Maltby Will Be Missed, Except By Opposing Forwards

The stage was the biggest, the lights were the brightest, and so the ovation was the loudest.Hockey shifts are like a stack of resumes on a hiring manager's desk. They all start to look the same after awhile, but then suddenly, one stands out.Kirk Maltby skated to the bench that June evening in 2009, his work done, his helmet laying on the ice. Whenever the hockey player's head isn't inside the wayward bucket, it's a start.The Joe Louis Arena crowd rose to its feet and roared its approval. Maltby had just given the patrons 45 seconds of thrills and the Pittsburgh Penguins three-quarters-of-a-minute of torment.In those 45 seconds, Maltby did what he did best---make a nuisance of himself with relentless skating, checking, and pick-pocketing. The Penguins were the substitute teacher and Maltby was the derelict class clown who wouldn't stop acting out.It was 45 seconds inside Game 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, and Grind Liner Maltby had just schooled the Penguins...