22 May 2009

2009 Playoffs — Western Conference Finals — Game 3

Chicago 4 — Detroit 3 (OT)

Not shockingly, the UC was packed to the rafters.  A little shocking, though, was the traffic — foot and vehicle — within a 5-10 block radius of the UC.  Why shocking?  Alison and I have been to all but 4 games since the pre-season started and most of the games have had similar attendence.  Do people just come to hang out?

On to the game…

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First Period:

PP – Sharp tip off if a Seabrook shot – double screen – center point slapper
Ladd – on the rush – picks up his own rebound – low glove trickler
Havlat gets LEVELED at the defensive line by Kronwall – head down – Buff takes a run at Franzen – Havlat down for a while
Kronwall gets 5 plus a game
Zetterburg break gets stopped in close
Sharp gives lidstrom a ball treatment – wow.
Stuart goes hard at the refs during whistles and after the period
Nothing doing on a 7 min PP
A bit more rough stuff at the end

Second Period:

Off the back leg or stick shaft of Pahlsson from a Keith shot – total direction change – less than a min in
Triple pinball in the paint on the PK – stays out
Jordan plus Hull at TV timeout
Great PK – active sticks – for a while…
Wings sending a hanger
Burish is a PK shot blocker tonight!
PP – Lidstrom snapper from center point – redirected
Big wings pressure
Rafalski – screened point wrister – with Sharp overcommitted to other side
Ericsson – high wrister from the point boards – knocks the water bottle off

McMahon – does the intermission shot challenge – in a headband and shades, natch.
Almost fight in bathroom between a Cubs and Sox fan?  Hilarious.

Third Period:

Huet starts?
Less whistles
Tight all over
Lotsa detroit offensive zone time

OT – 1:

Sharp – one time on the move from the low circle – empty net – Walker shot – Buff in front

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Overall… Giving up three goal leads at home to the defending Stanley Cup champions is, um, uh, not a wise thing to do.  From our vantage point, Kronwall’s hit was borderline (leaning towards illegal) — he led with the elbow to the head and left his feet.  Not to mention, it is just a BS thing to do.  Regardless of whether it is a hockey play, that is a clear intent to injure.  On the hottest Hawk.  OT is thrilling, but the Hawks need to be able to lock down a 3 zip lead.  Concerned about Sunday without Khabi or Havlat…

11 May 2009

2009 Playoffs — Semifinals — Game 6

Chicago 7 — Vancouver 5

More ear splitting to kick off a Game 6 possible elimination game!

On to the game…

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First Period:

Starting fast and hard
Havlat breakaway stopped cold
7-2 shots (Hawks) at halfway through
Raymond – wrister from the circle dot – far side stick
Kane – from center walks to low circle – wrister glove side high
Seabrook stands up D Sedin at the line – boom!
13-9 shots – Canucks

Second Period:

PP – Versteeg – circle dot wrister short side – high glove
No Canucks shots half way through
PP – Toews walks the line – small wrister – takes his own rebound and taps it five hole
D Sedin – wrister glove side
O’Brien – wrister – high slot screener – stick side
So many momentum shifts!  Head spinning!

Third Period:

Sundin – high slot wrister stick side
Burish – true slot follow up snapper
Buff takes a bad penalty – out of a scrum
Weak goalie interferenc call on the ‘Hawks results in…
D Sedin – PP – screened wrister
Right after…
Kane – tight wraparound glove side
PP – Toews – rebound cleanup on the stick side
Craziness ensues!!
Kane – 2 on 1 – totally undresses O’Brien and goes backhand top shelf for the hat trick!
Seabrook with sick D play on a late Canucks 2 on 1

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Overall… TOTAL head spinner with all the momentum shifts — especially in the second and third periods.  Hawks kept their composure after giving up a two goal lead — which was absolutely crucial.  ANY panic would have sealed it for Vancouver.  On to the CONFERENCE FINALS!!!  WOOT!

7 May 2009

2009 Playoffs — Semifinals — Game 4

Chicago 2 — Vancouver 1 (OT)

Coming close to fire code levels of people at the UC!  Love it!  Ear splitting anthem – the UC was rockin!

On to the game…

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First Period:

Sharp/Burish/Eager start – Brouwer does not play his first shift until ~1030
Lots of early pressure including a solid PP
Sharp is a wrecking ball!
Actually, the whole team is a wrecking ball

Second Period:

Super good pressure shift with multiple chances, but…
2 on 1 break to the net – Hordichuk backhand stick side
Chances chances chances

Third Period:

All kinds of pressure and chances
Havlat – mid slot wrister glove side – with less than 3 to go!
Craziness ensues!
BS non call on a Bolland break with less than 10 seconds left

Overtime (1):

Coming out strong!
Ladd – parked in front – redirect on a turn around shot from Bolland on the half wall

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Overall… The score might indicate a defensive game with only one goal scored until the end of the third period, but…  There were SO MANY CHANCES — more for the Hawks.  Back to Vancouver all tied up!  Woot!

5 May 2009

2009 Playoffs — Semifinals — Game 3

Chicago 1 — Vancouver 3

Cinco de Mayo at the UC…  Plenty of sombreros in the crowd!  Those expecting tequila shots at the door were disappointed, though… 

On to the game…

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First Period:

Totally electric – in the building
Kane gets crunched(!) in an after whistle scrum – drawing a penalty
Raymond – WIDE open mid slot wrister – bad Hawks change

Second Period:

Bernier – picks up a rebound down close
H Sedin – all alone down low – trickles five hole
PP – Soupy screened slapper – glove side from high slot
Kane on fourth line(?)
Even shot totals – not usually a good sign for the Hawks

Third Period:

Early PP and PK – both are “so so”
Khabi with a sick come across save at ~1120
Giveaways – everywhere
Chances but not “good” chances…

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Overall… The ‘Hawks came out soft.  Which was very surprising after their decisive and killer win on the road for Game 2.  The building was electric, but the team only had flashes of matching up to that intensity.

25 April 2009

2009 Playoffs — Quarterfinals — Game 5

Chicago 5 — Calgary 1

And I thought that the UC could not get any more packed…  Pashaw!  Even MORE people at this pivotal Game 5.  The place was SUPER LOUD — louder than we have heard it all season (including the first two playoff games…) — and the crowd was super pumped for the entire game…  Gotta love it!

On to the game…

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First Period:

Solid PP to start (early) – Kane on the second unit
PP – Seabrook on a one timer from the mid slot – rocket – nice feed from Havlat
Sharp – in close – glove side with a low poke
Versteeg – rebound stick side low while turning away – almost diretly after the Sharp goal
Shots at the end of the first – 15-3 Hawks

Second Period:

Boyd – lone goal for Calgary
Ladd – in tight – stuffed in glove side – reviewed and good
Kipper taken out!
Barker – mid circle – low snapper
What’s up with the Khabi jumping saves?

Third Period:

Eager quickly kicks the crap out of Pardy
PK – 5 on 3 – awesome with Burish and Pahlsson
Nice finish – shutting it down!

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Overall…  The ‘Hawks came out hard — and never stopped.  I think the Flames were put back on their proverbial heels when they took their first penalty very early in the first period — and were never really able to grab any momentum.  It was not until the second half of the first period that Calgary had its first shot!  If the Blackhawks play like they did in Game 5 in any game, much less Game 6, they will always win…

There was a lot of hoopla about why Patrick Kane did not play against the Flames in Game 3 last night.  The team said he had the flu.  The media speculated it was because of some punishing hits he took in Game 2.  Regardless…  Here is what Kane had to say for himself:

“I had a funeral to go back to in Chicago. The goldfish that I had since I was 10 years old died so I had go back and say my prayers and flush him down the toilet,” Kane quipped. “I just bought a turtle.”

Fantastic!!

18 April 2009

2009 Playoffs — Quarterfinals — Game 2

Chicago 3 — Calgary 2

The UC was packed yet again.  And, with it being a) Saturday night and b) a late game start (800pm local) — there were a bunch of folks that had, perhaps, as my favourite dealer in Vegas would say — “too many”.  We thought we were going to be late, but with the new playoff video they are showing, we made it just in time to see Ditka drop the ceremonial puck!  Woot!

Before the game started, though…

Dude falls down the stairs — behind me — I stepped out onto the stairs and caught the guy from slamming his head on the rail

On to the game…

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First Period:

Khabi – huge point blank save on Bertuzzi
Calgary PP – Iginla picks up the glove side rebound trash
4 on 4 – stuffed home under Khabi by Aucoin down low
Lotsa rough stuff – continued from Wednesday

Second Period:

PP – Toews zinger from low circle top shelf on an awesome cross feed from sharp
Flames take as many cheap shots as they can with the refs not lookin’ – Keenan can suck it
Drunk dude in our row – convinced he was sitting in our row – he wasn’t…
Sharp – low slot redirect off a sick, no look, backhand feed from the corner by Kane
Toews – rebound in the low slot off a Bolland slapper from top circle

Third Period:

Khabi with even more great saves
Much faster third period pace
Havlat gets railroaded after the whistle – 4 on 4 results…
Locked it down – it was my one question about the ‘Hawks – could they take a one goald lead and hold it…

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Overall…  Still pretty intense — carrying over from Wednesday.  It feels “good” as a fan to see hockey played at that level.  I do think the Flames have some frustration showing — including last night’s win, they have lost 6 straight to the ‘Hawks.  I really hate to be, or sound like, a “homer” in terms of the quality of ref’ing, but it is almost silly what they are letting go against the ‘Hawks.  Last night even had the linsemen in on it — phantom offsides, bizarre puck dropping rituals in the zone…  I don’t know who linesmen #68 is, and I hope he was just having a bad night, but that guy cannot continue to call playoff games like that…

16 April 2009

2009 Playoffs — Quarterfinals — Game 1

Chicago 3 — Calgary 2 (OT)

This was the first playoff game in Chicago since the 2001/2002 season (where they lost against the Blues in the Quarters).  From the outside of the UC, where Alison and I stood by the ‘Hawks statue for a bit, it really did not look any different than a regular season game.  Once inside, however, it was pretty electric.  Playoff hockey – much busier IN the United Center (lots more merch stands, beer stands and just more people…)

On to the game…

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First Period:

Intensity is very high – ‘Hawks look a little nervous
Big hits – on both ends of the ice
Weird crease play – over the head of Khabi, but not in
Moss – pokes in a stick side rebound
Lackluster ‘Hawks PP
4 min (weak) HS penalty to Toews

Second Period:

Penalty killed! (end of 4 min) – confidence booster?
Bolland gets taken down on a break — PP yields nothing…
Sick Kipper save on a Sharp, um sharp?, one timer
Barker – second chance wrister from circle boards – floats stick side

Third Period:

Super wide 2 on 1 for the Flames – pass gets through and Cammalleri one times it over Khabi’s shoulder
Kipper with another flurry of saves – brilliant (nothing like the last 3 weeks of the regular season)
Havlat – second effort wrister in close ties it up!
Shots evened up — it was 2 to 1 Flames advantage for most of the game…

Overtime (1):

Havlat – weakside 2 on 1 – trailer from the slot – wrister five hole – 12 SECONDS IN!!

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Overall…  Wow.  Intense.  The building was pretty electric — from the National Anthem all the way through the multiple standing ovations and finally to the ear-splitting screams when Havlat put in the OT winner.  I LOVED that they came back from one goal deficits — TWICE.  I did not love that they had to come back at all…    Kipper seems to have forgotten how bad he was for the last 3 weeks of the regular season, because he was in fine form last night.  I am usually not a “ref complainer”, but there was some seriously obvious stuff just let go last night…  On to Saturday!

Hmmm. Nice iPhone app for Wordpress. Could open a lot of blogging possibilities….

I was very disheartened to hear about Home Depot stopping their sponsorship of American Olympians.  I recognize these are tough economic times, but I have always been enthralled with Home Depot’s TYPE of sponsorship — full time pay and benefits for part time work on a flexible schedule for our Olympians.  It just seemed so noble to me.

If you feel the same, I encourage you to send them a note..

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Hello -

I wanted to express my disappointment with the discontinuation of Home Depot’s relationship and sponsorship of American Olympians.

For many years, I have gone out of my way to shop at Home Depot – for all manner of product including the “little” things such as batteries or cleaning supplies – because of my great respect for Home Depot’s sponsorship of Olympic athletes.  It is something that I took great pride in and that I certainly told everyone in my circle of friends/family about — probably more times than they wanted to hear.

Allowing the Olympians to receive full-time pay/benefits for part time work seemed absolutely noble to me – especially as the corporate world has become more and more cynical.  It was something tangible.  Not just a “money sponsorship” – it was a personal sponsorship.

I hope that Home Depot will reconsider this decision and continue to support our Olympic athletes.

Thank you,

- Eric Parucki