The Vancouver Canucks are hoping history doesn’t repeat as they go into Game 5 against the San Jose Sharks. Wins in Game 5 haven’t been their strength, and they’re going to need to play as though this is Game 7 if they want to end the Western Conference Final here.
Henrik Sedin insisted that tonight’s game will not be a relaxed one for the Canucks. They won’t be playing as if they still have three more chances to win this.”You have to treat [tonight] as the last game, and that’s what we need to do. For me, that’s killer instinct.”
Many are wondering if the Sharks have any bite left in them. The Sharks will already be low in enthusiasm as their captain Joe Thornton got a messed up shoulder in Game 4. Thornton insists he is feeling 100% and is ready to go for tonight’s game.
On the Canucks bench it looks as though injured defencemen Aaron Rome and Christian Ehrhoff will be staying out of the game.
Today also happens to be the 14th anniversary of the game that put the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final the last time around. Coincidence?
Tickets are still available for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, which happens tonight here in Vancouver at Rogers Arena. Puck drops at 6 pm PDT.
Tag: Western Conference Final
Vancouver Canucks Hockey Between Friends
One problem with having friends from around the world is that there’s one clear thing we don’t get along on: Hockey. I’m sure any hockey loving fan knows how that goes. You’re best of friends until the NHL playoffs start, and then it’s time to poke fun at them as your team kicks their team to the curb (because of course your team will always win, right?)
This playoff season has been interesting for me, because the Vancouver Canucks have gone up against teams that some of my friends are actually fans of.
In the Western Conference Semifinal, the Canucks faced off against the Nashville Predators. Originally from Tennessee, my friend Matt currently lives in Alabama. Though admittedly we don’t talk hockey a lot, it was still fun to poke fun as the Preds lost 4-2.
Now with the Canucks up against the San Jose Sharks, it’s my friend Jeremy and I going head to head as he’s from the San Francisco area. He’d gone out of town for a week for holidays, but secretly I think it’s his way of avoiding my hockey chatter.
I do admit I’m a good sport about it, and my friends know it’s all in good fun.
For the Eastern Conference, my friend Kathy is a big Philadelphia Flyer fan. She lives, eats, breathes the Flyers. Being knocked out in Round 2 against the Boston Bruins, she’s had to focus her attention on one of her favourite former Flyers players: Simon Gagne. Such a fan is she that when Kathy comes to visit me here in Vancouver in two weeks she’s planning on wearing her Gagne jersey – despite whatever reaction she might get from Canucks fans.
Has love for opposing teams gotten between you and your friends?
Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals happens tonight here in Vancouver. Puck drops at 6 pm PDT.
Vancouver Canucks Coming Home for Game 5
Game 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Finals in San Jose this past weekend were such a stark contrast between on another.
Game 3 of the Western Conference Final game me a heart attack. I get home by the end of the first period to see that Vancouver is trailing 3-0. Second period seemed to stall for both teams, as they traded power plays. The third period was kicked up a notch as the Canucks managed to come back with three goals. Despite their surge in momentum, the Canucks lost 4-3.
Game 4 on the other hand can be be summed up in one word: penalties. When it comes to power plays, the Sharks don’t appear to know what they’re doing. In the first period they failed at scoring despite having 5 consecutive power plays. When they had penalties, they couldn’t kill them like the Canucks. In their last 13 man-advantage situations, the Sharks have only scored once.
Vancouver used that weakness to their advantage, despite being grossly out shot by the Sharks. They scored three goals in two minutes during one of their many 5 on 3 power plays (an NHL record) during the second period.
Sami Salo played a huge role in the Canucks win, finally back from rupturing his Achilles tendon over the summer (an injury that could have seen the end of his career). He did his part in killing off the five straight penalties the Canucks took in the first period, not to mention setting up Ryan Kesler’s goal, and then scoring two of his own.
The Canucks also fought back against Sharks player Jamie McGinn (who knocked out Christian Ehrhoff and Aaron Rome), when a hip check from Keith Ballard sent McGinn into a head over heels flip. Neither Ehrhoff nor Rome are expected to be back yet for Game 5.
In front of a packed HP Pavilion in San Jose, the Canucks won Game 4 with a score of 4-2.
Game 5 is set to take place tomorrow Tuesday, May 24th at 6 pm PST at Rogers Arena. Get your ticket and cheer on the home team!