Memorial Day (and hockey) WILL tug on your heartstrings!

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. It is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May and hearts are heavy to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.

The date today is the 26th and two number 26's have found a place in many hockey fans' hearts:

• Martin St. Louis of the New York Rangers scored in overtime last night against the Montreal Canadiens to pull his team within one game of the Stanley Cup final!

Martin St. Louis scored the game-winner in OT to lift the @NYRangers to the win! Watch http://t.co/wJQDwKiXf5 #VCats pic.twitter.com/NzWdcXayQQ
— Vermont Men's Hockey (@UVMmhockey) May 26, 2014

Martin has been the emotional leader of the team after losing his mom only three weeks ago to a sudden heart attack. The team has rallied around "Marvelous St. Louis" and even attended the funeral of France St. Louis on May 18th.

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• The late Kristians Pelss served as inspiration for his former teammates on the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the Memorial Cup yesterday in London, Ontario!
• Remembering Kristians Pelss

#OilKings #PlayForPelssy -->> "@EdmOilKings: 1963. 1966. 2014. Your Edmonton Oil Kings are Memorial Cup Champs!" pic.twitter.com/e7RMQhKkvL
— Patrick Miller (@pj_ce) May 25, 2014

Three Speeches That Will Tug On Your Heartstrings (including MVP Kevin Durant)

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, what a great tribute NBA MVP Kevin Durant paid his mom in his acceptance speech yesterday!

My favorite basketball team won this award last Thursday at the City of Kelowna's 39th Annual Civic and Community Awards. The Kelowna Christian School Knights were Senior Boys AA Basketball champions in British Columbia last year!

Speaking on behalf of the team, Ryan Linttell (who's mom, Eva (far left), coached the team), said: We're such a tight group of guys and we're really a brotherhood and I feel really honored to have the voice for our whole team. I'd really like to thank all of our parents first and foremost because they have been there for every basketball game, every practice and driving us out. Every tournament we had a huge support team out there for us! Honestly, this is one of the nicest group of parents and players I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

The Nashville Predators named Peter Laviolette as their new coach yesterday. Apparently this boy was a little young for the job - even though his speech was quite motivating...

Can't Always Be Right. Bye Bye John Tortorella!

The owners of the Vancouver Canucks did not get it right so John Tortorella was fired today after just one season as head coach of the team. Don't feel sorry for him though as he had signed a five-year, $10 million contract here.

I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one who struck out three times with my best-of-7 NHL picks last night...

Having lost all 3 game 7s, I ended the first round at 4-4 in predictions. I would stop making predictions if the paper didn't insist on them
— steve simmons (@simmonssteve) May 1, 2014

...but happy to see a few 7's in today's cheque from a great voiceover client!

So, Ralph The Hockey Guy didn't get it right BUT Rob The Hockey Guy in Vancouver sure did!

Best predictions I've ever done: 8/8 and 3/3 in game 7s pic.twitter.com/3nLfSZbF3f
— Rob The Hockey Guy (@RobTheHockeyGuy) May 1, 2014