Victory is Ours! Kings 5, Canucks 3
by Connie Kim on Apr 20, 2010 6:00 AM PDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintThere was so much going on in and around STAPLES Center that I'm glad I got inside just as the players hit the ice for warmups. Every inch of the area was occupied by someone or something so that there was no wasted space throughout the entire arena. I, myself, was nervous and antsy for the start of the game so I didn't try to take in every single stimuli. I'm going to go with the same theme for this post. Bullets, bullets, and bullets!
- Even though Jack Johnson received the game's 1st Star, the player of the game was Michal Handzus with two goals and one assist. He was everywhere; shoved pucks into the net, got his stick into passing lanes. Loved his effort all around.
- Ryan Smyth got his ding donged.
- Besides the Kings going three for three on the power play, the craziest stat was from Ryan Kesler. He won 23 faceoffs and lost only 9 (72%!).
- Once again the Kings needed more than just a minute to get their wheels moving. After letting Jonathan Quick feel the wrath of shots by the Canucks, the Kings screwed their heads on straight and started maintaining extended possession time in the Vancouver zone.
- The talk of the town is going to be the disallowed goal that was apparently "kicked in" by Henrik Sedin. It was deemed a goal on the ice by the official and the War Room took their time in making their decision go the other way. I'll let everyone have his/her say in the comments. Have at it.
There was an insane amount of everything going on in the arena and on the ice. I was a bit distracted by the constant screaming, howling, chanting, ranting, and flag-waving, so you tell me, what did you find the best part about the game? Was it Roberto Luongo getting pulled? Was it Wayne Simmonds taking out two Canucks in the span of 5 seconds? Was it seeing the Kings kill off all four penalties successfully? Was it seeing Smyth's huge windup slapshot sailing past Andrew Raycroft? Those were all towel-waving highlights for me. How did it look on the tube? Could you hear me yelling my heart out??
I have maxed out on my endorphin levels for the day. I will definitely be taking this Tuesday to relax and regroup for Wednesday's game.
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You don’t make it to the NHL without having significant skill with your feet. Let me re-phrase that, because I just thought of Bobby Ryan…Daniel Sedin didn’t make it to the NHL without significant skills with his feet. He and Henrik occasionally warm-up by juggling the soccer ball.
In other words, he knows what he’s doing out there. And he put that puck in the net. But this really blows the cover off of the ruling on these plays, because players have directed pucks into the net before without being called for it. Typically, though, they aren’t completely redirecting and propelling a pass into the net.
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by Bettman's Nightmare on Apr 20, 2010 6:40 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Of course I'm biased but...
If you don’t look at the entire sequence, and only look at the time right when his foot makes contact with the puck it looks like the puck just deflects off of a skate that’s stopping his forward momentum.
If, however, you look at the entire time he’s entering the crease you’ll notice that the ‘stoping motion’ of his right foot doesn’t start until he is clearly looking at the puck come across the crease. I truly think that he kicked it in.
by Jietoh on Apr 20, 2010 6:59 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
This is reminiscent of a disallowed goal by Patrick O’Sullivan when he was still with the Kings. From my memory bank, he was just outside the crease and the puck flipped up in the air, which he wasn’t expecting. As he was tracking the puck back down to the ice one of his legs moved out in front of him just because his body was still moving around but it was at exactly the same time the puck dropped to the ice. It went in the net and it was disallowed due to his leg moving forward towards the goal. Never mind the fact that he wasn’t trying to make it so.
I think that 90% of the time the Canucks get that call. But it is perhaps a good omen that after 43 years of getting screwed by the zebes, the Kings for once get a marginal call.
the 1993 toronto maple leafs don’t agree with you.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
Tyler Ennis: Freed from Portland!
But the 1993 Habs sure agree!
and on the 93rd postseason of the National Hockey League, the Slovakian-hockeygod Zeus commanded from high atop Mount Figueroa..."RELEASE THE MEAT TRAIN!" And it was good.
by DodgerBlueBalls on Apr 20, 2010 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Didn’t get to watch the game (I fell asleep), but great win.
Wish I saw Luongo getting pulled… sigh, I’ll have to find that highlight somewhere, or watch it on NHL On The Fly, haha.
wait.. you fell asleep??? haha wow.
Nothing i am saying comes with any tinge of disrespect, but that’s like going to college and grad school for 8 years to get a PhD and then sleeping in and missing graduation!!
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
Well I know a lot of us here make sacrifices to watch a game, but I worked a 10 hour shift, didn’t get to watch my Pens game meanwhile, got home finished homework that was due on monday, no computer, and I fell asleep during twitter updates during the Sharks game.
So yeah no excuses (sigh) but don’t everyone jump on me here now :/
by AppleSweetRose on Apr 20, 2010 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions
First let me say that call could have gone either way based off what the rule book determines a distinct kicking motion. It was borderline, but we all know a player of his caliber knows exactly what he was doing. If the Canucks fans didnt have enough of a bug in their butts screaming conspiracy, now we will never hear the end of it! If we go on to win, it will be because of the disallowed goal in game 3…watch…
This game had too many moments for me to put my finger on…the Handzus goals were good, but seeing him block shots on the PK showed me where his heart is!
Speaking of PK…Halpern actually didnt suck balls last night…..
Once we got the lead 4-1 everything else just kinda took care of itself….
Ready for Game 4!!!! I’ll be watching from some random establishment who carries VS and cold New Castle on tap!!
Go Kings Go!!!!
"It's not illegal. It's frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane."-Alan Garner
It was borderline, but we all know a player of his caliber knows exactly what he was doing.
You’re a mind reader? Excellent.
If the Canucks fans didnt have enough of a bug in their butts screaming conspiracy, now we will never hear the end of it! If we go on to win, it will be because of the disallowed goal in game 3…watch…
Sadly, you’re right. Some will, very much egged on by the media there fueling them. It’s easier to pass the buck rather than focus on their PK, their goalie or their coach (being outcoached that is).
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
I am a mind-reader actually. I also hold two degrees in Swedish psychology and another in detecting when a group of crybabies is making any excuse for their teams poor play!
You know as well as a i do Daniel knew that his foot would be the only chance he had at getting a piece of that puck….dont even pretend on this one…
"It's not illegal. It's frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane."-Alan Garner
Sorry, I will have to pretend Merlin. Check around, there’s enough people say it was a goal if you go by the letter of the law. Where I differ is I don’t really care it was called back and I’m not making a mountain out of a molehill like others may be. Try and enjoy your (well deserved) victory without slamming an entire fanbase on the cries of a few.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions
Dude…more than a few of you are crying…and if read what i wrote, it could have gone either way. I personally thought it was going be a good goal and was preparing to throw something when they came back no goal….then you scored right away anyways so just stop or i will put a hex on you!
You guys did outplay us 5-5 for good portions of the game….and that scares me….
"It's not illegal. It's frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane."-Alan Garner
I was responding to the mind reader part…the fallout is going to be aggravating enough less we get into the habit of “we all know what he was doing” sort of logic. Fans can react emotionally, but the media should know better.
The fact we scored a minute later is why I say we let it go. But I fear I’m in the minority. Sad.
ES is nice, but if you can’t play special teams at this rate you should be golfing. LA is responding nicely – as both a group and on an individual level – to what VAN has thrown at them…excellent traits for a team to go far.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Yankee:
I realize you are a sane Canucks fan, and very even keel and reasonable, so this isn’t directed towards you or any other ’Nuck fan that shares the same traits, but SERIOUSLY.
95% of Canucks fans who “let their voice be heard” on all the assorted hockey blogs cannot stop whining about the refs, conspiracy, Bettman being anti-Canadian, etc.. It is seriously tiring.
One thing about Kings fans, we will be the first to call out our team when they do poorly, we don’t whine about every single miniscule thing that goes the other way in a game.
I know I’m preaching to the choir with you, but the no call on High-sticking in game 1 (which you guys WON) didn’t have any effect on the outcome of this series.
The too many men penalty in game 2 (which was a perfectly reasonable call) could have been rectified if the PK stepped up and responded to the challenge.
And now with the disallowed goal, which I do feel was questionable, will no doubt be the excuse for a loss, although the team lost by 2 goals..
I just hope for the sake of all your comrades’ sanity, that ‘Nuckleheads will realize their team has been outplayed in special teams by far, and as you said, great ES play isn’t enough, especially in a 7 game series where certain themes (such as a dominant PP) can really start to snowball.
I have been enjoying the hell out of this series, both teams are exciting to watch. I just feel like Canucks fans (at least the ones who care enough to throw their opinion out into cyber space) are missing a great series because they are too busy fixing their tin foil hats and drinking the conspiracy koolaid.
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
It’s a two fold problem: first the initial fan anger. Like twitter exploding once it was turned over, blaming the refs even though it wasn’t their call. That sort of thing. I can stomach that because it’s in the heat of the moment, without access to official explanation, multiple angles, some degree of perspective or calm analysis.
But when the media runs with it, that’s where it causes a problem. Vancouver papers are notorious for this (plan the parade anyone?). To their credit, a few guys did some out and point to the bigger problems (like the PK and Luongo) but others will harp on SkateGate just for the moment (sheesh, it already has a name…ugh). So, if you’re a Canadian fan of a Canadian team in the playoffs and the media helps fuel the conspiracy stuff, can you be blamed for propagating it? Maybe, maybe not but that’s what angers me the most.
I’m just sticking up for our side of the fence. We’re not all the koolaid folks.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
Yea I totally agree with you
It is a gross miscalculation anytime mass generalizations are made, and I also agree with your heat-of the-moment analysis, it happens to everyone..
I guess I did not realize the media had as big of a role as it does in regards to the “woe is me” outlook a lot of your fan base subscribes too regarding bad calls, etc.
It is quite disturbing how much the media does sway peoples’ minds. Hell, it happens to me too, and I can recognize it when it does.
For instance, I read a game recap from the Vancouver Sun, as well as all the comments, after Game 2, and i still felt a little queezy even though the Kings won.. But then I read Rich Hammond’s recap and I felt all better :)
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions
I imagine if I read all the comments on Rich’s site, I would leave thinking all LA Kings fans are nuts. If you meander on over to the CDC (http://forums.canucks.com) you’ll walk away thinking the same about us.
This is why SBN is what it is (gratuitous plug! If I don’t do that, the higher up’s whip me)
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions
VERY TRUE.
And SBN is awesome…
I’ve been a member of Athletics Nation for about 5 years, which is the original SB Nation site (Tyler Blezsinski’s brain child).
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
So its settled then...
We all can agree that there are those who will push a particular story to the point of conspiracy just to sell some papers or get internet traffic…
Both the Kings and Canucks have ignorant fans out there…
That crimes of passion do exist…
This is the only safe haven where topics can be discussed in a civil manner by intelligent knowledgeable fans who will support their team to the death, but who also acknowledge when our teams have been outplayed…and the real reason why we did or didnt win….
Game 3 was won and lost on special teams…im not even sure we can say that it was Luongo’s fault since the first 3 goals were all PP goals…
"It's not illegal. It's frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane."-Alan Garner
You can blame Luongo. He sucked. Unless we find out he’s missing half the fingers in his catching hand from Smyth’s skate, some of those rebounds were terrible and that fourth goal was inexcusable.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
my point is that i think we score those goals on any goalie right now….
Rebounds yes, but there were uncovered players, screens, traffic….collectively a bad PK…but that 4th goal was maybe worse than any goal ive seen in a while….so yeah ill let you say Luongo sucked in this game….
and ill bet he has a broken finger on his glove hand…
i told my wife he could trap that shot against his pad cuz his hand, which let to the 3rd goal…
"It's not illegal. It's frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane."-Alan Garner
And what’s sad is IF he has a broken finger, I wouldn’t look at playing Razor as being that bad an option either.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Just a head’s up that it was Daniel who had the goal disallowed, not Henrik.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
Henrik has the “A”, that’s the best way if you can’t see the numbers. Other than that, it’s a toss up. Though Versus was trying to go by their facial hair last night which is a bit much for my tastes… :)
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Are their skating styles exactly the same?
I remember hearing (probably on Versus a few seasons ago) that when they’re sitting on the bench, one holds his stick with the blade up and the other has the blade on the ground. Of course that doesn’t help me when they’re on the ice.
the A doesn't always help though
with willie mitchell injured, his A was floating around for a while, and at one point was on the other twin!
fortunately, i believed it has settled on salo for the last while.
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I believe the #s are also on the arms of their jerseys. You can also look for who’s playing where – they have particular spots they go to on the ice, since Henrik is a center and Daniel a winger.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Apr 20, 2010 12:27 PM PDT up reply actions
The jersey numbers are also a dead giveaway :D
I keed, I keed.
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions
The Game and the Call
PP has been unbelievable. Crowd was intense – for all the bad rap that SoCal sports fans get, we DO bring it come playoff time, and bring it in a big way.
I thought the controversial goal was going to be upheld and should have been upheld – “distinct” kicking motion is the rule. The thing that probably was the convincing aspect to the guys in Toronto was the fact that Daniel Sedin lifted his skate ever so slightly right after the puck hit his skate, but I don’t think that is distinct enough.
There is little doubt his intent was to redirect the puck, but intent is not part of the rule.
I think most reasonable Canucks fans realize that the game was lost on the PK and the soft goal on Luongo.
NA R.I.P.
I will make the comment though that the booing during the Canadian anthem was pretty classless. Although, in my section, it was hard to discern the booing from the drunken singing/yelling.
Did they boo? There’s always some idiots somewhere.
I also heard the anthem singer was reading lyrics off his or her iphone. Was that true? Versus doesn’t care to show anthems (or, you know, provide good hockey coverage in general…why split hairs?)
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
The anthem singer? That’s a negative. He was an opera singer in a show that’s currently running in LA somewhere.
see? aren't rumors fun!
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions
the TSN highlights clearly show the anthem singer
look at his phone during the Canadian national anthem.
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip291377#clip291377
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip291377#clip291377
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
maybe he was waiting on an urgent text??? haha
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions
We all multitask, right?
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Apr 20, 2010 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
he messed up a word too!
the right lyric: “True patriot love in all thy son’s command”
what he sang: “True patriot love from all thy son’s command”
Nucks Misconduct's Ambassador, Squid Provider, and Chief Puck Bunny. Now making the NM publishing crew 10000000% less of a sausage party. Also on Twitter.
That’s a shame we messed it up. One of my favorite parts about going to the games in GM place was the anthem, no lie — I loved how everyone sang as a group.
In Dinglebarn We Trust
yeah, the anthem at GM Place is always epic like that.
Nucks Misconduct's Ambassador, Squid Provider, and Chief Puck Bunny. Now making the NM publishing crew 10000000% less of a sausage party. Also on Twitter.
People screw up the Star Spangled Banner all the time too
But, I can’t believe this guy couldn’t take a day to learn the frickin’ song. I’m an American and think I could recite it if I had to without having to look at the lyrics.
NA R.I.P.
hey look, there's already a poster!
Nucks Misconduct's Ambassador, Squid Provider, and Chief Puck Bunny. Now making the NM publishing crew 10000000% less of a sausage party. Also on Twitter.
Yea I think I heard one boo, and then people around him made sure he quit..
It would be a shame for Ryan Smyth, or Greene, Simmonds, Doughty, etc.. to hear their own fans booing their national anthem..
It was prob just some drunk a-holes getting too into the competitive spirit.
I know my buddies were razzing Canadians pretty bad, but it was mostly in good fun.
My favorite hand made sign that I saw last night:
“My Canucks Itch”
CLASSIC!
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
by dtownmbrown on Apr 20, 2010 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Yikes
I missed that part. Even if it was one person that blows big time.
NA R.I.P.
by swiss mcgee on Apr 20, 2010 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions
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