I have heard a few people suggest the Vancouver Canucks were "lucky" to win Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. I'm not one of them. While I still think Boston has outplayed Vancouver in this series, the Canucks are one game away from bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada after a fantastic hockey game that ended up 1-0 for the home team.
After getting blown out in Boston, many wondered if the Canucks gas tank was on empty. I told uber-Canucks fan Keith Colhoun after Game 4 that if Vancouver wanted to win this series, they had to get production out of their 3rd and 4th line guys like Hansen, Torres, Malhotra etc. etc because the Sedins and Kesler weren't getting it done. The Torres line was the best group of the game with Maxim Lapierre (the best French actor since Gerard Depardieu) getting the game's lone goal 5 minutes into the 3rd. A lot of credit also has to go to Roberto Luongo. While Tim Thomas was brilliant, Luongo was once again one save better. I don't think this series will end Monday as I see Boston winning at home setting up what really would only be a fitting Game 7 to end what I think has been one of the best playoffs in years. Vancouver fans won't agree with me, but hockey fans deserve to see these two teams beat one another up in a 7th game.
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I watched the game on NBC last night because I enjoy the play by play call of Mike Emrick. "Doc" was on top of his game last night. He was revved for this one and it showed right from the opening puck drop. NBC also had the "great" Dan Patrick hosting last night. Patrick, as those who read this blog frequently, is someone I would love to meet one day.
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I wonder if there are some members of the press corps covering the Finals being forced to watch games from a room downstairs at the Rogers Arena. When the Oilers and Hurricanes met for the Cup, I inquired about accreditation. The NHL was glad to give it to me, but they said I would be set up in the auxilliary press box underneath the stands. ????? They then went on to explain that we would watch the game from this room on a huge TV and be given access to all game notes and communiques from the league and that post-game privileges would be the same as well. When I asked if we would be allowed to see the Cup get presented if it did, I was told perhaps. As it turned out, there was no way the Oilers were going to get the Cup in Game 6, but if I was going to be there, I wanted to see the game live and not on TV and I certainly wanted to watch the presentation of the Cup with my own two eyes and not from the lens of a TV camera. While it would have been cool to have a SC finals accreditation badge, I reluctantly passed. I watched the game from my own big-screen. I'm sure I would have regretted that had Edmonton won in 6, but it doesn't matter now.
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Who's the "brainiac" behind the decision to remove baseball and softball as sanctioned sports in the Regina High Schools Athletics Association? That decision is simply moronic. Teachers and students are outraged and well they should be. So should Softball Saskatchewan and Baseball Saskatchewan. Here's hoping that decision is reversed and reversed quickly.
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The Riders are spending the day in Saskatoon meaning all will be quiet around Mosaic Stadium today. I filed a story to Riderville on Weston Dressler yesterday. Number 7 has been the best player at camp in the opening week and I think he could put up monstrous numbers this season with Andy Fantuz and Rob Bagg not in the equation. If the Riders can find ways to get Dressler the ball with room to run, look out!!!
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Can you get from point A to point B in this city right now without running into road construction. Its my understanding that the Lewvan is creating many headaches for drivers. It can't be worse than Vic East can it?
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The Regina Red Sox are home to Saskatoon tonight on what should be a pleasant Saturday evening. Game time is 705. If it wasn't for UFC 131 tonight, I would be there. Jordan Eberle will throw out the first pitch.
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A joke to finish one this off. A buddy of mine was looking for change and had his head down when all of a sudden he walked right into Lebron James. Figuring Lebron could help him out, he gave him a dollar and asked if he had change. Lebron dipped into his pockets and gave him three 25 cent pieces. When my buddy said, Lebron you short-changed me. James responded by saying "Hey we all know I don't have a 4th quarter in me".
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15 comments:
I would suggest Vancouver was lucky. They were outplayed by Boston most of the night. The goal was not a thing of beauty, but Luongo did make the saves when he had to especially in the final 5 minutes. This series will go 7 and perhaps a little more.
Grant
Moronic is a good word to describe the baseball/softball story. I was outraged when my son came home last week and said baseball was off the table. What a joke! Chuck Toth should be ashamed of himself if he made this decision.
Just wondering how many posts have been made thanking Chuck Toth for the countless hours he has put into high school sports in this city for over two decades.
When's the last time they actually played a full season of high school baseball or softball in Regina? The weather hasn't allowed it in years.
And name me two other cities that offer those sports at the high school level.
Everyone who wants to play ball is already playing on a team outside of high school anyway. Get over it.
If you are going to win, you have to win with your best players. Vancouver hasn't been doing that and won't. It goes 7 and if the Sedins and Kesler don't come to play, Boston will win.
Bruce
To the guy who made the comment about those playing ball are already playing on a team outside of high school, maybe you should realize that the same thing can be said of track and field. Lets just get rid of it too. The same for cross country and the same for wrestling. Lets just ditch high school sports altogether except for football and basketball and everyone can sing kumbaya. This decision is idiotic. Whoever is behind it needs to provide a further explanation.
JC
No, you can't get from Point A to Point B without hitting some kind of traffic detour. Its called summers in Regina.
That joke is terrible, but I'm using it.
Chuck has done great things for high school sports in Regina. I won't dispute that for one second. However, this is not a great thing. Its a mistake and it should be rectified. Everyone makes mistakes and the RHSAA or whoever has made a giant one here.
Trevor
JC, I guess you missed the part where it was said they haven't played a full season in years. So, because they have other teams to play on, it's not like any of the players would really miss it.
Try to keep up.
Its high school baseball and high school softball. WHO CARES???!!!
CL
If you are going to get rid of baseball and softball and use weather/club teams to play for then you can get rid of track and field and golf as well.
Allan
I see some merit in this. My son played high school ball for Leboldus a few years ago. He started a game and went four innings. The next day his club team wanted him to pitch an inning or two and he had nothing. His manager then got mad at him for pitching four innings the day before. What I'd like to see is Baseball Regina incorporate the high schools instead of zones and then you could play into mid-July and have a season.
Baseball and softball have played in Regina for how long and NOW its decided that the weather makes for too short a season. I need a better excuse than that.
Dan
Without any doubt, World Cup Final is the top event to be at. The only thing that would top that (for me), would be the SF 49ers in the SuperBowl.
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