Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

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Loggerman

Senior member
Apr 28, 2000
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THREE game 7'sssssssssssssss :cool: tomorrow night.

I love PLAYOFF HOCKEY

Still have to head to go to Gold River though.Keep the drive alive guys.Will have to find someone with computer access.
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
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Canucks look to complete comeback

Canadian Press
4/22/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - The euphoria the Vancouver Canucks feel over forcing a Game 7 in their NHL playoff series against the St. Louis Blues is tempered by trepidation.

The Canucks, who trailed 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final, have pulled themselves back from the chasm of elimination but their season still teeters on a precipice.

A win in Tuesday's deciding game sends Vancouver into the second playoff round for the first time since 1995. A loss means a long summer of criticism and explanations.

"We know we haven't won anything yet," said gritty forward Trent Klatt, whose face was a roadmap of bruises and scars.

"We won Game 5 when we needed to and we won Game 6 when we needed to. It's not going to make any difference if we don't win Game 7. People aren't really going to care that we won these two games. We know the biggest challenge is yet still ahead and we're going to have to have our best game of the year."

The reservoir of confidence the Blues showed in the first four games of the series has eroded with every loss.

St. Louis has a $60-million US payroll and a history of making it past the second round of the playoffs only once in the last 16 years.

"I don't look at it like, 'Oh my God, it's a Game 7 and it's do or die,'" said Blues goalie Chris Osgood, who lost in Game 7 a year ago with the New York Islanders but has two Stanley Cup rings from his days in Detroit. "I don't look at it as a nerve-wracking experience. I look at it as a big chance to win a big game in a big situation and move on."

Defenceman Chris Pronger, whose ice time has dwindled the last couple of games leading to speculation he isn't 100 per cent healthy, said the Blues can't listen to the whispers of self doubt.

"I don't think we've dug any hole," said Pronger.

"It's just they're a good hockey team and they have a lot of scoring. We didn't expect this to be an easy series."

After being embarrassed 6-0 at home to open the series, and managing just four goals in the next three games, the Canucks have regained some of the offensive muscle that made them the NHL's second-highest scoring team during the regular season.

Markus Naslund, he of the 104 regular-season points, sleepwalked through the first three games of the series while being held to one point. Then he caught fire, with three goals and five points in the last three games.

"We're building," said Naslund, who leads Vancouver with six points.

"We're getting stronger and more confident. It's one game that is going to decide it. The start is going to be crucial."

Meanwhile, the Blues' No. 1 line of Pavol Demitra, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Mellanby has been missing in action. The trio has combined for three goals, two by Demitra, and 11 points through six games. Tkachuk has helped set up several goals with pick plays but hasn't scored since Game 1. Demitra has two goals and six points, and Mellanby has one assist.

Tkachuk is 0-3 in Game 7s in his career with zero points. He has twice been a part of team that took a 3-1 lead and folded.

Playoff scoring leader Doug Weight, 2-0 in Game 7s in his career, has five goals and 12 points all by himself.

"It's a one-game show right now," Blues forward Doug Weight told reporters after practice Monday. "What happened earlier in the series really means nothing right now. It's a one-game winner-takes-all, and the previous six mean absolutely nothing."

Scoring the first goal will be crucial for both teams Tuesday. If the Canucks do get the lead, hanging onto it will be critical. Vancouver has been outscored 10-1 in the third period during the series.

Penalties have also proved costly for both teams. Vancouver scored a pair of second-period goals on the power-play Sunday.

"We've got to stay out of the box and just play better for 60 minutes," said St. Louis forward Doug Weight, who leads all playoff scorers with 12 points.

"We believe we can beat anybody five-on-five, we've just got to do a little more of it. It's a one-game series now and home ice, we feel, doesn't matter."

Vancouver hockey fans have ridden a roller coaster of emotion. Cars cruise around the city with Canuck flags flagging in the breeze. Radio sports phone-in programs blister with callers every night.

Another round of the playoffs would also be a boost to the Canuck balance sheet.

The team, which had 37 regular-season sellouts, was predicting a small profit after budgeting for three home playoffs dates.

Each round of the playoffs generates an estimated $2 million, depending on how many games are played.

The Canucks finished fourth in the Western Conference with a franchise record 104 points, five ahead of fifth-place St. Louis.

Vancouver has a 3-2 record in the five previous Game 7s. The last Game 7 played in Vancouver was 1992 when the Canucks beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-0 to complete a comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

The Blues never have lost a playoff series when they held a 3-1 lead and are 6-7 in previous Game 7s in franchise history. The last time St. Louis played a Game 7 in a late time slot was in Phoenix on May 4, 1999, when they beat the Coyotes 1-0 in overtime.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
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Lucky Sevens

TSN.ca Staff
4/22/2003

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing in their 19 such game while the Minnesota Wild are going into uncharted territory.

For the first time since 1997 and only the fourth time ever, three separate series will be decided by a seventh game.

Of the 105 series which have gone to the limit since the best-of-seven format was introduced in 1939, the home team has won 67 times. That should be good news for fans in Vancouver, Philadelphia and Denver.

For Colorado, Minnesota, Toronto and Philadelphia, tonight's game will mark the first time since 1950 that teams will play Games 6 and 7 on successive nights.

"I like it," said Avalanche coach Tony Granato, whose team will face the Wild. "I'm glad we're playing (tonight), to get back out there and go after it. What more could you ask for than to be in a Stanley Cup playoff Game 7 in your own building?"

This is the fifth consecutive postseason series in which Colorado has been forced to go the distance. It is 3-1 in the past four, with all the victories coming at home. The last four times the Avalanche have hosted a Game 7 at home, the club has won all four games by a combined score of 13-2.

Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy will make his 13th career Game 7 appearance, passing Glenn Anderson and taking first place on the all-time list.

Minnesota are attempting to become only the eighth team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 deficit by winning twice on the road. A fact that doesn't faze goaltender Manny Fernandez.

"I think they have a lot more to lose than we do," said Fernandez. "They had us on the ropes when we were down 3-1 and couldn't put us away."

Of the 31 series that extended to a Game 7 in which teams have rebounded from a 3-1 deficit, the team which trailed 3-1 has won 16 times.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who have not lost in the quarterfinals of the NHL playoffs in seven years, will be looking for their 12th win in 20 Game 7 situations when they face the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Flyers are 5-5 in seventh games and this will be their first since losing to the New Jersey Devils in the 2000 Eastern Conference finals, a series they led 3-1.

"One of us is not going to win and we have to find a way to make sure it's them and not us," said Toronto head coach Pat Quinn after his team avoided elimination last night.

There's no question (the Leafs) are putting up a hell of a fight," said Jeremy Roenick. "It's going to be another battle."

Toronto and Philadelphia, which has had two games decided in double overtime and another in triple overtime, will be the second-longest in terms of total playing time in NHL playoff history. The clubs have played 472:05 through six games - the equivalent of nearly eight regulation games - and the series already is the sixth-longest in League history. By playing three full periods tonight, it will move into second place.

The winner goes on to face the top-seeded - and well rested - Ottawa Senators in the conference semifinals.

The Vancouver Canucks have fought back from a 3-1 deficit and will be trying to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1995 when they meet the St. Louis Blues tonight.

"I don't look at it like, 'Oh my God, it's a Game 7 and it's do or die,'" said Blues goalie Chris Osgood, who lost in Game 7 a year ago with the New York Islanders but has two Stanley Cup rings from his days in Detroit. "I don't look at it as a nerve-wracking experience. I look at it as a big chance to win a big game in a big situation and move on."

Markus Naslund, who had just one point in the first three games of the series, has erupted for three goals and five points in the last three games.

In contrast, the Blues top line of Pavol Demitra, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Mellanby has combined for three goals and 11 points. Tkachuk hasn't scored since Game 1 and Mellanby has just one assist.

Tkachuk also has the dubious distinction of twice being part of a teams that blew 3-1 series leads.

Scoring the first goal will be crucial for both teams Tuesday. If the Canucks do get the lead, hanging onto it will be critical. Vancouver has been outscored 10-1 in the third period during the series.

"We're getting stronger and more confident," said Naslund. "It's one game that is going to decide it. The start is going to be crucial."

Vancouver defeated the Winnipeg Jets in Game 7 in 1992 to complete a comeback from a 3-1 deficit while the Blues have never lost a playoff series after going up 3-1.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
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Great 2nd period by the Canucks... I hope they can keep this up in the 3rd...

But then again we all know how horrible the Canucks play in the 3rd period when they have the lead...
 

Hanpan

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2000
4,812
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Wow. This is not really an upset, but still a surprise to some. These playoffs have already produced some shocking results and we are only past the first round.
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
7,803
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71
Great great game by the Canucks.... no more 3rd period breakdowns or stupid penalties... And with the Wild winning we get home ice in the 2nd Round too!

Go Canucks!
 

RbSX

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
8,351
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BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
7,803
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It was so nice to see Linden get that last goal... He worked his @ss off the whole series, nice to see him get rewarded in the end...
 
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