Team Russia Juniors playing floor hockey

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WGRZ) -- You've heard a lot about why Team Russia had to spend an extra night in Western New York following their gold medal win against Canada Wednesday night.

But a softer side of the team came out Thursday night at the Eastern Hills Mall in Clarence. Channel 2 viewer Any Surowiec sent us video from her son's 13th birthday party at the mall. Her family was celebrating the occasion with a floor hockey party when Team Russia members who happened to be at the mall decided to take the kids up on their offer for a pick-up game.

How cool is it that the mall has a floor hockey rink?!?  Props to the hung-over Russians for giving those kids a thrill of a lifetime.

By the way, if you didn't play hockey this last Saturday, you missed the first ever (as far as anyone could recollect) SSH penalty shot.  Buffalo Jeff, playing defense as center in his own zone, anticipated a cross ice (asphalt) pass from Cam and stepped up for the intercept.  With nothing between him and goalie Buffalo Jason, he was off.  Cam, realizing he would never catch the lanky speedster, accidentally(?) thrust his stick between Jeff's legs.  Jeff was already yelling "penalty shot!" as he fell (hard) to the ice.  No one was willing to deny him after the fall he took, so the penalty shot was on.  Later remarking he was just trying not to pull a Stamkos, Jeff stickhandled down the ice and went high over Jason's glove hand.  Goal!