NHL playoff round one update: Do you know what an orca sounds like when choking on a feather?
Do you know what an orca sounds like when choking on a feather?
An orca, or killer whale, is an apex predator of the oceans and can even maul large sharks. However, it seems it has a tough time when one gets caught in their throat. And if you are very, very quiet, put a hand up to your ear and listen toward the northwest, you just might be able to hear exactly what that sounds like?
It’s not a pretty noise, really…especially if you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan.
The Canucks…winners of the Northwest Divisions and the Presidents’ Trophy, collectors of 117 regular season points and winners of 54 games coming into the postseason…had the defending Stanley Cup champs right where they wanted them, down three games to none and four games in which to finish them off.
Make that only one now.
Ben Smith’s overtime goal last night in Chicago leveled the series at three games apiece and sets up a seventh and deciding game seven in Vancouver Tuesday night. They’ve outscored the Canucks 16-5 in the three wins and put the Hawks just one victory away from one of the greatest come-from-behind series triumphs of all time.
Or one of the greatest all-time choke jobs…depending on which way you wish to view it.
The question all Canucks fans are asking today is which goalie will they see in between the pipes Tuesday nigh? Head coach Alain Vigneault decided to start backup Cory Schneider in Chicago last night, but Roberto Luongo had to be called upon after Schneider cramped up trying to stop Michael Frolik’s penalty shot that tied the game at 3-3 in the third period.
Luongo stopped the first 12 shots he faced for the remaining time in the third and into OT, but number 13 proved to be unlucky for he and the Canucks.
The dramatic Blackhawks win capped off a great weekend of NHL playoff hockey. Since Friday we’ve seen the Washington Capitals dispose of the New York Rangers and the Nashville Predators shake off the pesky Anaheim Ducks for the first ever postseason series win in that franchises history.
Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning thumped the Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings beat the San Jose Sharks to remain alive in their respective series. The Bolts and Kings will each host game six tonight and will be looking to force game seven scenarios as well.
Montreal will do the same tomorrow as the Boston Bruins now hold a three games to two lead thanks to their 2-1 OT win Saturday.
Then there’s the game seven between Philadelphia and Buffalo tomorrow night. Yesterday the Sabres were unable to close things out at home, despite leads of 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3. Scott Hartnell’s first goal of the playoffs tied the score midway through the third period for the Flyers and Ville Leino’s second won it for Philly 4:43 into the overtime period.
Now the Sabres will have to travel back to the city of brotherly love to try and advance to the second round.
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133 comments Add your comment
ZAvalanche
April 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
In the words of Peter McNab, “tonights game could go one of two ways”. Yup, prophetic.
Moe
April 26th, 2011
3:48 pm
ZAvalanche – I think your right about Luongo vs. Toews tonight. Last year, Toews had 4 goals and 7 assists in their 6 games against each other. This year, 0 goals 3 assists in 6 games. Toews will score tonight, and it should be the game winning goal…
ZAvalanche
April 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
Moe – If Luongo comes in like regular season Luongo, Chi is in big trouble. If Toews comes in like he rolled last year, Vancouver is in trouble. This is a total and awesome showdown. I think that if the ‘Nucks can make it past this round they are going to be very dangerous. If Chi makes it past the ‘Nucks then they will roll with SJ = a pretty good match up and you have to think they are very pleased to not have to face the Big Red Borg (I still love that term Bill) in round 2 if they get there.
So….
I am hoping for SJ vs Chi
And Nash vs Det. If the ‘Nucks win it would be ‘Nucks vs Nash and SJ vs Det.
Larry E
April 26th, 2011
4:08 pm
Sure would be nice to have some front page news on the Stanley Cup championship instead of Hawks and Braves (boring). We still do have a NHL hockey team for the time being.
Moe
April 26th, 2011
4:12 pm
ZAvalanche – yup, so close to 50-50 its not funny. I think Nashville must be cheering for Chicago, since they did well against the Red Wings this year.
Red Light
April 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
Pick your poison out West: A talented, well rested Wings team? A Canucks team that finally got past its arch-nemesis? A Sharks team that seems better prepared for long series than in the past? The defending Cup champions who came from down 3-0 to beat the Canucks…yet again? Or, a Nashville team coming off its first series victory ever?
ZAvalanche
April 26th, 2011
4:51 pm
RL, if I were the team that comes out of the East, I would pick Vancouver as my opponent least likely to beat me. Reason is that I don’t think that their physical play (or lack of) could handle any team in the East. Skill? Yeah, they have everybody blown away, especially in depth.
World Be Free
April 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
Philly 4 Buffalo 1 tonight
Neither team can break from tradition
Brendan
April 26th, 2011
7:23 pm
Almost puck drop for the Sabres-Flyers! Should be a dandy. The real main even is at 10PM, when the Canucks tackle the Blackhawks. I somehow think the Canucks find a way to win this one. I’m thinking … Sedin in OT, to thwart the comeback?
Prior to last season, the NHL didn’t use “History Will Be Made” as its marketing campaign. Since it did, each year, some team has rallied from down 3-0 to force a 7th game. Maybe the Blackhawks will join the Flyers in that regard. Horribly disappointing end to a fabulous season for the Canucks, should they lose. Franchise bests for wins, points, etc. What’s the rule, in the playoffs?
Class! Class!! Class!!!
“Gotta keep winning.” Even up, 3-0, you must keep winning. There are no pity points, for nice effort, anymore. You must win.
Brendan
April 26th, 2011
7:24 pm
Red Light, I pick the Sharks, of the descriptions you mentioned.
Brendan
April 26th, 2011
7:24 pm
Red Light, excellent research today. Just excellent. You are why the blog is so good.
ZAvalanche
April 26th, 2011
8:08 pm
Philly and Buffalo are playing it very tight and close to the vest. I don’t have the other game.
ZAvalanche
April 26th, 2011
10:04 pm
Holy a$$ whooping in Philly tonight.
Red Light
April 27th, 2011
12:00 am
Thanks Brendan but I’m nothing but a fourth-line center who occasionally sees time on the PK!
Is there no justice in this world? Another playoff series with the orange-and black? This will be the 6th straight time in two playoff years that I have to watch their crap. A double PA whammy if Pens win tomorrow night. Hate ‘em both!
Alan R.
April 27th, 2011
12:48 am
Vancouver gave up their first shorthanded goal of the season tonight.
A game tying goal.
With under two minutes left in the game.
ZAvalanche
April 27th, 2011
1:08 am
WOW! Can’t fault a goalie for a goal like that. Crawford stood on his head all game, and burner that is rolling is like a knuckle ball, it can go anywhere. Good effort Chi, nice win Van. THAT was a good game.
ZAvalanche
April 27th, 2011
1:19 am
I didn’t catch who turned it over but that dude has to be p!ssed as hell right now.
Tom Lysiak
April 27th, 2011
1:26 am
ZA – pretty sure it was Campoli.
ZAvalanche
April 27th, 2011
1:29 am
Thanks Tom, I don’t have DVR right now so I couldn’t re-watch it. Campoli must be feeling the wrath right now, but not near as bad as he is going to read about tomorrow.
Alan R.
April 27th, 2011
1:37 am
West predictions:
Wings over Sharks in 6
Nashville over Canucks in 6
Detroit is in far better shape than they were last year, and they’ve had plenty of time off to let their guys rest and recover. They may be a little rusty, but with as loose as the Sharks played the Kings, the Red Wings will give them fits.
Nashville is a team that will wear down the opposition, and use any lapses to put pucks on net. Vancouver will have to watch out for that. Anyone saying the Nucks will have an easy time of things have another thing coming. Luongo’s defense, I think, made Luongo look good in this series with Chicago. Given Nashville’s style, however, I don’t see this working for a second series.
Badger Bob
April 27th, 2011
7:13 am
You gotta believe the Nucks would rather be playing in front of Crawford than Luoooongo, and that’s got to play on their minds. Nashville in 7 and the Borg in 5.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2011
7:22 am
Brunes can’t be too happy with Lucic in this series. He has done nothing offesively, then gets a mjor/game that results in a game winning goal. Any player has to know not to hit another player when you see the numbers, just like a block int he back in football.
But I also fault Spacek on the play; he did nothing to protect himself facing the boards and playing with the puck for an extended period. The first they team you in hockey at a young age is look up and get rid of the puck before you get nailed. You knew Spacek was going to get nailed, damage done by a 245# winger. ANd get rid of that seamless glass! Habs are supposed to be so smart, that stuff is the worst invention in hockey history, like hitting a brick wall.
Montreal fans at the Bell Center are the worst bunch of whining crybabies.
Red Light
April 27th, 2011
8:23 am
Vancouver will win the next long series but the grind will cost them a shot at the Cup. Winner of San Jose and Detroit goes to the Cup Finals.
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2011
8:25 am
Campoli with the fitting for the goat horns early this morning. What an egregious turnover in a pivotal game, what an anti-climactic way for that series to end, justice would have been someone making a huge play to win it, not a lame turnover to lose it.
So what did all those stats we saw yesterday prove, yet again? Every time I see #s that favor one over the other, or you see in an NFL game that so and so hasn’t thrown an interception in 13 games, you just know what’s coming next . . . stats show trends in the past, but they also show the odds of the same thing occuring in the future, which is ever diminishing. But thanks for posting all those stats, I sat there all night convinced they were going to lose, after seeing how road team had won so many Game 7s and OTs recently, odds were leaning in Vancouver’s favor heavily because of that. Great season by the Hawks, and what a performance by Crawford, how did he not get nominated for the Calder?
AtlantaFlamesFan
April 27th, 2011
8:40 am
After the first goal, Briere tapped Miller on the back of the helmet. Does anyone else think that deserves an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty? Taunting the goalie like that after a goal could lead to some ugly situations.
Badger Bob
April 27th, 2011
9:11 am
Echoes of ‘89?
Flames 1989 President’s Trophy winners, #1 offense, #2 defense
Vancouver 2011 President’s Trophy winners, #1 offense, #1 defense
1989 Flames pushed to overtime in Game 7 of their first and supposedly easiest series (against Vancouver, BTW)
2011 Nucks pushed to overtime in Game 7 of their first series
1989 Flames only lose 3 more games in the next three series, on route to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
2011 Nucks?? I hope not, but just sayin…
AFF, I saw the tap and it should have been a penalty, but I’m not sure it was meant as a taunt given their relationship.
Rawhide
April 27th, 2011
9:20 am
This is your official 10-minute Ranallo Warning. New blog to be posted at 9:30am.
ZAvalanche
April 27th, 2011
9:21 am
AtlantaFlamesFan – yeah, I noticed that in the replay as well but I don’t think he did it for that purpose, though if he did, he pulled it off well.
Campoli has to bee feeling like he crapped the bed this morning – huge turnover.
Crawford was simply amazing last night – and they lost. Tells me that Vancouver was really the better team. I thought that game was going to be Toews vs Loungo, and in a way it was, but I would say they both get an A- on the evening.
I think Miller got left out to dry. Buffalo’s D was horrific last night and they simply got pushed around by Philly.
Anybody see the Boston Montreal game? How did it look?
Smoothie
April 27th, 2011
9:26 am
“Vancouver will win the next long series but the grind will cost them a shot at the Cup. Winner of San Jose and Detroit goes to the Cup Finals.”
THIS. But I tend to think San Jose will be the ones who oust the Nucks.
AtlantaFlamesFan
April 27th, 2011
9:35 am
When Briere did it, my first reaction was that it was taunting and worth a penalty. However, after seeing the post game handshake and how they embraced each other, I get the feeling that it was not meant that way. However, he is lucky he did not go to the box (and feel much shame).
ZAvalanche
April 27th, 2011
9:59 am
Smoothie, I think SJ or Det could both take Van down. Van struggled with, yes, a former championship team, but a team that lost a lot of it’s role playing players. Vancouver has to be worried about the next round.
Not Blind
April 27th, 2011
10:07 am
I hate Lavliolette coached teams but Buffalo did not compete. In the mid-game interview Ruff sounded beaten already although there was plenty of time left. I didn’t see him try to exhort his team to a higher level of play. I think he could already see that his team wasn’t willing to do the things needed to win [ i.e. take the dirty shots that Philly/Lavliolette dish out ].
Brendan
April 27th, 2011
1:43 pm
Great shot that beat Crawford. I cannot fault him. Campoli attempted to make a crazy clearing pass. I honestly cannot say what he was thinking, other than ‘he panicked.’ He tried to recover, but it was too late.
Canucks exhale. Canucks survive. Canucks will win again, next round.