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Canucks Win in OT on Very Questionable OT Penalty. But Deserved the Game. |
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Make no mistake, the Canucks won this game, and they dominated the play from the 5 minute point of the second into the third period. They outshot the Preds 47-30 and carried the play much of the night. The Canucks kept the Preds from getting any extended cycling going....(I counted twice in almost four periods of play.)
It was an electric game, and it is a shame it ended the way it did, on a very questionable call on the Preds top player and best penalty killer, Shea Weber...Shea is all class, and made no excuses tonight. He simply said that it was the refs decision, but clearly it ended this game pre-maturely and would have not been called 9 times out of ten. All I can say is I wouldn't want to be the next player Shea has a chance to line up. Not a happy camper.
Barry Trotz called the OT penalty something he had seen before.. "He chicken winged it" Trotz said, "Not the first time I have seen Kesler use that to get a call." Trotz wasn't looking for excuses.
Things started off well for the Preds as they got an early shorthanded goal which brought an already insane crowd to an even higher pitch. However, I also got the sense the Preds were maybe a little too hyped by the energy of a building seeing its first ever hockey game being played in May as they fired puck after puck wide..these were the kinds of shots fed on pure emotion..."I looked up and we were being outshot 10-1, but we had some glorious chances," Trotz noted..
All in all Trotz wasn't thrilled with the performance tonight saying, "We didn't do ourselves any justice by playing the way we did" and adding that the "team got to fancy and missed the net on far too many opportunities" and Trotz was especially unhappy with the neutral zone play and I agree.
Nashville let the game come to them tonight, much like they did in game 1, until the third period when they once again forced the play and made the Canucks defense have to make more difficult plays under far more stress.
Ironically it was two separate equipment malfunctions in the third period to Legwand, Fisher, and an injury to Sullivan that forced Trotz to shuffle the lines. That being said, whether it was the shuffling of the lines or the energy of the building the Preds played period three tonight more like they played Game 2 in Vancouver.
But take nothing away from the Canucks tonight. They were very hungry and the Preds weren't nearly as strong through much of the game. Kesler finally getting on the scoresheet, and doing so on the power play, are two strong signs for Canucks fans.
Also, Vigneault added that this was "Higgins best game since we got him" and that Higgins line was at times the best line he had in his arsenal on this evening.
Living on the East coast, watching the Canucks play hockey live is something I don't get nearly enough chances to do. I saw the Sedins, Kesler and Luongo play more games in the Olympics live than I have in the NHL. This team is so well coached and workman like. They compete on every shift and are truly a joy to watch.
Hats off to the Nashville fans who can be as loud as any building I have visited. Exciting to be able to even debate a game 3 round 2 OT call.
More to come..
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