Cast
 Episode Cast
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Plot
 But I mean Brent's the best. You know? When it comes to table hockey, he's king of the knobs.
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| — Hank |
| At the Police station, Davis shows Karen his table hockey game and asks if he plays. Feinting she's a novice, Karen beats Davis soundly. At the Ruby Cafe, Lacey tells Hank and Brent that's she's joining the Dog River Youngish Women Association (DRYWA). She intends to nominate someone as a distinguished woman but Hank thinks admission is a scam. Lacey is given a tour of the DRYMA office by Francine and is impressed with its modest offerings. Saying she intends to nominate someone who has done a lot for Dog River, Francine tells her she can't nominate herself. At the Police station, Hank is trounced by Karen at table hockey. He's taken with Karen's play but lauds Brent as the best at the game.
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| At the Ruby, an enthused Lacey tells Oscar and Brent about the DRYWA. Thinking who she can nominate, she rejects Wanda and Karen and though she's brusk, she settles on Emma. Hank arrives and reporting that Karen crushed him, Oscar heads out to challenge Karen. At Corner Gas, Wanda learns Lacey is joining the DRYWA and is disappointed to discover Lacey isn't nominating her for distinguished woman. Oscar arrives, having been soundly beaten by Karen so Wanda heads out to play her. At the Police station, Karen easily bests Wanda and is tired of hearing that she should play Brent. At the Ruby as Josh cooks, Lacey calls Francine and nominates Emma but is warned that if she can't show what Emma's done for the community, she may be kicked out of the DRYWA.
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| Concerned, Lacey talks to Emma but doesn't get a response as to her good deeds in Dog River. At Corner Gas, Davis backs Karen as the better player while Wanda backs Brent. Heading to the Police station, they arrange for a match between them. Later at Corner Gas, Davis and Wanda settled on an eight game series with four games at the Leroy's and four at the Police station. Lacey arrives and asking if they know of any great things Emma's done for the town, all Davis and Wanda can offer is that Emma has a nice jacket. Hank discovers Karen is training for the series by jogging and is wowed. At the Dog River Hotel, where Brent is drinking, Hank's brought an old video camera, intending to tape the series. Relating Karen's training regime, Wanda is worried that Brent isn't properly preparing.
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| A crowd shows up for Game 1 in the Leroy's basement and as the game is about to start, they move in too close. (♫ Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song ♫) Wanda tells them to clear out but Hank offers to run a cable to the upstairs TV and shoot the game with his video camera. At the DRYWA, Francine isn't happy with Lacey's nomination entry so Lacey lies that she's preparing a separate sheet with all Emma's done and that Emma is currently doing a "Meals and Wheels" charity. Game 1 starts with everyone watching it on TV in the Leroy's living room. Lacey arrives and drags Emma away to deliver the meals but Emma takes the tray of sandwiches from Lacey's car and brings them inside to the crowd. |
| Brent loses Game 1 convincing Wanda that he needs to train. Hank, Wanda and Emma all bother Brent as he's drinking at the Hotel bar. The next morning at Corner Gas, Wanda critisizes Brent for eating a donut. They see Karen jog by, followed Hank. Concerned, Brent runs after Hank who indicates that due to Karen's win, she's his role model now, not Brent. Brent vows to win the series and struggles to catch his breath from the short run. Brent wins game 2 but Hank isn't impressed. (♫ Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song ♫) At the Ruby, wondering where her customers are, Lacey learns about the series from Wanda. This sparks an idea, she'll get Emma to charge admission and donate the money to charity. |
| At the Leroy's, while a crowd watches game 3, Lacey proposes her charity idea to Emma who isn't interested and wants to watch the game. (♫ Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song ♫) Lacey collects admission herself. Game 3 ends in a tie which Emma says would never happen in a real hockey series. Karen wins game 4, resulting in everyone booing. (♫ Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song ♫) Brent gives an impassioned speech indicating he's trying his best but as the boos continue, Emma snaps and orders everyone out. Francine attends the game and Lacey shows her the money collected and lies that it was Emma's doing. Emma says she doesn't care about charity so Lacey tries to put her in a better light in front of Francine, who isn't convinced. |
| Game 5 moves to the Police station where once again, Hank films and the spectators watch on TV. (♫ Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song ♫) Karen wins and Brent shows his frustration. The Howler reports Karen's lead in the series. As Game 6 is about to start, Brent picks up one of his players who has fallen off his peg. Brent wins games 6 and 7, to most of the crowd's delight. After the game, Karen tells Emma see has to attend the DRYWA's award ceremony as she's being honoured. As it conflicts with game 8, Lacey has to bribe Emma with $100 to convince her to go. Later at the ceremony, Emma wishes she'd worn something fancier as Lacey sports a new black dress. |
| At the Police station, Davis says that if game 8 ends in a tie, he'll be claiming victory for Karen, as she's scored more goals. This angers Wanda who threatens Davis. At the ceremony, Emma stands in anticipation of receiving the award and is embarrassed when Lacey wins. Wanda interrupts game 8, implores Brent to win and is dragged off by Davis when she threatens Karen. At the ceremony, Lacey apologizes to Emma who demands $150 for missing the game. Brent triumphs in game 8 and wins the series, bringing rare praise from Oscar. Davis consoles Karen while Brent downplays his victory, which Oscar thinks is historic. Later, on a bench looking old, Brent is asked by two kids to talk about the series. However, it's not years later, Brent is going to a costume party with Hank and is made-up to look elderly. |
Music
- Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song is played numerous times during the episode.
Trivia
- Much of the episode is a parody of the 1972 Summit Series with Brent representing Team Canada and Karen, the Soviet national team. Specific parallels with the series include:
- Wanda commenting that Karen passes instead of dumping the puck into the offensive zone. Hockey analysts of the series noticed that the Soviets refused to dump the puck in and would circle back to re-start an offensive rush, something rarely seen in NHL games of the time.
- Karen running to keep in shape mimicking the Soviet's strict training regime. Brent's drinking representing the NHL player's tendency to not keep in shape during the off season.
- The series consisting of eight games, four at the Leroy's (Canada) and four at the Police station (Moscow).
- Davis commenting that Brent started strong in game 1 but faded. Team Canada led 2-0 in the first period but lost 7-3.
- Brent winning games 2, 6, 7 and 8 as Canada did and Karen winning games 1, 4 and 5 as the Soviets did. Game 3 ending in a tie parallels the 3-3 tie game played in Winnipeg.
- Brent's game 4 loss and the booing of the spectators, just as fans in Vancouver booed Team Canada after their 5-3 loss in game 4. Brent parodies series leading scorer Phil Esposito's post game 4 speech. A video of this speech is in the Video section below.
- Before game 6, one of Brent's players being off its peg which Brent picks up and says it's Esposito. This actually happened during the game 5 pre-game ceremony, when Esposito was given a gift of flowers but while skating backwards, tripped on a stem and fell. Rising to one knee, he bowed with a flourish of his arm, to the crowd's delight.
- Davis' proclamation that if game 8 ended in a tie, Karen would win by goal differential. The Soviets made the same claim before game 8 and with the game tied 5-5 in the third period, Team Canada coach Harry Sinden later opined the Soviets were playing for a tie to claim the goal differential victory.
- Wanda's plea for Brent to slash Karen's shins may be a reference to Bobby Clarke's slash on Valeri Kharlamov's ankle which occurred in game 6.
- Brent exclaiming "Henderson!" when winning game 8 paying tribute Paul Henderson's game 8 winning goal with 34 seconds left in the game (assisted by Esposito).
- Lacey can't think of contributions Emma's made to the community when she's made quite a few. These include helping with the Community Church bake sale, ("The Brent Effect") being on the Committee to Convince a Young Doctor to Live in Dog River, ("Doc Small") winning the Clavet Cup, ("Hurry Hard") heading the creation of a bike safety book for kids, ("Safety First") and being Chair of the Play Park Fundraising Committee. ("Bean There")
- One of the Howler headlines indicates Karen is up 3-1 in the series when actually she was leading 3-1-1 with Game 3 being a tie.
- Wanda and Lacey play table hockey at Gas Corner when Bill, an American, arrives. ("An American in Saskatchewan")
- Given Francine's anger with Lacey after her son Kyle job shadowed Lacey at the Ruby, ("Just Brent and His Shadow") it's puzzling that Francine would allow Lacey into the DRYWA, let alone give her the Distinguished Woman award.
- Jackass!: Oscar calls Davis a jackass for asking how the telecast of the table hockey game came to be in black and white.
Quotes
- "You better be prepared to put your money where your mouth is, where your Karen is, put Karen where your mouth is."
- ―Wanda to Davis
- "I used to really admire you and your way of life and I kinda modelled myself after you. But now, I'm gonna live my life like Karen."
- ―Hank to Brent
Gallery
Video
Phil Esposito - 1972 Summit Series Game 4, Post-Game Interview
| Corner Gas Season Four Episodes | ||
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| Hair Comes the Judge • Dog River Dave • Two Degrees of Separation • Just Brent and His Shadow • Demolition • Jail House • I, Witness • Blog River • Outside Joke • One Piano, Four Hands • Kid Stuff • Mother's Day • Census Sensibility • The Good Old Table Hockey Game • Lacey Borrows • Potato Bowl • Seeing Things • Happy Campers • Gopher It
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| Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 | ||
