Canucks lost game four 7-4
Blackhawks lead series 3-1
According to NHL.com’s playoff stats: teams have trailed 3-1 in a best-of-seven series a total of 229 times and have come back to win the series on 20 occasions or 8.7% of the time. And three of the twenty belong to the Vancouver Canucks (1992, 1994 and 2003). In fact, the Canucks have the most success at this than any other team! What’s bothersome is why we have to wind up in these predicaments in the first place.
The most recent successful series comeback was the 2003 playoffs, the opponent: the St. Louis Blues. The Blues were a very good team, and at the time had the record for most consecutive playoff appearances out of all pro sports (at the time it was something like 23 years in a row qualifying for the playoffs). The Canuck/ Blues rivalry had been heating up all season long with the two teams split for wins, and the final outing was considered “the game of the year” in the press.
For the Canucks, that first round series was off to a horrible start because they lost game one (6-0) at home. I was there and it was a heart breaker. They did nothing right and were completely owned by the Blues. They managed to barely win game two, but then lost the next two on the road in St. Louis. With the Canucks on the ropes for game five at home, I decided to bet on the Canucks to win the game. I could have made that bet with many people because nobody believed the team would win. I went to the game, and sure enough they won. Back to St. Louis for game six and they won again. Home to Vancouver for game seven and they won the series.
So what happened to create that glorious turn around? Well the pressure was off for sure. I remember seeing a clip of the team strolling into GM Place on game day and they were loose, smiling and relaxed. But something else was going on over at the other bench worth noting: the flu was spreading around the mighty Blues team.
Today the Canucks are waist deep in a nasty team melt down and it’s already a game up over last year’s Blackhawk series melt down (we had two wins at this point last year and were eventually dispatched from the playoffs after game six).
So what can Canuck nation hope for this time around?
The Blackhawks might not have the flu, but the Orcas can hope for some three alarm hangovers...
Road Trip
The Canucks have to happy to get out of the insane asylum that the city of Vancouver has become. I have to write a separate column covering the mountain of stupidity we’ve ascended (most of it is courtesy of the media) or else this one would be too long. In my opinion the circus off of the ice is as bad if not worse than the three ringer on the ice. I know if I were the Canucks, I’d more than pleased to get on a plane and return to the “Mad House” that is United Center. I’m sure it will be calmer there for them, if you can imagine that!
Mikael Samuelsson Makes a Difference...
We’ve Used Up ALL the Bad Everything
Could it be that the Canucks have gotten everything bad that any hockey player could ever imagine happening out of the way in these last three games, leaving the team with nothing but good stuff on the horizon? Is it possible that Daniel Sedin has no more potential for taking penalties, because he’s already spent his quota for round two? And Roberto Luongo has realized he’s way overdrawn at the goals allowed bank and will madly start saving them again?
Will the pucks grow tired of bouncing the other way?
Is the entire team finally done talking and ready to just shut up and play?
The clock is ticking...GO CANUCKS!!!
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