Canada v USA

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Originally Posted by CFH

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Chicago almost seems too good. I need my sports teams to depress me from time to time. Anger.

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If it's disappointment and heartbreak you look for in a hockey team then look no farther than the Vancouver Canucks, one of the most pathetic franchises in the history of athletics. 40 years of hockey, no championships, and only two trips to the finals. They didn't make the playoffs or have a winning team for something like 15 years straight and yet somehow I love them.

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So the Canucks are like the NHL's version of the NFL's Detroit Lions?;D

I don't think they're that bad ;D

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Originally Posted by Youngblood

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Originally Posted by Nameless

1) The Boston Bruins; One of the nicest uniform in the league

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:oooh:

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Do you imagine how I am suspicious in the eyes of some of my friends for cheering for the Bruins before the Habs? it really drew a question mark over my head but somehow, they always love me as much as before.


As for the Canucks, bad or good, they are indeed my fav team on the West Coast because I quite like Vancouver.

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Originally Posted by generalbulldog

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Originally Posted by CFH

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Chicago almost seems too good. I need my sports teams to depress me from time to time. Anger.

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If it's disappointment and heartbreak you look for in a hockey team then look no farther than the Vancouver Canucks, one of the most pathetic franchises in the history of athletics. 40 years of hockey, no championships, and only two trips to the finals. They didn't make the playoffs or have a winning team for something like 15 years straight and yet somehow I love them.

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So the Canucks are like the NHL's version of the NFL's Detroit Lions?;D

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You be the judge:

Vancouver Canucks (1970-Present)

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

I'd like to have a feeling that winning is possible. I don't want to necessarily be a fan of an awful team run by a bunch of clowns. Vancouver at least looks like their going to the playoffs.

Honestly I may be leaning towards Vancouver. Strangely enough I find that some of these Central and Eastern time zone teams play too early. Regular 6 Central time starts is a bunch of shit. 9 o clock starts actually probably fit my schedule a bit better. 8 would be perfect, get it done people.

So they have decent start times.
They're good but not that good
I can ask CFH who sucks and is good.
I like Kesler and Demitra.
I don't dislike any of their players yet.

Cons
I don't know who any of their defenders are.
That Molson commercial is going to get annoying.

I was just thinking last night I'm sure Gary Bettman is thrilled with somebody like me, I watch the Olympics and then actually start watching the league. And then I realized I was watching a stream.

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Olympic Demitra and NHL Demitra are two very different players in my experience. Hopefully he keeps up his play.

As for the defense, they're a decent if unspectacular group. Before last year some delusional fans were proclaiming them to be among the best in the league, which has since been proven false. The one knock on them is that they're injury prone. Here they are:

Willie Mitchell - A defensive defenseman who's very sound positionally. Might be out for the rest of the season with a concussion after Evgeni Malkin hit him from behind (just another reason to hate the Penguins)

Christian Erhoff - Aquired from San Jose in the off-season. The most pleasant surprise on the team this year. Solid defensively and above-average offensively, he's been the teams best defender this year. Played for Germany at the Olympics.

Kevin Beiksa - A somewhat undersized offensive defenseman with a bit of a mean-streak. Dumb as nails when is comes to hockey sense. He's about to return from an injury where he had his ankle tendons sliced with a skate (the second time that has happened in the last 3 seasons). I usually can't stand him because of his boneheaded mistakes and I'd love to see him traded for something decent.

Sami Salo - Arguably the Canucks best all around defenseman, but he's always injured. It's like he's made of glass. He has a deadly point shot though, it clocks in at over 100 MPH. He once hurt himself taking a slap-shot. That is not a joke. Played for Finland at the Olympics.

Shane O'Brien - Used to be dumb as shit, used to take a ton of penalties. He's been decent this year even though he doesn't fight anymore.

Alexander Edler - SHould have played for Sweden at the Olympics. Having an off-year but a very young, very promising defenseman.

They just traded for Andrew Alberts from Carolina. Apparent he is big and mean. I like that.

There you go, now you know our defense.

Yeah now that I think about it I'd heard of Salo. Well at least their winning so far tonight. Burrows seems to be pretty good.

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Originally Posted by CFH

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Originally Posted by generalbulldog

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Originally Posted by CFH

If it's disappointment and heartbreak you look for in a hockey team then look no farther than the Vancouver Canucks, one of the most pathetic franchises in the history of athletics. 40 years of hockey, no championships, and only two trips to the finals. They didn't make the playoffs or have a winning team for something like 15 years straight and yet somehow I love them.

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So the Canucks are like the NHL's version of the NFL's Detroit Lions?;D

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You be the judge:

Vancouver Canucks (1970-Present)

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They're actually worse! Haven't won a championship and had bad seasons for 15 years.

Yes the Lions have been bad the last 10 years but at least they have 3 championships in their history although this was before the Superbowl era but still it's something. And they were pretty decent during the Barry Sanders years and made the playoffs.

I think a more appropriate comparison would be to the NBA's Clippers.;D

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Yeah now that I think about it I'd heard of Salo. Well at least their winning so far tonight. Burrows seems to be pretty good.

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Goddamnit, I didn't want to know how the game was going. I'm watching the replay at 7.

Anyways, Burrows is great. He's dynamite with the Sedins on the top line. He's got something like 17 goals in the last 22 games, including back to back hattricks Without them he's just a very good 3rd liner though.

He has an amazing story too, he went undrafted and somehow came to be regarded as the world's best ball-hockey player. The Manitoba Moose (the Canucks farm team) signed him and he played there and eventually got a chance to play with the Canucks after some injuries because he was such a hard worker. After being told he was in danger of being cut the following training camp, he proved his worth as a 3 liner and a penalty-killer. He rarely scored for the Moose or the Canucks, but his work-ethic and ability to agitate the opposition became legendary. He developed great chemistry with Ryan Kesler, played on the second line some of last year, and when the Canucks went through a 13 (I think) game losing streak last year he and Kesler were broken up (at the time they were the only guys playing well) and he was put on the top line, where he immediately began to score. He has been there ever since. Last season, he signed a 4 year contract for 2M/year, which was a MASSIVE discount. I love Burrows

Here are Burrow's and Kesler talking shit at David Backes of the St. Louis Blues in last years playoffs. Kelly is Backes' wife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1angy_kjuk

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Originally Posted by generalbulldog

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Originally Posted by CFH

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Originally Posted by generalbulldog

So the Canucks are like the NHL's version of the NFL's Detroit Lions?;D

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You be the judge:

Vancouver Canucks (1970-Present)

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They're actually worse! Haven't won a championship and had bad seasons for 15 years.

Yes the Lions have been bad the last 10 years but at least they have 3 championships in their history although this was before the Superbowl era but still it's something. And they were pretty decent during the Barry Sanders years and made the playoffs.

I think a more appropriate comparison would be to the NBA's Clippers.;D

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The Vancouver Millionaires won the Stanley Cup in 1917 before the NHL even existed. That is all a major-league Vancouver hockey team has ever won :eek:

haha my bad. I won't go ahead with my planned play by play.

give your balls a tug you fucking pussy was kind of funny.

Does everyone play a fourth line that is pretty much just grinders/fighters types? Is the point of that basically just that teams can't afford financially to have four lines of good offensive players?

Well I guess I am a Canucks fan. Woo. That game last night was pure hilarity. It seemed to me that the refs bent Vancouver over a bit at times but it also seemed like Chicago lured Vancouver into a chippy game with a ton of fights and then they kept their composure while Vancouver didn't.

From my short time I have developed an expertise about Vancouver and would say they need one really good defender and an upgrade to the third line. That may be way off. My three favorite players are Burrows, Kesler, and Demitra so I hope they sign/resign those guys. Well I guess Demitra's kind of old.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Well I guess I am a Canucks fan. Woo.

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:vd:

This is like the start of a relationship, all rosey feeling and exciting I bet for you eh Ouma? I don't need to remind you how most relationships work and end do I?

:deal2:


:flowers:

:domo-kun:

:cwm28:



:deadnew:

The "eh" part just slipped out didn't it? Man reverting to his natural state and all that.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Does everyone play a fourth line that is pretty much just grinders/fighters types? Is the point of that basically just that teams can't afford financially to have four lines of good offensive players?

Well I guess I am a Canucks fan. Woo. That game last night was pure hilarity. It seemed to me that the refs bent Vancouver over a bit at times but it also seemed like Chicago lured Vancouver into a chippy game with a ton of fights and then they kept their composure while Vancouver didn't.

From my short time I have developed an expertise about Vancouver and would say they need one really good defender and an upgrade to the third line. That may be way off. My three favorite players are Burrows, Kesler, and Demitra so I hope they sign/resign those guys. Well I guess Demitra's kind of old.

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That's very accurate. The Canucks are a #1 defender and a third line center away from being a complete team. Unfortunately, thanks to the salary cap, there are not more complete teams. Unfortunately, #1 defensemen do not come along all too often. The 'Nucks defense is solid, but it lacks a true 22+ minute defenseman.

As for the fourth line, on most teams it is usually composed of hard hitting guys who can fight, though some teams rely on youngsters. Generally speaking, if your fourth line keeps the puck in the opponents zone it is considered a good shift.

Chicago handled the Canucks last night, but the Canucks did the same thing to the 'Hawks last time around. One the thing the 'Hawks are extremely proficient at is getting in Luongo's head and disruption his game. They are the only team I want to avoid at all costs in the playoffs.

http://www.harkavagrant.com/nonsense/batchcanadasm.png

are you watching this CFH?

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

are you watching this CFH?

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I left to go to the grocery store when it was 3-0, thoroughly disgusted with Luongo and the rest of the team and when I get back in my car and turn on the radio I find out that it's 4-2 (Samuelson scored right afterwards). The Canucks are the best team in the league this year at winning games they're losing in the 3rd period.

I'm curious to hear what you think of NHL hockey so far Ouma. It's the regular season, so there is little of the intensity which marked the Olympics (it'll be there in the playoffs though) and the game isn't played at the same skill level, but do you find it entertaining?

I suggest you watch the game on the 13th, it'll be the Canucks first home game in over a month because of the Olympics. They've played their last 14 games on the road (an NHL record) and they're one of the best home ice teams in the league. Their record at home is 23-7-1 compared to 17-16-1 on the road.

Its definitely watchable, not as good as the Olympics but I'll definitely watch the playoffs.

I was a bit annoyed. Hadn't watched the last few games cause I'd been busy both times but tonight I had nothing to do, there was a great stream (for once), it was a good start time, and I had a six pack of good beer and I sat down and it was almost immediately 3-0. I almost quit completely (basically I kept it on in the background and looked around at some sites) but now its turned into a good game.

Was it just me or were the defense men utterly incapable of passing the puck for the first period or two, they kept on just throwing it at Colorado players.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

Was it just me or were the defense men utterly incapable of passing the puck for the first period or two, they kept on just throwing it at Colorado players.

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The defense has been a problem this year. They're always injured (not just a problem this year), but offensively they're ok. I didn't see enough of the first two periods to have an opinion on the defensive play, but it has been suspect lately. They're missing Willie Mitchell who is the best defensive defenseman and the guy who plays the most minutes on the back end when he is healthy. Kevin Bieksa, a guy who also plays 20+ minutes a night and is known for having a decent first pass, is also injured, though he should be back soon. I do not like Bieksa though and IMO his absence has been one of the reasons for the season turning around. He's overpayed, overrated, and Alain Vingeault (the coach) has some sort of mental deficiency that blinds him to Bieksa's glaring weaknesses and which compels him to play him 20+ minutes a night.

I have a fabulous stream tonight and I still have a hard time following the puck. Well really just on shots. For the most part I don't know its a goal till the horn sounds, they say it is, team celebrates, etc. And I don't know half of the time when a puck was saved by a goalie or if just went wide. I'm not sure hockey's a great stream sport.

If that Willie Mitchell guy is the best defensive defender then he needs to get healthy. That's my expert commentary for tonight. Fucking seemingly more Vancouver fans there than Phoenix fans. Which of course brings up the point that why the fuck is there a hockey team in Phoenix? Or Nashville? Etc. I know there are bigger markets in the US but it seems like five or six Canadian teams is a bit low. Are there any big Canadian markets without a team? And when did Nashville become a big market? Columbus I guess could draw fans from around Ohio but I suspect the only hockey fans in Tennessee for the most part are in Nashville.

That's another reason, albeit a secondary one, why I have chosen Vancouver. There's something to be said for atmosphere. I don't want to be a fan of a team that plays its game in a funeral home, half full, no noise, etc. I assumed Vancouver, being a Canadian team, and the best Canadian team, would have good crowds.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

I have a fabulous stream tonight and I still have a hard time following the puck. Well really just on shots. For the most part I don't know its a goal till the horn sounds, they say it is, team celebrates, etc. And I don't know half of the time when a puck was saved by a goalie or if just went wide. I'm not sure hockey's a great stream sport.

If that Willie Mitchell guy is the best defensive defender then he needs to get healthy. That's my expert commentary for tonight. Fucking seemingly more Vancouver fans there than Phoenix fans. Which of course brings up the point that why the fuck is there a hockey team in Phoenix? Or Nashville? Etc. I know there are bigger markets in the US but it seems like five or six Canadian teams is a bit low. Are there any big Canadian markets without a team? And when did Nashville become a big market? Columbus I guess could draw fans from around Ohio but I suspect the only hockey fans in Tennessee for the most part are in Nashville.

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Hockey is a hard sport to watch on a stream, but you get used to it. Higher quality like the ADTHE (sp?) streams are the best.

As for the teams in the southern U.S., that was part of Gary "Please Fire Me Now" Bettman's scheme of force-feeding American's a game that they had no history with. Unsurprisingly, it failed miserably. Phoenix is bound for southern Ontario next year and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Predators, Panthers, Lightning, or Thrashers relocate soon. Again unsurprisingly, Bettman desperately wants to put teams in Los Vegas and Kansas City (yes, Kansas City). Vegas might work, but Kansas City is doomed to failure. Some Canadians will tell you that, in addition to another team in south Ontario, that both Winnipeg and Quebec City, two places that once had teams, can support an NHL team better than many of the southern markets, but whether or not that is true remains to be seen.

Contraction by 3 or 4 teams and relocation of one or two others would be best for the league, both in terms of markets and the quality of the game, but it will never happen under Bettman's watch.

I have two more questions. One I haven't quite figured out the structure, i.e. do centers generally try to stick to a certain area of the ice or is it more everyone just roams. Are centers generally your top assist men and have more assists than goals or is that just Vancouver where H. Sedin and Kesler both have more assists. It seems that the wingers, Burrows and Sammuelson for example, are more kind of goal poachers to use a soccer term.

And two what is the offside trap? I finally have figured out the offside rule pretty comprehensively but am still not sure about the trap.

goal Vancouver. This Samuelson guy is hot. Don't worry about answering the other questions now.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

I have two more questions. One I haven't quite figured out the structure, i.e. do centers generally try to stick to a certain area of the ice or is it more everyone just roams. Are centers generally your top assist men and have more assists than goals or is that just Vancouver where H. Sedin and Kesler both have more assists. It seems that the wingers, Burrows and Sammuelson for example, are more kind of goal poachers to use a soccer term.

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Centers generally have more assists than do the wingers. They're usually the set-up men. Their role is also a lot more defensive than the other forwards. They have to come back and provide more coverage in deep in the defensive zone. Kesler is regarded as one of the best defensive forwards in the game. He's outstanding in his own zone.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

And two what is the offside trap? I finally have figured out the offside rule pretty comprehensively but am still not sure about the trap.

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Do you mean the neutral zone trap? As far as I know there is no such thing as the offside trap. Sometimes a commentator will say a player is trapped offside, but aside from that I have no idea. The neutral zone trap is a defensive (and yawn-inducing) style of play where only one (or no) fore-checkers are sent into the opponents zone when the other team has the puck. Instead, all the players clog up the neutral zone and tend to line up on their own blue-line in an attempt to prevent the other team from gaining the zone or generating any offense. It's obscene and I loathe any team that uses it regularly. It's usually used by teams without enough talent to win in any other fashion (see the 2007/2008 Vancouver Canucks or the Minnesota Wild under Jacques Lemaire (or any other Lemaire-coached teams like the 1990s New Jersey Devils - the team that almost single-handedly killed hockey in what is now known as the "Duck Puck Era")

yeah neutral zone trap

I don't know what to make of this Don Cherry guy. Does he take himself seriously or is it just all an act?

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

yeah neutral zone trap

I don't know what to make of this Don Cherry guy. Does he take himself seriously or is it just all an act?

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This vid half-assed explains the trap, or at least its most common incarnation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq4Q6XKZx_w

As for Cherry, I think it's a bit of both. He knows his shit, but he comes across as such a bigoted blow-hard sometimes, it's ridiculous. He's the type of person you either love or hate. I love him, but I don't take him seriously.

He was voted one of the top 10 greatest Canadians in a CBC series. That will tell you something about our national intelligence.

I don't have any thing against fights but this shit where guys get pissed when they just get checked is a bit douchey to me.

I've got the Boston Bruins-Montreal game on mute in the background cause there's nothing on, I haven't paid 100 percent attention cause I've been listening to music, looking at the internet, etc but whenever I look up every time there's a check dudes start pushing and shoving and getting into wrestling matches. Its getting a bit cartoonish really. I expect them to start pulling each others hair at some point.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

I don't have any thing against fights but this shit where guys get pissed when they just get checked is a bit douchey to me.

I've got the Boston Bruins-Montreal game on mute in the background cause there's nothing on, I haven't paid 100 percent attention cause I've been listening to music, looking at the internet, etc but whenever I look up every time there's a check dudes start pushing and shoving and getting into wrestling matches. Its getting a bit cartoonish really. I expect them to start pulling each others hair at some point.

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Check Burrows out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCCR0PcT4_E

That fight was gay pulling hair, I expected them to get their hand bags out next and start hitting each other with that. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Master

That fight was gay pulling hair, I expected them to get their hand bags out next and start hitting each other with that. :cool:

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;D

Burrows said afterwards that he did it because Kieth (I think it was Keith) was fishhooking him. Those two teams hate each other and it looks like they might meet in the playoffs this year if all goes well for both of them.

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lol its the nature of the beast and sport. grab the sweater, ear, head w/e of the other guy and feed him uppercuts. ;D I know people laugh when they view these guys online street fightin with no shirts on, but here in Canada everyone plays hockey and the first thing that'll happen if you dont lose your shirt, is you'll he wearing it over your head, shoulders all tied up...and yes, eat uppercuts till that thing ends up on the ground.

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Originally Posted by CFH

As for Cherry, I think it's a bit of both. He knows his shit, but he comes across as such a bigoted blow-hard sometimes, it's ridiculous. He's the type of person you either love or hate. I love him, but I don't take him seriously.

He was voted one of the top 10 greatest Canadians in a CBC series. That will tell you something about our national intelligence.

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I vote for you to never mention again that extremely embarrassing moment of our history....

The game tonight between the Canucks and the Flames, who are huge rivals, is being streamed on Canucks.com.

Canucks TV

The Flames have traded away much of their toughness, so I don't know if this game will be marked by the extreme hostility that generally exists between the two teams.

Ouma, if you get the chance check out the Canucks - Sharks game. It just started. Fairly intense so far. San Jose usually owns the Canucks though.

I think it's being streamed on Canucks.com

didn't really watch any of the game, got home, bored, look around, find it on the internet with like 5 minutes left and see the Canucks eventually go down in flames SPECTACULARLY ;D