Game 4 Notes – Canucks versus Dallas

PERIOD 1:

A huge hit by Nagy on Salo. How uncharacteristic of the guy Hrudey called “scared” during game 2 (maybe he heard about that comment). It looked like a late hit to me though… but no call.

Turco plays the puck twice in the first couple of minutes… both plays result in a turnover to the Canucks.

3:30 Great play by Naslund to come back on the play… terrible penalty for him to take. Dallas looked awful on the power play.

7:30 Not a great penalty by Sedin. Again, Dallas looks poor on the power play.

12:00 Terrible, terrible refereeing calling Bieksa on Hagman (roughing?!). Bad call on Hagman too (wasn’t a dive).

13:00 Bad move by Cowan to take that penalty off the faceoff.

13:14 Dammit. Josh Green shoots puck over glass and hands Stars a 5-on-3 power-play for nearly 2 full minutes.

Great penalty kill by Vancouver. Dallas only managed 2 shots on the 2-man advantage. Lehetinen misses a freebie; he’s look nearly invisible in this series (too bad for Dallas as he’s such a great player).

17:00 Solid shift by the Sedins and Naslund. Hagman is really playing chippy and aggressive tonight (had only 34 penalty minutes this season).

18:00 Vancouver is carrying the play. If not for all the penalties it would be a one-sided affair in the Canucks favour.

18:30 Hansen draws a penalty. I like this kid.

19:30 What a dominant power-play by the Canucks!! An incredible save by Turco on Linden! Legendary!

End of Period - A very strong period for Vancouver. Outside of the power-play Dallas looks tentative and nervous and is being outplayed by the Canucks – particularly down low in their own end (especially against the cycle mastery of the Sedins).

PERIOD 2:

2:30 Dallas continues too look “scared.” Vancouver looks like their sitting back too… but not as much as the Stars. Playoff hockey anyone? My god the arena is quiet…

4:00 A missed interference call on Dallas! Vigneault looks heated!

4:30 Dallas picking it up…

7:15 Smolinski and Turco rough it up! And now Modano takes a hook… a rare 4-on-3 powerplay.

9:15 Great power-play by the Sedins. Sopel though looks awful. Smolinski blows another shot!!! My god he sucks. How many times does he miss a shot?!

9:45 Another power-play… not so good getting set-up. And now Salo takes down Hagman. Power-play over.

12:00 Great hustle by Bullis on the 2-on-1 with Green. Josh Green doesn’t look great tonight in his first night back from injury… Marty Turco looks great tonight. So does Trevor Linden. Norstrom also looks strong for Dallas.

18:00 Smolinski blows another chance on a 2-on-1! Of all people he elects to shoot instead of pass – and take a slapshot!!

19:45 Huge saves from Luongo!!

End of period - What a yawn (except for the end). Great goaltending by Turco and Luongo (no surprise). Hrudey says Nagy is still playing scared… “that’s probably why Gretzky got rid of him.”

Where’s Brendan Morrison? Jere Lehtinen? Brendan Morrow?

PERIOD 3:

3:15 Even though the edge is in Vancouver’s favour I’m concerned that the style and pace is now being dictated by Dallas… this is their game to win. Mind you Vancouver has an incredible record of pulling out a victory.

5:30 Strong transition game by Dallas. Henrik Sedin let himself be checked on the boards rather than using his bread-and-butter cycle.

6:00 Oh god, Smolinski is on again… and turns the puck over at the side of the Dallas net. Dallas comes back 3-on-2. Note to Vigneault: Santala would look better out there.

8:00 Geez, is this really a playoff game? You’d hardly know it… this might be the most boring Canuck playoff game ever.


TV break: I bet on the Rangers today (easy money). But I also bet on Minnesota figuring they can’t be swept… uh oh. (Although I bet on Anaheim to win the series, and the Rangers to win the series.

9:46 GOALLLLLLLL! Mathias Ohlund from a bad angle on a generous back board bounce (Pyatt gets an assist. Smolinski gets an assist but that was fortuitous to say the least since he yet again badly missed the net with his brutal shot). Turco really can’t be blamed on that goal. He had a complete flat-on-the ice stretch that he had to come out of from the other side of the net. And the puck took a very generous bounce. Full credit to Ohlund for that goal because he was supremely positioned to be able to make that play with a hammer of a shot.

12:29 Dallas goal credited to Sydor. I knew that lead by the Canucks was too good to be true. Great screen by Morrow in front of Luongo which is exactly what they have to do. Naslund turned that puck over on a rushed clearing attempt.

14:29 GOALLLLLL! Trevor Linden gets a well-deserved marker! Will it hold?!?! (Assist to Pyatt and Mitchell).

17:28 God bless Willie Mitchell for that HUUUUGGGE save on the goal line! Rebeiro should have scored – a great move from him. Rebeiro has been far too quiet this series. Dallas cannot win without Rebeiro and Modano getting shots on goal.

I really think Turco, Linden and Salo have been the best players. But I think Luongo, Mitchell and Pyatt will get the votes.

19:30 Burrows should have buried that shot on goal or should have dumped and chased… (great block by Sydor though). Dallas comes back furious and they get a great chance. What a shot block by Bullis! Wow! (He also gets honourable mention for a star tonight). I’m still wondering where Morrison has been all night?

19:47 Ditto for Daniel Sedin. He misses the net and gives Dallas the faceoff back in the Vancouver zone. Morrison wins a huge draw… and Vancouver clears which will seal the game!

End of Period – Holy cow! Vancouver sweeps Dallas in Dallas for a 3-1 series strangle-hold!!

FINAL SCORE: VANCOUVER 2 - DALLAS 1.

SERIES: VANCOUVER 3 - DALLAS 1.

3-Stars:

1. Luongo
2. Turco
3. Linden