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Round 1, and there was Game 7s aplenty
Three of them to be exact. But the series to truly catch the eye featured last years Stanley Cup champions the Chicago Blackhawks, and this year’s Presidents Trophy (given to the team with the highest points total in the regular season) the Vancouver Canucks.
The Blackhawks snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, in fact the last game. Having blown their chance to clinch a spot themselves earlier in the day, Dallas, the team chasing then failed to win the last game, gifting Chicago a spot.
Vancouver on the other hand finished top of the pile, led by an elite goaltender (Roberto Luongo) and the top point scorer (Daniel Sedin)
The Canuck jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, in the history of the NHL, only 4 teams have ever come back from that deficit to win the series. But the threat of elimination galvanized the Blackhawks, backstopped by a rookie goalie (this time Cory Crawford) for the second year in their big stars really came to the party, they destroyed the Canucks in the following games. The key figure of last years playoff, Duncan Keith, was a major reason, playing over 25 minutes in some games, shutting down the opposition and launching counter attacks he scored 7 points in the next two games.
A 7-2 win in Chicago, was followed up with a 5-0 victory in Vancouver, chasing Luongo twice in back to back games. There was serious talk of Canada’s gold medal winning goalie being benched for Game 7 and his back-up Cory Schnieder taking over.
Game 7 arrived, and with Luongo in net, and the Canuck grabbed a 1-0 lead, holding it until the last minute of the game, when Blackhawks captain, and last years playoff MVP Jonathon Toews, scored to send the deciding game into sudden death overtime.
Deep into the deciding period Alex Burrow scored his second of the game to give the Canucks the series victory.
It was greeted more with relief, then genuine celebration. After all this was the best team in the league according to the stats and they amassed a 3-0 series lead before the fireworks.
But this turn around demonstrated how hard it is to win these series. The opposing team not only wants to win, but their season is over if they don’t. In European football, say you get knocked out of the Cups and are out of contention for the league, there are still games left to sooth the wounds. Not in the Stanley Cup. Loose, and your on your sofa watch the team that beat you within two days.
Second, this is a different style of hockey, and the Blackhawks knew how to play it. Perhaps facing them early on will give the Canucks some valuable know how (the same team defeated them in the conference finals last year) but no team has won the Stanley Cup after their first round series went the distance.
A cautionary tale for two other Game 7 victors, the Boston Bruins, and (sigh…) the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Bruins managed to knock off the Canadians in a topsy turvy series. The first four games were won by the visiting team. The next two games were decided by one goal, as Cory Price and Tim Thomas really put on a show. Then in overtime again, the Bruins stole of the series to progress to face the Flyers.
The Flyers, who knocked out my own Buffalo Sabres. Out of playoff contention in January the Sabres rallied and surged the second half. But that’s the playoffs, even the lure of the playoffs, people put their body and everything else on the line for the chance of one more game.
Philadelphia simply outscored the Sabres, the had more going forward, and when Ryan Miller didn’t shut them out (which he did twice!) the team struggled to match the firepower of their opponents.
These two teams now face each other in the next round. The Canuck will face the Nashville Predators as two goalies who have been nominated for the Vezina Trophy as leagues best goalie will go head to head in that series, Luongo and Rinne.
In the other first round games the Detroit Red Wings brushed the Phoenix Coyotes aside. Detroit know how to win playoff games and expect to have some big stars back as the games continue.
The Tampa Bay Lightening also had a very good series against the Pittsburgh Penguins and new league star Steven Stamkos was ultimately the difference with the Penguins without Sidney Crosby due to injury.
The top line in Tampa Bay (Stamkos, St Louis, Lacavalier) is as good as any in the league, with some steady goaltending from veteran Dwayne Roloson (the guy is 41!!) expect big things from this team as we get deeper in to May (and possibly June)
Elsewhere the Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks also progressed, at the expense of the New York Rangers and LA Kings respectfully.
So the match-ups for the Conference Semi Finals are:
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Flyers v Boston Bruins
Washington Capitals v Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference
Vancouver Canucks v Nashville Predators
Detroit Red Wings v San Jose Sharks
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-3 |
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4-5 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-4 |
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4-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
2-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
5-8 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-2 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
3-7 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
- Adam Walker
- Alex Birch
- Andy Pierce
- Chris Gent
- Christopher Beal
- Craig Simpson
- Dave Simms
- Elliott Stanley
- Gareth Chalmers
- James Broughton
- James Gordon
- Katy Madgwick
- Luke Catterson
- Mark Briggs
- Mark Duell
- Mat Young
- Patrick Smyth
- Promotion
- Russ Morrell
- Seanna Murdock
- Stephen Dowson
- Stewart Roberts
- Tom Forster
- Vicki Smart
- William Lyon
