Bruins at Canucks Game 5. The Battle Begins Anew!

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The 2 game swing into Boston was not a memorable one for the Canucks as they were outscored 12-1, and saw their 2 game series lead evaporate before their eyes. Now it?s a three game series and the Canucks cannot look back at what might have been, but rather look forward to what they must do.

Game 5 is going to be big, and it?s going to require a refocused Canucks effort to turn the tide of momentum against the Bruins, because after games 3 and 4, it?s Boston that seems unstoppable thanks to Tim Thomas? goaltending. And it doesn?t help that the Canucks top two lines have gone cold as ice and started to look like they lost any and all determination in the latter stages of both games. The Canucks are back home in the friendly confines of Rogers Arena and need to buckle down and play Canucks hockey and stop playing into the Bruins style. It?s gut check time, because the winner of this game will probably go on to win the cup.

The Canucks need to feed off the home crowd energy and take it to the Bruins early. Scoring the first goal should help Luongo settle into his groove by playing with the lead for a change. Thomas is playing like the Devil right now and seems unbeatable, but we all know that he is also human, so it?s time to put an end to his vacation and start putting the pressure on him. Again, the Canucks need to start playing their style of hockey and get the Bruins chasing the puck. Speed, puck control and stifling D have been the Canucks trademark style all year long, not to mention the deadly power play and it all needs to be found again before game 5.

There?s nothing more that needs to be said other than the Canucks need to find in their hearts a 100% effort, then give an extra 10%. The Canucks need to dig deep, then dig a little deeper because this game is now considered game one of three for the Stanley Cup!

--loveourcanucks.com

 

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Straight talk irks Canucks
Milbury comments cut down Sedin duo


Mike Milbury was not available for comment yesterday, the Versus/NBC analyst en route to Vancouver in advance of tonight?s Game 5 of the thrilling Stanley Cup Final between the Bruins and Canucks.The former, at least, is good news in Vancouver, where they weren?t exactly putting down the welcome mat for Milbury at the airport. His commentary about the Canucks has raised the ire of Vancouver fans and media, particularly with his comment Wednesday night about the Bruins? effective physical approach to defending high-scoring Canucks twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin during Game 4:

?By all means, stay in the face of Thelma and Louise ? I mean Henrik and Daniel. Get in their way, make them pay. This series is starting to go our way.??

Now, by saying ?our way,?? Milbury wasn?t implying that he?s in the Bruins? corner; he frequently frames his comments by saying what he would if he were Claude Julien or Alain Vigneault. But an extensive search is not required to understand why Vancouver media and fans are claiming bias: Milbury played for and coached the Bruins and has served as a NESN analyst since 2007.

And his ?Thelma and Louise?? comment ? referencing the 1991 movie starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis ? clearly irked the Canucks, who were made aware of it following Game 4.

?I have no comment,?? said Daniel Sedin, according to a story by The Province?s Tony Gallagher. ?That?s so bad.??

?I couldn?t care less about Mike Milbury and his analysis,?? added defenseman Kevin Bieksa.

Never mind that Thelma and Louise were actually pretty tough and could probably convert on better than 5 percent of their power plays. Milbury has been on a Tim Thomas-like roll recently, and his I?m-going-to-say-what-I-believe approach makes for outstanding television. Versus and NBC want him to be entertaining and opinionated, and that is precisely what he has been. Consider two of Milbury?s other greatest hits during the Final:

■On Canucks nuisance Alexandre Burrows escaping suspension after biting Patrice Bergeron during Game 1: ?If I had known in the late ?70s that it was OK to pig out on human flesh, I would have eaten Guy Lafleur. This is a disgraceful call by the league. This guy should have been suspended. They?re impacting this series by a non-call. It was not very courageous.??

■On the Bruins scoring four goals in the second period to break open Game 3 (his comments came during the second intermission): ?What you?ve done tonight so far is sent a message to this smug, arrogant group from Vancouver that you want it more than they do. There comes a time, maybe with five minutes left in this game, maybe with seven minutes left, that you get a chance to send a message to someone who maybe didn?t get it. That?s what I?m going to say to this team.??

While Milbury?s words have generated plenty of buzz as a central element of Versus?s terrific coverage so far, it?s neither his commentary nor the other enjoyable aspects of the telecasts (if there?s another announcer who is as skilled at calling a particular sport as Mike Emrick is at hockey, please share the name) that have local fans tuning in at record rates.