Luongo, Kesler Lead Confident Canucks into War with the Blackhawks

After Vancouver’s impressive game one performance, the Canucks and Blackhawk’s continued the series trend of dominating visiting team victories as the Blackhawks manhandled the Canucks on Wednesday night at GM Place.

The Blackhawks used their playoff specific game plan to simply outwork, outhustle and outwit the Canucks in game three. Chicago’s ability to force pucks on net with traffic is simply the most effective way to get to Roberto Luongo and the Canucks, and the ‘Hawks executed their game plan to perfection.

The first period Wednesday set the tone for the entire night, missed opportunities by the Canucks and effective crease crashing would spell disaster for the home team once again.

Kris Versteeg’s second of the series and the first of three credited to Canuck killer Dustin Byfuglien were both prime examples of the ‘Hawks impressive playoff style hockey. Both goals were products of shots from the point, put in due to poor rebound control by Roberto Luongo and passive defending from the Canuck defensive corps.

In the second, discipline and missed opportunities buried the Canucks. After Jannik Hansen scored his first of the season to start the scoring for the home team, a series of missed scoring oppurtunities took the wind right out of the Canucks’ sails. After momentum began to swing in Chicago’s favour, it was only a matter of time before the Canucks’ again found themselves shorthanded.

Who better to continue their poor post season play than Alex Burrows?

Burrow’s second period unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was a tough call to swallow given a playoff hockey setting, however the lack of discipline showed by Burrows and the rest of the Canucks simply has to change in order for them to be successful.

On the ensuing power play, Dustin Byfuglien again proved his playoff value putting home his second of the night capped off with a cheeky goal celebration to further insult Burrows and Canucks fans. However, the feisty French-Canadian was not willing to end the period on a bad note. Burrow’s high wrist shot late in the second gave life to the Canucks bringing them within striking distance heading into the 3rd. If not for his late second period goal, I expect Burrows would not have seen much ice in the third period.

Unfortunately for Burrows and the Canucks, the exciting third period comeback fans were hoping for was not in the cards Wednesday night.

Early in the third after Shane O’Brien was forced to discard a broken stick, Marian Hossa was able to quickly pick up another Chicago rebound in front of Luongo and wrap the puck around Vancouver’s captain, down two goals the Canuck’s couldn’t catch a break.

In the playoffs, puck luck flows like momentum, and the ‘Hawks had it in spades in game three. Dustin Byfuglien’s third goal of the game (No, I will NOT refer to it as a hat trick, thank you very much.) was not only a lucky bounce, but also required a significant stroke of luck from NHL officials.

As you can clearly see from the Slow-Mo video, both Dustin Byfuglien and Patrick Kane make contact with Roberto Luongo and drive him into the net. In fact, both Dustin Byfuglien (who was credited with the goal) and Patrick Kane had BOTH feet in the crease as the puck is crossing the Canuck line (0:34), how this goal was allowed continues to boggle my mind in ways I cannot begin to describe. With six minutes left, down two goals in their own rink, the Canucks deserved a fair shot at a comeback; instead hockey fans everywhere have been left with one burning question: What really are the rules in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

It’s the worst kept secret in hockey; half of the NHL rule book is thrown out come playoff time. Creases get busy, interference disappears and roughing becomes “good defence”, it happens every year. The escalation of intensity and pressure in the playoffs may appropriately force a subtle relaxing of the rules, however this year’s playoffs has at times seemed like penalty box bingo.

While upsetting all the same, the officiating should be irrelevant when it comes to these two teams, that’s the fact of the matter in this series, there are two teams. The unpredictability of what is/isn’t a penalty in these NHL playoffs has been equally ridiculous for both teams and the Blackhawks determination has simply elevated them above the Canucks in games two and three. The Chicago forwards recognition of lax goaltender interference standards in the series has been their key to victory, in fact all five Blackhawk goals Wednesday night came from rebounds and traffic in front of Roberto Luongo.

The Canucks crease presence tells a different story.

Antti Niemi must be a Tragically Hip fan, because opposite Luongo the ‘Hawks goaltender has been allowed to simply stop pucks in The Lonely End of the Rink. No traffic, no contact, no rebounds. The Canucks refusal to join in on the crease crashing during this series has been simply stubborn, I cannot understand how Vancouver forwards can watch their captain under siege, and yet leave Niemi to his work. This is the playoffs for Gordie’s sake; if you aren’t cheating you aren’t trying hard enough.

Champions do what is necessary to win, no matter the cost. If the Canucks want to survive this series, they must declare war with the Blackhawks.  Roberto Luongo’s crease must become a demilitarized zone, and any ‘Hawk that approaches the blue paint should be crushed. 200 feet away, Canuck forwards should be pushing to control Niemi’s crease like it’s Vimy Ridge, because that’s what it takes to win a war, which is exactly what the series has become.

News and Notes

• Possible lineup changes for the Canucks tonight: Burrows with the Sedins, Grabner on 2^nd “speed” line, Samuelsson with Wellwood and Hansen, Glass Johnson and Bernier on the 4^th.
• After his “three goal game” on Wednesday, Dustin Byfuglien is the hottest news item in town, it makes me sick. His dad believes the Canucks have woke up a sleeping giant.
• An incognito tourist by day/hockey player by night sleeping giant, that is.
• A playoff series is a sequence of momentum shifts, tactical adjustments and endless mind games; Ross McKeon has suggestions of his own for the Canucks if they are to survive.

• Canuck flavoured food: Too much Canadiana in one doughnut? You decide.
• Roberto Luongo is confident that it the Canucks match the ‘Hawks net presence in game four, the series will even out once again.
• Ted Lindsay award nominee Henrik Sedin could become the first Canuck to win the NHLPA’s recently re-named “Most Outstanding Player” award winner since Markus Naslund in 02/03.
• Adam Burish believes Alex Burrows is a clown for going after Brian Campbell during game three, since Burrows is a whole inch taller and all. Pick on someone your own size Burr!
• Dave Bolland: left out of the clown conversation. Apparently carving up Daniel Sedin is fair, but the Canucks should only pick fights with the Blackhawk Meatheads?
• Turns out Bolland really is a clown, unfortunately the ‘Hawks ran out of costumes. Via @OHYAHH

No clowns...strange.

Game time is 6:30 Pacific again tonight fans. Who comes under siege first, Antti Niemi or Roberto Luongo? What would you do to turn the series around if you the ear of Alain Vigneault? 48 hours has been long enough, let’s see what the Canucks are really made of.