Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A game of sadness

The Canucks achieved the dubious achievement of losing all three of their home games in this disappointing series which never lived up to its potential. Speaking purely as a hockey fan who loves a classic playoff contest between two very good teams, this series failed to deliver any classic games; all were strangely uncompetitive, ugly contests. The Canucks' decimated blueline crippled their chances of extending the series to a seventh game and the Canucks' best players up front - the Sedins - simply didn't show up when the team needed a stalwart effort to stay alive.

More than anything I will remember what might have been: what if Sami Salo hadn't been hurt? and Alexander Edler (early in game six)? what if the bounces of the puck had been evenly distributed? what if the Canucks had not taken so many bad penalties? and so on.

For the second consecutive year I am forced to pay off after betting on my team. I don't like it one bit.

Finally, I hate Dustin Byfuglien. He exhibited real class in trash-talking Roberto Luongo after scoring a meaningless goal to make it 5-1 halfway through the 3rd period. It was so egregious both the referee Bill McCreary and his own coach Joel Quenneville told him to shut up. You know you're a complete moron when you can manage that feat. If the NHL had an award for most unsportsmanlike player, Byfuglien would be the runaway winner.

The Canucks could well meet Chicago again next year ... they will have an opportunity to rebuild their shattered defense corps in the off-season and their group of forwards should if anything improve even more with the expected addition of Cory Hodgson, a highly touted prospect who will add yet more scoring talent to the lineup, and the continued growth of Michael Grabner and Jannik Hansen. Those three will more than make up for the expected departure of Pavol Demitra.

4 comments:

lightning36 said...

Big Buff is the kind of player that you love to have on your team and hate when he is on the other. Note that in the series he scored more goals than both Sedins combined.

The scary thing for Vancouver's future: "Luongo begins a 12-year extension next season ..." I imagine this will be discussed by fans over the next few weeks.

Shrike said...

You're missing the point: I didn't say that Buff isn't an effective player. I said he was supremely unsportsmanlike.

There's nothing scary about Luongo having a long contract.

Schaubs said...

I would never want DB (douche bag) to play on my team. He is fat and has no class.

Luongo will be fine, but remove the C.

lightning36 said...

Could you please post some links to reference what you and Schaubs are so ticked off about? There was nothing I saw and nothing I have read or seen in Vancouver, Chicago, or national media regarding poor sportsmanship. Of course, I did enjoy his celebration for the Canuck fans who were cursing him and giving him the finger during the series ...