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