Hi,

The posts on NM and SCH have been great reading. I haven’t posted anything during the games as I really don’t want to miss any piece of the action. Having a chance to digest all of the action and words on the sites I want to give my two cents worth. (Ah the freedom of the internet!)

1. Torres is not first on my list. Luck is. To be good you have to be lucky and the Canucks were as luck as fuck to get out of last nights game with a victory. Seven completely different penalties were called as the refs were trying to see if they could complete the cycle. Taking seven penalties against the Hawks last year would have meant a blowout, but as luck would have it (luck=salary cap) the Nucks faced a far different team this year. The Nucks penalty is good and the Hawks PP is not so good. But to give any NHL team seven chances in the playoffs is just stupid. It is s good thing Luongo has put a gypsy curse on Kane and Toews.

2. I have asked for it before and will keep asking for it, make Kesler a Candian citizen. Give him a reduced taxation rate if at first he balks at the offer. Keith and Campbell might have dreaded the powerplays due to the fact they have to see Kesler and Burrows in their face for that time.

3. The Canucks do a great job of clogging the neutral zone. In basketball they call that a 1-1-3 full court press. You clog up the middle and make the Hawks go to the sideboards where they will either get hit if they try to carry it in or the Hawks have to dump and chase. Either way it makes it hard to set up in the Canucks end.

4. Ok…..time for Torres. I watched the replay 100 different times from all angles I could get. Some observations first. Torres watched the whole play develop as the puck was on the other side. Seabrook knew Torres was on the other wing as he saw Torres shoot the puck into the opposite corner. Torres went in at a good clip. Seabrook is 6’3 and Torres is 6’0. Torres did not leave his feet. Torres’s shoulder hit Seabrook’s head. (Please look at height difference again)

Now, I played hockey and ref’d hockey so I have my opinion. Which means absolutely nothing to the NHL. I did notice that Seabrook got up quickly. Smart play on his part even if he saw Tweety flying around. If he was made to go through concussion protocol right away a doctor might have made him sat him for the rest of the game. Instead he skated for a couple shifts which may have cleared his head. I wonder what an acceptable hit would have been in that case.

If Torres would have lowered himself to a crouching Seabrook level (6’3 Seabrook), would it have been ok? Or did Torres have to slow down and wait until Seabrook could fully see him? Was Torres not supposed to take the body at all and just go after the puck? I sometimes wish the NHL would make public the transcripts of these meetings so everyone could see the standard. In the end Torres will probably receive 4+ games for being a quick repeat "offender". Torres needs to play for the Bruins next year to avoid that suspension.