Vancouver power outage

After two periods last night, with the score 1-0 in favour of Anaheim, I knew there was no way I could justify to myself staying up to try and watch the conclusion of game 5 (with the alarm clock set to 5am). I figured it'd either end sleepily in regulation (with the Canucks being shut out), or it would go deep into overtime...I'd like to think I had some amazing powers of foresight (2-1 2OT win for Anaheim) but with Vancouver having already gone to overtime five times in 11 games the odds were relatively high.

As it turned out, another multiple overtime loss for the anemic - and now eliminated - Vancouver Canucks. After scoring 5 in their first playoff game vs. Dallas, their goal totals for the next 11 games were as follows: 0, 2, 2, 0, 0, 4 (2 empty-netters), 1, 2, 2, 2, 1.

Canucks playoff goal-scoring stats:

RK	Player	P	GP	G	A	P	+/-	OT	PP		TOI/G
1	MARKUS NASLUND	L	12	4	1	5	-1	0	1		21:35
2	TREVOR LINDEN	C	12	2	5	7	4	0	1		17:15
3	MATTIAS OHLUND	D	12	2	5	7	3	0	1		28:18
4	TAYLOR PYATT	L	12	2	4	6	-2	1	0		18:01
5	DANIEL SEDIN	L	12	2	3	5	-5	0	0		21:31
6	HENRIK SEDIN	C	12	2	2	4	-8	1	1		22:12
7	BRYAN SMOLINSKI	C	12	2	2	4	2	0	0		18:39
8	JEFF COWAN	L	10	2	0	2	1	1	0		11:37
9	BRENDAN MORRISON	C	12	1	3	4	4	0	0		23:09
10	JAN BULIS	C	12	1	1	2	0	0	0		19:46
11	ALEXANDRE BURROWS	L	11	1	0	1	0	0	0		10:34

The totals for the Sedins are, to be kind, disappointing - a combined four goals and -13.

Of course the obvious story is Roberto Luongo who, being the primary reason Vancouver won even five postseason games, also was likely the difference between the Canucks being a division winner or near-lottery participant. Aside from a 1.77 goals-against and .941 save percentage, his work on the penalty kill was particularly impressive - the following table shows shot statistics for all goaltenders in the post-season to date while shorthanded. Luongo faced 108 shots (while saving 93.5% of them) - next highest is Marty Brodeur with 70 (although worthy of note was the beleaguered Miikka Kiprusoff, one of very few Flames players who showed up this spring).

RK	Player	Team	GP	PP: SA	GA	Sv	Sv%	Tot Sv%
1	J GIGUERE	ANA	7	42	1	41	.976	.952
2	TOMAS VOKOUN	NSH	5	36	2	34	.944	.902
3	JOHAN HEDBERG	ATL	2	16	1	15	.938	.928
4	ROBERTO LUONGO	VAN	12	108	7	101	.935	.941
5	MIIKKA KIPRUSOFF	CGY	6	68	5	63	.926	.929
6	ILJA BRYZGALOV	ANA	4	27	2	25	.926	.929
7	MARTY TURCO	DAL	7	39	3	36	.923	.952
8	MARTIN BRODEUR	NJD	10	70	7	63	.900	.919
9	HENRIK LUNDQVIST	NYR	8	40	4	36	.900	.932
10	RICK DIPIETRO	NYI	4	20	2	18	.900	.898
11	RAY EMERY	OTT	9	56	7	49	.875	.917
12	EVGENI NABOKOV	SJS	9	46	6	40	.870	.925
13	NIKLAS BACKSTROM	MIN	5	36	5	31	.861	.924
14	DOMINIK HASEK	DET	10	52	8	44	.846	.919
15	RYAN MILLER	BUF	9	43	7	36	.837	.931
16	MARC-ANDRE FLEURY	PIT	5	36	6	30	.833	.880
17	JOHAN HOLMQVIST	TBL	6	32	7	25	.781	.893
18	DANY SABOURIN	VAN	2	4	1	3	.750	.909
19	WADE DUBIELEWICZ	NYI	1	7	2	5	.714	.886
20	KARI LEHTONEN	ATL	2	12	4	8	.667	.849

For a post-mortem, I suppose Vancouver fans could look at either side: the fact that they lost each of the last three to Anaheim by one goal (and the last two in overtime) could mean that even a small upgrade in offence in the off-season could propel them even further next spring. Of course, expecting another near-perfect season from their goaltender is possibly unrealistic, and covers up even more holes in a flawed team (where, for example, Kevin Bieksa ends up averaging over 28 minutes of ice-time per game - not meaning to take credit away from Bieksa but if the Canucks need to address anything before the offence, it is the need to develop a more-solid defensive six to at least begin an offensive attack. What is the long-term prognosis of Lukas Krajicek? I liked his skill in junior but am left to wonder if he'll ever approach premier top-4 status in the NHL.).

Game 7

They live! They live!



Trevor Linden and the Sedins wake up for game 7 - Vancouver wins 4-1 to advance:



I had the over-under at 2.2 and considering there were 2 empty-netters the 3 other goals were pretty much par-for-the-course in this series. Vancouver was playing their usual meek offensive style and after Joel Lundqvist scored in the first period it honestly looked like the Canucks wouldn't score again until October. Strangely enough they carried much of the play in the second period and when Henrik Sedin scored late in the second - the 'nucks first goal since last Tuesday in game 4 - GM Place erupted as if Nathan Lafayette had finally shot that puck 1 inch to the left...

Mr. Canuck - Trevor Linden - scored the winner seven minutes into the third on the power play. Jokes aside, Linden has played in nine game 7s and now has 12 points (including both Canucks' goals in game 7 of the '94 finals against the New York Rangers). After that the Canucks had to weather a few chances including a ridiculous save by Roberto Luongo off of Stu Barnes with 10 minutes left...although if Henrik hadn't played Jeff Halpern like a complete pussy behind the net Dallas never would have had retained puck possession. Jesus, you don't even have to clobber the guy but enough with the gym-class poke checks.

Lots of penalties in the third, and referee Rob Shick got a little gutless on his diving call against Linden, which was bogus. I understand what he was trying to do as it was getting chippy; Eric Lindros clearly tripped Linden (Lindros in particular was ratcheting up his borderline play as the game went on; that's pretty much been his career m.o.) but Shick probably didn't want to cause a riot on the Dallas bench with another call. I get it, but it still sucks. In fact, I don't get the diving penalty at all. If it's a dive....it's a dive, and that should be the only penalty. If the initial penalty is/was legitimate....then it's not a dive. I think it's a complete cop-out for the refs.


Of course let's not kid ourselves: the real reason Vancouver pulled it out was because they wore the throwbacks. NICE.

Sabres survive

A bit late, but quality recaps/critiques of the game can be found here or here. Or here. Weird game - the Sabres kept getting better and better as the game went on, and did truly dominate the 2nd and first half of the 3rd period. With less than 10 minutes left in the game I had already cracked open my celebratory box of Double-Stuf Fudgeeos. Then....what the hell???? 4-3, and the Islanders were on FIRE. The Ryan Miller save will be replayed for years to come (check it on the following video, :40 seconds before the end):



In the end, the Sabres didn't play a full game in this series (damn close in game 5) and hopefully this will serve as a bit of a reminder that it will only be harder. If the Rangers are the next opponent, they should expect a physical presence with a much more potent top line with Michael Nylander and Jaromir Jagr on fire.

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Meanwhile, I just finished sitting through game 6 of the Vancouver/Dallas series and I'm shocked at the lack of offensive creativity in the Canucks. Two consecutive shutouts and not much of a challenge for Marty Turco. Of the 20 times in history that a team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in a series, 4 times it has come at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks. Meaningless to 2007, but interesting nonetheless.

Swedish Twins

outstanding.