Game Time: 5:00 PST

Head-To-Head SBN Sites: Broad Street Hockey vs Second City Hockey

What a wild game 1. It was the most goals scored in game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals since 1982, when the Islanders defeated the Canucks 6-5. Game 1 was not indicative of how this series is going to be played. Both teams are insisting that they have to be better defensively and that, of course, is very true. That looked like 80's hockey out there, not that I minded all that much.

As reported on Sunday, the Flyers will go back to Michael Leighton in game 2. Yeah, he was lit up in game 1, but the Flyers will quickly admit that they did not play well in front of him. That is also true. Philly, like every other team the Hawks have faced in these playoffs admitted that they got caught playing Chicago's run and gun game. From what I have seen from them this postseason, they are a fair bit more defensive than Chicago is, yet the Hawks can play that way too. I think game 2 will look more like the 3rd period of game 1, where both teams settled down and played more defensively, while waiting for turnovers in their transition game.

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GAME TIME: 6:30 PST

TV: CBC, Versus, RDS

THE ENEMY: Second City Hockey

Update (3:50 PST): Not so cocky now, are ya Stevie?

Update: Salo did skate this morning, wore a green jersey (no contact) and left early. They are still calling him a game time decision. The way he was skating I'd say he's not going to play. Check out TSN's Ice Chips video about it. You'll laugh. Vigneault is so damned funny, as is SOB.

It's amazing how the team identities have changed during this series. The Blackhawks sort of became guilty of becoming the Canucks of Game 4 last game: undisciplined, not playing to their potential, etc. Nobody is winning by a mere goal in this series. The close games we anticipated are not really materializing. The winners win decisively for the most part.

The Hawks want to get more pucks on net in Game 6. They want to get back to harassing Roberto Luongo. They want some scoring out of Patrick Kane, even though he has 2 goals and 4 assists in this series. They want to play more disciplined.

The Canucks need to emulate Game 5: score early and take control, stay on Auntie Niemi, don't let the Hawks get under their skin, maintain pressure in Chicago's zone, play strong and smart in their own zone, and of course get another great performance from Luongo.

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"Am I the leader of this group?"

"I don't know, are you?"

"I'm the captain of the team! Is there still a team or a bunch of cutthroats that have to do each other in?"

That of course from Alive, a movie about one of the greatest survival stories of all time. Antonio Balbi, the captain of the soccer rugby team that crashed in the Andes mountains in 1972, had been carefully rationing the wine and food to the survivors, and the rations were very slim. On the 6th day after the crash, a plane had flown over earlier and the crew, sans Antonio, who was sleeping in the fuselage at the time believed they were saved as they thought the pilot tipped the plane's wings in recognition. The crew celebrated by opening the box of food and devouring most of the remaining rations. Antonio was none too pleased.

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BLACKHAWKS		CANUCKS
	AT

Update 12:30 PST (h/t WAACH'cast): Rick Rypien and Pavol "Demotion" Demitra will be healthy scratches for tonight. Michael Grabner and Tanner Glass draw in. The lines look like this:

Sedins-Burrows

Grabner-Kesler-Raymond (yes!)

Samuelsson-Wellwood-Hansen

Glass-Johnson-Bernier

Adam Burish called Burrows and O'Brien clowns today. "Give me a break. If you want to target someone, come find me or [Ben Eager]. You guys want to pretend you're so tough, and yet you go and try to pick a fight with those guys. If you want to hit them and play hard, fine. But those clowns are pushing them after the whistle and punching them." Boo hoo Burish. Somebody call a wahmbulance.

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The Canucks have said a lot about what they need to do to take Game 4: score more on their power plays, decrease traffic in front of Roberto Luongo by boxing the Hawks out, tying up sticks in front of Luongo when the Hawk players get through, get more traffic in front of Auntie Niemi, etc. Now they just need to go out and do it. As this series has a schitzophrenic feel to it, where anything can and will happen, I wouldn't put it past Vancouver to do exactly what they say they have to do.

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BLACKHAWKS		CANUCKS
	AT

Update (5:00 PST): What did I just hear on TSN? Dustin Byfuglien promoted to the top line?

Update (4:00 PST): An grey whale spotted in False Creek today. A good luck omen? (heheh) h/t to Miss 604.

Update (3:40 PST): Canucks recalled Yan Stastny from Manitoba today. He may as well hang out with the boys.

Update (11:50 PM): Shane O'Brien says team needs to be less passive in Game 3 (Vancouver Sun), plus, don't ask Ryan Kesler how the Canucks will remedy their power play because he won't tell you shit (Vancouver Sun), but he will give a comedic response.

Update (11:30 PST): Ah yes, and Vancouver media is jumping all over Patrick Kane for his incident with a cabbie last summer.

Blackhawks' Patrick Kane (a.k.a. 20 Cent)  is in town and we want to ensure that our cabbies are safe, so tip your cabbie in dimes to help them avoid a beating.

More on that at Puck Daddy.

Update (11:20 PST): It appears that Ryan Johnson and Darcy Hordichuk will play tonight while Michael Grabner and Jannik Hansen sit. That is not official yet.

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CANUCKS		BLACKHAWKS
	AT

Unreal. I still can't quite get over the awesomeness of Game 1. Yes, Chicago will adjust their attitudes and come out much stronger in Game 2. But you know, if the Canucks don't let off the gas...who knows? We really wanted at least a split in the first 2 at the United Center and the boys have already accomplished that. Great stuff.

OK, first things first. Andrew Alberts. I don't take back that I wanted to crucify him after Game 2 against the Kings, because he really was atrocious. But my oh my has this big guy settled down into a great role now. Since that penalty atrocity in Game 2 Alberts has played 3 games, all of them wins, has 1 assist (which really is just a bonus), and is a +3. Oh, and no penalties taken! In over 16:00 played in Game 1 versus Chicago, I can recall praising Alberts at least 5 times for great plays. He looks solid right now. He's starting to resemble....Willie Mitchell! Oh my god! Keep up the great work AA. And of course credit goes to Alain Vigneault for sticking with this guy. When most of us wanted his nuts stapled to the bench.

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CANUCKS		BLACKHAWKS
	AT

Update (3:28 PST): The Canucks will go with speed over muscle tonight. Jannik Hansen, Michael Grabner and Rick Rypien will play on the 4th line. I'm in favor of this. Aside from that, remember this goal by Hordichuk against the Hawks last post season?

-Watch for a guy named Bryan Bickell. He's a tough guy playing on the top line with Kane and Toews. He'll be crashing the net as well, and basically being a bodyguard for his wee little buddies. (Chicago Sun-Times)

-Getting to know "Aunti" Niemi (Chicago Sun-Times)

-Only Anton Volchenkov and Hal Gill have more blocked shots than Brent Sopel does. Like it or not, we'll be seeing a lot of Soaps. (CDC)

-Aaron Rome is ready to go, but Canucks will play Andrew Alberts instead. (BotchonCanucks- Twitter) Pfft??

-Hawks think they know how to slow down Sedins. (The Province). I believe they are correct, but even so, Canucks are going to need a lot from lines 2 and 3.

-Don't ask Lou if the United Center intimidates him. (The Province) What Lou should have said to that reporter was: "Here's what I want you to do. I want you to take that microphone and shine it up real nice. Then I want you to turn than sumbitch sideways and stick it straight up your candy ass, jabroni!"  Some of these reporters, I tell ya. Enough with the stupid fucking questions already. Is it 5:00 yet?

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CANUCKS		KINGS
	AT

Update (2:44 PM): For the Kings, Scott Parse will replace Goon Rich Clune. Terry Murray is saying he is going to roll his 4 lines more than he has in previous games, which probably explains the addition of Glass by AV (beyond Grabner's futility.)

Update (2:40 PM): Canucks insert some grit into the lineup. Glass in, Grabner out.

WAACH'Cast and Missy have already previewed Game 6 and voiced their opinions here and here. I won't add too much to that except:

-The game starts at 6:00 PST. The Kings want the game over with earlier so they can have their funeral and everyone can go home early. (I'm kidding, but god may it be so!)

-Canucks kept Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson off the scoreboard last game for the first time. Helps only allowing 1 PP goal against I'd say.

-Is Jonathan Quick rattled now? That is the big question. If not, the Kings could bring this back to Vancouver for Game 7. I'm not getting cocky after a 7-2 win. One game at a time, especially when you have the damned media drumming up the Shane O'Brien incident where he showboated after beating on Wayne Simmonds in game 5. Argh. I don't like the showboating because it gives an opposing coach like Terry Murray a reason to act like a puss in front of the media by bitching about it and giving his team something to rally around. It's not a controversy! It's a losing coach being a wimp and trying to light a fire under ass of his squad!

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