Growing up, I had no clue of the difference between immediate and extended family. They were (and still are) one and the same to me.
The only difference between the two was the travel time it took to reach my extended family. For some of my extended family, it was a seven-hour commute each way. I can’t tell you the number of hours spent in Western New York and the Canadian border.
Along the way, my parents jammed out to their classic rock, with familiar voices gracing the radio. One of my favorites was Casey Kasem. He was known to my young self as the voice of Norville “Shaggy” Rogers on many of the Scooby-Doo TV shows I loved (and still love). His Coast to Coast show was one of my favorites.
As I watch the Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect, Sebastian Cossa, I can't help but think of this Coast-to-Coast show as he makes some of the most spectacular saves.
Decades after I listened to Coast to Coast on those road trips, around the time of the 2021 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft, I began listening to rock band I Prevail’s album Trauma. A particular song caught my attention, “Bow Down.” (Please note this song is explicit and considered hard rock.)
Now, I can’t help but think of it as Cossa’s theme song. It’s intense, but so is Cossa on the ice.
To give a bit of insight, here are some lyrics that make me think of Cossa:
""You will never know, it's the price I payI Prevail, "Bow Down"
Look into my eyes, we are not the same
Yeah, this is where you fall apart
Yeah, this is where you break
'Cause I'm in control and you'll know my name
'Cause I gave my life, gave it everything
Yeah, this is where you fall apart
Yeah, this is where you break
To everybody who doubted
Get on y our knees and bow down""
While most people pounded the table for NHL goalie prospect Jesper Wallstedt, my cousin praised goaltender Sebastian Cossa. With an extra 3 inches of height, the athletic Cossa contrasted Wallstedt in almost every conventionally measurable way.
Wallstedt seemed calm, cool, and collected at all times, while Cossa played as a wild man with greater peaks and equally lower valleys. In accordance with their playing styles, Wallstedt was deemed the safest choice. Although he might not steal games as often, teams could rely on him, knowing exactly what to expect more often than not.
Cossa had the raw tools to become a superstar goaltender in the NHL, but consistency and his five-hole plagued him throughout his junior career.