Bolland, Hawks Completely Shut Me Up.

Like many Canuck fans, I'm here to say that I got swept up in the moment after going up three games to none on Chicago. I bought into the whole "we're definitely going to sweep these jokers" mentality, and looking back, I feel like a fool. Didn't I remember the intensity of this rivalry? Didn't I remember that I called the Canucks in six before this whole thing started? Did I really think we'd sweep these guys, winning two at the Madhouse? What can I say? I really got swept up in the moment. Can you blame me?

We all know by now what happened. The Canucks got completely bombed by the Hawks, embarssed by a 7-2 final score, including a second period that made it look like an NHL All-Star team was going up against a last place AHL squad. I don't even if it went as well as that would go. Chicago scored 4 goals in that second period, including a spirit breaking pair from Campbell and Keith that were netted 17 seconds apart. Later in the period, Bolland got his, while Frolik finally found his skates and speedily came in and scored on a breakaway for the 5-1 lead. I was crushed. There was no coming back. 

I have a lot to talk about regarding this game, and a whole lot I want to avoid talking about, so let's get to it. First, I'll be the first to admit that Bieksa got clowned on the opening goal by Bryan Bickell, I even said as much in yesterday's open thread. That being said, if you look closely, it also had a lot to do with Roberto Luongo. Bobby Lu started sliding over, but never slid his pad all the way to the post. I'm guessing Luongo didn't expect Bickell to have that much patience, to hold on as long as he did, and because of that was preparing to have Bickell fire the shot earlier and probably high into his chest. However, Bickell held on, and beat both Luongo and Bieksa. Now, I'll say this about Bieksa: what is he supposed to do? Sure, Bickell went around him, but at that point, what should he have done? If he would have stood him up, it probably would have been a penalty, and if he went harder with the stick, it probably would have ended in a trip. I think it was a surprisingly good play by Bickell where Bieksa could have played it somewhat better, and Luongo should have taken it more seriously.

How cool was Sami Salo's goal to answer, three minutes later? He bounced his slapper off of two Chicago players, scoring a pinball goal that Crawford had no chance of stopping. I guess Blackhawk fan calls that a lucky goal, and it was, but it sure was cool. I had to hold on to how cool it was, because it was one of the few positives for us in the contest. Daniel's tip in goal in the fourth was rad, but the lack of celebrating showed how it was a meaningless tally in a blowout loss. 

How weak is Duncan Keith? I know you are all going to think I'm a Canuck homer, and I am and proud of it, to say the least. I don't want to be a jerk who talks about how we're not getting the calls, but I will be that guy for just a little bit. The Hawks have been handed 10 penalties to the Canucks 19, and a lot of calls against the Vannies, especially last night, were a little weak. Meanwhile, Chicago can do some garbage over and over again and get off free? My case in point is Duncan Keith's attack on Jannik Hansen in front of the goal. I'm not sure what happened, but Keith just came around the net and jacked Hansen in the legs with his stick. Our Great Dane collapsed to the ice after the attack, and Keith was sent to the box for a cross checking penalty, 2 minutes. Total BS, and if it happened the other way around (say if Raffi Torres blasted Bolland with a stick to the legs last night) Hawk fans would be going nuts and asking for a suspension. I'm not going that far, but I am going to say that it should have been a double minor for a stupid attack by a total bitch.

I kind of found the Canucks' handling of Roberto Luongo to be pretty stupid. Why do you let him come back onto the ice to start the third period? At that point, shouldn't you have pulled him? Talk about throwing a guy back to the wolves, only to yank him mid-third when everyone in the Nation is watching. It was a joke. Schneider should have been right out there between the pipes to start the third, and I found the coaching decision to be just baffling. Instead, after giving up a power play goal to Sharp early I'm the final frame, Luongo still waited. Eventually, during a big brawl in the opposite corner, Bobby Lu sped off the rink, almost changing on the fly, and went off to the clubhouse. It was a bad call, in my opinion, and it should have been handled better. I just hope that Luongo's confidence wasn't shaken by the game. He didn't skate at practice this morning, but I hope that doesn't mean anything.

I might catch some crap for this, but I also want to call the Hawks out for being sore winners. Honestly, you guys kind of looked foolish out there. Your are down 0 games to 3 in a postseason that you backed into with a loss to your most hated rivals on the last day of the season, and you're going to act like you won the Stanley Cup again just because you make it 1-3. Sure, you guys had an offensive outburst. Sure, you guys finally got to Luongo, and hope that you got in his head. But, come on! These guys, most especially Patrick Sharp, are celebrating as if they are the team in charge of this series. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand that you've been frustrated all week long, and you finally get to have something positive going on, but why don't you guys show some class? You know, like when the Canucks barely celebrated after scoring the second goal last night because they were losing? Yeah, that's how the Hawks should have been reacting to their stuff all night long, you know? Because they're losing this series...eventually.

All that being said, I tip my hat to the Blackhawks for completely shutting me up, as the title for this post suggests. Like I said, I got swept up in the sweep talk, and bought into it, even though it was so unlikely. Jon called me out, and rightfully so. Look, the Blackhawks outplayed the Canucks last night. I can't deny that. Instead of stepping up and stopping the Hawks at the blue line, as they had done in the first three games, the Vannies decided to wait until they entered the zone, to play defense, and it didn't work out so well. Enjoy today's off day Chicago, because it's back on tomorrow.

And the first 10 minutes of tomorrow's clash at the Roger is going to say a lot about where this series is headed. Are we going to finally be all finished at about 9:35 pm BC time? Or, are we going to be playing hockey on Easter Sunday, back at the Madhouse in an anxiety provoking game six? I sure hope it's option one, because if it isn't, I'm going to start getting mighty nervous. 

Go Canucks Go.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē