The Vancouver Canucks Rule Thread! ha ha

[armyvern]

Ouch - I'm officially out of the chrystal ball business.  My final prediction on this is that it'll go 6, maybe 7....

Thomas is playing Stanley Cup champion hockey, Luongo quit the last couple games.  I'll be interested to see if they start Schneider in game 5 to give Luongo a breather...lord knows the Canucks home crowd won't be easy on him.

This will be an exciting series, but I really want to see the bush league stuff come to an end.

"Bush League" has existed in hockey games since the original six - it's all a part of the game; no difference this year than any other. Vancouver wants Boston to play Vancouver's style of game exactly as Boston wants Vancouver to play Boston-style. Whichever team gives in and plays the others' style of game will be the loser in this series.

I'm hoping that Vancouver gives Schneider the start (I think Lou is waaaaayyyy overpaid) because I like his style and I think that will tighten it up somewhat. Thomas is having an excellent year and series thus far and I am thanking the stars we have him in net because the rest of the Boston D could really use a swift kick in the ass.

Glad that it is Boston up against a Canadian team in any case so I'd temper my disappointment of possibly losing the Cup with the solace that it's back in Canada.

 

[Infanteer]

"Bush League" has existed in hockey games since the original six - it's all a part of the game;

Bush league is biting, taunting, calling teams out (and then having your guys do the same) and all the other BS after the whistle.  Both teams are doing it and it is stupid to watch in the Finals.

As a Canucks fan it is frustrating as we should be making Boston pay big time for the penalties, but we get nothing and end up going to the box ourselves.

 

[OldSolduer]

Luongo, while I like him, was left in that net far too long.

He should have been pulled in game 3 after the 4th goal, or about 8 goals too late.

The Sedins were AWOL.

 

[Infanteer]

Funny thing is, as a Canucks fan, I've seen this before.

This is the team that dumped 2 straight (including a goose egg) to Edmonton at the end of the season.  This is the team that lost those two against Chicago big time (including a goose egg) in Round 1.  So I've seen the team go in and out of these troughs.  I'm just hoping we get out of this one in time (like, Friday).

 

[Kat Stevens]

Don't forget also, that the Bruins, much as I love em, are choke artists of the highest order.  If they lose the next one, They in all likelihood will implode.  And someone needs to put Thomas on his ass a few times, or label a slapshot or two straight at his mellon, he's entirely too confident.

 

[Brutus]

Vern: I can appreciate that Boston has a style, but the constant slashes to the ankles/knees, holding, interference, etc is not allowed. If this was 2001, fine, but the game has been called a certain way for 82 games + 3 rounds, and now there is a definate shift back to 'Old Time (Illegal) Hockey'.

Canucks are losing the neutral zone battle, and are turning the puck over in their end too much. Their Powerplay needs to score as right now they are actually -1 in that department. If they can do that, and the game is called competantly, the Canucks can win. If not, they will have a tough time winning 2 of the next 3.

 

[Sapplicant]

I can't wait to see game 5. Boston has momentum on their side, but you just have to know that Vancouver is going to EXPLODE out of the gates to try to get their crowd into the game ASAP after their disastrous trip to Beantown.. This could be one for the ages. I believe we're going to see a much tighter score, possibly even overtime.

Not looking foward to the final horn of the cup-winning game, however. I've never had to drown my sorrows in celebration before. Celebratorroful drinks? This could get ugly...

 

[Hammer Sandwich]

Celebratorroful

That's all I needed to read.....into the lexicon you go, Celebratorroful.....
Fu*king delicious.....
(Bless your little heart)



And, oh yeah.....'de 'ockey.

"Baa 'stin" has momentum.....big momentum.

If Vancouver doesn't come out hungry, they will be truly, righteously, unequivocally, in the anally...screwed.

IMO, I hope they come out and make this an enormous battle-to-the-death........

 

[Scott]

Not looking foward to the final horn of the cup-winning game, however. I've never had to drown my sorrows in celebration before. Celebratorroful drinks? This could get ugly...

Think of it like a win/win situation...

Canucks win = riot.

Canucks lose = riot.

It wouldn't be Stanley Cup hockey with a Canadian team in the finals otherwise ;D

 

[Hammer Sandwich]

It wouldn't be Stanley Cup hockey with a Canadian team in the finals otherwise ;D

Friggin' A!

You fill up some "growlers"...I'll fire up the TV.

We'll set some garbarge can fires...laugh...cry....maybe sh!t our pants......(I dunno if we'll have enough time)...

It'll be freakin' beauty!

 

[Rifleman62]

After Wednesday's game:

Two men were sitting next to each other at a bar. After a while, one guy looks at the other and says, 'I can't help but think, from listening to you, that you're from Sweden .'

The other guy responds proudly, 'Yes, that I am!'

The first guy says, 'So am I! And where about from Sweden might you be'?

The other guy answers, 'I'm from Stockholm , I am.'

The first guy responds, 'So am I!'

'Sure and begorra. And what street did you live on in Stockholm The other guy says, 'A lovely little area it was. I lived on McCleary Street in the old central part of town.'

The first guy says, 'Faith and it's a small world. So did I! So did I! And to what school would you have been going'?

The other guy answers, 'Well now, I went to St. Mary's, of course.'

The first guy gets really excited and says, 'And so did I. Tell me, what year did you graduate'?

The other guy answers, 'Well, now, let's see. I graduated in 1984.'

The first guy exclaims, 'The Good Lord must be smiling down upon us! I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same bar tonight. Can you believe it?  I graduated from St. Mary's in 1984 my own self!'

About this time, Vicky walks into the bar, sits down and orders a beer.

Brian, the bartender, walks over to Vicky, shaking his head and mutters, 'It's going to be a long night tonight.'

Vicky asks, 'Why do you say that, Brian'?

'The Sedin twins are pissed again.'

 

[Sunlitbeauty]

Unfortunately, Luongo is going to be starting tonight...if they keep him in, we will lose for sure.  :facepalm: Schneider is a much better choice, and he can win the game for us. After that last goal on Luongo, he looked like he was suffering from some serious PTSD...did you see the look in his eyes? Man, did he look stressed!!!  :crybaby:

 

[Nostix]

If you thought he looked upset after the last goal, you should've seen him in the after game press conference when the reporters asked him to comment on the fact that the Canucks fans in Rogers Arena cheered wildly when he was pulled.

 

[Rifleman62]

Stressed. BS. Would you be stressed making one million a month during the ten month hockey season?

As reported by a NBC sportscaster during Wednesday's game. During an interview with the Vancouver coach regarding Monday's game, numb nuts said words to the effect: don't even think about taking me out.

How is that for teamwork by the highest paid Vancouver player, and former "C".

 

[Jeremy360]

If you thought he looked upset after the last goal, you should've seen him in the after game press conference when the reporters asked him to comment on the fact that the Canucks fans in Rogers Arena cheered wildly when he was pulled.

I was expecting Luongo to Force Push that reporter across the room, but he is not a Jedi yet.  Fear leads to anger leads to hate, hate leads to blowouts for the Bruins.

On another note Twitter claims that Chris Tanev is in for Keith Ballard: 

Chris Tanev is expected to replace Keith Ballard on the Canucks’ blueline for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday. -TSN

Just watching the interview it appears as if his personality has taken a 180* turn from the regular season.  I agree that he had a horrible game, his only saving grace was that he blocked a few of the shots that he set up for them.  I do, however feel terrible for the guy...I can't speculate if he's in the doghouse with the coach, or in some kind of conflict with management.  It appears that they won't play him unless they're absolutely forced to and his confidence has been blown to smithereens.  I really won't be shocked if he's gone in the postseason, he's likely to get more minutes on any other team. 

 

[Infanteer]

The Luongo issue needs to be buried.  Did he let in 4 last game?  Yes.  It wouldn't have been an issue if we would have put 3 or 4 in the net ourselves.  Our biggest issue isn't goaltending right now, it's the inability to put anything by Thomas.

 

[Nostix]

They're not two distinctly separate issues. One of the big bonuses of the Canucks' offence has been the ability of D-Men to aggressively jump up into the play, and to hem the Bruins in their zone.

By the end of game 4, it was very clearly obvious that the D men were taking fewer chances on the rush, and were extremely hesitant to stand up and put heavy pressure on the Bruins at the offensive blue line. I'm not a mind reader, but it wouldn't be too difficult to surmise that having shaky goal-tending might have led to the obvious change in play style on their back end.

 

[Jeremy360]

The Luongo issue needs to be buried.  Did he let in 4 last game?  Yes.  It wouldn't have been an issue if we would have put 3 or 4 in the net ourselves.  Our biggest issue isn't goaltending right now, it's the inability to put anything by Thomas.

Amen, when Luongo is confident he's quite possibly the best in the league.  I don't place all(or even most of) the blame on him for the last two games.  It's difficult enough to stop shots and it's impossible if the team in front of you stops skating.  If Vancouver puts one or two past Thomas early on he'll step up and the game could be a lock.  Scoring first would be a huge boost, that other guy looks far too comfortable in net, almost cocky. 

I'm not expecting a blowout, but I'd love to see Vancouver win by a pair.

 

[Brutus]

The Defence in the last 2 games for the Canucks looked slow, lacked confidance, and made a ton of mistakes. I agree they weren't joining the rush, but they were equally as bad in their own end. 3 Defecemen had brutal plays where a Bruin just skated around them on their way to the net (Bieksa, Erhoff, and Edler). Ballard cough up the puck numerous times in his own end like it was made of Plutonium, and Alberts got caught out of position numerous times.

Luongo NEEDS his defence to play a certain way based on his style. If they don't, it's a shooting gallery, which is exactly what happened. Thomas' style is not predicated on sound defensive zone play. However, if both teams play to their best ability, fewer pucks will get by Luongo as he requires less luck and acrobatics.

 

[Sunlitbeauty]

I really hope everyone is right about Luongo tonight...I am a hardcore Canucks fan, and I was born in Vancouver as well. The only game I ever went to was back in 1983 to watch the Canucks play Edmonton. This was essentially the same team that was creamed by the Islanders in four games during the cup final in 1982. WE tied 3-3 that day. It was amazing to watch the likes of Gretzky and such play. I just don't want to see a repeat of 1994. Especially, if it goes to seven games, which it will if we win tonight, I would not want to be downtown if we lost a game seven here in Vancouver...can we say riot city???