After playing a solid and composed game 5 in Chicago, and finally showing what this team is capable of, is this Canuck team just setting us up once again for our annual heartbreak? I've shed more tears on my '94 White Hot Canucks towel than I care to remember. They always suck us in, and then just when we start believing, and start discussing that damned parade, they fall apart.
That's all in the past, and today's a new day. When Roberto Luongo plays like Roberto Luongo, there is no telling how far this team can go. I think if he'd played solid this whole series against Chicago they might be resting up for the next series right now. When he is sharp and on his game, the rest of the team seems to be calm and composed. He looked as solid as I've seen him all season on Sunday and we'll need that from him again tonight. I'm just glad that maybe he shut his critics up for a few days. Seriously, if I read Luuuusongo one more time, I may go Postal. That's not funny. Nor is Byfugly by the way. Canuck's fans are anything but original.
And speaking of Sami Salo's nuts, (we were weren't we?) he is a gametime decision after talking a slap shot there at the end of the first period in game 5. I think I'm also a gametime decision just from watching that happen. I was in pain myself. Salo's 39 career injury was ugly and for once I think we would all understand if he's not playing tonight. But we would all be gland, err glad if he did play. (Okay that was bad, sorry.)
The road teams seem to be winning most of the games in the Playoffs this year. (I'd look up the exact stat but I'm too lazy) I think that's because when you play in front of home fans that are freaking out, waving the flags and chanting your name, it's hard not to get too emotional and too pumped up. Calm and composed tends to win hockey games nowadays, and that's how the road teams seem to be approaching the games. It's also easy to get into a game of firewagon, run and gun hockey when you are playing at home. The Canucks will likely lose if they play like that tonight against the Hawks. Calm, cool and composed. That's how you win hockey games now. Well a little effort helps too.
Nice to see Kevin Bieksa again. Wow! How much hockey did he miss? 2 years? I don't know how you just flip a switch and play with such confidence and actually make good decisions, but that's pretty much what happened. Hey, maybe there's hope for Andrew Alberts yet.
It would be nice to see the Sedins get going again. Clearly Daniel is injured (likely along with Kesler, Burrows and Salo, did we mention Salo's nuts?) but injuries are a large part of playoff hockey, and if you're good to go, you need to find a way to contribute.
The other ugly incident last game was a high stick by Byfuglien to the face of Shane O'Brien. I thought I'd accidentally sat on the remote and switched to the Scream Channel. I didn't know somebody could bleed that much. Now I know that that's not a penalty under the present rules, but I think in this particular case it should be. That was a serious follow-through and it should be left to the ref's discretion as to whether or not a penalty is warranted. I'm not saying Byfuglien did it on purpose, but would it be so hard to take a shot and have a follow through that stabs Shane O'Brien right between the blinkers? I don't think so. If they don't adjust this rule I bet they start teaching this at hockey schools. Although in Bettman's NHL I'm quite surprised O'Briend didn't get a penalty for too much Plasma on the ice. Clearly the refs missed a golden opportunity.
There are definitely a few good things that come from the Canucks playing at home. They have last change which is usually important, the fans will be loud and proud (until we give up a goal and then they'll be quiet and ashamed) and most importantly I won't have to listen to that horrific anthem singer in Chicago. Nobody buys a ticket to see him yet he acts like the star of the show. And his voice is painful.
It would sure be disappointing if the Canucks failed to win one game at home in this series, but I really don't have a feeling about tonight's game. I expect Roberto to play well and hopefully the rest of the team will respond. But this Hawks team desperately wants to head to San Jose after the game and not back home to Chicago for a game 7. We'll know a lot more in a few hours.
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