Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Game 74 - at Avalanche
Well, last night was ugly: Flames lose 5 zip, which means we could have come within a sneeze of 1st in the NW, and the Nucks drop a stinker.
In years past, my alarm bells would have been ringing off the hook (mixed metaphor alert): poor effort, weak execution, sadsack special teams, all on the FIRST night of a B2B. Second night's got to be a bomb, especially given the apparently messed up travel schedule for the Nucks last night (if postgame chatter on the Team1040 was to be believed).
But this year the Emergency Optimism System has kicked in again. I think tonight the Nuckles will rebound with a much better effort. Look for big games from Sundin and Kesler, who were silent in St Loo. Demitra won't contribute, but it won't matter in a 4-1 thumping by the boys in blue. Okay, white, given it's a roadie, but "boys in blue" sounds a lot better.
Gonucks!
In years past, my alarm bells would have been ringing off the hook (mixed metaphor alert): poor effort, weak execution, sadsack special teams, all on the FIRST night of a B2B. Second night's got to be a bomb, especially given the apparently messed up travel schedule for the Nucks last night (if postgame chatter on the Team1040 was to be believed).
But this year the Emergency Optimism System has kicked in again. I think tonight the Nuckles will rebound with a much better effort. Look for big games from Sundin and Kesler, who were silent in St Loo. Demitra won't contribute, but it won't matter in a 4-1 thumping by the boys in blue. Okay, white, given it's a roadie, but "boys in blue" sounds a lot better.
Gonucks!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Game 73 - at Blues
Keep the fires burning, boyos. These bubble teams are tough to beat, because they're fighting for their lives, but I think we're still going to come away with the win.
Call it 4-3 Nucks in OT, with regulation markers by Burrows, Daniel, and Wellwood, and the OT winner by Sami Salo.
If we do win tonight, we'll be basically tied with the Flames for the NW Division lead. It'll all come down to the Nucks-Flames game in two weeks. I like our chances.
(Note: To be honest, I would rather finish 4th and host on-again-off-again Chicago, than 3rd and play the frightening Steve Mason with his 9 shutouts and his .918 SV%... but I do think we'll end up in the three hole.)
Call it 4-3 Nucks in OT, with regulation markers by Burrows, Daniel, and Wellwood, and the OT winner by Sami Salo.
If we do win tonight, we'll be basically tied with the Flames for the NW Division lead. It'll all come down to the Nucks-Flames game in two weeks. I like our chances.
(Note: To be honest, I would rather finish 4th and host on-again-off-again Chicago, than 3rd and play the frightening Steve Mason with his 9 shutouts and his .918 SV%... but I do think we'll end up in the three hole.)
Hellooooo? Anyone there?
Thanks to obstetrical happenings chez moi (let's just say my new favourite players are Daniel and Henrik), I have been unable to post anything for a few weeks. For what it's worth (i.e. zero), here are what my gameday predictions were over that period:
Game 62: vs Blue Jackets. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 63: vs Wild. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 64: vs Sharks. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 65: at Kings. Prediction = L, result = L
Game 66: at Ducks. Prediction = W, result = L
Game 67: vs Kings. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 68: vs Avalanche. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 69: vs Stars. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 70: vs Blues. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 71: at Coyotes. Prediction = W, result = L
Game 72: at Stars. Prediction = W, result = W
It's pretty easy to pick right, when all you're pickin' is wins and that's all the boys are doing. The one time I picked a loss was going in to LA after a lengthy run of home wins. Obviously we're going to lose that game to an inferior Kings team. Slam dunk, baby.
So my prediction record has picked up 9 rights and 2 wrongs since last time. Go me.
Game 62: vs Blue Jackets. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 63: vs Wild. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 64: vs Sharks. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 65: at Kings. Prediction = L, result = L
Game 66: at Ducks. Prediction = W, result = L
Game 67: vs Kings. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 68: vs Avalanche. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 69: vs Stars. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 70: vs Blues. Prediction = W, result = W
Game 71: at Coyotes. Prediction = W, result = L
Game 72: at Stars. Prediction = W, result = W
It's pretty easy to pick right, when all you're pickin' is wins and that's all the boys are doing. The one time I picked a loss was going in to LA after a lengthy run of home wins. Obviously we're going to lose that game to an inferior Kings team. Slam dunk, baby.
So my prediction record has picked up 9 rights and 2 wrongs since last time. Go me.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Game 61 - vs. Lightning
Everything about this game looks bad for the Canucks:
- first game back after a long road trip
- Lightning are a terrible team that the Nucks should be expected to beat
- the Lightning have NEVER won in Vancouver
Under normal circumstances this would be guaranteed loss night for our Canucks. But I'm treating this as a test of our Emergency Optimism System.
This is a test. This is only a test. If this were a real disaster, your team would already have lost. However, this is only a test.
We'll win tonight, and we'll look damnfinegood doing it.
Canucks win 5-2, including markers by Wellwood, Bernier, D. Sedin, Edler, and Burrows. Go Nucks go!
- first game back after a long road trip
- Lightning are a terrible team that the Nucks should be expected to beat
- the Lightning have NEVER won in Vancouver
Under normal circumstances this would be guaranteed loss night for our Canucks. But I'm treating this as a test of our Emergency Optimism System.
This is a test. This is only a test. If this were a real disaster, your team would already have lost. However, this is only a test.
We'll win tonight, and we'll look damnfinegood doing it.
Canucks win 5-2, including markers by Wellwood, Bernier, D. Sedin, Edler, and Burrows. Go Nucks go!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Game 60 - at Canadiens
I know I'm on a big optimism kick here, and I'm not off any bandwagon, but even a great team can't win every game... and you've got to think things are stacking up against the Nucks tonight:
- last game of a long road trip
- downer after Saturday's emotional win
- excessive focus on the homecomings of Luongo/Burrows/Vigneault
- Canadiens looking to atone after recent horrorshow against Canucks
- TSN now calling Canucks "red hot"
In short, it's time to stub our collective toe.
Optimistic prediction: Canucks keep finding ways to win, even when they don't outplay the other guy. Montreal's goaltending lets them down again, and Canucks win an ugly one, 6-5.
Pessimistic prediction: Luongo is good but not great--and the rest of the team is just downright bad. Sundin is ice cold, Sedins are worse. Burrows tries his best but even a two goal outing from him can't staunch the bleeding. 5-2 loss to les Habitants.
As of 3:18 p.m. I am feeling pessimistic. Sorry boys, tonight's not our night.
- last game of a long road trip
- downer after Saturday's emotional win
- excessive focus on the homecomings of Luongo/Burrows/Vigneault
- Canadiens looking to atone after recent horrorshow against Canucks
- TSN now calling Canucks "red hot"
In short, it's time to stub our collective toe.
Optimistic prediction: Canucks keep finding ways to win, even when they don't outplay the other guy. Montreal's goaltending lets them down again, and Canucks win an ugly one, 6-5.
Pessimistic prediction: Luongo is good but not great--and the rest of the team is just downright bad. Sundin is ice cold, Sedins are worse. Burrows tries his best but even a two goal outing from him can't staunch the bleeding. 5-2 loss to les Habitants.
As of 3:18 p.m. I am feeling pessimistic. Sorry boys, tonight's not our night.
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