumped to see the clip because he hasn't seen the movie. The surrounding players gather around and for the next minute and 22 seconds they watch Del Zotto, aka Carlsson, dazzle.

"Pretty good hey boys," laughed Del Zotto, who was joined by fellow NHLer and friend Tyler Seguin in the movie. "I'm going to Hollywood."
After having his shot blocked, Del Zotto and the Shamrocks hustle back on defence. Del Zotto checks Glatt behind the Shamrocks net; Glatt is "so exhausted" and grabs the Gatorade bottle of goaltender Hussel off the back of the net. While he's distracting everyone having a drink because he's "super thirsty," teammate Stephenson comes around the net and scores.

The Shamrocks are not impressed with this development and Del Zotto lets the ref know with his only line of the movie: "He can't touch that f-ing bottle."

Del Zotto howled watching the clip, as did his Canucks teammates. "Another minus for Delly," chuckled Nic Dowd, prompting a big smile from Del Zotto.
"That was a lot of fun," he explained. "We shot for about six hours and it was pretty tiring. We did the same scenes again and again; it gave me a look inside how movies are made and how time consuming it can be. In the one scene my teammate gets hit pretty hard and they did it like 15 times. He must have had a concussion. A take would be good, but one thing would be off with the audio or lights or whatever and we'd do it all again."
That being said, Del Zotto would love to do it all again. His Shamrocks jersey is at home, ready to come out of retirement.
"I haven't had any offers come in since," he laughed.
Jacob Markstrom had a good laugh watching his Air Canucks seatmate act and an even bigger laugh at the absurdity of a player drinking from the opposing goalie's water bottle. "I've never had that happen to me…"
John Garrett played in the NHL a long time and of all the ridiculous stories he has to tell, surely one involves someone taking a swig from his water bottle.
"We didn't even have water bottles! This water thing is relatively new. Goalies didn't have their own special water bottles and that's right up until 1985, my last season."
The Highlanders win, "thanks to the unquenchable thirst of Doug the Thug," according to the TV announcer in the movie, who then proclaims the goal is good because "there's no rule about drinking the opposing team's Gatorade."
Is there an NHL rule about such a thing?
"Nope," said Garrett, matter-of-factly. "Why would anyone want to do that? It's disgusting. Go get your own water bottle."
No word on if Goon 3 has been green lit yet or not, but for as eager as Del Zotto is to reprise his role, Garrett is even more so. He'd like to be a hockey fact consultant on the film.