Blackhawks/ Canucks: Game Three

by Lisa Ovens

Blackhawks 5 Canucks 2

Blackhawks lead the series 2-1



Seen Around Town:

Former Canuck defenseman, Mattias Ohlund was spotted having a bite to eat with current defender, Alex Edler at Urban Fare in Yaletown today. This meet up appeared to have no effect on the Canucks 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Also spotted near Yaletown...a grey whale made a rare appearance in the waters off GM Place, home of the Vancouver Canucks. Some optimists saw this as a good omen for the boys wearing the Orca crested jerseys.

The Coast Guard tracked the whale, concerned for its safety. According to spokesman Dan Bate, "A crew from Kitsilano was tasked to keep an eye on it and ensure there was no interference from other boaters."

If only the NHL officials and the Vancouver Canuck defense corps could do the same for Canucks net minder, Roberto Luongo, ensuring no interference from the opponent's showboater (see video).

The Game...
There's not enough Heineken and chocolate cupcakes in the world to help me get over this game! It was like the Canucks played right into the Blackhawks hands. This was frustrated play after frustrated display. This outing was a frightening reminder of last season's round two series with the Bhawks. And we all know how that one turned out.

The Vancouver Canucks threw everything at Hawks goaltender, Antti Niemi without so much as a ladle getting knocked out of place in his kitchen; messing up Niemi is something Canuck fans want to see after witnessing the much hated behemoth BHawk, Dustin Byfuglien wreak havoc in front of Luongo, and potting a hat trick in the process. Byfuglien scoring a hat trick...oh the horror, THE HORROR!!

Last series against the LA Kings, we heard the name, Doughty too much from the broadcast booth. This time it's Byfuglien! Come on Canucks...less Byfuglien and more, ooh pick a Nuck defender name, anyone, more all of them, more Sedin, more Samuelsson, more Kesler, more Burrows!! Last series our penalty kill struggled. This series our power play is pathetic. Come game four, these special teams must be firing on all cylinders - the Canucks have no choice at this point, if they want to get to the promise land (Oh by Canuck nation standards, the promise land actually means the Western Conference Finals, a place we haven't seen for 16 long years).

And before I leave this post in search of cupcakes and Heinekens, I should address the on ice officiating and the rule surrounding the controversial fifth goal scored by the Blackhawks...

NHL rule #69.

"Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal."

When the NHL officials were studying this rule at reffing school, well, it just didn’t sink in. Too busy giggling about the number “69”?

P.S.
One first period intermission moment of "WTF" proportions...
 
The Green Men announced on twitter that they would not be attending tonight’s game but will be present for game four on Friday, which in turn was announced by Jeff Marek on HNIC’s I- Desk segment. Well thank freaking God we were enlightened by this vital information! But you know what this means now...if the Canucks win Game Four with those two green body suit clad clowns hamming it up for the visiting team's sin bin occupants, the world as we know it will be changed for ever.
 
Go Canucks...may you be the comeback kids we fall in love with, over and over again!