I was at the Bell Centre for a Habs-Sharks game a few years ago. Jeremy Roenick was still playing for San Jose and I recall being very impressed with the time JR spent trying to get a puck to a fan during the pregame skate. The youngster had come down to the glass to get a better view and, after seeing him and his San Jose jersey (gutsy in Montreal), Roenick came over to the glass and tried to toss a puck over for him. Roenick was trying to roll the puck up and over the glass in a certain way so every time it didn’t work, he’d ask for it back. I’m still not sure what he was trying to do but he spent a good 5 minutes with the kid who eventually got the puck and, I’m sure, a memory that lasts to this day (and will last well beyond).

Funny thing is, this sort of thing happens in junior hockey rinks ALL the time. Make no mistake — these players are hockey heroes to thousands of fans. Without fail, as I wait rinkside to conduct our postgame interviews for the broadcast, fans crowd into the seats around the tunnel to the Rangers dressing room and ask “who do you have tonight?” They always wait for the players to come out. And last night, that meant autographs from Jason Akeson, Tyler Randell and head coach Steve Spott. As is the case in every rink I’ve visited, the players and coaches are very generous with their time.

The area around the tunnel to the Rangers dressing room has also been dubbed “High Five Alley” (as you’ll see on RangersVision). And true to form, the players high five dozens of fans on the way onto or on the way off the ice each night. I’m sure that “high five” was exactly what one fan was hoping for from Jerry D’Amigo as he came off the ice last night after receiving his second star award. But D’Amigo went one better.

Instead of a high five, Jerry handed the envelope he got at centre ice to one of the fans above the tunnel. I think the envelopes contain gift certfiicates for pizza. Jerry winked as he walked to the dressing room, saying they’d probably enjoy it more than him. Is this a call to every fan to expect free food and crowd the area around the tunnel even more each night? Of course not. But one good turn deserves another.

Nice gesture, Jerry.