Are the Hawks building us up just to dash our hopes? The good feeling I had after Smitty's shot went in lasted all of about an hour before I started worrying about the let down in Game 7. I shouldn't be this worried, after Game 3 I was completely ready to stop worrying about the Hawks and write this season off as the inevitability of our cap situation. But then Dave Bolland came back and re-energized the team, and the Hawks starting playing more physical, screening shots in front of Luongo and fighting for rebounds. (Jesse Rogers wants to give the credit to John Scott, which I'm pretty skeptical of.)
So I should really count this as a bonus. But I still want to win Game 7. Badly. I feel like if they can pull it off, it's all downhill from here, especially if the Sharks pull it out against the Kings. After the Canucks, the Sharks are supposed to scare me?
The Red Wings actually do scare me a little, so as long as the Hawks handle their business tomorrow night, I'll be rooting hard for the Sharks, and for the Preds to deal with the evil empire.
But first things first: win Game 7.
Credit:
Davey B.- 40%
I like how it's basically a given that if Bolland had been playing all series, it would be over by now. And it's not an exaggeration. Bolland's physical play led directly to the first goal and ability to be someone besides Kane/Toews/Sharp/Hossa to consistently finish led directly to the second goal. Ben Smith might have been the #1 star last night, since the guy with the winning goal almost always is, but the Hawks lose in regulation last night without Bolland.
Smitty- 25%
Right place, right time? Maybe, but hockey is all about being in the right place at the right time, and the great ones did it consistently. I'm not proclaiming Smitty the 2nd coming of the Great One, but I'm very excited for the rest of this playoff run, and seeing more of Smitty next year (Maybe on the Daydream Nation line? I like Sharp more at center anyway.)
Daydream Nation- 10%
The Canuck gameplan was obviously to shut down the superstars, as Toews wasn't able to get free all night. But both Toews and Kane more than made up for the ugly numbers in the scoresheet (-2 for JT, -1 for Kaner) by providing pressure and preoccupying the best Nuck defenders all night. There were a few missed opportunities (Toews had a chance to end the game about 5 minutes earlier but whiffed, I believe) but still a solid game overall.
Alain Vigneault- 10%
It's just a gut feeling I have, but I think we lose that game if he starts Luongo. Lu looked good for most of his time in the game, up until giving up that rebound at the end. And say what you will about Schneider, he made some good saves, but you know Luongo wouldn't have given up any goals like the first two by misplaying passes to defenders.
On top of that now Luongo has to start game 7 knowing his coach had no faith in him to win Game 6. Excellent.
Frolik- 5%
Not just for the penalty shot (although that was huge), but for flying all over the ice to the point Sam actually said "who is this kid...I like him!"
Also, please teach that double move to Kaner before next year's regular season, please.
Hossa- 5%
Yeah, Hossa didn't do much for most of the game, but the stick-handling to set up the winning goal was something not a lot of NHL players could pull off.
Craw- 5%
Anytime you get 12 saves in OT you deserve a little credit, even if all 3 of the goals were somewhat preventable. I still feel much better about the Hawks' goaltending situation than I'm sure anyone in Vancouver does right now.
I know I didn't have any blue liners on there, even though they played OK. Not spectacular like Games 4 and 5, though, so I just couldn't find any room. Next time, fellas.
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