NHL Playoffs

[Flubber]

Well glad you find it amusing Guynemer. Just wish the Canucks could have come out to play tonight.

But they didn't. Most commentators and moderately impartial observers gave the 'nucks pretty much a free pass for their game 4 no-show but twice in a row being so completely crushed is worrisome for any team. Chicago now seems to have their confidence back and nobody believes that Vancouver wanted any part of a game 6 back in Chicago. But the Canucks are an immensely talented team-- it would not shock me to see them pull it out.


But Bobby Lou? He has played well in some games but this is now two "clinching games" in this series where he was just not good. Add this to his record in prior "clinching games" and even a Canucks fan has to wonder as to Luongo's ability to come up big in the clutch.

Top 5 all-time? He's not even in the top 5 in this playoff (and probably not in the top 5 any other playoff year although I haven't checked and Ben can probably make a case for the year when they beat Dallas)-- Luongo needs tto start coming up very very big. A couple of big stops in game 5 when he faced a tough chance and it could have been a very different game.

If it were plausible to claim Luongo had an injury I might be tempted to try Schneider in game 6 and if that goes against the Canucks, go back to Luongo in game 7 . . . but Luongo is the Canucks undisputed #1 in the eyes of their coach so he is apparently starting game 6. He might be great but the question . . . if he is crap again, can you start him again in game 7 or do you place Schneider in the position of having his first start in game 7 ( almost unthinkable)


Ben -- I know you are a fan and that derives from "fanatic" but even you cannot be pleased by Bobby Lou's play or this turn of events-- There are no fan blinders big enough to shield you from the truth that Bobby Lou has been god-awful in the last two games. He may rebound and play well but you have to be aware that a LOT of Canucks fans are downright worried that they have a great team backstopped by a choker

[Asher]

And for many, many years to come.

[Asher]

Goal of the playoffs:

[Jonny]

Watching this series is going to give me a heart attack...

Preds finally win 3 games in a series!

[joncha]

I'm not sure which rant would be more amusing to watch, Asher if Luongo wins or BK if he loses.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363235

NEW YORK - Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the NHL's top goaltender.

Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins are the other award finalists, as announced by the league on Friday.

The winner will be announced at the NHL awards banquet June 22 in Las Vegas.

Luongo was a big reason why Vancouver finished the regular season with the NHL's best record. He posted a 38-15-7 record in 60 appearances and a career-best 2.11 goal-against average to go with a .928 save percentage.

Luongo is a Vezina finalist for the third time, finishing second in voting in 2007 and third in 2004.

Luongo said he was pleased with the nomination but that his focus now is helping Vancouver win Game 6 of their NHL playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"It's an honour," he said. "It's nice to see your work was rewarded. But obviously, at this time, our focus, especially for me, is on Sunday. We'll probably enjoy more when the season is done."

Canuck coach Alain Vigneault said Luongo being considered for the awarded reflects on the whole Canuck organization.

"It means that during the regular season we were good," said Vigneault. "Now it's playoff hockey and we need to be good at this time."

Rinne had a 33-22-9 record with Nashville this season, posting a 2.12 GAA and .930 save percentage and six shutouts in 64 games. He was second among NHL goaltenders in save percentage and third in goals-against average.

Thomas enjoyed a banner campaign following off-season hip surgery. He won his first eight decisions, a Bruins team record, and became the first NHL goalie to win his first nine road games since Chicago's Glenn Hall in 1965-66.

The 2009 Vezina Trophy winner had a league-best 2.00 GAA and posted a 35-11-9 record and .938 save percentage, eclipsing Dominik Hasek's .937 mark with Buffalo in 1998-99 as the best since the statistic was introduced in 1976-77.

Surprisingly, Montreal goalie Carey Price was not a finalist despite a solid season. Price finished tied with Luongo for most wins for a goalie, was fourth overall with a .928 save percentage and eighth with a 2.35 GAA while making a league-high 72 appearances.

"I'm a little bit disappointed but it is what it is," Price said Friday. "Whoever was nominated deserves to be there and I won't take anything away from them."

[Guynemer]

Weird game in Pittsburgh; Pens carrying much of the play, but are down 3-0 early in the second.

[Guynemer]

Make that 4-0; MAF has been yanked.

[Asher]

He's pulling a Luongo.

[-Jrabbit]

I'm not sure which rant would be more amusing to watch, Asher if Luongo wins or BK if he loses.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363235

Isn't this just a formality before handing the Vezina to to Thomas?

[Flubber]

Isn't this just a formality before handing the Vezina to to Thomas?

i believe that most pundits feel that way

[Ben Kenobi]

I don't see why Luongo isn't considered one of the best ever. He's only 32, and he's got well over 300 wins. The only one that's ahead of him is Brodeur. That's it.

As for his 'terrible' playoffs, how many were coming out and saying this after game three? Absolutely no one. I find the hindsight commentary amusing. This place was completely dead, no one wanted to show their face when the Canucks were up 3-0.

[Asher]

I don't see why Luongo isn't considered one of the best ever.

He's 32, he's only been in the playoffs a handful of times, he has a giant reputation for choking under pressure, and his playoff stats are not even in the top 50.

As for his 'terrible' playoffs, how many were coming out and saying this after game three? Absolutely no one. I find the hindsight commentary amusing. This place was completely dead, no one wanted to show their face when the Canucks were up 3-0.

I've said explicitly and repeatedly, he chokes under pressure. He did have a great start, but as soon as it got into a pressure situation he crumbled like a house of cards.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ben -- I know you are a fan and that derives from "fanatic" but even you cannot be pleased by Bobby Lou's play or this turn of events-- There are no fan blinders big enough to shield you from the truth that Bobby Lou has been god-awful in the last two games. He may rebound and play well but you have to be aware that a LOT of Canucks fans are downright worried that they have a great team backstopped by a choker.

I've seen a lot of games over the years.

I remember the team that McCammond has, before the Quinn years.

I remember the Otto kick in goal to salvage the season for the vastly favoured Flames, who almost pissed away a cup.

I remember the Linden draft, and the Pavel Bure draft.

I remember the Canucks winning their first ever hardware and their second ever division title, a mere 20 years after they were formed.

I remember the disappointment in '92 and in '93, when they were knocked out early twice, despite being odds on favourites for the conference. To the Great one and his minions. I hated the Great one, almost as much as the Flames.

I remember them being down to a Calgary squad 3-1, and coming back 3 times, all in OT to win the series in double OT on a Pavel Bure goal, and go all the way to game 7 in the finals in '94.

I remember when they lost their way, people tell me that they traded for Messier and Keenan, but I don't believe them. They would never do such a thing.

I remember my father calling me telling me that Linden had returned, and not believing it.

I remember the westcoast express era. I was down in Vancouver then.

I remember losing the division by a game, losing to Calgary in an OT they should not have gotten to in game 7, and losing to the Wild in the heartbreaker being up 3-1 in the series and not being able to close.

Am I supposed to be concerned about a team that's won 5-7 division titles, losing one to the lockout and one to a down year?

Luongo answered that question for me, when the Canucks stole the series against the Stars, despite Turco getting 3 SOs. That team was horrible, yet managed to make the second round, all because of Bobby Lou. I remeber that and I've not forgotten.

I remember their loss to the Hawks, their loss to the Hawks again. I would have been crazy happy to be proven right with a sweep, but I'm happy with a win.

Am I concerned about this situation? No, not really. I've seen far worse situations, I've been in tighter spots. I've seen 4 game 7's, 2 going their way and 2 going against them. This? Not on the radar.

I don't think I qualify as a fan, because I'm not really all that concerned about Bobby Lou. I think he's going to play well this game.

[Asher]

To be clear, Luongo wasn't just bad the last couple games. He was stupendously, ridiculously horrible.

[Asher]

Do you remember the 04 playoffs, Ben?

For that matter, do you remember the 07 playoffs?