In this blogger's opinion, Go Canucks. But if the Bruins win the Cup, they will do so because they deserve it more than Vancouver. They have played well in every game, while the Canucks have laid some real eggs in Boston. Roberto Luongo has given us the most inconsistent series performance ever (and that superlative is well-deserved). Even if he has a shutout tonight, he will not have redeemed himself. He has lost every away game in this series, and has done so in catastrophic fashion. The Sedins? They're only proving people like Don Cherry right.
As Derek has pointed out, the main reason the Bruins are playing tonight is Tim Thomas. When people like Lucic and Chara have had mediocre playoff performances, Tim Thomas has been making one ridiculous save after another, keeping Boston in games they had no right to be in.
Truth is, I'm not sure who I want to win this series. I despise the hypocrisy of people like Mark Recchi and the fans who agree with him, the ones who deplored Max Pacioretty going to a movie after his concussion, while watching Nathan Horton grinning from ear to ear as he vigorously waived a towel in a deafening, brightly-lit arena without so much as a blush. I'd like to ask Dr. Recchi and his crack medical team, Did the Bruins embellish Horton's injury? Why was Patches' injury so overblown, and Horton's was not? Here's a hint: both men were indeed seriously injured, and we laymen don't know what they are and are not capable of after a concussion. But the ad hominem shit needs to stop. Now.
But on the other hand, the Canucks have proven they do NOT deserve to be called "champions." Champions do not bite. Champions win away from home. Champions play to the best of their ability--they do not disappear in the finals (ahem, Sedins, Kesler, Luongo). Champions keep their effing mouths shut and respect the abilities of their opponents.
Win or lose, Tim Thomas probably deserves the Conn Smythe trophy. But if there was ever an award for Dumbest Fuck of the Playoffs, that award would go to Roberto Luongo.
I actually kind of hope the Bruins win tonight, if only to prove several things:
- Away games count.
- Claude Julien is a better coach than Guy Carbonneau.
- Claude Julien is a WAY better coach than Jacques Martin.
- You have to man up and win a game against the guy who knocked out your young star.
- Toughness still counts.
- You can't win without outstanding goaltending.
- The Habs are not a good team.
I say that last one out of love, not disrespect. The Habs have got to get their heads out of their asses and discover that "competence" is not good enough. Only by watching the Bruins (who came back from two down to beat the Habs) win the Cup will that point finally get through the thick skulls of Montreal's management.
A Bruins win may hurt, but it will be better in the long run for Montreal when they see what they have to do to compete with a Cup Winner.
But then again...it's the Bruins, and I really, really don't like the Bruins.
1. Hawks Fan: 135 (132+3)
Lucic (F-Bos) G,W=3
St. Louis (F-TB)
Marleau (F-SJ)
Rafalski (D-Det)
Keith (D-Chi)
Miller (G-Buf)
2. Father of Kovalev: 124 (119+5)
H. Sedin (F-Van) G=2
Kaberle (D-Bos) 2A,W=3
Thornton (F-SJ)
Zetterberg (F-Det)
Letang (D-Pit)
Bobrovsky (G-Phi)
3. Cousin Kovalev: 115 (114+1)
Kesler (F-Van) 0
Ehrhoff (D-Van) A=1
Briere (F-Phi)
Hartnell (F-Phi)
Subban (D-Mon)
Rinne (G-Nas)
4. Bride of Kovalev: 114 (113+1)
Thomas (G-Bos) W=1
Pavelski (F-SJ)
Ovechkin (F-Was)
Datsyuk (F-Det)
Visnovsky (D-Ana)
Lidstrom (D-Det)
5. P-Stone: 112 (112+)
Chara (D-Bos) W=1
Luongo (G-Van) 0
Stamkos (F-TB)
Kronwall (D-Det)
Perry (F-Ana)
Carter (F-Phi)
6. Derek: 102 (100+2)
D. Sedin (F-Van) 2A=2
Franzen (F-Det)
Backstrom (F-Was)
Boyle (D-SJ)
Wideman (D-Was)
Howard (G-Det)
7. Mother of Kovalev: 72 (70+2)
Seidenberg (D-Bos) A,W=2
Brian Boyle (F-NYR)
Laich (F-Was)
Giroux (F-Phi)
Meszaros (D-Phi)
Fleury (G-Pit)
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