Morning Mashup: One Game to Rule Them All
In keeping with the juvenile back and forth exchanges stemming from the Alex Burrows biting incident, is anyone else disappointed that Tim Thomas didn’t tell the post-game media scrum “those three goals would have been easy saves for me” after last night’s Bruins rout? The Canucks are certainly happy they ultimately hold the home ice advantage in this series; TD Garden will be giving Luongo and the Canucks nightmares after conceding 17 goals and scoring only three in three games in Boston this Stanley Cup Final.
Luongo was pulled after conceding three goals in three minutes and four seconds last night, and you would think entering the all-deciding Game 7 on that note might sound a little disconcerting. However, Luongo has been pulled more times than you can count now in these playoffs and has always bounced back positively. Just in this series, he’s been blown out in all three games in Boston but allowed only two goals in three games at Rogers Arena, posting two shutouts. A bizarre series of rollercoaster-like momentum changes and a ton of controversy between two teams who by this point positively despise each other will be decided by one, final game. I don’t think the NHL (this will be the ultimate showcase) or neutral supporters could have asked for more from this Final.
I do expect the play to tighten right up in Game 7. While they obviously lost all three games in the end, the Bruins have been a much better road team, losing two late 1-0 games and Game 2 in overtime. On top of that, it’s game 7, everyone is guarding against committing that crucial mistake.
It’s hard to describe a sports event as big as Wednesday’s Game 7; one game in which one team will walk away with an epic win and reach the summit of hockey’s pinnacle, forever able to say they won it all. The other will have missed out on a massive opportunity, for some their only shot at hockey’s ultimate prize. Will the Canucks be the first Canadian team to win the Cup in a 30-team league and the first since ’93? Will they send the city of Vancouver into a Cup frenzy or be the team that fell barely, agonizingly short in front of its home crowd? There’s legacies to be decided on Wednesday.
Onto the links:
It’s Tim Thomas’ Conn Smythe Trophy, win or lose
This trophy likely isn’t up for grabs on Wednesday; Thomas will set the record for saves made in a single playoff after his first stop in Game 7 (he’s tied for most with 661 right now).
Monday’s Three Stars: Bruins’ first period blitz forces Game 7
Sean Leahy at Puck Daddy has your three stars from last night.
Game 6 SCF Report Card; Faithfully
The Canucks perspective from last night at Nuck Misconduct.
Bruins even series with 5-2 win to force Game 7
The Bruins perspective from last night at Stanley Cup of Chowder.
Canucks’ Raymond injured; taken to hospital
A scary incident last nigh sent Mason Raymond to hospital after banging awkwardly against the boards hunched over, back first. This will force Vigneault to tinker with the lines a bit for Game 7.
THN at the Stanley Cup: Which Canucks team will show up for Game 7 of a bizarre series?
Ken Campbell with the story.
Draft Link:
Puckin Eh’s Jon S has his top thirty prospects for the upcoming NHL entry draft.
