Welcome to the second round. Live is in quotes because I'm watching this opening game on my DVR with about a two hour delay. Let's go!
20:00- The opening faceoff isn't the only thing we're going to win this series.
17:14- Pekka Rinne squeezes and freezes a Daniel Sedin wrister, and he's not giving up any rebounds so far.
16:57- Kesler is already showing some mad defensive skills. So what if he isn't scoring any goals?
15:52- Samuelsson is off for a hook. I know it's just game one, and it'll come, but the intensity of the Hawks-Canucks series just isn't here.
13:52- First PK is a nice success.
12:49- O'Brien tries to start stuff with Kes after the whistle, but nothing doing. Is SOB going to be trying this all series? That's pretty weak.
12:30- 'Nucks are up in the faceoff department 12-0. That's going to end up getting us a goal eventually.
10:51- Bieksa blocks a shot and hobbles to the bench. Um, you better shake that off, or we've got Andrew Alberts again.
6:42- How about Keith Freaking Ballard? He just went coast to coast and almost scored on his own rebound. Bodies were flying on that one. I guess all that sitting got him fired up. He's looked great so far.
5:00- All of the sudden, this game is getting crazy physical. Kesler just dumped Erat hard, and then everyone started checking everyone. Hamhuis just had a great shot on goal, but Rinne is showing how important he plans to be in the series.
3:44- Smithson just showed that he's a bitch, putting a choke hold on Burrows in front of the net. We're back on the PP on an unrelated offense.
1:40- We're 0 for 2 on the PP, but it's only because of Rinne. Save after save, this guy has been incredible.
End Of 1st- It's all tied at 0s after one. Nashville starts the second on the PP after an iffy call against Ehrhoff. 'Nucks outshoot Nashville 17-5, I believe they said, and we're killing them in the faceoff circle. We were the better team by far in the opening 20 minutes, and yet, Rinne has kept them in there.
17:37- Kesler is really trying to score, but Rinne keeps denying him. Even Hank took a shot, but his stick broke.
16:18- Nashville catches a slashing call, and you'd have to believe that Vancouver will definitely score this time around.
14:24- Even though we're able to just walk into the zone everytime like I've never seen before, Rinne is "like a Dyson" (Versus analogy, not mine).
13:45- I think the 'Nuck players are realizing how well they are playing, and they are trying to get fancy with things, rather than just putting more pucks on Rinne.
12:34- Do we take more too many men penalties than anyone else in the NHL? It really feels that way.
9:40- I've never watched a 0-0 game where one team was dominating the other team so convincingly.
7:46- GOAL!!!! Max Lapierre feeds Chris Higgins on a sweet rush following a turnover, and Higgins drills home a goal!!! Higgy is a game on hero, and it's nice to see our two trade acquisitions making good here in the second round.
3:54- This third line of Higgins-Lapierre-Hansen look great out on the ice. They have the hustle, they have the hits, and they have the goal.
3:25- Ballard just got 2 minutes for a perfect hip check, called for interference when Tootoo had the puck. Total joke, and the boo birds are out.
End Of 2nd- 'Nucks maintain the 1-0 lead, and have completely kept up the total domination in this game. I'm sure the Preds are going to come out harder in the final fram because I know they are better than this. Hopefully we can answer their probable upswing in pressure with another goal to create some distance. Roberto hasn't faced much, but he's been up to the challenge whenever they've thrown something his way.
16:24- The Canucks have come out the exact same way here in the third, and that spells problems for Nashville.
16:07- We are getting our fifth power play after a really blatant trip on a breaking Kesler, and I have a feeling we make this one count.
14:39- Fisher gets a shorthanded breakaway, one on one with Luongo, and Bobby Lu stands tall. He's just a brick wall out there, and may have just saved the game.
14:07- The latest PP failure shows that my gut feelings aren't worth very much.
13:32- Aaron Rome just rushed the slot and tried a one-time spin-a-rooni shot. I'm not kidding. Of course, Pekka Rinne made the glove save.
13:04- For the first time all postseason, I agree with Brian Engblom in between the glass. He pointed out that the Canucks seem to be feeling too good about their ability to control the play, and seem like they may be leaving themselves vulnerable to making a mistake. It looks that way, and we're only up by one, so we need to fix that problem.
8:36- The Canucks have shifted to a defensive mentality, dumping the puck and chasing rather than getting fancy. I'm not sure if I like it when we're only up a goal, but it seems to be working. No big chances for Nashville, and we'll be cool.
7:45- Henrik gets bricked on a breakaway by Rinne. This guy is standing on his head.
5:22- Ballard goes off for a hook, and if the Preds are going to come back, this is their chance.
3:21- Canucks kill it off, and are working toward the win. Coach V takes a timeout after an icing. This is a huge faceoff to the side of Luongo.
1:47- As time runs out on Nashville, will Rinne head to the bench?
1:10- There he goes...
0:20- Nashville gets a faceoff in the offensive zone after Higgy ices the puck, and they have called timeout. Hang on, guys.
0:05- Henrik blocks a slapper and the puck bounces out of the zone, ending the game.
End Of 3rd- Roberto Luongo keeps the door shut and earns his second game on shutout of this postseason. It's hard not to get excited about this series after the game went down this way. The Canucks completelty dominated these guys all night, and Nashville barely put up a fight. You'd have to imagine that the Preds will get better as this series goes on, but it sure feels good to get that 1-0 lead.
See you guys on Saturday.
Go Canucks Go.
-- Sent from my Palm Prē
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