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Hawks win 5-2 but only score 3 goals! |
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If I had a Bieksa picture to put up for this blog I would but right now the guy must have goat horns growing under his helmet. I cannot recall a run where he has played this poorly before in the defensive zone. His inability to play with any kind of physical presence in front of his keeper is allowing Byfglien, Bufyglien, whatever, to have his way and almost every other Hawk.
Before I go any further I felt the Hawks deserved to win the game. Niemi was outstanding and made his own luck but the Canucks sure didn't try and prevent it. I counted 5 times last night where a shot from the point came through and there were Canucks standing behind Hawk defensemen who easily cleared the rebound or blocked shot away. If any of you saw my tweets last night you would have read my emotional babbling about this and other things.
Alex Burrows also needs to put on a set of horns. That was the worst penalty of the post season by any player. I don't care that he scored a goal later, if he hadn't taken that penalty it may have been a tie game after 2 periods. Play with emotion but getting into a pissing match after the whistle, with a guy across the ice, when you have an icing call with the wrong defense pairing on ice with a Nancy like Campbell? Alex- get off the ice you are causing more harm than good!
As you can tell I am frustrated but not by anything Chicago has done- it's because of what Vancouver apparently won't do aside from Hansen- go for greasy goals. The Blackhawks did not score a goal where the puck was more than 5 feet from the goal line- THAT'S HOW YOU PLAY PLAYOFF HOCKEY!!!
My last beef is with the officials. They didn't make it so Chicago won. But they didn't do anything to help the credibility of their cause. If a love tap on a skate is goalie interference in Washington, how is pitchforking a keeper and pushing him into his own net not? What about taking a bump and pancaking yourself across a goalie. How about the penalty on SOB where he apparently had his arm wrapped around Sharp? Sharp was holding his stick and the puck is in their feet and he should let go and not fight for his stick and the puck? How about Hansen's breakaway where he gets a whack in the hands from under yet Hossa lost the puck himself and draws a penalty at the other end? Or Byfuglien casually skating along and whacking the stick out of Henrik's hand. I get why Milbury got up and left the set on HNIC but as Ron MacLean stated it's still interference and the last time I checked it's supposed to be called.
Finally, (deep breath) and I give the Hawks full credit for what they are doing as this is the post season, but has anyone else notice that almost every Hawk gets a hand or arm on a Canucks player when they have the puck? Especially if both are skating it seems like the officials are letting them bumper ski at times. It's 2010 not 2004 and the Flames are not in the post season- I thought the game had changed since then.
Okay, rant done. I still think the Hawks played a better game and they played it the way the officials were calling it- that's smart hockey. It's something the Canucks need to learn and learn REAL QUICK or it's going to be Hawks in 5.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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