4.21.2007

Game Six Liveblog

7:43 - Here we go again. Another night, more scoreless periods, more heart wrenching play and one goal will decide it. Here's hoping this is the night to put this series to bed.

By the by, if you get bored of reading me, scoot on over to Dan Olson's livestream and his bitching Don Cherry jersey. I also came across this too if you're a Facebook fan.

7:59 - I had to wait for Bullriding to get off of Versus. And their intro tease already used "resilient" in reference to Dallas. Kill me now.

8:01 - Versus has two different guys calling tonight. That's a welcome change to what game one and two were. We'll see though.

8:11 - Pyatt with the Sedins. I like that already.

8:13 - Man, Linden's penalty seemed tame to anyone who watched the Flames/Red Wings today. Oh well, Dallas goes on the PP first. What a shock! And now Beeska takes a high sticking penalty. Excuse me while I vomit...

8:16 - Well what a shock. Another five-on-three and Modano, who's been invisible most games, makes it 1-0. This is sickening simply because the Canucks, once again, become their own worst enemies. For fucks sake.

8:19 - So Beeska leads the playoffs with 8 minors. Awesome stuff buddy, way to chuck your coming out party of a season into the toilet.

8:21 - The E train takes a hooking call and now both nations can laugh at what the Vancouver PP is.

8:23 - If I have to hear "...and the Vancouver powerplay has to regroup" one more time, I'm going to break something. The two minutes us up, I think Salo got a shot and that was it. Pathetic. Everyone drink.

8:25 - Hey, Budlight had a funny commercial with talking gorillas. That's the best part of the last 25 minutes or so. Thanks crappy American brewmaster.

8:28 - Versus just shared a fun stat: when a team is trailing 3-1, the Canucks lead the league is allowing that team to come back and win the series with 4 times! ALRIGHT! Sigh...

8:33 - Hey guys, don't exert yourself too much in clearing the zone. It's fun to watch Dallas set up shot after shot.

8:35 - Not for nothing, but there's quite a few empty seats in the lower section of the grand ol' American Airlines arena. Then again, not too sure I would shell out good money for a 1-0 game either.

8:37 - We are closing in on 4 periods and maybe 8 minutes of the game 5 OT in which the Canucks have not scored. And somehow they are tied in shots up to this point. This is beyond sickening.

8:40 - Vancouver gets their first legit chance to test Turco...nothing great though, but it's something. The anemic offensive attempts in this series is getting incredibly old.

8:42 - WOW Nagy, did you bring your pink panties to the rink tonight too? That's a beautiful embellishment of a high stick. God, I wish Mattias did make him bleed.

8:45 - Nice, some fat Texan woman in a Modano jersey is giving Burrows shit in the box. You Texans let all your heifer wives fight your battles? Na, I'm kidding...I know you don't. You guys have all the guns! :|

8:48 - And yet another period in which the Canucks offense does nothing. The Canucks D (Beeska) take mindless penalties. And Luongo does his best to carry the weight of this team who simply do not want to elevate their game in front of him. What fun this is to watch. If that team doesn't come out for the second period with some fucking emotion and step in their game, then just save us the time and forfeit a game seven. Ugh...

9:07 - son of a bitch, why not start the second period off short handed? I mean, the Canucks clearly have control of this game and the series...sure, go for it. I'm positive we have the offense to come back from a 2-0 deficit...right? RIGHT??!

9:10 - If Morrison took the Nagy acting class, he could have sold that trip right there as a misconduct. Where's the effort?

9:15 - Wow Luongo just made a simply mind blowing save...launching himself from his knees to block an open net that Ott had. How...HOW...does this team not respond when the guy who got them here plays like this? This period is close to half over and it's been all Dallas. Yet again. Turco may as well make himself a martini and chill out a bit. We're not going to be bothering him tonight I see.

9:19 - Canucks go to the powerplay to try and make it 22 STRAIGHT without a goal. Great going. What fun.

9:22 - One shot on the man advantage. For anyone who cares. One shot. I think it was Ohlund who is our leading scorer so far. (*spits, screams, curses*)

9:29 - Vancouver is starting to get their chances, bit by bit. Pyatt just got stopped by Turco's toe, otherwise this game is tied.

9:31 - In complete honesty I have to give a glove tap to Versus tonight. Their production is BY FAR better and it's due directly to the play by play guy and the commentator, both of whom I missed their names. But they are exactly what'd you want in a game where there's few nice things to say about Vancouver so far. These guys are honest, pulling relevant stats and providing decent analysis even if it's still Dallas heavy. Good job Versus, a damn fine change.

9:37 - As yet another period of bullshit ends, I can't help but think the happiest person on the planet right now is Marty Turco's agent because, at this point, his shutout streak is guaranteeing a fat contract the next time a new one comes up.

9:38 - So, to recap, there's been a funny Budweiser commercial and Versus is giving America a far better, objective offering this evening. On the downside, the Canucks PP is redefining futility and they have not created consistent pressure on Turco, who's now dangerously close to getting his second straight, and third of the series, shutout. Vigneault needs to do something, anything, to get this team going. Break up the Sedins, punch Sopel in the face, something...ANYTHING...to get this team going.

9:59 - Vancouver started the third with an aggressive forecheck. I won't bother asking where this was the first 40 minutes, but suffice it to say it's nice to see. 15 minutes remain.

10:03 - Halpern makes it 2-0 after an Ohlund clearing attempt didn't quite clear. This is the essence of futility: nothing is going right. Nothing. Save for Luongo and I'm not even counting him anymore. Give credit to the Stars...they deserve this win, Turco deserves his shutout streak and the Canucks deserve another humiliating playoff collapse if THIS is the best they can muster.

10:09 - The Stars damn near make it 3-0 but the post saves them. The goal post, mind you, is doing more for this team then some of its forwards. The Canucks had a 3 on 2 directly after that but Burrows messed it up.

10:12 - OK, I realize I've been far too negative tonight. Even when losing I should try and find something uplifting in this mess. So let me try this: there's still a game 7. The Canucks should just start sending messages. Run Turco, take some guys out. Be dirty. Do something to make game 7 something more then a gut-wrenching 1-0 affair.

10:21 - The kick in the nuts here is that the Stars still have the better pressure. How Vancouver can't forecheck and press like Dallas still is, even with their lead, is incredible. Simply incredible. Vancouver just doesn't have anything right now.

10:24 - Dallas is just having their way with Vancouver now. And Cowan just did something massively retarded from the bench while Morrow gimped hi way off the ice. It's the like the fucking twilight zone now.

10:28 - You know what would make this loss acceptable? Vigneault jumping the glass and ramming his fist down Tippett's throat. Just for fun. But no...Daniel takes a penalty instead and Dallas gets one more chance to ensure Turco's shutout and add one more insult to what will be a fucking joke of a game from the Canucks perspective.

Post game - So, here we are. Vancouver has created the shit it finds itself wallowing in. I don't know if this team's lot in life is to be unable to put away a post season series, but they are looking at their third game 7 in a row and, obviously, they've lost the previous two. Tonight's game was disheartening because this team didn't show the passion, cohesiveness or skill it showed all season to win the division championship.

But, what are the positives? Well, first off, Zubov left that game early and Morrow sure didn't look good limping off the ice. So they could be down their best D man and their captain. Maybe, maybe not. Also, this game will be in front of a loud angry GM Place so if home ice advantage means anything it'll be Monday night. And last (fingers crossed tightly) the Canucks have got to be embarrassed. They haven't scored in two games and have been progressively outplayed in each one.

I look now directly at Vigneault. Game six showed Dallas knows how to shut down Vancouver, forecheck the hell out of them and set up and create traffic in front of Luongo. And it's working. Dallas will rightly deserve the second round if the Vancouver coaching staff cannot learn to establish a method that works. I'll forgive the PP...that working is gone. But 5 on 5 has got to be cleaned up. Otherwise, game 7 is lost before it even starts.

For now, take a drink everyone. Shit, take a few. Monday is a long way away and, soon enough, we'll learn how this team wants to respond to its biggest challenge in years.

24 comments:

Sean Zandberg said...

I guess that song in the opening of the game was the Stars song performed by Pantera. Cool stuff.

Sean Zandberg said...

1-0 Canucks win I say! OT!

Sean Zandberg said...

That anthem singer is hot

Anonymous said...

Pantera? Cool stuff? Are you DRUNK already, Zanstorm? :)

Mike said...

Hey, let's leave Pantera alone here. If the Canucks embraced some fucking hostility, this series would be over!

Sean Zandberg said...

Can I change my score now? Shit!!!

Pantera is awesome Alanah! Oh yes!

They partied with the Stars in 99 and wrecked it apparently, and then wrote that song for them.

Sean Zandberg said...

I quit drinking, I have internal bleeding! :)

Mike said...

Zanstorm, you may need to worsen the bleeding then. This could be a long night.

Anonymous said...

Don't stop drinking, Zanstorm. The Captain will be sad...

Mike said...

I won't lie, I've strategically placed two drinks. One next to the PC (guinness) and one next to the TV (jack and coke). So...yeah...I have issues.

Sean Zandberg said...

The captain is out of stock!! haha

Sean Zandberg said...

I like Dave's live stream, that's cool

Sean Zandberg said...

Dan's

Sean Zandberg said...

We couldn't be worse than the Flames were today!!!

Mike said...

The game is young; it would almost be fitting that both NW teams get their ass handed to them on one night.

NO NO NO...who am I kidding. Luongo won't let that happen.

jacksonh said...

WTF is going on with the sticks?

Mike said...

I guess their PK is so good that Brendan and Lukas see no need in having sticks? What a time to get butter fingers too...geez.

jacksonh said...

Speaking of that PK, how come Ribero didn't get an equipment foul penalty for his jersey coming off?

Mike said...

There is nothing...NOTHING...positive to say right now. Nothing. Other than "hey we have Luongo". But he can't score like the rest of the team.

Anonymous said...

What I don't understand is why did the Canucks just give up in the last six minutes of the game?

It's not like it was a blow-out - Even in the regular season, a team would've pulled their goalie at two minutes and gone for it in a 2-0 game.

Mike said...

Roddie - First off, I miss your blog! You must be a busy guy!

But you're right. I think you could argue they gave up a bit before that too. I said in my post game comment that I am putting a lot of blame now on the coaching staff. Game's five and six just exemplify that idea of insanity being trying the same thing over and over expecting different results each time.

Bottom line to me is the Stars deserve this series if the Canucks don't put it all on the line, every iota of it, on Monday night.

jacksonh said...

Roddie, the canucks gave up after the first goal. They did try to pull Luongo at 2:00, but that's when the penalties started.

I have a feeling if Morrow is seriously injured Burrows will get suspended.

Sean Zandberg said...

"My anger now rests with Vigneault."

Mine doesn't. The team had no jump tonight and I'm sure that even Viggy couldn't get them going. It was a lackluster effort where Dallas did everything right. They beat them to most of the pucks, made crisp passes, held the Nucks to the outside. Hey, isn't that what the canucks were supposed to be doing?

Fuck it. I like our chances in game 7 with nothing to lose. I sure as fuck hope that Morrow and Zubov are gonzo.

Mike said...

I'm only singling out Viggy because the Stars have learned how to make the Sedins a moot point, they've learned to keep Naslund out of it. Morrison, Pyatt, Smoke, Cowan...all of them are ineffective. I think the effort is there, but isn't it Vigneault's job to juggle those lines and figure out a way to create another means of offensive pressure?

Maybe I'm off base, but I kept thinking that all game long.