# Heading into NHL playoffs



## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

who's your team?
how's it doing?


I've kind of been waiting for the other shoe to drop for my Canucks all season, with all of the injuries, and the strong 40 year record of inconsistency.
yet here we sit, having clinched the west still in March, comfortable lead for the President's trophy,
1st in goals for, 1st in goals against, 1st in powerplay, 1st in penalty kill.....


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Umm...my team's...erm...the Leafs...we're sorta in the hunt...a little bit...still.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Oilers for the cup! in maybe 2014 Been a tough sled the past couple seasons here - as you probably know, we're essentially fielding a minor league team, with our top 4 scorers out for extended time (Whitney, Hall, Hemsky, Gagner) and Penner traded, plus a rash of other injuries (Horcoff Brule Eberle Peckham have all missed stretches recently). Better times are coming though, Paajarvi and Hartikainen are going to be solid players. We're a playmaking center, a(nother) scoring D-man, maybe a goalie, and a couple of years experience from being really good. Horcoff should be down to 3rd line C where he belongs by mid-next year, we have enough talent for 3 really effective scoring lines soon.

Canucks hit hard by injuries lately I heard on the radio, Maholtra + 2 of their top 4 D-men? Prognosticator today said if they meet the Ducks in round 1 they could bow out quickly. TeeHee!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

keto said:


> Oilers for the cup! in maybe 2014 Been a tough sled the past couple seasons here - as you probably know, we're essentially fielding a minor league team, with our top 4 scorers out for extended time (Whitney, Hall, Hemsky, Gagner) and Penner traded, plus a rash of other injuries (Horcoff Brule Eberle Peckham have all missed stretches recently). Better times are coming though, Paajarvi and Hartikainen are going to be solid players. We're a playmaking center, a(nother) scoring D-man, maybe a goalie, and a couple of years experience from being really good. Horcoff should be down to 3rd line C where he belongs by mid-next year, we have enough talent for 3 really effective scoring lines soon.


Don't worry, Keto, that team of young'uns you got over there will get better soon. There's way too much talent on that team for them NOT to be good eventually. Hall, Eberle and Paajarvi alone are gonna be some top NHL forwards soon. 

The problem will be keeping them! It'll be the same thing as in the 90's with guys like Doug Weight, Tom Poti, Jason Arnott and Mike Comrie, although I guess with the cap, Edmonton has as much of a chance to hold onto them as anyone else has to steal them away.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

puckhead said:


> who's your team?
> how's it doing?
> 
> 
> ...


Same here, this is the first year I've ever seen the Canucks do this well before the playoffs without the other shoe dropping. Maybe we'll see another season like that of 94-95.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

keto said:


> Canucks hit hard by injuries lately I heard on the radio, Maholtra + 2 of their top 4 D-men? Prognosticator today said if they meet the Ducks in round 1 they could bow out quickly. TeeHee!


they've been battling through injuries all year and still putting up the W's.
top 5 in man-games lost, they've used 37 different skaters, including 13 different d-men this year.

I've been a nucks fan for long enough that I am still waiting for the shoe to drop as mentioned.... but this is truly uncharted territory for us.
just enjoying the ride as long as it goes.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

one down, one to go!!!!!!


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Sorry Keto, but the blame for the Oilers' woes lies clearly with the front office - they've deconstructed a pretty good team over the past 5 yrs! While the "youth movement" will undoubtedly bear some fruit in the future, you can't build a complete team based on that principle. And lose Gagner while yer at it - he's way over-rated!!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

gtone said:


> Sorry Keto, but the blame for the Oilers' woes lies clearly with the front office - they've deconstructed a pretty good team over the past 5 yrs! While the "youth movement" will undoubtedly bear some fruit in the future, you can't build a complete team based on that principle. And lose Gagner while yer at it - he's way over-rated!!


Well, we made the playoffs once in 10 years (might be 9), so we didn't exactly dismantle the '70's Canadiens. Yes, there were some headscratching trades and some poor decisions on re-upping some FA's over relatively small dollars, but keep in mind we had an ownership group unwilling to pump further $$ into the team until <2 years ago.

There's lots of fan talk about Gagner, and whether he should be traded. Keep in mind, this was his 21 yr old season (turns 22 in Aug.) - he's not exactly a 26 yr old floater who doesn't try unless he feels like it and has proven his ultimate best level. I say give him some time with some good wingers, good D behind him, and see what he can do in the next 2-3 yrs. I think he's got some 70-80pt seasons in him. It's certainly WAY to early to give up on the guy, though he hasn't really progressed this year. We'll likely keep him but deal Cogliano, which is the right move if you're going to get rid of one of the young guys.

There are some of their other 'projects' who haven't earned their keep. JF Jacques, Gilbert Brule I would very specifically point at here. Reddox and in particular O'Marra don't belong on a big league roster, though in fairness they both spent time in OK this year.

EDIT nice 'morale boosting' victory on Saturday night LOL Canucks were on cruise control but did have mostly their main lineup, which was a bit surprising.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

keto said:


> EDIT nice 'morale boosting' victory on Saturday night LOL Canucks were on cruise control but did have mostly their main lineup, which was a bit surprising.


 lol... haven't seen the Nucks sleep walk through 60 minutes like that for a long time. 
should make for a better game tues, anyways. Coach AV apparently ripped into the guys at practice today.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Tee Hee.

(puck knows, but for those that don't follow, my last place about half minor league due to injuries Oilers just went back to back home and home over the first overall Canucks, outscoring them 6-1 over 2 games).

I know it's meaningless essentially, but we have a strong tradition of Canucks hate here. My son said tonight, I want to beat the Flames when we play them but when it's the Canucks I want us to HURT them. My daughter has to high school teachers who are brothers and avid Canuck fans so she has a running (friendly) war of words with them. Me, I just chuckle and smile, knowing we don't have much to crow about here at the moment.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Tee Hee.

(puck knows, but for those that don't follow, my last place about half minor league due to injuries Oilers just went back to back home and home over the first overall Canucks, outscoring them 6-1 over 2 games).

I know it's meaningless essentially, but we have a strong tradition of Canucks hate here. My son said tonight, I want to beat the Flames when we play them but when it's the Canucks I want us to HURT them. My daughter has to high school teachers who are brothers and avid Canuck fans so she has a running (friendly) war of words with them. Me, I just chuckle and smile, knowing we don't have much to crow about here at the moment.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

Dubnyk was absolutely amazing over the series. 66 of 67 saves? wow.
nice way to end the year for you guys. gives you some optimism for next year.
I thought Paajarvi was pretty strong on the puck, too.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Ya, Paajarvi has actually evolved in a VERY similar way to Taylor Hall, just at a slower pace. I've watched at least 60 Oilers games this year....early on, up to around 25 games, Hall was very tentative attacking the puck and very weak along the boards. As time went on, he got more aggressive going after guys and somewhat stronger on the boards - he's no Georges Laraque who could hold off any 2 guys in the league along the boards for as long as he wanted - but he's getting better, doesn't give it up immediately every time. And Hall wanted to pass all the time, though he has a wicked shot. Paajarvi is starting to be stronger on the boards, uses his big body to throw the odd check now where he hardly ever did in the first 45-50 games. He's all along been a bit more of a shooter than Hall was initially, with the exception of when they started playing him on the point on the PP. He just wouldn't shoot it his first 10 games, again lately he's been less afraid to let it go. Though his 2nd time he took a big blast, he hit Horcoff from about 6 feet away ending his season, which was a very LOL moment if you look at it a certain way. Paajarvi also can go around most Dmen along the boards just using pure speed, man he is fast tho not necessarily the quickest first step. Should have a long productive career.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Perkinsfan (Oct 17, 2007)

Go Hab's go?


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

took a roadtrip to Calgary to see the final Canucks game last weekend.
great seats... mental note: put the beer down before i take a picture next time


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

holy crap i was nervous about this game.
broke the cycle from the last couple of years anyways (lost game 2 both years).

loving the way my Nucks are playing so far. Hard, and to hurt.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

Let's go Rangers clap clap clap-clap-clap.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

**** PHEW ******

was lucky enough to be at game 7.
2 days later, I am still hoarse.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

so far so good.... 

just tipped over the halfway mark - 9 wins down, 7 to go!!!


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

Yeah, nice to get the game 1 win aginst the Sharks! I was a little worried after the horrible Luongo giveaway but the boys came back and responded well...


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm pulling for a Vancouver - Boston final. I have a feeling Boston may not get there though. With Vancouver or Boston in the final it would be a win win for me. Although I'd be pulling for Boston just a bit more.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I'm a Leaf fan who went on sabbatical when Brian Burke and Ron Wilson came to town and will continue to be on sabbatical until they leave. This year I like all of the remaining teams, so I'm having trouble getting on any one team's bandwagon. The Canadian in me wants to like Vancouver, but I'd also be okay with it if the Sharks came back to win. 

For the most part, I've been cheering for game sevens.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

bw66 said:


> I'm a Leaf fan who went on sabbatical when Brian Burke and Ron Wilson came to town and will continue to be on sabbatical until they leave. This year I like all of the remaining teams, so I'm having trouble getting on any one team's bandwagon. The Canadian in me wants to like Vancouver, but I'd also be okay with it if the Sharks came back to win.
> 
> For the most part, I've been cheering for game sevens.


I too am a leafs fan. But my sabbaticals always start the same time every year. I think the playoffs is a different sport. In order to be a leaf fan they have to be your regular season team, then you have your playoff team. Boston is my playoff team. Yeah, yeah I know. Usually not much better. But wow if tyler seguins play in the last couple of games is any indication of what is to come that might change in the next couple of years.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

a big hearty THANK YOU to ben eager for handing us game 2 on a silver platter
what a maroon.

also... Bieksa is a beast.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Seems one young lady showed Eager what Canucks fans were made of.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

whooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
back to the finals after 17 years.
what a strange play to end it.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Vancouver against Boston. Hot Damn.....who woulda thought.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

If they're good enough for Alice...


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Do you want to bet Alice wore other teams jerseys in other cities?


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

really solid animation....


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## Perkinsfan (Oct 17, 2007)

So, umm, am I the only one thats thinking that karma might have played a role in the hit that Vancouver put on Horton?
Don't get me wrong, I'm upset he got hurt and all (like everyone else) but it seems like the league has 2 standards depending on who's doing the hitting.
That Montreal player got ridden headfirst into the glass/stanchion by Boston's Chara and there's no suspension.
BUT Vancouver's Rome hits Horton (admittedly a little late) and he gets 4 games?? That seems to be a little strange to me.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

Perkinsfan said:


> So, umm, am I the only one thats thinking that karma might have played a role in the hit that Vancouver put on Horton?
> Don't get me wrong, I'm upset he got hurt and all (like everyone else) but it seems like the league has 2 standards depending on who's doing the hitting.
> That Montreal player got ridden headfirst into the glass/stanchion by Boston's Chara and there's no suspension.
> BUT Vancouver's Rome hits Horton (admittedly a little late) and he gets 4 games?? That seems to be a little strange to me.


Very strange. Chara's penalty for that hit on Paciaretty - 5 min for interference and a game misconduct. Exact same as Rome got for his hit.
I'm even more concerned that Mike Murphy - acting as a temp for 2 weeks - deemed it as the worst offense in the history of the Stanley Cup finals.
Remember Claude Lemieux crushing Draper's face into the boards? that was worth 2 games.

oh well.... Go Canucks Go... 
best 2 of 3 now, with home ice, but I am so freakin' worried.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Next game is do or die IMO.
If they win all their home games who cares what happens in Boston.
Lose the next one at home and they might as well save themselves a trip.
The momentum has certainly swung the other way.
We'll see how they deal with it on their home ice.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Haha that beach ball animation is legendary.

12-1 over 2 games in Boston. Gives us haters hope! A lot of talk on sports radio is how it's not so much the Canucks that are hated, as their fans, for various reasons. I don't know about that (I hate cheap players like Kessler and Bieksa and Lapierre who will talk and talk but never EVER step up, unless they are up against someone beneath their weight class and mostly not even then - Kessler's had an outstanding playoff and I thought he was mostly reformed, then he cheap shots Chara over the head of the linesman, when Chara wasn't looking. At least someone like Marchand, who plays the same sort of game, will drop the gloves with all comers), but can tell you that pretty much all of Alberta is pulling hard for the Bruins, certainly including our household


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

keto said:


> Haha that beach ball animation is legendary.
> 
> 12-1 over 2 games in Boston. Gives us haters hope! A lot of talk on sports radio is how it's not so much the Canucks that are hated, as their fans, for various reasons. I don't know about that (I hate cheap players like Kessler and Bieksa and Lapierre who will talk and talk but never EVER step up, unless they are up against someone beneath their weight class and mostly not even then - Kessler's had an outstanding playoff and I thought he was mostly reformed, then he cheap shots Chara over the head of the linesman, when Chara wasn't looking. *At least someone like Marchand, who plays the same sort of game, will drop the gloves with all comers)*, but can tell you that pretty much all of Alberta is pulling hard for the Bruins, certainly including our household



?????? Marchand has had *one *fight this year, and he picked his spot with fellow mini-might (and noted tough guy *eye roll*) Andrew Cogliano.

both teams have played dirty, but if you start picking individual ones on the canuck's side, I have a list a mile long of shit the Bruins have pulled.
I sure wish the Canucks would just get back to their skill game, because if they continue to play it in the gutter, the are playing into Boston's strength.


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## flattopterry (Mar 6, 2011)

puckhead said:


> ?????? Marchand has had *one *fight this year, and he picked his spot with fellow mini-might (and noted tough guy *eye roll*) Andrew Cogliano.
> 
> both teams have played dirty, but if you start picking individual ones on the canuck's side, I have a list a mile long of shit the Bruins have pulled.
> I sure wish the Canucks would just get back to their skill game, because if they continue to play it in the gutter, the are playing into Boston's strength.


And they did.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

"Pretty much all of Alberta is pulling hard for the Bruins"? Not around here.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

To much excitment we need to bring the cup home and forget about a game 7, I'll cook the dang bear meat myself and serve cervas's with it just bring the cup home boys.ship
2-0 Canucks pre game prediction..................................................................but I would prefer 10-0
And as if Chara didn't deserve a little hit here or there, next thing you know he's going to tell us that it was okay for Thomas to cheap shop Sedin from behind outside of his crease.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

Less than 10 minutes into the game and it's 4-0 for Boston, time to find something else to do rather than watch the senseless slaughter.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

What's that sound I hear from over the mountains, is that ...it sounds like gagging, are you guys OK?


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Yep we are fine, whats that sound I hear coming out of Edmonton are those swoosh sounds coming from the golf course instead of the ice rink. ship


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Ouch...the trash talk...

Can't we all just get along?

Thomas...Conn Smythe regardless of who wins. Solid all year long and dominant in the playoffs...he's even outstanding when the Bruins win by multiple goals.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

smorgdonkey said:


> Ouch...the trash talk...
> 
> Can't we all just get along?
> 
> Thomas...Conn Smythe regardless of who wins. Solid all year long and dominant in the playoffs...he's even outstanding when the Bruins win by multiple goals.


I agree TT should win the CS either way. 

I think this is an accurate comment about Van. 

Moe Berg
If they Canucks win tomorrow they will definitely be the best team. Only the best team could play so crap so often and still win it all.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Excuse me here guys but where the heck is Canadian Pride here, as for the best team well The Canucks have been there all year long.WE have a chance to bring back our Canadian Stanley Cup, back to Canada where it truely belongs and all kidding aside because thats all that was, I would expect more from my fellow Canadians.
As for the Con Smythe trophy isn't that decided prior to the play offs.
And here's to hoping that cheap hit on Mason at the very least is reviewed by the officials, he could have skated off instead of taking him to the boards as the puck was already long gone from that play. Its not the kind of injury anyboy wants to see when a vertebra is broken in half and a player is side lined for so long. Here is to hoping for a very speedy recovery and hoping that he can still play after.ship


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Ship, Kessler was favoured heavily for the Conn Smythe coming into the finals...but he's playing wounded and has been much less effective in the finals than previous rounds. All respect to him though, I never realized until this year what a horse he is, damned strong and fast.

Raymond's injury, they were talking about it on the radio last night....it's very serious, and they're hoping to not have to operate. Supposedly November return would be optimistic. A friend said he has a scrotal injury from the same play, owch. I will say, I didn't see it as cheap, he was just finishing his check and Raymond got turned and bent over at the same time, it was a pretty freaky set of circumstances and not intentional in my mind.

Hamhuis, same friend, who is in sports rehab, said some muscle in his groin pulled right away from the bone, that's why he couldn't stand up straight after the hit. Again, owwwwwwch.

It was eye opening during the CBC broadcast, late in game 6. Bruins have held a lead, in terms of straight time, something like 8X as long as the Canucks in the final, almost equal to the time spent tied (including 0-0). Have obviously outscored them something like 20-7. Couple of different bounces and it could have been a Boston sweep. I know, coulda woulda shoulda etc., just saying.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Ship of fools said:


> Excuse me here guys but where the heck is Canadian Pride here,


There are quite a few more Canadian players on the Bruins than on the Canucks including a Nova Scotia and PEI born players on the Bruins. there are quite a few more Bruins fans here in the Maritimes. 

Having said that; Bieksa on the Canucks is from Grimsby, ON my hometown. It would be very cool for the cup to go back there for a parade. 

It's been a great playoff run for both teams. I hope it's a great game 7.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Perkinsfan (Oct 17, 2007)

Why is it that in the most important game of the year that the rules are no longer important?
WTF is up with the refs not calling any penalties?
I don't really care who wins but for god's sake I'm really understanding why the Buffalo fan's were really pissed about the "goal that should have been disallowed" in the deciding game against Dallas.
No penalties called = momentum of power goes to the goons team over the skilled team.
SAD.
If the rules don't matter, why enforce them all season?? (and then abandon them in the final game) WOW


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

keto said:


> What's that sound I hear from over the mountains, is that ...it sounds like gagging, are you guys OK?


I'm trying to be gracious, but the words that keep coming to mind are 'epic choke'. Boston just wants it more, are winning almost all of the board battles.

Should have been 5 and a game for Hansen (I think it was) for blindsiding Chara. Not saying that was the only thing missed, both sides have benefitted.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Well, the better team won.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Electraglide said:


> Well, the better team won.


Absolutely. 
And certainly the better goalie won.


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