Pucked in the Head is proud to welcome Richard Davalos (@QuakesFan84) and his Playoff Beard Diary. For those growing facial hair, we salute you! Just… maybe not for much longer.
Who wants to go to Vegas? Twenty-one years ago the Vancouver Canucks were in this exact position, down three games to one to the Calgary Flames, but that’s right where the similarities end. Unlike 21 years ago the Canucks are the higher seed and get two of the next three at home. Unlike 21 years ago, the Canucks scored two or more goals in every game in the series heading into game 5. Unlike 21 years ago, there was no debate about who would start each game in net.
This year’s Canucks are down to their final chips. They’re staring at the dealer holding a king to their 6 and 5. There’s no choice but to double down and go for broke for a shot at playing one more hand.
I can haz Sportsnet voiceover job now please?
Seriously though, what the hell is Willie Desjardins doing? He’s trying to goad the Flames into chasing the Canucks in the offensive zone when that has never been their style. They sit back and wait for you to shoot at them, then they take the puck, drive into the zone, hold it in deep and make it a hell of a task to get it out. The Canucks are doing the equivalent of chasing cards, hoping that if they just keep making the same bets over and over again, the deck (or shoe, if you like 3+ deck blackjack) will eventually turn and put them back in the positive.
The Canucks want to continue ignoring the chances they get in the slot and still try for the cross-ice pass through two Flames before taking a shot on net. They want to change as little as possible about what they’re doing and they’re expecting different results. Willie D’s idea of game-changing is pairing Derek Dorsett with the Sedins. I cannot believe I have to say it, so let me do it again: Derek Dorsett finished game four on the top scoring line for the Canucks. I get the feeling that the card the Canucks are going to turn over after doubling down tonight is an ace and today’s game is just going to get out of hand. Seriously, I know I’m a better writer than whoever Sportsnet has doing their pregame “pump up” intro. You can keep your movie voiceover guy, just let me write the intros and I’ll consider not completely bashing your laughable crap for the rest of the playoffs.
Around the League
The October Devan Dubnyk returned for a night. Right when it looked like the Minnesota Wild were in prime position to completely wreck the St. Louis Blues aspirations on advancing, Dubnyk’s old ways returned and Minnesota got down 3-0 in a hurry. Now the series heads back to Missouri and the question becomes “Did Dubnyk’s superhuman goaltending ability disappear just as fast as it appeared?”
The Lightning and Red Wings play game four today, and I still have not watched a single second of that series. I’ve given every other series at least a period and this series just does not excite me. Nothing of value has been lost (except my sanity for having sat through every period of Canucks-Flames).
I’m calling it now. Whoever wins tonight’s game between the Islanders and Capitals will win the series. I expect the home team to hold serve in the final three games.
Predictions
Tonight
Tampa 3, @ Detroit 1
@ Washington 4, NY Islanders 2
@ Nashville 3, Chicago 2
Calgary 5, @ Vancouver 3
Tomorrow
@ Montreal 4, Ottawa 1
@ NY Rangers 3, Pittsburgh 2
Minnesota 2, @ St. Louis 1
Beard Update
