Wow!

Now that the Calgary Flames are out of the quest for the Stanley Cup, I have to shift my allegiance to the Vancouver Canucks . . . the last Canadian team left in the quest for Lord Stanley’s trophy, the Holy Grail of hockey.

Vancouver took care of Chicago, winning 5 – 3, in the first game of the seven game playoff series.  The second game is tonight.

If you missed it, here is a recap of game one, from the Canucks-Blackhawks blog at NHL.com:

Canucks-Blackhawks blog

By NHL.com Staff

Well that was a doozy 
05.01.2009 12:31 A.M. ET   

For much of the first half of this game, neither team seemed particularly good, but Vancouver certainly seemed like the better bunch — or at least the most disciplined one. 

Chicago committed a number of bad penalties during the first and second periods, and if there is one thing you don’t want to do against the Canucks, it’s give them power plays. And the Canucks took advantage, scoring a power-play goal in the first period and taking advantage of Chicago’s shorthanded time to nurse their lead and prevent the Hawks’ offense from getting any momentum. 

But the third period changed things. The Blackhawks made a number of significant changes and likely learned a number of lessons over the final 20 minutes. 

For one, they found they can score on Roberto Luongo. The stalwart goaltender hadn’t been challenged much early on, and when he was, he delivered the goods by keeping the Hawks off the board. But Chicago scored three times in the third, showing not only that they could score on Luongo when they played disciplined hockey, but also showing how to score on Luongo. Many of their early shots came with little traffic and were easy for the netminder to hold on to. But in the third the Hawks set screens in front of the net, got traffic in the crease and managed to take shots that, if stopped, would generate second chances. Both Patrick Kane’s second score and Bolland’s game-tying goal came on rebounds. 

The other thing the Hawks may have found is they can wear the Canucks down. Ben Eager threw his body around the ice with glee, beating up the Canucks with a number of strong checks and hits. If Chicago continues this kind of physical play, it may tire Vancouver out before long. 

Still, despite the third period, the result of this game is the same, and Vancouver still carries a 1-0 series lead into Game 2. The Hawks may have learned some lessons about how to beat the Canucks, but it is too late in the season to simply be learning. A lack of discipline early cost Chicago in this game, as it did on Sami Salo’s game-winner late in the third. The Hawks rallied, but the Canucks still hold the edge. In a wild night, Vancouver took the day. 

At this point I could still see the Blackhawks rallying to win this series, but the Canucks are no slouches, and their skill and talent played just as large a role in tonight’s win as the Hawks’ lack of discipline. If Vancouver advances to the conference finals it would be no surprise. 

The only surprise at this point, as far as I can see, would be this series ending in less than six games. 

–David Kalan 

Vancouver 4, Chicago 3 FINAL
04.30.2009 11:49 P.M. ET 

Sami Salo

Defense – VAN

GOALS: 5 | ASST: 20 | PTS: 25 
SOG: 110 | +/-: 5

The Canucks took an early three-goal lead and were playing well. Early in the third period they did not have the same energy they had in the first two periods. 

After two quick goals from Patrick Kane, Pavol Demitra committed a turnover at the blue line and the Blackhawks capitalized to tie the game. 

Late in the third period the Canucks were the ones to take advantage on a turnover and came down the ice on a three-on-one. Sami Salo scored with just over a minute left to give Vancouver a 4-3 lead en route to a 5-3 final. 

Vancouver held on to home ice advantage. Game 2 Saturday night should be much like this one. 

– Deven Persaud 

We’ve got a game, kids 
04.30.2009 11:21 P.M. ET 

Patrick Kane

Right Wing – CHI

GOALS: 25 | ASST: 45 | PTS: 70 
SOG: 254 | +/-: -2

And just like that, Vancouver might have to start worrying. Chicago went on the power play midway through the period and after having difficulty getting a rush into the Canucks’ zone, Brent Seabrook took a long shot from the blue line which rebounded to a waiting Patrick Kane. He scored on an easy putback to close the gap to 3-2 with his second goal of the period. 

While the Hawks have undoubtedly been playing better than in the first period tonight, a comeback seemed a long shot. But remember, Chicago rallied from a three-goal deficit once already this postseason, doing so against the elite Miikka Kiprusoff. 

Luongo has certainly played better than Kiprusoff this postseason, but with the pressure the Hawks are putting on and more than eight minutes to go in regulation, Chicago may yet get a chance to tie things up. 

–David Kalan 

Hawks finally get on board
04.30.2009 11:06 P.M. ET 

Patrick Kane started the third period in the penalty box, but 61 seconds after the start of the period he may have given Chicago some life. 

After Chicago struggled to get traffic in front of Roberto Luongo all night, Kane used a group of Canucks and Blackhawks in front of the Vancouver net as a screen to beat Luongo top shelf. 

Chicago still trails by two, and scoring twice on Luongo in less than 19 minutes is a tall order, but Kane’s tally makes it clear the Hawks may not be done yet. 

–David Kalan 

Pretty plays
04.30.2009 11:04 P.M. ET 

The Sedins make playoff hockey look pretty. They are still as good as they were in the first round. Their uncanny ability to find each other in traffic, coupled with Steve Bernier’s talent for attracting defensemen, is making life a living hell for the Blackhawks. 

With the return of Mats Sundin, Chicago hasn’t been able to focus on shutting down one line, as it did against Calgary. That is the single-most troubling factor for the Hawks. If they can’t stop the Vancouver offense, they’ll find themselves down early, and being down by more than one goal against Vancouver is like being down by 10 goals with 2 minutes left against any other team. 

– Deven Persaud 

The game opens up 
04.30.2009 10:18 P.M. ET 

The offense looks to have opened up early in the second period, but the Blackhawks are still not getting as many quality chances as the Canucks. Chicago is putting the puck on net, but most shots by the Hawks are coming at a distance and from the boards with little traffic in the crease to disrupt the steady Roberto Luongo. 

While Luongo has not been tested much, Nikolai Khabibulin is more than holding his own at the other end of the ice. He has made several solid saves, including a strong stop on Steve Bernier, who made a beautiful toe drag move on a 2-on-1, that looked almost certain to give Vancouver a two-goal advantage. 

Despite Khabibulin’s strong play, keeping Vancouver’s edge to one goal hasn’t lasted long, as a spectacular centering feed from behind the net by Daniel Sedin to his brother Henrik has put the Canucks ahead 2-0. 

–David Kalan 

Canucks take the lead, 1-0
04.30.2009 9:40 P.M. ET

Finally, something to get excited about! A very sexy passing play from two former Maple Leafs, Kyle Wellwood and Mats Sundin, has led to the first goal of the series off the stick of Pavol Demitra. Textbook power-play work by the three Canuck forwards. 

If the Hawks hope to get anything past Roberto Luongo, they’ll have to stay out of the box and take the game to the Canucks. It’s difficult to beat “Lou” even strength, almost impossible to do shorthanded. Vancouver gave up five shorthanded goals all season, and only two of those were scored on Luongo. 

Right now they don’t look like the “mighty Blackhawks,” but more like confused pigeons in Central Park — they’re there, they’re a New York City fixture, but they’re causing more problems than they’re solving. That being said, I expect to see a flurry of activity from Chicago when it comes out for the second period, maybe even a few odd-man rushes. 

On an extremely random note, the organist in Vancouver is spectacular. He just played “Bittersweet Symphony,” not a traditional hockey song by any means. Any chance you think the organist in Anaheim can play “California Love?” If you were the Ducks, how sweet would it be to hit the ice to a little Tupac Shakur, Phantom of the Opera-style?

–Deven Persaud

Lazy Thursday
04.30.2009 9:40 P.M. ET

This game has been extremely sleepy thus far. A few power plays, a few chances, a jaunt for Khabibulin and one nice save by Luongo are the only moments of excitement thus far. 

There’s no nastiness, no urgency, no ‘joie de vivre’ in this game. I know it’s early, but Vancouver should be flying after an eight-day rest. They seem content to let the Hawks come at them, albeit very slowly. I understand there is a feeling-out process, but after the utter ridiculousness of the two Game 7′s Tuesday night I feel like tonight is a slight letdown. 

Random note — one of the announcers said “the Sedins find each other all the time” — does that mean they often lose each other? What does that mean for Steve Bernier, is he always lost? Is that some sort of dig at his play? I thought Bernier was great in the St. Louis series, creating room and screening the goalie. 

I guess we’ll find out by the end of this series who’s right about Bernier. Deven Persaud, sometimes-blogger, or the respected and reputed hockey men of Versus — I wouldn’t put money on me. 

–Deven Persaud

Sammy to the rescue
04.30.2009 9:32 P.M. ET

Nikolai Khabibulin decided to venture out a little too far to play a puck midway through the first period and wound up bumping into his own defenseman and leaving a wide open net for the Canucks. 

Fortunately for Chicago, Sammy Pahlsson’s quick backchecking averted the crisis. While Joel Quenneville may have had a mild heart attack on the bench watching the play develop, the Hawks still find themselves in a scoreless tie. For a few seconds it appeared as though that would not be the case. 

–David Kalan 

Game 1 underway
04.30.2009 9:10 P.M. ET

With the Blackhawks and Canucks getting started in the second round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Chicago and Vancouver present us with perhaps the most difficult series to handicap in this round.

Granted, there are no easy picks here — all eight remaining teams are solid, legitimate contenders. But there are a number of questions for both sides that remain up for debate. Will Nikolai Khabibulin continue his remarkable rebirth in the postseason? Will the Canucks respond better to the young Blackhawks’ toughness than the Flames did in the opening round? Can Roberto Luongo continue to take his place among the elite goaltenders of the NHL by reaching his first conference final? How will the Blackhawks try to lock down the potent Sedin brothers?

With so much to be decided as these two teams skate tonight, two men who will be watching closely are Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and Chicago mayor Richard Daley. The two men have continued the time-honored tradition of goofy intercity sports bets involving local products.

Robertson thinks his Canucks are strong enough that he’s willing to risk smoked salmon, wild mushrooms, chocolates and blueberry sauce among other items. Daley is betting the Hawks will be good to protect his assortment of hot dogs, cupcakes, polish sausage, pasta sauce and Chicago 2016 Olympics merchandise.

Clearly the stakes aren’t just high for the men on the ice.

–David Kalan 

Swede success indeed
04.29.2009 3:30 PM ET

Apparently Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, isn’t that big of a town despite the fact that it cranks out hockey players like Bridgestone does tires. The town is home to both Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Rangers forward Markus Naslund, former Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg and Chicago center Sami Pahlsson. 

The Sedins missed the party when Pahlsson won the Cup in 2007 with the Ducks and brought it to his home, which is just 10 doors down from theirs. Now, the Sedin twins are trying to prevent that party from happening in their second-round series with the Blackhawks. 

“Well, I didn’t go to the party,” Daniel told the Vancouver Sun. “I think we were out of town, which was kind of lucky.”

Henrik knows that it is important to keep their off-ice relationship, which is a close one, separate from their work relationship, which in all likelihood is going to be an on-going distaste for one another. 

“It’s special because he lives close to us in our hometown and we know him really well,” Henrik told the Vancouver Sun. “But we’ve played against matchups the whole year, so for us it’s not going to be a big difference. We know him better off the ice, but that’s the only thing.”

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville isn’t likely to keep Pahlsson, who played on Anaheim’s defensive shut-down line with Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen in the 2007 playoffs, away from the ever-dangerous Sedin twins. In fact, the off-ice pals could very well be matched up against each other. 

– Adam Schwartz

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