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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
 Posted - 06/16/2011 : 00:24:39
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**Please note, this post is made before reading ANYTHING posted since i was last online......*
Before i begin with how disgusted i am with some of the morons in "my" city, i wanna congratulate the Bruins organization, their fans, followers, families, etc on their win. They were the better team during this series and they deserve a lot of credit.
Next, as i've done in the past, i'm willing to admit when i'm wrong. To Guest 92--? (can't remember?), i was wrong. My city is on fire (not really, but assuming a few burning cars is what you meant?). I think i did say that nothing is guaranteed, but the situation is FAR worse than i expected. (i'll get into this more later).
Back to the game....
As a Canucks fan, i'm disappointed of course, but at the same time, proud of the huge step "we" (sorry Beans, but from here on out you have to consider "me" one of "them" ) took this season, not just finally making the conference final, but the Stanley Cup Final as well! All we've heard about for the past few years is "if we don't make the conference finals, we're a failure.". We at least deserve a passing grade on the season, no?
It's obvious we ran up against a ridiculously hot goalie, but we were outplayed in other areas too! Injuries, reffing, etc may have played a big factor, but anyone wanting to blame reffing, need not look any further than the disgustingly brutal PP of the Canucks in the final. The Canucks were built to be a skill / finesse team who'd force you to take penalties against them and then kill you for doing so. Unfortunately, the PP dried up, and that killed them/us! If the Canucks could have had any sort of PP % even close to their reg season one, this series would have been over in 4 or 5!!! Give the B's PK a ton of credit, but give TT even more! Unbelievable season!
There's always guys on both teams you feel good and bad for, and here are mine:
Van - Hamhuis, not being able to contribute
Luongo, somewhat shaky at times, but ZERO offensive support
Salo, how'd he stay healthy enough and not get the chance to dislocate his shoulder lifting Lord Stanley??
Bos - Thomas, extremely late bloomer, love seeing ANY old guy win a cup!
Lucic, Canucks shoulda drafted him, love seeing hometown kid win!
Recchi.....Na, love the guy, but he's won before, nice way to go out, but nothing special to me
Anyways, oh wait, before i forget, that little weasel (Marchand) who had a HUGE say in this series would be my "runner up" for the Conn Smythe. I love players like this and would love to see him in a Canucks jersey ANY DAY. Sure, he did some stuff to piss me off, but so too do guys like Burrows, and i love him too! The epitome of a guy you hate on the other team but would love on yours! And, he's just a rookie!
In closing, every team, including the Canucks, has a "window" of opportunity to win it all. IMO, the Bruins excercised their demons in a bigger way than the Canucks would have (had "we" won). Here's my thinking, before anyone says "sour grapes"..... The Canucks should still be a serious contender for the next few years? Maybe the B's will be too, but with an aging Thomas, Savard questionable, and more importantly, the competiton in the east, this was a chance they grabbed when they had it! Well done!!! I dont' wanna be taken the wrong way so by "competition in the east" i mean the fact that Crosby will likely be back, TB continues to get better, OV and the Caps will likely get their "stuff" together one of these days. This means a much tougher road to the Cup for the Bruins! Not taking anything away from this cup, but the path to the finals in the future doesn't look any easier going forward!
S'all i got.....gonna go read all the negative (and positive) stuff posted since i was on earlier. Not sure i'm ready for it.
Beans, any way you look at it, you and i are "even"!
BTW....Screw you EA Sports! You were WAY off! 
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n/a
deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 04:53:30
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Classy post, Alex.
I agree on keys for Vancouver losing - their power play. Whether it was Thomas or the Boston D, they got the job done and prevented the Canucks from ever dominating like they usually do on the pp.
Boston surprised many, many people out there, including me.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 06:52:27
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Solid, Alex. Solid.
Maybe we can be friends again.
I can't really disgree with anything on here. I would really like to reiterate the piece on the lack of offense from the Canucks. 8 goals in 7 games, 1 on the PP simple doesn't win. You could have 2 goalies in net and they would not win. In some respects, Vancouver was lucky to even send it to 7 games as most any series with that kind of offensive production would be done in 4 or 5 games.
I still am not sold on Luongo being that big game goalie, but there is no way anyone can blame him. Without scoring supporting, the goaltending is irrelevant. He didn't get that support at all during the finals. |
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Pasty7
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2312 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 07:08:26
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on a side note a guy a lot of people over looked but in my opinion all playoffs long was very consistent for the bruins and very good defensivly which he is not known for was Mike Ryder, the guy was clutch for the B's this series not just putting up points but he controlled the puck a tonne in the offensive zone and in my opinion was up there with the Peverly and Marchand as the B's best forwards in this series,,
And Alex as a Canuck fan would you like to see Higgens return next season, personally i thought he was the Canucks best player in game seven and was solid throughout the playoffs
"I led the league in "Go get 'em next time." - Bob Uecker
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 09:37:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
8 goals in 7 games, 1 on the PP simple doesn't win. You could have 2 goalies in net and they would not win. In some respects, Vancouver was lucky to even send it to 7 games as most any series with that kind of offensive production would be done in 4 or 5 games.
This is SO true. After watching the Canucks eke out a couple of wins in Vancouver to start the series, i expected more of the same in Boston. Obviously i was disappointed. But, imagine if Boston had won one or both of games 1 and 2? It certainly would have been over in 4 or 5!
Funny though, when we talk of how the lack of PP killed the Canucks, it's the same thing Boston somehow got away with for 3 rounds!!! No one in the right mind would have ever thought a team with that poor of a pp would make it to the final LET ALONE win it!
*note, the "LET ALONE" is capitalized so those who still say "little own" and other hack jobs on the phrase can hopefully pick up on it. |
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 09:39:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Pasty7
And Alex as a Canuck fan would you like to see Higgens return next season, personally i thought he was the Canucks best player in game seven and was solid throughout the playoffs
"I led the league in "Go get 'em next time." - Bob Uecker
Pasty, personally i thought Kesler was the most solid Canuck last night and he had a couple of chances that had he buried them, we'd have been in it!
Overall, i liked Higgins, but i'm not convinced they'll bring him back. At the right price, i'd be okay with it and would like to see if he could develop more chemistry with Kesler. I always liked him as a player so if he gets a shot here, i hope he grabs it and runs with it! |
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BucketHead
Top Prospect
Canada
78 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 09:41:10
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| so was the pp a minus 15% or something in the finals seeing as how they scored twice but were scored on 3 times, thomas was a brick wall. i may not like him but he was a brick bloody wall. |
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
3670 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 09:46:45
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Nice post Alex.
quote:
I still am not sold on Luongo being that big game goalie, but there is no way anyone can blame him. Without scoring supporting, the goaltending is irrelevant. He didn't get that support at all during the finals.
Its hard to say Beans. Like you said, 8 goals in 7 games in support, and VAN won 3 of those games. You don't win 3 of those games unless your goalie is stellar, and in the 3 games that VAN won, Luongo was unquestionably the best VAN player on the ice.
No one knows if he's the true big-game goalie yet, and we won't know until next year (assuming he's still a Canuck, which I believe he will be). But even though the city will pin this loss on him, its hard for me to imagine us getting to a 7th game without him. And game 7 was lost by the entire team.
Pasty - I would like to see Higgins back, at the right price though. He seemed to have some chemistry with Kesler, and I'd like to see them play a full season together. The Canucks need some big bodies that can score, and he fits the bill. |
Edited by - nuxfan on 06/16/2011 09:47:19 |
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 13:00:06
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quote:
Originally posted by nuxfan
Nice post Alex.
No one knows if he's the true big-game goalie yet, and we won't know until next year (assuming he's still a Canuck, which I believe he will be). But even though the city will pin this loss on him, its hard for me to imagine us getting to a 7th game without him. And game 7 was lost by the entire team.
I almost hope he IS traded! I'm getting sick of having to listen to this city whine about him. IMO, he's a top 10 goalie in the league with a decent cap hit. What more can you want? As for the "big game" goalie, i still find it unfair to say he isn't. If the gold medal wasn't enough, surely taking his team to the 7th game of the finals must have been? But for some, no. How 'bout game 7 vs Chicago? Nearly posted a shutout and made a ridiculous save off Patrick Sharp while shorthanded, to allow his team to win it later. How 'bout game 5? Wasn't that a "big" game? I think everyone knew that was pretty much do or die for the Canucks. Lose that one and head back to Boston trailing? Yikes. All he did then was post a shutout in a 1-0 Van win! Keep in mind, he won that one with a pretty depleted / injured group of defensemen!
For those doubting his being a big game goalie, tell me your opinion on the following scenario....... WHAT IF, Tim Thomas had lost last night's game? Would he then not be a big game goalie?
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Alex116's "can't miss" notes.... 
