the Cunning Linguist wrote:Woah-woah... Did this board get a simultaneous e-lobotomy and become CalPuck all of a sudden?
Have a little perspective people... How many of us thought this team would win the Division and go this far into the playoffs back in September? Do we really believe that this team would have gotten past Anaheim or Detroit even if it did get past Chicago? Sure this hurts but it's NOT the end of the world.
Move the e-knife away from your wrists, give yourselves a week to de-compress and enjoy the sunshine.
LOL
I am just really disappointed. I figured the boys lost this series in game 4. I guess there are questions to be answered but I'm not calling for heads to roll... It was a long roller coaster ride, just didn't think it would end on such a down note.
Someone wrote this on my face book. A disappointed fan...
but doesn't think that trading Luongo will be the factor.
"Too little, too late" is a phrase that comes to mind when I muse over the Vancouver/Chicago 6-game series that came to an unfortunate end last night. After sweeping the Blues in round 1 and splitting the series with Chicago after 4 games, the momentum shift that occurred following the loss in game 4 was gut wrenching and disappointing for fans across British Columbia, and undoubtedly for the team last night.
Many are quick to point fingers at Vancouver's captain and goalie, Roberto Luongo, for losing the series, and no doubt, allowing 7 goals in a do-or-die game last night was not only out of character for Luongo's usually unshakable self, but it was unacceptable. However, in my humble opinion, the 2-1 OT loss in game 4 is what initiated the downward spiral that led to the Canucks' removal from the playoffs, and Luongo's stellar performance in that game should not be forgotten so suddenly.
A shift to a defensive style play in game 4, sitting on a 1-0 lead rather than putting more shots on the Hawks' goalie Khabibulin, proved to be a poor coaching decision on Vigneault's part. Against a high-shooting, fast and hard-hitting young team like Chicago, sitting on a one-goal lead is simply a stupid move and led to a significant loss for the Canucks. Game 5 was similar, with the Canucks only taking 22 shots on 'Bulin and losing 4-2, giving the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead in the series. To me, Vigneault pulling Luongo with almost 90 seconds to go in the 3rd was a terrible coaching decision, considering how atrocious the Canucks' passing had been all game combined with the speed of the Hawks forwards.
Despite questionable (or straight-up horrible) officiating last night, Vancouver's offense decided to re-emerge after a 2 game disappearance, as did a few players who had been for the most part invisible during the playoffs or even, in regards to O'brien, invisible during the regular season. O'Brien, Sundin and Daniel Sedin, scored a total of 4 goals, adding to Raymond's, for Vancouver last night, however, Luongo's performance rendered these goals rather useless in the end. Unfortunately for Vancouver's fans, their steadfast, reliable Captain didn't show up with the rest of the team. Too little, too late for the Canucks? Definitely.
Disappointing doesn't describe the emotion felt by Canucks fans across this province. Not since the West Coast Express era of 2003/2004 (or maybe even 1994) have the fans seen so much promise in their team -- to rub salt in the wound, we finally had a stellar goalie to take us deep in the playoffs; however, absolutely no one, not even Luongo's biggest critics, would have ever imagined that he would "choke" in an elimination game.
With Vancouver's roller-coaster season at an end, the next concern is whether or not Luongo (who teared up during a post-game interview last night about letting his team and fans down) will decide to re-sign with Vancouver and give BC's fans another shot at a cup run. Or will he fail to shake his own disappointment in himself and need to start fresh with another franchise? Only the off-season will tell.
One bad game, no matter how important, should not undo all that Luongo has done for this team, for this franchise and for the fans (no matter how fickle they can be). Oh Captain, our Captain, go down with this ship, but please don't scramble aboard another after the storm