First period and already two embellishments. Lapierre gets away with one but gets warned by the ref. Burrows gets sent to the sin-bin after enticing Lucic into a scuffle and then diving. Is this the skill that all the canuck fans keep telling me they have?

A replay of game 1? Nobody scoring on the PP's but they sure are mixing it up.

Squeeeeeeker.


This is the way it should be (a 1 point game). I would sure like to know what happens to these guys that permits a 7 point rout. Vancouver is living on the edge here, the B's are very stong. Luckily for us, you only have to win by one goal.

Come on Joe, It was a good game and you know we have tons of skill, leave the sour grapes and whine on the table, regroup and try for a win at home, your still in it and thats surprising to me, don't be a sniveler - I mean snivela SmileWavy
Finn

Pretty good game. Van started delivering some checks instead of just receiving them.
Good thing for Van that their other goalie showed up!
Game six will be a good one!

Maybe Vancouver will eventually figure out they just need to play whistle to whistle and avoid all the crap.

If you live by great goaltending, you can also die the same way.

Good move by Vigneault changing the D. And Edler played much better.

Just to give the Boston fans some hope: Of the last three series that were tied two-two the team that won game five lost all three series.

Thats treason talk, time for you to move back to Ontario and resume being a laughs fan, oh sorry I meant a Leafs fan. The B's are very strong??? give yourself a B slap! What team are you really cheering for? Got a mental image of you and Joe slurping umbrella drinks and spit polishing Bobby's statue. I'm gonna be sick to my stomach. BTW B Orr is #1 of my all time 3 favorite players, Waynes the other and I hold reserve on # 3 - right now its my kid, 12 goals and 11 assists in his last 4 games of 3 on 3 Bantom, wears # 4 and plays "D" - just like his old man did.
Joe I think its time to break the home at home win series with a big rout and TT looking like a fish outta water, twins finding their mark and the cup back to Canada - where it belongs, its gonna be a game to see back at the Garden, I still call it that cause its tradition, your pal G Bettman took all the tradition outta the game and thats why you will have to say you love him for 1 month after the Canucks win it all. SmileWavy
Finn

No, no not treasonous. I am definitely backing Vancouver. I'm just naturally pessimistic... that way I'm never disappointed! ;)

Or perhaps my 1 goal comment was unclear. Luckily a win is a win, doesn't matter if it's by 7 goals or just one. It's the # of wins that count, and we have 3 of those now... but just barely.

If you think that a 1-0 win is confidence inspiring then good for you. It was a good game but the nucks did have more control. Interesting that when the nucks have control of the game its a one goal game. When the B's have control its a blowout.
There was only one embellishment call (although the announcer spotted a few others done by the home team). No doubt that VC has tons of skill. That's why you are in the Cup. That said, the most skilled team doesn't always win. Will to win can trump skill to play (like all that skill the sisters have but can't score as well as some 3rd and 4th liners).
VC seems to do a lot better when they have the home advantage of last change. This will be a plus for game 7. The Bruins ran circles around them in Boston. Hopefully the B's will go back to dominating in game 6 and then have something to say in game 7. My hope is that TT stays solid and Bobby-lou has an off day in game 7.
In the meantime, enjoy your win from last night and we'll see you in Boston.

Good one 'Turbo' - LMAO

Cheers
JB

OK guys WE are all Hockey fans and team bias aside - do you think the Refereeing has been Good , Bad, Ugly, not just in the final but throughout the whole post season. If I had to say anything I would have to say that the way the games have been called has been less than OK, bad calls, missed calls, biased calls, what can be done? These are supposed to be the best of the rest calling these play off games and to me its been poor. Whats your take? Do we start a coach ordered replay review like they do in football? Do we interview these guys after the game to question the call - doubt that will work cause they will always say that they didn't see it. Remember the old days- 20 years ago when the whistle was blown when the puck was frozen along the boards, if a guy tried to freeze the puck now he would get a delay of game call. Seams the games were called better with 2 guys on the ice instead of 3. Just my take but win or lose I'm not happy & I think G. Bettman is a waste of space, but someone will have to say he loves him when this is all done, I won't mention any names - OK it'll be Joe that says it. lol
Finn

I believe the referees in the NHL are very very good. At certain times they receive instructions to 'clamp down', and at other times they are given free reign. I suspect they would do a better a job if left to their own devices.

The bottom line is the players control the game. Don Cherry likes to rant that certain games have no calls and the next game has six in the first period. The last time he said that one call was four minutes for drawing blood with a high stick, and one penalty was for pulling the stick out of another players hands. Do we blame the ref's for calling obvious penalties?

It is a difficult job, high speed, 12 players on the ice, all experienced in getting away with 'stuff' behind the play. And when referees ignore infractions players complain they 'let it get out of hand'. You can't have it both ways.

Think you could do it? Try reading the NHL rule-book online. And then making every call at full speed. After you have been skating for about two hours. In front of 15,000 experts (although very few people know more than the most rudimentary rules). And then critiqued by people watching in slow-motion.

I do believe we are headed for one 'coaches challenge' per game. To be used for non-discretionary calls (did the puck hit the glass before going into the stands, did the puck hit the mesh but was not whistled down, who touched the puck first on an icing, and possibly was a player off-side). There will be no review for tripping, cross checking, interference, etc.

Gary Bettman is a genius. At keeping his job. His house of cards will collapse shortly. Phoenix is only delayed, and only because the city council is made up of idiots. He has a pot full of problems and only one more city in Canada (possibly two) that can support a team. When teams can't find homes franchise values collapse. And franchise values are what keeps Gary in his job. Like any CEO he is there to make money for the owners, not to please fans. Any pleasure we derive from his actions is simply a fortunate by-product of him trying to keep his job.

One last comment: I refuse to believe that the league has an agenda and wants certain teams to win (or lose). Despite the protestations of some people here. The Stanley Cup is not directed to any team. It is won fair and square.

I don't have a dog in this hunt but I luv this sport. (Maybe one day I'll give you guys a laugh by posting a pic of me in net back inthe Jurassic Period.)

I'll go along with the Bruins having goonish moments (I've stated my feelings on this previously) and at the same time state that the Canucks have some great / pathetic actors on their side. LaPierre makes me sick.

+100 for what 1990C4S had to say.
Lest we forget, ice hockey is a sport but the NHL is a BUSINESS. We used to have the phrase "arm-chair quarterback" or "Monday morning coach". At full speed and ice level most folks would be lost in less than a minute (and that's assuming you know the rules in full). Of course, all the folks in this thread would be the exception to the above. :rolleyes: As I've stated before, we all see the game through our own bias shaded glasses. There will never be a perfectly called game. Officials are human.
Seems like when one team has more muscle, the opposing side whines "goon hockey". Maybe you prefer no checking? Hey, while we're at it, lets make the NFL touch football!
Sedin upset about the "Thelma and Louise" quote? The folks in Canada have called them the Sedin sisters. Henrik needs to remember that fame and stardom come with a price. He shouldn't be so touchy. If he's angry then teach Mike a lesson and score more than one goal this series. The sisters have combined for the same number of points as fourth liner Daniel Paille. Good thing that the cup is awarded based on wins and not stats (as it should be) but please, stop telling me how talented you are. Your talent is drowning in an ocean of bad stats. The Bruins will have a tough road ahead of them but it is still doable. One game at a time. A Bruins blowout game 6 will make game 7 a fight to the death. If the B's squeak by in game 6 then it will probably be all canucks in the 7th.

I think the Sedin's handles the criticism quite well. They didn't raise the subject, the interviewer did. Hendrik said (paraphrased); "we need to play better, but name calling is for grade school". And who could resist taking a (small) return shot at Milbury? I think the Sedin's won that battle.

Tony: Born and raised in NY. Ice scating since I was 7 and played pond hockey. I have a pair of Bobby Orr hockey skates (from when I was a kid) hanging in the garage. There are some rinks around here in TN but none really close to me.

In that case, I would say he handled it well. Fan and commentator abuse is part of being in pro sports. The return quote was a zinger. Whether you like MM or not, he still knows the game. He's just more rough cut than most commentators.

Dude! Check out the twig made of real wood! Awesome shot. Look out for the Zamboni on the far right side.

When I was a kid the first 'Zamboni' was drum of water with a burlap rag dragged behind. Then we went to Ford tractors with a 'Zamboni attachment' bolted on the back end. Then real Zamboni's.

yup this be me. circa 1976

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1307925218.jpg