CrashingTheGoalie

by desertdawg

All the pre-game talk from the Chicago side is about containing the Sedins. I find that somewhat curious in that I would have just assumed that they’d be talking about beating Roberto, crashing the goalie, etc. It’s a mark of how well the twins played in the first round. Unstated as well, is that the leading scorer from the Sedin line from round one was Alex Burrows. Stopping that line is more than just containing the Sedins. They are no longer two-thirds of a line. They are a threesome that can cause some damage.
But the Canucks will be worried about containing Toews and Kane, the dynamic youngsters that lead Chicago to their great comeback season. Lost in the shuffle on this side, is that Kris Versteeg was their leading scorer in round one.
And finally the goaltending battle. It’s been talked to death over the last few days so let’s just wait and see. Both goalies are great and yet both can let in soft goals. Both can steal a game and both have been known to fumble the puck outside of the crease. Lots of great stories and questions leading into the series and we’ll start to get our answers tonight.
So after one period, did you see much rust? I saw some, but I’ll comment on that in a minute. The period opened cautiously and that surprises me because I really thought the Hawks would be all over us. We take the first penalty, but it’s an aggression penalty as Rypien welcomes Burrish to Vancouver. Burrish is slow to get up. Aggression penalties are easier to kill than lazy penalties and we keep the Hawks to the outside. I see the attitude I’m looking for as we are in the Hawks’ face at every turn. And that attitude is most evident after the PK when big Willie looks like he just wants to take on someone…anyone!
A brain freeze by Demitra gives Havlat a gold plated opportunity but Lou is well…Lou. Stones him colder than a Sarah Palin ice cream cone. And then we get our turn on the PP. And here is where I saw the rust.
We had good puck control but our actual scoring opportunities were limited to point shots from Bieksa and Salo. With very little traffic in front, we rarely threaten. Even the four minute job, which I hate almost as much as the five on three, we moved the puck but we don’t get bona fide scoring chances. This was the rust I saw. I think we need to play closer to Crabby‘s grill.
Inexplicably, the Hawks are giving us too much room at their blue line. I thought they’d stand right up to us, but they are backing in. Gap control is crucial in a close series. Welly makes the D pay and we are instantly back on the PP. I was concerned that Kyle Wellwood would have the same passion and if the first period is an example, I can relax, at least on that question. He’s going into corners and yet handling the puck with cold efficiency. Just as I’m thinking how happy I am to see him on the PP with Mats, he dishes to the big Swede, who then makes the cross ice to Demitra. And there was my other pre-game concern. Demitra is a goal scorer and he buried it. You saw his reaction. That’s how real goal scorers do it. We are up one zip, one for four on the PP.
Now we need to settle back down. The Hawks are counter punching tonight and we need to be careful to not start pressing too early. We are dominating the face off circle winning two thirds of the draws and we are treating the Hawks with very little respect.

Kind of what I hoped for.
The second period is much like the first. We get the best early chances (Bernier with the toe drag and then Kesler and Mats get a big time chance that Keith foils.). But the Hawks are kept to the outside in our zone. And then the Sedins combine with Bernier and newly-minted sniper Henrik puts us up two zip on a very pretty three way. Not much rust showing there. Ben Eager follows up with a play as stupid as he looks when he takes a headshot on Rypien. However, we don’t convert and the Hawks come back hard. Big Lou is tested but there aren’t any second shots. The D pounces quickly and make easy clears.
And then a four on two leads to Wellwood retrieving a Demitra shoot in. Brian Campbell makes a bonehead move and Welly dishes to Kesler. First playoff goal ever for our MVP and Selke finalist.

Three nothing? OMG!!!
And the Hawks play desperate the wrong way. Wellwood is high sticked…again. Haven’t they learned anything. It’s obvious Welly’s a bleeder.
My only criticism is that we are trying to get a bit too pretty. I say just keep hammering them on Crabby. But the closest we get is Kesler dinging one off the post. The Hawks will be amping it up in the dressing room between periods. Reminding themselves they came back against the Flames from a three goal deficit.
And the Hawks strike quickly in the third in a worst case scenario. We are great at protecting leads but you never like to see a team score too early. Especially the Hawks. And that changes the momentum.

Suddenly we no longer look invincible. We are still generating offence but can’t bury the puck. Hordichuk takes a stupid high head shot and suddenly we are squeezing the sticks. Little Patrick Kane…AGAIN! He shoots it in on the rebound from the point.

Ruh-roh.
Again we don’t seem to be panicking and again we get our chances. But the Hawks’ fourth line causes the kind of havoc that they did in the first round. Bolland puts in the effort and shovels it past Lou.

A tie game has never seemed so traumatic. The crowd goes deathly quiet and I feel like I’m now writing an obituary.
But I’ve said since October. It’s not the adversity but how you respond to it. The Hawks get caught pressing and Wellwood leads us out of our zone and plays it up to Raymond and we are in on a four on one. The young Mason Raymond would have mindlessly pounded it on the Hawks net. The seasoned Mason Raymond fakes and then dishes to Bernier who one times it. Crabby makes a great save but Sami Salo wires home the rebound.

And that’s how the Canucks have responded to adversity all year. Wellwood doesn’t get an assist but he got us out of trouble and set the four on one. The Hawks get one more chance but Burrows sends Johnson in and we end it up by two.
Remember to breath.