Knocked For A 'LU' 'LU'

Welcome to the NHL Big Ben Smith!!

      He claims he's not rattled, he claims the Chicago Blackhawks are not inside his head. He says game 7 is a 'great opportunity' and being part of it is 'fun'. (As much 'fun' as a postman has fending off a pitbull) He is saying all the right things that a starting goalie should say, but inside you know he is crumbling. The echoes of the UC crowd catcalling "Lu" "Lu" and Chelsea Dagger playing after the deciding OT goal are bouncing off the walls of his psyche. The 'He' I am referring to is Vancouver Canucks starting goalie, Roberto Luongo, in case you were wondering. The very same Luongo the Hoxx have knocked out of the playoffs 2 years running and now, remarkably, have a chance to run the total to 3. He has to be thinking, "NOT AGAIN!!"

Aw Crap!!!

     Roberto Luongo has been one of the top NHL goalies over the past several seasons, especially this year, having guided his team to the best record in the league and the President's trophy while being touted as a finalist for the Vezina trophy (league's top goaltender) His save percentage of .928 was 4th best in the league this year, while his lifetime save tally of .919 may end up be hall of fame worthy. But and there is a massive 'BUT' standing in his way of further career success and validation. That 'But' happens to be your beloved Chicago Blackhawks. Having been one of the elite teams in the league the last 3 years running, the Vancouver Canucks have been unable to advance past the Blackhawks no matter when they run up against them in the playoffs!!   In 2009 and 2010 the Blackhawks quickly made up early series deficits to soundly win both years 4-2. After last season, the Canucks, as well as Luongo, dedicated themselves to getting markedly better as a team and knock off anyone who crossed their paths come playoff time. Following the blueprint of hardwork and several veteran acquisitions, the 2010-11 season panned out as they'd hoped, bagging the best record in the NHL and looking decisively lethal for the upcoming playoffs. Just a week ago after a stellar season and a red hot start to the playoffs, the Canucks were on cruise control up 3-0 on Chicago and looking  like a shoe in to advance not only to the 2nd round but without a doubt to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Then they hit a speedbump. Dave Bolland rejoined the Hoxx off of the IR and the defending Stanley Cup Champs were suddenly a different squad. Game 4 was a pride salvaging effort for Chicago with the Hoxx winning 7-2. Luongo gave up 6 goals before being benched early in the 3rd period. Bolland netted a goal and 3 assists. Game 5, back to Rogers Place, surely composure would return and the Canucks would advance. The Blackhawks errupted for 5 goals over 2 periods chasing Luongo again!! I wrote after game 5 that Luongo was sliding and had to feel 'It' was happening again. Game 6 we headed back to the UC. If the Blackhawks could find a way to chase Luongo again and force a game 7 the series could possibly be theirs.......Then a new wrinkle; Having announced Luongo as starter in goal earlier in the day, game time saw Canuck rookie Corey Schneider in net. Canuck Head Coach, Alain Vigneault, took a bad gamble; he chose to bench his snakebit goalie Luongo in favor of a rookie.  The gamble backfired when on a penalty shot by Blackhawk Michael Frolik, Schneider hyperextended his right leg injuring his groin while letting in the tying goal. Schneider lay on the ice afterward roiling in pain. Now Luongo, who wasn't even afforded room on the bench to watch the game was pressed into action on short notice.....Another shot at redemption?? Yes. Did it pan out?? NO!!! Blackhawks rookie Ben Smith saw to that backhanding a wild rebound from his knees for the winning OT goal sending an already crazed UC crowd to rapture!! 

Not Zat one, Zat one!!!

        Vigneault's gamble made a tenuous situation even worse while creating even more unneeded drama for an already reeling Canucks team. Now a snakebit goalie, Luongo, benched 2 games in a row, and all but abandoned for game 6, only let into the game out of dire need, came up short in the clutch once again. Luongo was forced to do the skate of shame in front of a jubilant UC crowd.
      Roberto Luongo will get one more chance Tuesday night to get over the career hump that is the Blackhawks.  But, with all that's happened in the last 3 games (not to mention the 3 years cumulative)  plus the talk of Luongo possibly having an injured back, you have to like the Blackhawks odds. The Canuck coaches, players and fans can feel it all slipping away...again...The Chicago Blackhawks need only extend their stay in Luongo's brain through Tuesday then they can pull up stakes and move onto the second round!!  It won't take much Tuesday night to rattle Luongo and get his teammates to fold. If the Hoxx mass a 2 goal lead early the Canucks will dissolve like Alka Seltzer in water. The only difference is it won't cure the playoff hangover!!!   Chelsea, Chelsea I believe.......LET'S GO HOXX!!!!!!    Puck drops after 9 p.m.CDST in Vancouver Tuesday night.   Dave Kuhlman bullsbearscubssoxhoxx    dave@onyerleft.com

Why Such The Luongo Face???

Welcome Back Dave!!!

     NOW it's a series!!!!!  Just 4 short days ago after the Hoxx fell into an 0 and 3 hole in the opening round of the playoffs, I posted on facebook that the they would go on a miraculous tear and win 4 games in a row to shock the Canucks and win the series....I posted this partly out of hope, partly out of pride, and partly because I, just as legions of other Chicago Blackhawks fans, were left scratching our collective heads wondering 'where the hell' our defending Stanley Cup Champions had gone....?? I later posted before game 4 that if this was to be the last game of the Chicago hockey season than so be it...I would be thankful for the season and would look forward to a better one next year....That quiet resignation has been tossed out the window!! The hell with opening it first, I chucked it straight through the glass!!  The team that had been struggling to find itself all year has finally done so...The Hoxx had seemed to do so back  in February when they  gelled and went on an astounding 8 game win streak to put themselves back into playoff contention. But then injuries to Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp derailed the run and the Hoxx found themselves praying for Minnesota to beat Dallas just to squeak into the playoffs..(Hey the Green Bay Packers barely made the playoffs and look what happened!!)

     The difference maker to the whole turnaround???  Dave Bolland. I had been saying to my coworkers and friends all along that if we could only get Bolland back the Hoxx would be a different team altogether....For once I was right. Having Bolland back in the lineup not only puts a talented offensive threat back on the ice but he takes a load of pressure off the first line to not have to pull off a goal every time they are on the ice. If you doubt that and look for the ways he can contribute, watch the replay of how he chipped the pack away from Daniel Sedin and found Michael Frolik streaking up the ice for a breakaway goal midway through game 4!! Dave Bolland single handedly turned the fortunes of game 4 and the Blackhawk's chances of survival on it's ear netting a goal and 3 assists!! Having Bolland back in the lineup has re-established the balance not only to the Hoxx offense but the the PK unit as well. Bolland was the missing link for the Blackhawks the first 3 games of the series. Now that he is back and the Hoxx have decided they don't want to golf in this crappy weather we are looking at a real series against the Canucks with a real chance to force game 7 back to Vancouver with a game 6 win Sunday night...Still a long grocery list to fill, but what looked insurmountable just 4 days ago looks entirely possible now!!

What just happened??!!

       The Canucks claim, led by a composed Roberto Luongo, (I guess getting to sit out the 3rd period again gives you alot of time to calm ((delude)) yourself !!).....that the Chicago Blackhawks are not in their heads and they are not in a panic, but just like your little sister saying that what you just nicknamed her isn't bothering her, you know the Hoxx have not only gotten inside their brains but are hammering down tent stakes for an extended stay. Suddenly, Luongo along with his Canuck teammates are in a different mindset flying back to Chi-town for game 6; no need to pack brooms for a pending sweep, no thinking of who they are playing in round 2.....The memories of bowing out of the playoffs to the mighty Blackhawks the last 2 years running has to be dancing endlessly through their cavernous heads!! As calm as he appeared during the post game news conference last night, on the inside, Luongo has got to be thinking, 'it's happening again' 'it's happening again' it's happening.....'   Going up 3-0 and then losing the last 2 contests in blowouts is the worst possible case scenario for the Canucks and Luongo. In both of the last 2 playoff series against Chicago they took leads only to see them melt away as defeats. The 2009 result will always be memorable because afterward Luongo broke into uncontrollable sobs on the ice as the teams lined up and shook hands. All the pressure is now squarely on the Canucks and especially Luongo's shoulders. Their fans saw them rack up the best record in the league this past season dominating the stat sheets while Luongo shut down team after team while netting the ever useless President's Trophy. (Not alot of teams point out that while failing to win the Stanley Cup they do have a real nice consolation trophy!! )  'Luongo and the Canucks' (sounds like a cheesy lounge band) have had one goal on their minds since last season abruptly ended...... that was and still is to find a way to crack the puzzle of how to beat the Chicago Blackhawks and advance in the NHL playoffs. They seemed to have figured it out the first 3 games of the series, skating and checking aggressively with Luongo atop his game just like the regular season, looking at a sweep and at last, redemption. But the Hoxx weren't dead yet, and just as the Canucks's forensic team rolled over the body to check for vitals, a bloddied extended arm shot up  and seized them by the throat!!  Vancouver has become desperate. The aggressive style of play has to devolved into cheap shots and elbows to the head. Their once unflappable hero, Luongo,  has been yanked after 2 periods the last 2 games in a row....(10 goals in 4 1/2 periods!!)  NOW there is a battle afoot, NOW we have a series, NOW the Canucks must decide if they stick with the dirty style of play they exhibited Thursday night which only dug the hole deeper or to pull back, (Edler should definitely be suspended for the elbow he maliciously threw at Brower's head!!!!) and whether to stick with their talented yet seemingly hexed  goalie, Roberto Luongo??? An awful lot to think about on a 4 hour plane ride....Once the thrill of getting to pick out any soda he wants on the ride fizzles for Luongo, the music will slowly slip inside his head....Chelsea, Chelsea I believe.....for a moment he finds his fingers tapping along .....NOOOOOO.... it's happening again!!! It's happening again!!!!    The puck hits the ice Sunday night at 6:30!!   LET'S GO HOXX!!!!!                 Dave Kuhlman    Bullsbearscubssoxhoxx     dave@onyerleft.com