The Year in Hockey 2012 is going to be remembered as … well, a year without hockey.

That seriously shortchanges the joyous fun of the Los Angeles Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup – they’re pictured here, crossing the streams – and other great hockey stories from the NHL and around the world.

But there’s no escaping the lockout and the huge cloud of frustration and disappointment that looms over all the hockey happenings from the last year.

That said, Puck Daddy’s annual Alternative Year in Hockey Awards provide an oasis for those of us that are sick and tired about feeling sick and tired about the NHL lockout.

It’s here that we honor the quirky stories, magic moments, embarrassing gaffes and other wonders of the 2012 year in hockey.

Here are the awards that just didn’t seem to find a place in the rest of our Year in Hockey coverage ..

Team Of The Year

The AHL Norfolk Admirals won 28 games in a row (a North American pro hockey record) in the 2011-12 regular season , and then 15 of 18 playoff games to win their first Calder Cup title and earning every drop of that $10,000 bar tab. It will be a team Norfolk will never forget, partly because the ceased to exist after that championship -- the Tampa Bay Lightning switched their AHL affiliation to the Syracuse Crunch after last season.

Putting the Alternative in Alternative Year in Hockey



The dawn of “You Can Play”, Patrick Burke’s incredible advocacy movement to support LGBT hockey players around the world. The support from players and coaches at all levels of hockey has been inspiring.

Farewell of the Year

Uh, guys, the lockout might have obscured the impact of this but NICK LIDSTROM RETIRED IN MAY. Sigh …

The Real Stanley Cup Playoff MVP of the Year

Jonathan Quick’s 2-year-old daughter Madison, who took over the post-Cup championship press conference.

Goal-Scorer of the Year

Scott Gomez went from Feb. 5, 2011 to Feb. 9, 2012 without scoring a goal. Websites were erected in his honor. Bars promised free booze if he ever did score. And on that fateful Feb. 9 evening against the New York Islanders, Scott Gomez was worth every penny of his salary. OK, that’s a lie: But at least he scored a goal.

Sickest High-School Goal of the Year

Alex Mason’s Datsyukian wizardry for Detroit Lakes High School in Minnesota. Filthy even in slow motion.

Goal Celebration of the Year

Evgeny Kuznetsov rows his kayak to center ice during a goal celebration in the KHL.

Line Brawl Announcing Call of the Year

The volume was already at ‘11’ in this Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign ECHL line brawl when the goalies decided to go. And then the booth just went ape-crap crazy.

The ‘WTF?!’ Moment of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs

In the second period of Game 2 between the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers, cameras picked up an odd sight: a puck resting on the back of Henrik Lundqvist's net as the teams lined up for a faceoff. And wouldn't you know it: The puck the teams were actually playing with ended up right where that dead puck rested, leading Jesse Winchester of the Senators and Ryan McDonagh of the Rangers to stand there dumbfounded as to which puck was the "real" one.

Fan of the Year

Greg from Lemont is a Chicago Blackhawks fan who was honored with a chance to play "Shoot The Puck," an intermission hockey shot contest at United Center. He decided to take full advantage of this opportunity to do what others had only dreamed of doing: Telling lovely Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter Sarah Kustok, "I love you, Sarah. You’re so pretty and beautiful" at center ice of a Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild game. That day, we were all Greg from Lemont.