Who do you like?
As the second round of the playoffs ends tonight with a win for either Boston or Philadelphia, the third round is starting to the take shape in the Western Conference. And since stats haven't been particularly helpful in making predictions so far, the question is not so much "who do you think will win?" but "who do you like?"
Not a lot of sports fans like to talk about their feelings, but we all have feelings about games, players and series. We all get that uneasy feeling when a player goes down or when we see the momentum shift in a game in the opposite team's favour. We all get that good feeling when the calls and bounces are working right for our team, or when we see them address the media with confidence in their eyes. So, love for specific teams aside, we still have feelings about how things will play out.
In terms of who I like: I like Boston to win their series against Philadelphia and move on to a date with Montreal. Boston did lose its dominance over Philadelphia and may have just lost its confidence. When Boston was up 3 games in this series and looking at a sweep, nobody would have criticized Boston. Now that Philadelphia's clawed its way out of the ditch to be a real contender, criticism abounds.
I like Boston, but I don't have a real feeling about this series. If Rask is up to task, all will be well. If Lucic and Savard can combine for some stellar goals, all will be well. But the Flyers are a tricky team and they've managed to find ways to win in this series when everyone counted them out. And since it's been a year of the underdog so far, it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Philadelphia added to that roster.
In the Chicago and San Jose series, I like San Jose. Not that it wouldn't be great to see Chicago move ahead with their great repertoire of talent or to have the EA Sports guys actually get it right for once. But I like San Jose because they've had to fight so hard to get here after a couple of seasons of dominance followed by devastating post-season burnout. It's probably been emotionally draining for the players themselves, trying to explain to media, fans and to themselves why they rocked the regular season only to be lights off when it really mattered. It would be great to see them redeem themselves this year with a big win.
David vs. Chara
The one thing about the Boston-Montreal possibility that makes me laugh is the thought of the small, but gritty Habs having to play defense on Chara. The logical choice would be to get Markov or Moen on Chara during this series, but even though these guys are NHL standard size, Chara is Chara.
The Habs have managed to shut down larger than life players before, though, in Ovechkin and Crosby, so maybe they have it in them to shut down the big man too. Although it should be noted that it's the performance of Ovechkin and Crosby that make them big, and neither one is as big as Chara. This man is 7 foot 1 on skates and when he wears the cage mask, he's like this scary Hannibal Hulk. It makes you want to watch the series with one eye covered.
All jokes aside on this one, I don't have a feeling about the Montreal-Boston series simply because stats don't help, history doesn't help, and the Habs are on a streak where seemingly everything is possible. In terms of momentum, Habs are definitely advantaged in this match up. Boston will have been so beat after taking down Philadelphia in a grueling, longer than it should have been, series, that they may not have what it takes to burst the Montreal bubble.
Double the Momentum, Double the Fun
If Philadelphia makes it through for a date with destiny in Montreal, this series may be more interesting to watch. After making a historic comeback, the Flyers will have earned an underdog label that will rival most teams. Their label, though, cannot even begin to compare with Montreal's, who took out both Washington and Pittsburgh to get where they are today. Both teams will be riding a wave of momentum based on the 'nobody said we could do it, but we did' spirit that makes sports movies so great. Both teams will be confident and happy to be where they are.
The one thing that both teams will have working against them will be the raised expectations of their respective fan bases. We all know how hard it is to play in Montreal, and the last thing that the teams needs is for the fans to turn on them in the case of a loss. Philadelphia fans are also prone to this type of violent reaction, so there will not be a clear home ice advantage for either team.
But with so much working for these teams, coming off spectacular series wins, it will be a great contest to see them go. It doesn't look right now like anyone can break Montreal's euphoria. Philadelphia plays a gritty game and their goaltender is looking good. Montreal has played tight, smart defense and their goaltending has been spectacular. Both teams play a similar style of low-scoring games with a lot of sneaky players getting in on the quiet spots to pot goals.
My feeling says excitement for this series and some pretty evenly-matched games. A few one point deciding nail biters and maybe even some overtime scraps. And more glory for Halak.
Off-season notes
As an Ottawa fan, I have a message for Brian Murray. I'm sure that he knows already what I want to say because others have probably said the same thing. Mr. Murray, we need to make some changes. We need to go out and look for those puck moving defensemen that we're always talking about as if they're mythical wilderbeasts from some parallel universe. And we need to start this all off with a call to Vancouver.
The Vancouver Canucks have cleared out their locker rooms and some of those players will not be back. Many of the Canucks are going to become free agents or unrestricted free agents this year, and they have what we want. There will surely be a scramble in Vancouver's management to keep the assets that they have, particularly within their beaten and bruised, but strong, defensive core. But they won't be able to hold onto everyone, so let's start making some offers.
The question in this situation, though, is as follows: do we have anything that Vancouver wants? Where does this team need help?
The Canucks have a diverse and well-balanced team. They're not lacking for much, to be honest, except for a really disciplined veteran who can coach them to a Cup or an offensive powerhouse to complement (not take over) the Sedins.
Two candidates come to mind: Kovalev for the experienced veteran and Spezza for the offensive aid. Kovalev is known to be good leader of men and he helps make things happen on the ice, even when he's not on the scoreboard. He has consistent play but inconsistent goal scoring. No matter. Consistent play is good enough to advance well into the post-season; too bad he was injured when it was Ottawa's turn.
Spezza is a high-risk player, but he needs good linemates to make him better. Who would be better for him than the Sedins? Let's face it, Spezza hasn't been the same since Heatley left town and he still needs someone to help him out. He needs to be on a star line in order to be effective. And when he's effective, he's really effective.
A match up with the Sedins would elevate all of their games. As long as he doesn't try blind back passes with them too often. The Sedins have twin power and intuitively 'know' where the other one is. Spezza will have to be reminded that he does not share this.
And keep Cory Clouston. And Alfie. Just give the Captain whatever he asks for. He belongs to the city of Ottawa now.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Montreal Miracle part 2
Who were those guys, anyway?
Montreal's regular season record was no indication of a contending team. Right up until the last days leading into the first round of the playoffs, their spot was still up in the air. But the regular season has little do with the playoffs, it seems, as Montreal came back for an incredible victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
This team has been through some strange things to get here. The firing of their coach, a disappointing 2009 centennial year marked by pomp and ceremony but little else, trades that made a lot of people unhappy, the Captain debate, the French debate in the locker room, the Laracque affair, the size issue and the goaltending debate. Not to mention the constant pressure of playing in the boiler cooker that is the city of Montreal.
How can you explain the rise of this team from an 8th seed to an upset over the two greatest teams in the Eastern Conference? Nothing short of miracle.
Who were these guys, anyway? Weren't they too small, too disorganized, too separated by language and culture? I guess anything can be overcome in the quest for the Cup.
Montreal pulled off a historical and astounding victory last night which put an end to the Mellon Arena in the same way that it began, with a loss to Montreal. This probably isn't the legacy that they were planning on leaving, and I'm guessing that nobody is more surprised than the Pittsburgh Penguins themselves.
But it was hardly a surprise on one hand. Even though the stats and the logic weighed in on the side of the Pens, the Pens themselves started to show cracks when they came to the sad and sudden realization that the Canadiens wouldn't die. This was shown most clearly in their Captain.
So goes the ship, so goes the Captain.
The frustration level of Sidney Crosby was a sure-fire indication that this team was starting to doubt itself. His displays of bad, unsportsmanlike behavior were not like him at all. Even his contact with the media, which has never been what you would call dynamic, have been subdued and non-committal.
His worst contact with the media had to be the loser speech that he gave at the press conference before game 7 where he touchily said that "the series is tied, nobody's losing." His lips may have said that, but his eyes said otherwise. You could see very clearly in his body language that he was not believing it. You don't need to be a head doctor to know what this type of defensive posture and stock phrase speech means. If the Captain doesn't believe, who does?
Who were those guys, anyway?
Not to take anything away from Montreal's great defensive play and goaltending, but the Pittsburgh Penguins were not quite their mighty selves. They seemed to cycle a lot for very little gain and their own defense was scrambling mad. The Pens played a highly chaotic and disorganized game, which they were fated to lose after letting the Habs put them in a 3 point hole. If you have to spend that much time playing catch up, you will never get a lead.
Their stars were quiet. Their game was messy. And the true kiss of death was when they pulled Marc-Andre Fleury. This kind of move sends a clear message to the other team: we're afraid. While it is often a mercy move to take out a goaltender after letting in multiple, and sometimes weak, goals, it's just deadly in a game 7 when the other team starts to smell fear.
The Habs capitalized on that fear. They rode a wave of momentum so high into that game 7, fueled by the love of their fans and their previous glories, and their belief, that they simply took away Pittsburgh's will to win.
Who's Next?
While the two first rounds were formidable upsets, there may be an anti-climatic feeling when it comes to facing Boston or Philadelphia. These two teams were seeded much closer to Montreal in the regular season and they're hardly what you would call star power. Sure, they've got Chara and Pronger, but these are not the household names or multimillion dollar draws of the likes of Ovechkin or Crosby. The fact that they had to beat those guys to get this far is incredible; the fact that they did is even more stupefying.
But don't take these two teams lightly, whichever one it is in the Eastern Conference Final. Both teams play gritty games and some of their players, whom you wouldn't expect, can be the difference-makers. It would be great to see them face off against an old rival like Boston, a team with lots of history and a propensity to beat the Habs. This would be another great revenge. But the best part of that series would be the goaltending matchup with Rask and Halak. With these two guys playing up to their full potential, there's no telling what could happen.
Boston, like Montreal, is not a high scoring team. There's very little chance that this match up will result in any high scoring affairs. Both teams can play a very good defensive game as well. The big challenge, of course, will be defending the Boston Captain, Zdeno Chara. This is where the size debate may also re-occur. If they beat them, it won't.
If Philadelphia wins the series to face the Habs, it will be a touchy, pesky affair. The Flyers play a scrappy game and they like to rough it up when things don't go their way. But with their goaltending issues, it's not likely that they will face off.
How far can they go?
Montreal has already come further than anyone could have expected them to, well, except maybe Cammaleri, who's looking pretty chipper these days. It just goes to show you that anything can happen in sports, and that's why you have to keep watching.
If you had said in March that this was the year that the Habs would have a Cup run, nobody would likely have believed a word. Now that they are where they are, it's not such an unbelievable statement.
Somebody call up Canadian Heritage and let them know that there may still be a Canadian team in the Finals. This may be something that they would like to know.
Montreal's regular season record was no indication of a contending team. Right up until the last days leading into the first round of the playoffs, their spot was still up in the air. But the regular season has little do with the playoffs, it seems, as Montreal came back for an incredible victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
This team has been through some strange things to get here. The firing of their coach, a disappointing 2009 centennial year marked by pomp and ceremony but little else, trades that made a lot of people unhappy, the Captain debate, the French debate in the locker room, the Laracque affair, the size issue and the goaltending debate. Not to mention the constant pressure of playing in the boiler cooker that is the city of Montreal.
How can you explain the rise of this team from an 8th seed to an upset over the two greatest teams in the Eastern Conference? Nothing short of miracle.
Who were these guys, anyway? Weren't they too small, too disorganized, too separated by language and culture? I guess anything can be overcome in the quest for the Cup.
Montreal pulled off a historical and astounding victory last night which put an end to the Mellon Arena in the same way that it began, with a loss to Montreal. This probably isn't the legacy that they were planning on leaving, and I'm guessing that nobody is more surprised than the Pittsburgh Penguins themselves.
But it was hardly a surprise on one hand. Even though the stats and the logic weighed in on the side of the Pens, the Pens themselves started to show cracks when they came to the sad and sudden realization that the Canadiens wouldn't die. This was shown most clearly in their Captain.
So goes the ship, so goes the Captain.
The frustration level of Sidney Crosby was a sure-fire indication that this team was starting to doubt itself. His displays of bad, unsportsmanlike behavior were not like him at all. Even his contact with the media, which has never been what you would call dynamic, have been subdued and non-committal.
His worst contact with the media had to be the loser speech that he gave at the press conference before game 7 where he touchily said that "the series is tied, nobody's losing." His lips may have said that, but his eyes said otherwise. You could see very clearly in his body language that he was not believing it. You don't need to be a head doctor to know what this type of defensive posture and stock phrase speech means. If the Captain doesn't believe, who does?
Who were those guys, anyway?
Not to take anything away from Montreal's great defensive play and goaltending, but the Pittsburgh Penguins were not quite their mighty selves. They seemed to cycle a lot for very little gain and their own defense was scrambling mad. The Pens played a highly chaotic and disorganized game, which they were fated to lose after letting the Habs put them in a 3 point hole. If you have to spend that much time playing catch up, you will never get a lead.
Their stars were quiet. Their game was messy. And the true kiss of death was when they pulled Marc-Andre Fleury. This kind of move sends a clear message to the other team: we're afraid. While it is often a mercy move to take out a goaltender after letting in multiple, and sometimes weak, goals, it's just deadly in a game 7 when the other team starts to smell fear.
The Habs capitalized on that fear. They rode a wave of momentum so high into that game 7, fueled by the love of their fans and their previous glories, and their belief, that they simply took away Pittsburgh's will to win.
Who's Next?
While the two first rounds were formidable upsets, there may be an anti-climatic feeling when it comes to facing Boston or Philadelphia. These two teams were seeded much closer to Montreal in the regular season and they're hardly what you would call star power. Sure, they've got Chara and Pronger, but these are not the household names or multimillion dollar draws of the likes of Ovechkin or Crosby. The fact that they had to beat those guys to get this far is incredible; the fact that they did is even more stupefying.
But don't take these two teams lightly, whichever one it is in the Eastern Conference Final. Both teams play gritty games and some of their players, whom you wouldn't expect, can be the difference-makers. It would be great to see them face off against an old rival like Boston, a team with lots of history and a propensity to beat the Habs. This would be another great revenge. But the best part of that series would be the goaltending matchup with Rask and Halak. With these two guys playing up to their full potential, there's no telling what could happen.
Boston, like Montreal, is not a high scoring team. There's very little chance that this match up will result in any high scoring affairs. Both teams can play a very good defensive game as well. The big challenge, of course, will be defending the Boston Captain, Zdeno Chara. This is where the size debate may also re-occur. If they beat them, it won't.
If Philadelphia wins the series to face the Habs, it will be a touchy, pesky affair. The Flyers play a scrappy game and they like to rough it up when things don't go their way. But with their goaltending issues, it's not likely that they will face off.
How far can they go?
Montreal has already come further than anyone could have expected them to, well, except maybe Cammaleri, who's looking pretty chipper these days. It just goes to show you that anything can happen in sports, and that's why you have to keep watching.
If you had said in March that this was the year that the Habs would have a Cup run, nobody would likely have believed a word. Now that they are where they are, it's not such an unbelievable statement.
Somebody call up Canadian Heritage and let them know that there may still be a Canadian team in the Finals. This may be something that they would like to know.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Final Before the Final
Don't explain
The Western Conference second round is over. The Chicago Blackhawks have managed to polish off the Vancouver Canucks for the second year in a row and it's an all too familiar song for poor Luongo. The captain was clearly disappointed and surprised by their game 6 loss and was at a loss to explain how it all happened.
But maybe there's nothing to explain. When you add it all up, there's plenty of good reasons to think that this was a good match up with a possibility of a win on either side. There are stats to show the best players and good regular season play by supporting members of the team. There are the stars whose names are regularly shouted out on sports shows. There are coaches with great records.
The stats only tell one side of the story, though, and anything can happen in the playoffs. Look at what's happening right now. Montreal is the 8th seeded team that barely squeaked into a playoff spot at all and they're on their way to shutting down the two greatest players of their generation. Philadelphia looked down and out when Boston took a dominating 3-0 lead over them in their series, and they've managed to claw their way back to force a game 6. And Detroit looked unbeatable on paper, but San Jose managed to overcome their own bad history to eliminate them.
When Chicago and Vancouver faced off this year, Vancouver was hoping to do the same. They were hoping to mount a comeback against the team that ousted them and redeem themselves. While the series started great, luck, that tricky little thing that doesn't seem to know what it wants to do, was against them.
The Vancouver Canucks are a battle weary team with plenty of playoff casualties. Sami Salo, Mitchell and Edler were all down and out. The Sedins weren't playing up to their billing and they took some slow walks off the ice themselves. O'Brien was battered and bruised several times, and somehow, managed to keep going, even when he probably shouldn't have. And there were even rumours that Bieksa was playing injured.
The Sami Salo injury was unbdoubtedly the worst, not just because he's such a big factor in Canuck victories, but also because of the painful nature of his injury. We've all heard of groin injuries, but this, well, this is another category of injury altogether. You have to admire the guy from coming back to play in game 6 after such a drastic low blow, pardon the pun. It really shows that he has...oh, well, maybe not. We admire the guy. Enough said.
When you add up injuries, bad bounces, and confidence issues, you can see what happened to the Canucks in this series. Not to take anything away from Chicago, whose star players lived up to their billing (Toews, Kane, Sharp and Ugli there), but I think it's fair to say that they didn't have the same things to contend with in this series. So don't explain, Lou. Sometimes, it's just not your year.
Bad Joujou?
Looking ahead, a fully functional and healthy Chicago team will take on a well-rested and confident San Jose. This should be a great match up to watch. San Jose has been itching to get deeper into the playoffs ever since EA Sports slated them to win the Cup two years in a row- when they were eliminated in the first round, both years.
San Jose has shaken off the bad joujou of years past when they passed on the President's trophy to Washington, albeit not intentionally (as far as we know). Taking out Detroit was in itself an incredible feat. Can they do it again against a young and dynamic offensive team like Chicago?
Chicago, on its end, has some joujou issues (say it outloud, you know you love to say it). There's that mural that they painted in the city which shows Toews with the Cup, something you should never do before it actually happens. There's also the Maid Marion factor, as Hossa has twice been on the second best team in the Stanley Cup finals, playing for Pittsburgh in the year that they lost to Detroit and playing for Detroit in the year that they lost to Pittsburgh. If that's not a bad case of "I'm dumping you for a winner" gone wrong, we don't know what is.
Luck was with Chicago in its series against Vancouver. Will it continue?
The Bitter End
The Eastern Final is turning into a nailbiting, edge of seat, hairpulling, aggravating and exciting affair. There is no clear favourite in either series.
Philadelphia has battled back hard, but their goaltending may be an issue for them in their game 6 tonight. Having lost one starter to surgery, another to injury, bouncing back with Boucher as back up and then losing him to injury, it would be an understatement to say that the Flyers have an unstable goaltending situation.
Boston, on the other hand, has had no such issue with Tukka Rask. They are a gritty, solid team, but they are not an offensive powerhouse. Even if they take out Philadelphia tonight, there are serious doubts as to whether or not they will go any further. For a team that has won most of its games by one point, they are a team that doesn't give a lot of goals away, but doesn't take them either. If Boston wins their series, the more dominant offensive team in the next round will likely take them out.
Who that dominant offensive team will be is anyone's best guess. Montreal and Pittsburgh have been duking it out and Montreal simply won't go away. Montreal has played it safe with the media, not bragging about their achievements, but obviously a proud underdog. Their goaltending has been incredible and their defense has been tight. Cammaleri is the next best thing to poutine in Montreal right now and is racking up points in every game.
Pittsburgh should have been the dominant force in this series, and many predicted a sweep. How hard could it be, after all, with such a talented and strong defending Cup champion team to take on an 8th seed with injuries? Pretty hard, actually.
Maybe the hockey gods are telling Sidney Crosby that he's won enough for one year. He does have an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup ring from last year as the youngest Captain to ever lead his team to the Cup, a Rocket Richard trophy and possibly more hardware still coming to him in the NHL Awards in Vegas. Maybe they want him to just take a little vacation, spend some time on some obnoxiously priced beach where all the women look like they're out of Maxim magazine and chillax a bit(the hockey gods are all men, it seems).
And maybe this is just loser talk. Sid doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who wants to bugger off on an extended vacation with sunscreen. This man likes to win. It seems to be the thing that he's made to do. He wouldn't be much of a Captain if he went out there with resignation and palm trees in his eyes. He has to rally his men and he has to rally hard tonight. There are no excuses for laziness or lapses tonight, especially not on home ice.
This will be a fight to the bitter end. People talk of seventh heaven games like they're some sort of happy, fluffy as clouds, feel-good event. But real hockey fans know that seventh heaven is the name of a spa and the elimination game is an all-out war where someone will have to be the loser.
I love the playoffs.
The Western Conference second round is over. The Chicago Blackhawks have managed to polish off the Vancouver Canucks for the second year in a row and it's an all too familiar song for poor Luongo. The captain was clearly disappointed and surprised by their game 6 loss and was at a loss to explain how it all happened.
But maybe there's nothing to explain. When you add it all up, there's plenty of good reasons to think that this was a good match up with a possibility of a win on either side. There are stats to show the best players and good regular season play by supporting members of the team. There are the stars whose names are regularly shouted out on sports shows. There are coaches with great records.
The stats only tell one side of the story, though, and anything can happen in the playoffs. Look at what's happening right now. Montreal is the 8th seeded team that barely squeaked into a playoff spot at all and they're on their way to shutting down the two greatest players of their generation. Philadelphia looked down and out when Boston took a dominating 3-0 lead over them in their series, and they've managed to claw their way back to force a game 6. And Detroit looked unbeatable on paper, but San Jose managed to overcome their own bad history to eliminate them.
When Chicago and Vancouver faced off this year, Vancouver was hoping to do the same. They were hoping to mount a comeback against the team that ousted them and redeem themselves. While the series started great, luck, that tricky little thing that doesn't seem to know what it wants to do, was against them.
The Vancouver Canucks are a battle weary team with plenty of playoff casualties. Sami Salo, Mitchell and Edler were all down and out. The Sedins weren't playing up to their billing and they took some slow walks off the ice themselves. O'Brien was battered and bruised several times, and somehow, managed to keep going, even when he probably shouldn't have. And there were even rumours that Bieksa was playing injured.
The Sami Salo injury was unbdoubtedly the worst, not just because he's such a big factor in Canuck victories, but also because of the painful nature of his injury. We've all heard of groin injuries, but this, well, this is another category of injury altogether. You have to admire the guy from coming back to play in game 6 after such a drastic low blow, pardon the pun. It really shows that he has...oh, well, maybe not. We admire the guy. Enough said.
When you add up injuries, bad bounces, and confidence issues, you can see what happened to the Canucks in this series. Not to take anything away from Chicago, whose star players lived up to their billing (Toews, Kane, Sharp and Ugli there), but I think it's fair to say that they didn't have the same things to contend with in this series. So don't explain, Lou. Sometimes, it's just not your year.
Bad Joujou?
Looking ahead, a fully functional and healthy Chicago team will take on a well-rested and confident San Jose. This should be a great match up to watch. San Jose has been itching to get deeper into the playoffs ever since EA Sports slated them to win the Cup two years in a row- when they were eliminated in the first round, both years.
San Jose has shaken off the bad joujou of years past when they passed on the President's trophy to Washington, albeit not intentionally (as far as we know). Taking out Detroit was in itself an incredible feat. Can they do it again against a young and dynamic offensive team like Chicago?
Chicago, on its end, has some joujou issues (say it outloud, you know you love to say it). There's that mural that they painted in the city which shows Toews with the Cup, something you should never do before it actually happens. There's also the Maid Marion factor, as Hossa has twice been on the second best team in the Stanley Cup finals, playing for Pittsburgh in the year that they lost to Detroit and playing for Detroit in the year that they lost to Pittsburgh. If that's not a bad case of "I'm dumping you for a winner" gone wrong, we don't know what is.
Luck was with Chicago in its series against Vancouver. Will it continue?
The Bitter End
The Eastern Final is turning into a nailbiting, edge of seat, hairpulling, aggravating and exciting affair. There is no clear favourite in either series.
Philadelphia has battled back hard, but their goaltending may be an issue for them in their game 6 tonight. Having lost one starter to surgery, another to injury, bouncing back with Boucher as back up and then losing him to injury, it would be an understatement to say that the Flyers have an unstable goaltending situation.
Boston, on the other hand, has had no such issue with Tukka Rask. They are a gritty, solid team, but they are not an offensive powerhouse. Even if they take out Philadelphia tonight, there are serious doubts as to whether or not they will go any further. For a team that has won most of its games by one point, they are a team that doesn't give a lot of goals away, but doesn't take them either. If Boston wins their series, the more dominant offensive team in the next round will likely take them out.
Who that dominant offensive team will be is anyone's best guess. Montreal and Pittsburgh have been duking it out and Montreal simply won't go away. Montreal has played it safe with the media, not bragging about their achievements, but obviously a proud underdog. Their goaltending has been incredible and their defense has been tight. Cammaleri is the next best thing to poutine in Montreal right now and is racking up points in every game.
Pittsburgh should have been the dominant force in this series, and many predicted a sweep. How hard could it be, after all, with such a talented and strong defending Cup champion team to take on an 8th seed with injuries? Pretty hard, actually.
Maybe the hockey gods are telling Sidney Crosby that he's won enough for one year. He does have an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup ring from last year as the youngest Captain to ever lead his team to the Cup, a Rocket Richard trophy and possibly more hardware still coming to him in the NHL Awards in Vegas. Maybe they want him to just take a little vacation, spend some time on some obnoxiously priced beach where all the women look like they're out of Maxim magazine and chillax a bit(the hockey gods are all men, it seems).
And maybe this is just loser talk. Sid doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who wants to bugger off on an extended vacation with sunscreen. This man likes to win. It seems to be the thing that he's made to do. He wouldn't be much of a Captain if he went out there with resignation and palm trees in his eyes. He has to rally his men and he has to rally hard tonight. There are no excuses for laziness or lapses tonight, especially not on home ice.
This will be a fight to the bitter end. People talk of seventh heaven games like they're some sort of happy, fluffy as clouds, feel-good event. But real hockey fans know that seventh heaven is the name of a spa and the elimination game is an all-out war where someone will have to be the loser.
I love the playoffs.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Eenie, meenie, minie, Malkin
Playing in the twilight zone
The Pens-Habs series is beginning to look very familiar. It wasn't that long ago that people were marvelling at the defeat of the Washington Capitals, the top-seeded team in the East, led by Alexander the Great. Many people said that it couldn't be done; others said that it would be a full sweep and that Montreal would never know what hit them. But that didn't happen.
The Habs managed to shut down the Caps with good defensive play. They were a full team, getting into the dirty areas and winning battles in the neutral zone for puck possession. Their goaltending was spectacular and Michael Cammaleri, fantastic. Despite the loss of a few key players to injury, this team still managed to hold its ground and find ways to win games.
If the win over the Caps was surprising, a win over the Pens would be like playing in the twilight zone. Pittsburgh is not Washington. They're a tough, gritty team that's already been there and done that in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They don't rely on their star players and get a ton of support from the point when they need it. Their goaltending is solid, good when it has to be and adequate when it doesn't. And their defense is not as lackadaisical as Washington.
So how is it that Montreal is taking them out with the same strategy that they used against the Caps when the Pens are a better team?
A tale of two Jaroslavs
Halak and Spacek have been magic in this series. Halak has been the best player on the ice when he's had to be and Spacek has been one of the better defensemen. He's all over his man like a pesky wasp at a picnic. By cutting off time and space to Pittsburgh's star players, Crosby, Malkin and Staal, the defense has made it nearly impossible for this team to braek out.
A side order of Cammaleri?
Prior to the trade from the Calgary Flames, many Montrealers could not pronounce the name Cammaleri, opting for the more commonly known appetizer, Calamari. He's also had to explain to the media that he prefers Michael to Mike. Despite the issues with the moniker and rumoured troubles in the locker room, this man is getting along like a house on fire in this series. With at least one point per game and many multiple point games, Cammaleri has overcome a trade, name issues, rumours, doubt about his size and pretty much anything else that was standing in his way of becoming a star.
Michael Cammaleri's jerseys are also selling like mad, showing up in pretty much every Canadian city. He's become a Habs hero and I'm pretty sure that the city will call him anything he damn well wants them to.
CryBaby Crosby
The man has won a lot for a man his age, but there are those rare moments when his age does come through. And I'm not talking about the dirty stache which is currently pencil thin and creepy. It's the unsportsmanlike behavior which earned him the nickname CryBaby Crosby back in 2007. A lot of talking, talking back, getting into it with other players, and some questionable dives are the things about Sidney that we'd rather all forget.
He can't continue to behave like this if he wants to win. Hopefully, the trip back home to Pittsburgh and the beloved Mellon Arena will help him cool off. His frustration level is way too high for him to play a focused game. He needs to be smarter and more strategic. He also needs to understand that if the defense wants to be on him, he needs to play on that.
If you know where the defense is, you also know where it isn't. That's why the best shots so far have come from the point from defensemen left alone with traffic in front. Crosby and his guys should be playing this smarter.
Granted, they got a lot of a good shots on goal that ended up just kissing the post. Kissing the post is something the Habs themselves may want to do, because it saved their lead plenty of times last night. More Twilight Zone type highlights. You have to get a little lucky sometimes.
Staaled
Jordan Staal has been quieter since he came back from injury. While it's good to have him back on the ice, he's not quite himself. This is a shame, because this guy's a serious difference maker in games. He hits hard, he cycles fast, he has a great shot and you couldn't ask for a more focused player. When he's good, he's so good. But when he's coming back hurt, he's...a non-factor.
This seventh heaven game is going to be a nailbiter, a game that you won't be able to take your eyes off of, a thriller and a heartbreaker for one team and a triumph for another. It's still a coin toss as to which team will come out on top. As with every game in this series, it depends on which team comes out to play. We all know that these two teams can be amazing. And they'll have to be in this final.
Will luck be with the Habs? Will the stars come out to shine?
Your guess is as good as mine at this point.
The Pens-Habs series is beginning to look very familiar. It wasn't that long ago that people were marvelling at the defeat of the Washington Capitals, the top-seeded team in the East, led by Alexander the Great. Many people said that it couldn't be done; others said that it would be a full sweep and that Montreal would never know what hit them. But that didn't happen.
The Habs managed to shut down the Caps with good defensive play. They were a full team, getting into the dirty areas and winning battles in the neutral zone for puck possession. Their goaltending was spectacular and Michael Cammaleri, fantastic. Despite the loss of a few key players to injury, this team still managed to hold its ground and find ways to win games.
If the win over the Caps was surprising, a win over the Pens would be like playing in the twilight zone. Pittsburgh is not Washington. They're a tough, gritty team that's already been there and done that in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They don't rely on their star players and get a ton of support from the point when they need it. Their goaltending is solid, good when it has to be and adequate when it doesn't. And their defense is not as lackadaisical as Washington.
So how is it that Montreal is taking them out with the same strategy that they used against the Caps when the Pens are a better team?
A tale of two Jaroslavs
Halak and Spacek have been magic in this series. Halak has been the best player on the ice when he's had to be and Spacek has been one of the better defensemen. He's all over his man like a pesky wasp at a picnic. By cutting off time and space to Pittsburgh's star players, Crosby, Malkin and Staal, the defense has made it nearly impossible for this team to braek out.
A side order of Cammaleri?
Prior to the trade from the Calgary Flames, many Montrealers could not pronounce the name Cammaleri, opting for the more commonly known appetizer, Calamari. He's also had to explain to the media that he prefers Michael to Mike. Despite the issues with the moniker and rumoured troubles in the locker room, this man is getting along like a house on fire in this series. With at least one point per game and many multiple point games, Cammaleri has overcome a trade, name issues, rumours, doubt about his size and pretty much anything else that was standing in his way of becoming a star.
Michael Cammaleri's jerseys are also selling like mad, showing up in pretty much every Canadian city. He's become a Habs hero and I'm pretty sure that the city will call him anything he damn well wants them to.
CryBaby Crosby
The man has won a lot for a man his age, but there are those rare moments when his age does come through. And I'm not talking about the dirty stache which is currently pencil thin and creepy. It's the unsportsmanlike behavior which earned him the nickname CryBaby Crosby back in 2007. A lot of talking, talking back, getting into it with other players, and some questionable dives are the things about Sidney that we'd rather all forget.
He can't continue to behave like this if he wants to win. Hopefully, the trip back home to Pittsburgh and the beloved Mellon Arena will help him cool off. His frustration level is way too high for him to play a focused game. He needs to be smarter and more strategic. He also needs to understand that if the defense wants to be on him, he needs to play on that.
If you know where the defense is, you also know where it isn't. That's why the best shots so far have come from the point from defensemen left alone with traffic in front. Crosby and his guys should be playing this smarter.
Granted, they got a lot of a good shots on goal that ended up just kissing the post. Kissing the post is something the Habs themselves may want to do, because it saved their lead plenty of times last night. More Twilight Zone type highlights. You have to get a little lucky sometimes.
Staaled
Jordan Staal has been quieter since he came back from injury. While it's good to have him back on the ice, he's not quite himself. This is a shame, because this guy's a serious difference maker in games. He hits hard, he cycles fast, he has a great shot and you couldn't ask for a more focused player. When he's good, he's so good. But when he's coming back hurt, he's...a non-factor.
This seventh heaven game is going to be a nailbiter, a game that you won't be able to take your eyes off of, a thriller and a heartbreaker for one team and a triumph for another. It's still a coin toss as to which team will come out on top. As with every game in this series, it depends on which team comes out to play. We all know that these two teams can be amazing. And they'll have to be in this final.
Will luck be with the Habs? Will the stars come out to shine?
Your guess is as good as mine at this point.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Boys to Men
The Vancouver Canucks came out men last night and what a great thing to see. Bieksa was on fire, Lou was fantastic and everyone got involved in last night's victory over the Blackhawks in order to stay alive to play another game. The talking was kept down to a minimum, the pushing and shoving still occurred, but one name that wasn't heard very often, to the great relief of many? Byfuglien.
This was a victory, though, that was mired by many injuries for the Canucks and many non-calls for both sides. The officiating for this game was just terrible and even the commentators couldn't help but deduce that certain calls were missed deliberately. It did seem that certain things were missed, others were let go, and some things were ignored entirely to make up for the things that they missed. It's like the cheating that we all do in our regular lives, when we make one mistake on one thing and try to make up for it by doing the next thing perfectly.
Refs and linesmen are human and they're not going to see everything, even with more of them out there. There are going to be one or two things that get missed along the way and some questionable calls will be made. That's all fine and well, but during the playoffs, I think we all expect better than that.
The slashing in the hands was called for some of the most minor taps, while the complete bulldozing of certain players was ignored. How is that justifiable? Maybe because it's easier to see a slash on the hands than it is to see slash through skates (strange no tripping call on Toews for example in the first period). And that's to say nothing of poor O'Brien, who got no call on the high stick that left a trail of blood coming out of his forehead.
True warrior that he is, though, he went to the locker room, got patched up and was back out on the next shift. You'd think this guy was a robot by the way he got hit and came back so fast. And then that nasty shot by Eager in front of the net to the newly stitched O'Brien, right up in that place where he'd been gushing blood? Not cool, Eager. That should have been an unsportsmanlike.
There were more injuries to this lineup as well, with the loss of Sami Salo. This guy's been a major factor in Vancouver's wins and his loss is serious to this bench. The Vancouver defense has been depleted and the remaining guys are picking up the slack. They've done a good job so far, but they're going to get tired if this series goes any longer and when you're tired, that's when mistakes are made. The defense came out in a major way in this game with a few goals, but how much can they rely on that? They're overstretched and something will have to be done.
Lou was fantastic in this game and better still, he was quiet. Keeping quiet, focusing on the game and being able to get a good read of the plays are the keys to winning for Lou. The defensemen have done a great job of keeping the lanes clear and not jamming in front of the crease, and this has made it possible for Lou to keep them in the series. And special credit to Burrows, who knocked one out in the third and made a save himself. He can do a lot if he just keeps his mouth shut and plays.
The same goes for the entire team. Great potential, as long as it comes with great discipline.
The Canucks may have won this battle, but they may still lose the war. It will take all that they have to keep themselves in this series and they can't afford to lose more men. Everyone will have to step up their game and keep quiet.
Quiet confidence should rule this team. It works. It separates the boys from men.
This was a victory, though, that was mired by many injuries for the Canucks and many non-calls for both sides. The officiating for this game was just terrible and even the commentators couldn't help but deduce that certain calls were missed deliberately. It did seem that certain things were missed, others were let go, and some things were ignored entirely to make up for the things that they missed. It's like the cheating that we all do in our regular lives, when we make one mistake on one thing and try to make up for it by doing the next thing perfectly.
Refs and linesmen are human and they're not going to see everything, even with more of them out there. There are going to be one or two things that get missed along the way and some questionable calls will be made. That's all fine and well, but during the playoffs, I think we all expect better than that.
The slashing in the hands was called for some of the most minor taps, while the complete bulldozing of certain players was ignored. How is that justifiable? Maybe because it's easier to see a slash on the hands than it is to see slash through skates (strange no tripping call on Toews for example in the first period). And that's to say nothing of poor O'Brien, who got no call on the high stick that left a trail of blood coming out of his forehead.
True warrior that he is, though, he went to the locker room, got patched up and was back out on the next shift. You'd think this guy was a robot by the way he got hit and came back so fast. And then that nasty shot by Eager in front of the net to the newly stitched O'Brien, right up in that place where he'd been gushing blood? Not cool, Eager. That should have been an unsportsmanlike.
There were more injuries to this lineup as well, with the loss of Sami Salo. This guy's been a major factor in Vancouver's wins and his loss is serious to this bench. The Vancouver defense has been depleted and the remaining guys are picking up the slack. They've done a good job so far, but they're going to get tired if this series goes any longer and when you're tired, that's when mistakes are made. The defense came out in a major way in this game with a few goals, but how much can they rely on that? They're overstretched and something will have to be done.
Lou was fantastic in this game and better still, he was quiet. Keeping quiet, focusing on the game and being able to get a good read of the plays are the keys to winning for Lou. The defensemen have done a great job of keeping the lanes clear and not jamming in front of the crease, and this has made it possible for Lou to keep them in the series. And special credit to Burrows, who knocked one out in the third and made a save himself. He can do a lot if he just keeps his mouth shut and plays.
The same goes for the entire team. Great potential, as long as it comes with great discipline.
The Canucks may have won this battle, but they may still lose the war. It will take all that they have to keep themselves in this series and they can't afford to lose more men. Everyone will have to step up their game and keep quiet.
Quiet confidence should rule this team. It works. It separates the boys from men.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
The third isnt enough
Last night's games proves one simple point: it's not enough to just play the third period. Montreal and Detroit both experienced the too little, too late final third period push where a more or less evenly matched game ended in defeat- barely.
In the Montreal and Pittsburgh game, there was a lot of cycling of the puck, but very little action on either of the nets. It seemed like there was a lot of effort for very little results, much like the timbits hockey games where the first goal is having fun, so everyone just skates as much as possible and maybe someone gets a rush on net in the last 2 minutes of the game. This game lacked intensity, particularly in a saggy second period where I was left wondering if I was watching the same game reel over and over again like the looping video in Speed. You know that video where they're on the bus and they just keep looping the same image of Keanu and Sandra driving? Pretty much like that.
Despite the 2-1 score, this game wasn't as close as it seemed. Pittsburgh wore out the Montreal defense in front of Halak, creating a ton of traffic and scoring twice from the point. Montreal, for its part, didn't wake up until about the third period, where an offensive rush actually resulted in a squeeze play goal from Cammaleri, who once again, like in every game of this series, always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
You have to give this guy a ton of credit for being opportunistic and placing himself on the right places on the ice, giving himself a ton of scoring chances simply by virtue of where he's placed. It's not just a question of good puck handling and a killer slap shot; you also need good positioning to give yourself more chances.
That said, if Montreal wants to continue in this series, they're going to need someone other than Cammaleri to step up their game and get on the scoreboard. Plekanec, Gionta and Gomez have all been active in this series, but they're going to have to combine for more opportunities and apply more pressure if they don't want their series to come to an abrupt end on Monday night.
For Pittsburgh, Gonchar came up big in this game and this just goes to show the depth of this team. Even when their two headed offensive monster isn't active, this team still knows how to win. They know better than to rely just on their star line and the fact that everyone's involved means that there's a mighty good chance that they won't be worrying much about the Habs for much longer.
Halak didn't have a bad night, but he didn't have a good night either. It must be disheartening for some to hear the star goaltender speak to the media after the fact in such a critical fashion. It's clearly not for lack of good goaltending that this game was lost. But with such great goaltending, why would a team wait so long to wake up? Is his fantastic play starting to make them lazy? Or is the entire team waiting for more heroics from Cammaleri? It's going to take more than Jaroslav and Michael to shut this series down.
One series has closed down without a lack of serious goaltending effort on both sides of the ice. Detroit has been ousted from the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks in a nail-biting final to a deafening crowd in HP Pavilion. The once cursed Sharks are poised to have (possibly) their best ever Cup run. Both Howard and Nabokov were fantastic in this series and gave their teams a fair chance at a win.
Detroit almost walked away with this game with a hard effort throughout, but the third period just wasn't enough, despite a late 2 man advantage on a penalty call. Detroit came out so strong, but San Jose found a way to shut them down, playing like flies on every available Red Wing. The Sharks were out for blood and they got it.
It's hard to imagine a Cup run without the Detroit Red Wings and a part of me is disappointed, while another part of me is relieved. It's not fun when the playoffs become too predictable and it's always great to see at least a few upsets. It's also a true redemption for the San Jose Sharks who have come so close in the past, have dominated the regular season and just couldn't push it through. Now that they've made it, it will be exciting to see just how far they can actually go.
I'm always touched at the end of every series at the way the players line up to congratulate each other on a good run. You can see that some of them are ready to forget the bad blood, trash talking and questionable hits, while others have a true respect and admiration for their opponents. It's the greatest display of man-love ever. It's cathartic and wonderful. Because ultimately, they're all after the same thing, which is the Stanley Cup. And how can anyone not admire that?
Will there be more upsets from Philadelphia, Montreal and Vancouver? Can they mount an unforgettable comeback against Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago?
Only if they play all three periods.
In the Montreal and Pittsburgh game, there was a lot of cycling of the puck, but very little action on either of the nets. It seemed like there was a lot of effort for very little results, much like the timbits hockey games where the first goal is having fun, so everyone just skates as much as possible and maybe someone gets a rush on net in the last 2 minutes of the game. This game lacked intensity, particularly in a saggy second period where I was left wondering if I was watching the same game reel over and over again like the looping video in Speed. You know that video where they're on the bus and they just keep looping the same image of Keanu and Sandra driving? Pretty much like that.
Despite the 2-1 score, this game wasn't as close as it seemed. Pittsburgh wore out the Montreal defense in front of Halak, creating a ton of traffic and scoring twice from the point. Montreal, for its part, didn't wake up until about the third period, where an offensive rush actually resulted in a squeeze play goal from Cammaleri, who once again, like in every game of this series, always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
You have to give this guy a ton of credit for being opportunistic and placing himself on the right places on the ice, giving himself a ton of scoring chances simply by virtue of where he's placed. It's not just a question of good puck handling and a killer slap shot; you also need good positioning to give yourself more chances.
That said, if Montreal wants to continue in this series, they're going to need someone other than Cammaleri to step up their game and get on the scoreboard. Plekanec, Gionta and Gomez have all been active in this series, but they're going to have to combine for more opportunities and apply more pressure if they don't want their series to come to an abrupt end on Monday night.
For Pittsburgh, Gonchar came up big in this game and this just goes to show the depth of this team. Even when their two headed offensive monster isn't active, this team still knows how to win. They know better than to rely just on their star line and the fact that everyone's involved means that there's a mighty good chance that they won't be worrying much about the Habs for much longer.
Halak didn't have a bad night, but he didn't have a good night either. It must be disheartening for some to hear the star goaltender speak to the media after the fact in such a critical fashion. It's clearly not for lack of good goaltending that this game was lost. But with such great goaltending, why would a team wait so long to wake up? Is his fantastic play starting to make them lazy? Or is the entire team waiting for more heroics from Cammaleri? It's going to take more than Jaroslav and Michael to shut this series down.
One series has closed down without a lack of serious goaltending effort on both sides of the ice. Detroit has been ousted from the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks in a nail-biting final to a deafening crowd in HP Pavilion. The once cursed Sharks are poised to have (possibly) their best ever Cup run. Both Howard and Nabokov were fantastic in this series and gave their teams a fair chance at a win.
Detroit almost walked away with this game with a hard effort throughout, but the third period just wasn't enough, despite a late 2 man advantage on a penalty call. Detroit came out so strong, but San Jose found a way to shut them down, playing like flies on every available Red Wing. The Sharks were out for blood and they got it.
It's hard to imagine a Cup run without the Detroit Red Wings and a part of me is disappointed, while another part of me is relieved. It's not fun when the playoffs become too predictable and it's always great to see at least a few upsets. It's also a true redemption for the San Jose Sharks who have come so close in the past, have dominated the regular season and just couldn't push it through. Now that they've made it, it will be exciting to see just how far they can actually go.
I'm always touched at the end of every series at the way the players line up to congratulate each other on a good run. You can see that some of them are ready to forget the bad blood, trash talking and questionable hits, while others have a true respect and admiration for their opponents. It's the greatest display of man-love ever. It's cathartic and wonderful. Because ultimately, they're all after the same thing, which is the Stanley Cup. And how can anyone not admire that?
Will there be more upsets from Philadelphia, Montreal and Vancouver? Can they mount an unforgettable comeback against Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago?
Only if they play all three periods.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Puck Off
The puck sometimes seems to have a life of its own, and in the two games last night, it really took off. Not to take anything away from the players and all of their hard work, but sometimes, strange things just happen.
Boston and Philadelphia
Does anyone understand that weird goal that slipped in off Boucher in the second period? It just completely disappeared and then re-appeared, inexplicably, in the back of the net. The commentators called that one a stinky goal, and weren't even sure who it would be attributed to.
The Flyers came back strong against Boston, taking home team advantage and welcoming back Simon Gagne. Just like the triumphant comeback from injury of Marc Savard, it was Philadelphia's turn to have a tie-breaking goal when it mattered the most from one of their heroes. The last game is the hardest one to win; this is not a cliche, but just the simple truth.
Boston could have won this game and completed a full sweep of Philadelphia at any point in this game. They played really hard, too, playing their game, being gritty, using their size, and getting in the right spots at the right time. Their goaltending has been consistent and spectacular and Lucic is back, better than ever.
It just looks like Philadelphia wanted it more. They were reignited by the crowd, and the return of one of their stars and they were on the brink. A real sense of urgency is sometimes the deciding factor in a game, and this was a team that didn't want to lose. Whether or not they can carry this into the next game is still a question.
Vancouver and Chicago
More second period shenanigans, this time in the Vancouver-Chicago game where an intense fight for the puck in front of Lou's net resulted in a whole lot of nothing as the puck actually ended up in the far corner where nobody was playing. This was definitely the most hilarious puck trick of the night, maybe of the entire playoffs.
A name that you heard a lot in last night's game was Byfuglien, who, for the life of me, I can't figure out the discrepancy between the way this name is spelled and the way that this name is pronounced. How can you have a name where seemingly the entire middle of it is silent? It's like the ugli in his name is kept out for some weird reason and then put back in whenever he hits the ice. Because this man's an agitator and he seems to have Lou and the Sedin twins in his back pocket.
Not that this is the only bad blood in this series. The trash talking is happening at top speed on and off the ice and it would be hilarious if it wasn't causing the Canucks to lose games that they should be winning.
This is not a clear contest. The Canucks are losing this series to themselves. They're being their own worst enemy by letting the Blackhawks get to them in this way. The Sedins are spending more time in the box right now than scoring and this is a bad use of everyone's time. The Canucks took so many penalties the other night and most of them were just plain stupid.
The Canucks have got to stop playing like boys at school trying to face off with the local bullies and start playing like real men in control of the game and their emotions. They're ruining what started off as a good playoff run by getting suckered into petty fights over nothing.
The talking is getting tiresome. It's not only ruining the game of the Canucks, it's also ruining the ebb and flow of the games themselves and ends up looking more like the View than a hockey game. Yeah, because that's what we all want to see when we tune into pro sports, a lot of yapping back and forth and personal digs. Get these guys some mugs and coffee and we can let them have a good old-fashioned pre-menstrual bitch fight.
Get over yourselves and start thinking like winners, Vancouver. Show some maturity, show some swagger, shut your ears, shut your mouths, and blast the hell out of them in their zone. Give Niemi something to fear by sending more and more shots on the net. A few good goals should put ugli out.
Boston and Philadelphia
Does anyone understand that weird goal that slipped in off Boucher in the second period? It just completely disappeared and then re-appeared, inexplicably, in the back of the net. The commentators called that one a stinky goal, and weren't even sure who it would be attributed to.
The Flyers came back strong against Boston, taking home team advantage and welcoming back Simon Gagne. Just like the triumphant comeback from injury of Marc Savard, it was Philadelphia's turn to have a tie-breaking goal when it mattered the most from one of their heroes. The last game is the hardest one to win; this is not a cliche, but just the simple truth.
Boston could have won this game and completed a full sweep of Philadelphia at any point in this game. They played really hard, too, playing their game, being gritty, using their size, and getting in the right spots at the right time. Their goaltending has been consistent and spectacular and Lucic is back, better than ever.
It just looks like Philadelphia wanted it more. They were reignited by the crowd, and the return of one of their stars and they were on the brink. A real sense of urgency is sometimes the deciding factor in a game, and this was a team that didn't want to lose. Whether or not they can carry this into the next game is still a question.
Vancouver and Chicago
More second period shenanigans, this time in the Vancouver-Chicago game where an intense fight for the puck in front of Lou's net resulted in a whole lot of nothing as the puck actually ended up in the far corner where nobody was playing. This was definitely the most hilarious puck trick of the night, maybe of the entire playoffs.
A name that you heard a lot in last night's game was Byfuglien, who, for the life of me, I can't figure out the discrepancy between the way this name is spelled and the way that this name is pronounced. How can you have a name where seemingly the entire middle of it is silent? It's like the ugli in his name is kept out for some weird reason and then put back in whenever he hits the ice. Because this man's an agitator and he seems to have Lou and the Sedin twins in his back pocket.
Not that this is the only bad blood in this series. The trash talking is happening at top speed on and off the ice and it would be hilarious if it wasn't causing the Canucks to lose games that they should be winning.
This is not a clear contest. The Canucks are losing this series to themselves. They're being their own worst enemy by letting the Blackhawks get to them in this way. The Sedins are spending more time in the box right now than scoring and this is a bad use of everyone's time. The Canucks took so many penalties the other night and most of them were just plain stupid.
The Canucks have got to stop playing like boys at school trying to face off with the local bullies and start playing like real men in control of the game and their emotions. They're ruining what started off as a good playoff run by getting suckered into petty fights over nothing.
The talking is getting tiresome. It's not only ruining the game of the Canucks, it's also ruining the ebb and flow of the games themselves and ends up looking more like the View than a hockey game. Yeah, because that's what we all want to see when we tune into pro sports, a lot of yapping back and forth and personal digs. Get these guys some mugs and coffee and we can let them have a good old-fashioned pre-menstrual bitch fight.
Get over yourselves and start thinking like winners, Vancouver. Show some maturity, show some swagger, shut your ears, shut your mouths, and blast the hell out of them in their zone. Give Niemi something to fear by sending more and more shots on the net. A few good goals should put ugli out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)