Canucks 2 – 5 Bruins
At least in the first two games in Boston, the Canucks had the decency to have a good first period and give fans hope for a decent performance. No chance of that tonight, as the Canucks’ opening stanza was as painful as Vogon poetry. Everything fell apart faster than dominoes on a rowboat. Luongo ended up shot full of more holes than Daffy Duck. It was more depressing than Requiem for a Dream and had fewer enjoyable moments than Good Luck Chuck. In a word, it was awful. In two words, it was bloody awful. I hated watching it. But I did it for you. No, not you or you. But you. Yeah, you. For you, I watched this game.
- Our thoughts and prayers are with Mason Raymond, who was removed from the arena on a stretcher after being awkwardly hit into the boards by Johnny Boychuk. It was an ugly sight, which had all the hallmarks of a spine injury. He likely should have been carried off the ice on a stretcher instead of being helped off the ice on his skates. At this time there has been no report on his condition.
- Shockingly, despite Raymond not even touching the puck, there was no penalty for interference on the play. It’s a mystifying non-call, but not as shameful as the response from the Boston crowd, who booed and jeered Raymond as he lay near-motionless on the ice. That’s about as classy as Calvin & Hobbes in the summer.
- I just conducted a brief interview with Captain Obvious post-game and managed to get the following statements out of him: Roberto Luongo was awful in this game. Cory Schneider was good in relief. Luongo will be starting Game 7. Ice cream is delicious.
- With Luongo’s disappointing performance, there will be plenty of people making the narrative of this game about his comments after Game 5, where he made the mistake of giving an interesting answer to a question. We didn’t have much to say about his comments, mainly because they were remarkably innocuous compared to the reaction they received. Somehow, pointing out the differences in the two goaltenders’ styles was interpreted as an insult. Luongo even said that Thomas will make saves that he won’t because of his different style. Funny thing is, the same media members that ripped Luongo for his comments likely bemoan the lack of personality in post-game interviews. They’re more clueless than Pigeon John.
- In a surprising move, Don Cherry ended up being the voice of reason in regards to Luongo’s comments. It’s the most surprising heel face turn since Anton Ego.
- On the opposite end of the ice from the 4-minute meltdown (which would be a great name for a ska band), it was a story of missed opportunities. Early on, Henrik missed an open net after the puck bounced over his stick. Late in the first, Burrows had an open net to convert a Henrik pass, but Daniel tipped it on the way through. Combine these missed chances with further outstanding goaltending from Tim Thomas, and it was a frustrating night for the Canucks’ forwards.
- It was, however, a night full of good signs for the Canucks’ top line. The line showed a lot of jump early in the first period, dominated the offensive zone for an entire shift late in the first, and created two goals in the third period. The line combined for 11 shots and 7 hits. Like a teenaged fry cook, they look poised to breakout.
- I hate to complain about the reffing in a game like this one, as the Canucks lost this game on their own merits, but does anyone have an explanation for Henrik Sedin getting called for embellishment for being mugged by Zdeno Chara? Anyone? Or how about Daniel Sedin getting called for a 10-minute misconduct for being punched in the face 6 times? How does that make sense?
- Of course, somehow Brad Marchand punching Daniel Sedin gets spun as a negative for Daniel. He’s now being ripped for not responding. It’s a catch-22: either he responds in kind and gets ripped for losing control and getting sucked into the Bruins’ style of play, or he doesn’t respond and gets ripped for being gutless. No one’s talking about Marchand for being spineless for taking on a player he knows won’t respond. If Alex Burrows gives David Krejci similar treatment, guess what the response would be?
- All that said, the Canucks took far too many dumb and undisciplined penalties. Edler’s boarding call on an icing play came with the score 2-0 and the game still in reach. Kesler took an extremely obvious holding call in the offensive zone halfway through the first period while the Canucks still had a chance to respond before the first intermission. Likewise, the too-many-men call late in the first was blatant and is the kind of penalty that has to be avoided. Even in the third period, after the Canucks had scored a goal and were building some momentum, Torres took a blatant tripping call in the offensive zone and Alberts followed it up with an even more blatant crosscheck. The Canucks had less discipline than Detective John Kimble’s Kindergarteners.
- Joe Haggerty called Patrice Bergeron “one of the most gentlemanly players in the game.” I thought he was the picture of grace and chivalry when he drove Schneider into the net and got a goaltender interference penalty. It was very honourable the way he drove his shoulder into Cory’s head. And it was the height of gentlemanly conduct when he elbowed Christian Ehrhoff’s head in the boards. That Bergeron is a class act.
- Manny Malhotra had a terrible night in the faceoff circle, going 5-for-17 for a 29% success rate. Despite his struggles, he still took the majority of the defensive zone faceoffs, going 4-for-12. The third and fourth goal for the Bruins came directly off faceoff losses for Malhotra. I haven’t seen such swift negative consequences since Larry Gopnik changed Clive Park’s grade.
- With the way the crowd was razzing Luongo throughout the game, there may still be people who think Luongo is still on the ice. I’m concerned that they’re still in TD Gardens, chanting Luooonnnngooooo, Luoooonnnnnnggggooooo! Someone should tell them to go home. They probably have families that are worried about them.
- For a brief, shining moment in this game, there was hope. Henrik Sedin scored an absolutely gorgeous goal just 21 seconds into the third period, cutting the lead to three. It was Henrik’s first point of the series, but hopefully won’t be his last. The key to this goal is Kesler going hard to the net, which takes away two Bruins defenders, opening up a lane through the slot for Henrik.
- The hope continued as it appeared that Hansen scored shortly afterwards, as he threw his hands up in celebration, but had only hit the post. Of course, Hansen may have thought he was playing against his old rival, Wolf “The Dentist” Stansson, and thought hitting the post won the Canucks the game. It’s a shame, as Hansen might have had a chance to score on the rebound. Shortly after, the hope disappeared as the Canucks’ penalty problems took over.
- Lapierre’s goal may have been meaningless, but it sure was pretty. Kind of like a Zack Snyder movie.
- Beyond the obvious injury to Mason Raymond, the Canucks also appeared to lose Alex Edler and Andrew Alberts in the third period. Edler didn’t play at all in the final 14 minutes and Alberts appeared to injure his leg in a collision with Tomas Kaberle and missed the last 5 minutes. In their absence, Kevin Bieksa logged almost 26 minutes, with 8 shots and another 6 shots missed (some intentionally). Bieksa will be heavily relied upon if either Alberts or Edler misses Game 7, with Keith Ballard the likeliest candidate to draw back into the lineup. Hopefully both will recover in time for Wednesday.
- And finally, don’t panic. The earth is mostly harmless, Luongo is a frood who really knows where his towel is, and EA Sports said this would happen: 7 games, with neither team winning on the road. Keep calm and #trustEASports
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BECanucks
June 14, 2011And thank you for having watched this game for me, because, honestly, I waivered back and forth.
Well, it took Harry Potter seven books to finish Voldemort… And there were casualties on the way… Now I have to cast MayRay in the role of a wizard… we can do it.
And let’s #trustEAsports
Kezzi
June 14, 2011I trust EA! Home ice all the way baby!
Besides…would YOU want to hoist that Cup over your head and skate around in front of those nice (and probably armed) Boston fans? I think the players took one look at the crowd and asked Lu to “not try so hard” so they wouldn’t get shot in front of the family members the team so nicely flew in with the players. And really, the NHL doesn’t want bullet dents in the Cup. I don’t think. Not sure what that league wants anymore. Fair play? Uh…nope. Apparently not.
And speaking of Thelma and Louise… wasn’t Thelma supposed to come in and off the dude punching Louise? Those Sedins just aren’t living up to their reputations!
Oh boy…sounds like the defense may see the return of Lee Sweat! Personally, I want to see Alex Burrows have to play defense. He seems to thrive on challenges.
What I really want to see is Luongo with that anthem game face, like he had before Game 7 against Chicago and Game 5 in the finals. When Lu has that look, you know he’s going to be stone cold brilliant. GET THAT LOOK LU!!!!
beninvictoria
June 14, 2011In the words of the announcer from Mortal Kombat, we got the Bruins right where we want them so lets “Finish Him!”
skott daltonic
June 14, 2011simple fact:
the canucks haven’t responded to any of the tough stuff. at all.
not one player. wait – not true, i think it was kessler who fought seidenberg (and then kept punching him while he was on the ice), who’d not at all a fighter.
it’s a game. it’s part of the game. marchand was barely punching him, he was trying to show him that he’s always there and will always be there to hammer him and bother him. it’s getting in the heads. it’s worked so far, no?
the question is, why doesn’t vancouver do that to marchand? he’s had a great series.
or chara.
oh wait – they tried that by taunting and all that junk in game 2. but then they got beaten at that game, too, in boston.
this has been a great series.
Frank Greenberg
June 14, 2011I almost laughed reading this. The Canucks probably will win tomorrow night because for whatever reason the Bruins cannot score in that being. The Canucks are clearly a more talented team and if they bothered to show up for the road games they already would have won this series. That being said the Canucks whine just like you whine while the Bruins just play.
As far as booing Raymond he is a very good player and not a whinner or diver as are many of the Canuck players. The crowd was out of line but how can you blame them when diving is so prevelent on that team. Just for the record all of you Canadians hoping to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada, The Bruins dress 14 Canadians every night how about the Canucks ? certainly less .
It is interesting to see all the Canadians from the Maratimes in Boston for the games. They are all Bruinn fans because for years they have been getting the games over the water on the radio. They also hate the Canadiens because of their rude, pomp[ous, arogant French fans.
I feel for all thouse Vancouver fans who traveled across the country not once but twice at great expense to get thier asses handed to tyhem 3 stright times.
Thanks for listening
\
Frank Greenberg
Rockland Mass.
jenny wren
June 14, 2011Just seconds in and Raymond’s gone
And now the rest must carry on
Perhaps without their usual zeal
For fearing that he’s hurt for real
Ten minutes in it’s four to none
The Boston fans are having fun
Luongo’s out and Schneider’s in
There is no way the Nucks will win
Though Raymond’s loss may well explain
Their losing to the Bruins again
Vancouver is the better team
Except for Thomas it would seem
Because he plays each shot just right
We’ll need a shutout Wednesday night
Jenny Wren
BruinsAreAlive
June 14, 2011I was hoping Harrison would do this write-up. At least he’s funny and original.
All you do is bitch and moan. You’re worse than a 12 year old girl. What … Ever.
Complain about crowd chanting Luongo, about refs, about Marchand, about refs again, about Boychuk, about refs again, about the media, about Bergeron.
What. Ever.
Steven
June 14, 2011BruinsAreAlive, are you a pre-teen girl? All I hear from you is bitching over nothing.
Anonymous
June 14, 2011A Bruins fan who read PITB enough to have a preferential writer? Please. This is surely Harrison in disguise.
adrock
June 14, 2011Mason Raymond has been confirmed with fractured vertebrae. So Boston has broken two players necks on dirty plays in one season, with not so much as a slap on the wrist, and may very well end up winning the cup. I think I may be done with the NHL for a while. Disgusted.
John C
June 14, 2011It wasn’t a dirty play at all.
adrock
June 14, 2011Raymond was in a vulnerable position and Boychuk drove him into the boards while the puck was nowhere near him. It was an unnecessary hit, just like Rome’s, that resulted in an severe injury. Open your eyes man.
John C
June 14, 2011I don’t believe it was equivalent to Rome’s hit, the NHL didn’t think so either and other rational humans who saw both hits aren’t equating them.
adrock
June 14, 2011I never said it was equal to Rome’s hit. I said it was an unnecessary play. Both plays were brain farts by the offending player that ended up causing severe injuries. Rome’s was a borderline clean hit that was definitely late that definitely deserved suspension. Boychuk ran a player that was incapable of defending himself hard into the boards. Boychuk has to let up on a player that has his head stuck between his legs. The NHL has been calling for respect between players all season, there was none on that play.
The fact that the NHL doesn’t think so is the problem.
I hardly see how I can be irrational for having a differing opinion than you. I think it was a bad play, you don’t, end of story.
peanutflower
June 14, 2011This entire series has been seriously short of respect from all angles. It’s horrible. I’ve waited 40 years for this and it’s going pretty sour.
kgg
June 14, 2011A reference to “A Serious Man”. Sweet. I thought I was the only one who saw that brilliant movie.
J Walter Weatherman
June 14, 2011This is not a rhetorical question:can someone explain to me why the league is not looking at the Raymond injury? Is it protocol to only look at thing the refs give penalties for?
Thalia
June 14, 2011Apparently they reviewed the play, but decided it was an “awkward collision” and not worth a suspension.
From Mke Murphy: “[It was an] awkward collision between two players battling for space/room. [You] rarely see a player bumped when in the position Raymond was in (bent over forward).”
source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/boychuk-escapes-suspension-for-hit-on-raymond/article2060590/
Daniel Wagner
June 14, 2011Disappointing that they didn’t review how he got in that position in the first place. Oh well: nothing can be done now except ensure that at least Raymond’s name ends up on the Stanley Cup.
J Walter Weatherman
June 14, 2011Thanks Thalia.
Definitely disappointing.
These statements from the NHL are verging on an art form. It looks like you can attach any statement to any case. (e.g., it wouldn’t be wrong to call Raymond’s case a “late hit”, and Horton’s an “awkward collision”).
Jeff
June 14, 2011Oh, is he being traded to Boston tonight?
John C
June 14, 2011It definitely sucks about Raymond but the play wasn’t dirty. I really hope Luongo starts not Schneider. I can’t wait until the B’s are up 3-0 in first period of Game 7 and everyone panics.
Go Bruins
peanutflower
June 14, 2011Man, what happens to the boys when they get in that arena (named after a Canadian bank)? It’s like the heavens open up and shit falls out.
cc
June 14, 2011I want them to confirm Raymond’s injury, because then the NHL can suspend Seindenberg. That’s the precedent they set with Rome after all: suspend based on injuries.
adrock
June 14, 2011It sounds like the NHL has already said the Boychuk hit had no malicious intent. So basically, Rome suspended based on the outcome of the hit, while ignoring the intent, Boychuk set free based on the intent of the play, not the outcome.. Sounds about right.
Also, forgetting all the outrage for a minute, I really hope Raymond pulls through this long term.
anonymoose
June 14, 2011This is why punishing the result (the injury) and not the action (the hit) is absolutely insanely stupid, for a number of reasons.
By the way, that is why players dive. For fairness sake, I’ll take examples from both sides: on the game before Lapierre’s was “speared”, Ferrence got himself a penalty by pretending to be high sticked when he was never touched.
Now, if you make a (sensible) rule that raising the stick to eye level near a player or spearing them gets a penalty, none of them need to dive. But the stupid refs are only going to give the thing if the player is in pain, which creates the need to dive. With the cup at stake, you can’t blame people for responding to the incentives.
jenny wren
June 14, 2011Sedin is cross-checked to the ice
The refs think diving will suffice
To keep the play at four on four
That is a call one can’t ignore
It’s calls like this affect a game
I wish I knew who is to blame
Mayhap the Nucks must blame themselves
For crying wolf and pale green elves
Or perhaps the powers that be
Prefer the Bruins to you and me
Or it may be there’s no intent
And they are just incompetent
For that is what I would believe
But I am easy to deceive
My being young and thus naive
clay pigeon
John C
June 14, 2011Raymond was injured by Boychuk not Seidenberg. Get your fact correct.
Daveid
June 14, 2011Wow – you are as big of a baby as the Sedin’s. Yes, they should defend themselves. Wussies. The Canucks are a far dirtier team tan the Bruins, and should have had at least 2 or 3 embellishment calls against them in each game.
Dave
June 14, 2011Anyone who has watched both teams play can see the Bruins have been much dirtier in this series. Oh sure, the Canucks have embellished things – but I don’t see embellishing to be as dirty as cheap shots to the back of the head. Sorry.
Fact is, if you look at the number of non-calls on dirty hits against the Canucks it’s no wonder some of them are embellishing – I’ve seen the Sedins take half a dozen cross-checks in a row with no penalty called. With that history, can’t you expect some players will try to get the ref’s attention when the other team’s running wild with no calls?
Mad Dog
June 14, 2011Are you kidding me that you think the Bruins are the dirtier team? First of all the Bruins have responded to the bush league antics of the Canucks from the first two games. For the entire series the Vancouver forwards leave their feet to board check Bruins defensemen that have thier backs turned. The Canucks continuously charge into Thomas and as soon as Parice Bergeron touched your goalie a penalty was called. Yes, the Bruins have been aggressive, the Canucks started the dirty play, and now they are paying for what they started. If the Canucks spent less time flopping and paid attention to their own style of game they may have a chance but that is not going to happen. There is little chance of the Canucks winning for many reasons including spending all of their time blaming the refs., disrepecting the Bruins, listening to their big mouth coach, over confident and overrated goalie, the Sedin sisters don’t have the guts to tough it out, backing loser teamates that bite an opponent, plus many many other weaknesses. The Cup will be raised Wednesday night with Zedeno Chara carrying it around the rink.
Daniel Wagner
June 14, 2011Zdeno.
peanutflower
June 14, 2011How can you equate embellishment with playing dirty? I’ve yet to see an embellishment call — is it even called that? — cause a concussion or, say, a broken back to anyone. Let’s get this straight, Boston plays what is euphemistically called “old time hockey”, which is really just a code word for playing right on the little teeny edge between rough and malicious. Just go back to your own forum.
SteveB
June 14, 2011Thank you for IWTG.
Reading it helps take some of the bitter taste out of my mouth.
I hope that Mason Raymond can follow in Manny Malholtra’s footsteps and also make a speedy recovery and be able to play the game he loves so well again.
Go Canucks!
PetriSkriko
June 14, 2011I think a lot of this game came down to puck luck… Marchand scores on a *perfect* shot (and is subsequently in litigation with Jeff Tambellini over using his Magic Shooty Spot), the second goal squueeeaked through Lu’s thighs, the fourth goal pings off a skate and goes top corner, and we missed on 4-5 great opportunites… this very well could have been a Vancouver win.
I was also shocked at the complete lack of class in Boston after Raymond went down. It was stomach-turning. And why the heck didn’t they put him on a stretcher on the ice??
I hope we can use this as motivation to completely dominate them in game 7.
#winitformayray
Zelmo
June 14, 2011Wow. The trolls have come lurching out in force from their dank caves. Thanks for the smart hockey writing. We get last change on home ice. We’ll need it since the officials are trying to decide this series.
anonymoose
June 14, 2011The NHL, especially in these finals, has turned the hockey into Calvinball (the game where rules are made as you go, from the Calvin and Hobbes strip).
I’m trying to make a point without getting into specific hits/injuries/controversies and the possibility of bias. When people who don’t usually follow hockey ask me why some things are penalties/suspensions and others not, I have been unable to come up with any reasonable answer. The “specialists” in the media seem to be in the same situation.
This is sad news for the sport. In its biggest stage and when a lot of potential new fans are paying attention, the NHL portrays itself as a total bush league. Later they will wonder why they can’t increase the sport popularity in the USA…
Chelsea
June 14, 2011I don’t know whether someone brought this up already, but the only reason Mason was in that awkward position was because he was hooked between the legs by Boychuk… (which you can see fairly clearly at about 27 seconds into your NBC clip)
Ridiculous.
Daniel Wagner
June 14, 2011As I recall, “he started it” stopped being an effective argument back in…wait, it never was. That didn’t even work in kindergarten.
Daniel Wagner
June 14, 2011I don’t recall anyone here standing up for Burrows. It was deserving of a penalty. He got one. End of story.
Harrison Mooney
June 14, 2011And with this comment, I’ve decided everything you post from here on out will be deleted on sight. Don’t come back.
PetriSkriko
June 14, 2011Good riddance. Fully deserved the banhammer.
PetriSkriko
June 14, 2011So… you’re saying… Raymond deserved a broken vertebrae?
Is that what you’re saying?
Reece
June 14, 2011I’m angry you introduced me to Haggerty, Skeeter. His articles are some of the most one-sided, biased pieces of “journalism” I’ve ever come across. Sometimes, when I look at his little picture right at the top of his articles, all I see is Trollface…he must be trolling, right? Right?
Jason
June 14, 2011Luongo was bad yesterday, probably the worst performance he’s had all playoffs (sure the previous two blowouts to Boston and the two to Chicago were bad games, but they were more the team not showing up than Luongo blowing it). Hopefully Lu can quickly put this one behind him and return to game 5 form.
JR
June 14, 2011I appreciate that you can write an unbiased article! I’m so sick of all the crap out there, on both sides.
sunedit
June 14, 2011Weak.
Gabrielle
June 14, 2011So if a serious injury warrants a suspension (Horton), why isn’t the league looking at this? 4 games for Rome and they won’t even give this a look???
DanD
June 14, 2011This series, and its atrocious media coverage has gone beyond bearable. The fans chanting while Raymond was down on the ice was just enraging. I’ve decided to pretty much only read PITB until after game 7. It’s almost at the point where I just want the series to be done, regardless of who wins.
You could almost argue that the whole “zen approach” the Canucks have carried has been one big catch 22. They try to stay calm as a team and people think they don’t stand up for each other. They stand up for each other, and people think they’ve lost their cool. It must be a lonely road these guys walk.
And for the record, there has been a lack of discipline/class on both sides, from players who in both of their cities are probably genuinely great guys off the ice. I don’t know if the Canucks will ever lose the tags they’ve gained this series, but the “big bad Bruins” deserve just as much derision. Marchand is so “young Burrows-like” it’s uncanny. I wish I could just yell at the entire media. But you guys are doing a much better, and much calmer job. Keep it up!
John C
June 14, 2011Lots of very sensitive Canucks fans on this board. Is it sensitivity or nerves?
Harrison Mooney
June 14, 2011Both.
J21
June 14, 2011The problem is, did EA sports forecast such a disparity in injuries? The Canucks are basically icing half their lineup at this point.
Paul
June 15, 2011To answer your question re: what if Burrows hit Krejci in the face: he wouldn’t get to number five because Krejci would hit him back. No one with a ‘C’ on their jersey should take that, especially from a much smaller man. That lack of heart and will was why the more talented team lost this series.