OT: Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Patrick]

Dedicated athletes or party animals?

http://www.saucehockey.com/dailysauc...achment_id=172

I know that each time the Caps come to town, they usually come in a day early and party at a local strip ->Chez Pare

A shake-up of that team may be in order.

[Patrick]

Who's going to be next... The Wings or the Sharks?

The Vancouver Canucks finally disposed of the Nashville Predators by defeating them 2-1 in game 6 of their series. It was kind of a dull series with no real animosity between the two teams. I'm sure that will change in the next round, especially if it's the Sharks, but Detroit is hanging in there. I really really hope their series goes 7 games and that they pound each other.

The Canucks can now sit back and rest up for a few days.

8 more victories to go.

[Mehen]

GO JETS GO - ANNOUNCEMENT TUESDAY! (or so it seems)

[Patrick]

Sharks are sinking

The games have been coming fast and furious, and I've gotten behind in my reports...


The Canucks came from behind twice in the game to defeat the Sharks 3-2 in game 1 of their series. Lots of hard hitting, physical play. It's already more enjoyable than the Canucks/Predators series which was nothing but a defensive struggle.

I felt the Sharks tired in the last half of the game, perhaps due to their exhausting 7 game emotional series with Detroit.

All in all, looking good for Canucks fans. Game 2 in Vancouver on Wednesday.

7 more victories to go.


And then...


Wow, the Vancouver Canucks laid on an old fashioned kit shicking to the San Jose Sharks in game 2 of their series and whomped the spineless fish 7-3. The Canucks now lead this series 2-0 with game 3 to be played in the Shark Tank on Friday.

Shark player Ben Eager made a complete ass of himself taking multiple penalties which helped allow the Canucks to fill the net on the power play. He was nothing but a goon when he previously played for the Hawks, and apparently he continues in this role for the Sharks.

6 more victories to go.

[Patrick]

Bump in the road

In game 3, the Sharks defeated the Canucks 4-3 and now trail the Canucks 2-1 in the series. The Sharks power play was deadly, and after way too many undisciplined penalties, the Canucks found themselves behind 3-0 before making a game of it. Game 4 is a nooner on Sunday.

[Patrick]

Back on track

In game 4 of their series, the Canucks built up a 4-0 lead before defeating the Sharks 4-2 in San Jose. The game was noteworthy as the Canucks scored 3 times on 3 different 5-on-3 power plays, which was an NHL postseason record for most 5-on-3 goals ever scored in a single playoff game. The Canucks now lead the series 3-1 with game 5 to be played in Vancouver on Tuesday.

5 more victories to go.

[Patrick]

Okay, on to the finals...

What a game!

With their goalie pulled for an extra attacker, the Vancouver Canucks scored with 13 seconds left in regulation time to tie the score 2-2 with the San Jose Sharks to send game 5 into overtime. With one of the weirdest goals you'll ever see (or not see), the Canucks scored in the second period of overtime to knock the Sharks out of the playoffs, defeating them 4 games to 1.

No one watching the game on TV initially saw what happened on the winning goal (until seeing replays from different angles). The puck was shot up along the glass into the Sharks zone from the Sharks blue line by the Canucks right D-man. On TV the puck seemed to disappear up and out of play. Most of the players on the ice thought the same thing, as almost nobody knew where the puck was. The next thing everyone saw was the puck in the Sharks net with the Sharks goalie looking the wrong way. It turned out that the puck hit a "stanchion" between a couple panels of the side glass and bounced straight back to the Shark blue line in the middle of the ice. The Canucks left D-man (Bieksa) just happened to be at the right place at the right time and flubbed a bouncing puck from the blue line directly into the net. Very strange goal.

Now to sit back and see who comes out of the Boston Bruins/Tampa Bay Lightning series. Hope it goes to 7 games... 7 very rough games. The Canucks could use the extra days off to nurse a few injuries.


4 more victories to go.

[Patrick]

Now down to the final two

Bring 'em on, bring on the big bad Boston Bruins! The Vancouver Canucks are waiting...

[Haig]

GO JETS GO - ANNOUNCEMENT TUESDAY! (or so it seems)

Announcement finally came through. Traveling for the jets will most likely be brutal if they are to pick up the Thrashers schedule. If that's the case, I wonder if the NHL will look to relocate a team in $$ troubles to the east and put the jets back in the central scheduling.

[Dr Mordrid]

Since this is the hockey thread -

Atlanta's team is moving to Winnepeg....

Atlanta will be losing a National Hockey League team for the second time, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be gaining one for the second time.

The new owner of the franchise, True North Sports and Entertainment, announced Tuesday that it has acquired the team from its current owners, Atlanta Spirit.

“I am excited beyond words” to make this announcement, True North CEO Mark Chipman said Tuesday.

The transaction is subject to the approval of the NHL Board of Governors later this month.

The Thrashers will be the second NHL franchise Atlanta has lost to Canada. The Flames moved to Calgary, Alberta, in 1980. Winnipeg lost its previous NHL team, the Jets, to Phoenix in 1996. The team was renamed the Coyotes in Phoenix.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s words that hockey was stronger than ever in Canada sparked loud applause in Winnipeg. And then he said the words many residents of the city have been waiting to hear from the NHL:

“It’s nice to be back in Winnipeg after all these years.”
>

[Mehen]

[Patrick]

I want some freaking hockey!

Good thing the NHL has something to talk about recently. As of tomorrow it'll be a full week [EDIT- 8 days!] since the Canucks last played. Man oh man, talk about a potential momentum killer...

Let's get it on!

[Elie]

YES 1-0 Vancouver!!

[Patrick]

Now that was an exciting way to end a game!

With 19 seconds left in a 0-0 game, the Vancouver Canucks scored to defeat the Boston Bruins 1-0 in game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals here in Vancouver.

It took almost two periods before there was any flow in the game due to multiple penalties to both teams, but it appeared that the Bruins had their hands full with the faster skating Canucks. Both goalies played well, but the Bruins stopper held them in the game.

Here's Torres beating Thomas with seconds left on the clock...



3 more victories to go.

[Patrick]

Canucks keep right on rolling along...

On Saturday night, The Vancouver Canucks came from behind to tie the Boston Bruins in the third period, and then 11 seconds into overtime, yes 11 seconds, Alex Burrows scored the winning goal (from behind the net) in a 3-2 Vancouver victory. The Canucks now lead the series 2-0.



Vancouver fans are getting a little excited now. Should be an exciting game 3 in Boston.

2 more victories to go.