I Watched This Game: Canucks vs. Kings, April 17, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis, chronicling the observations and insights of two people who watched a hockey game.


Well, as far as my initial insights go, this was a frustrating hockey game from the second period onward. The Canucks started strong, on a powerplay goal by Steve Bernier--perhaps the first since America's had a black president--and a Samuelsson tally that Johnny Quick probably should have had. But after that, either the Canucks started attacking or LA really came on, and suddenly the game was tied. From there, it was all sadface. Bloggers shouldn't be forced to report to their regular gigs for a few days afterward on the grounds that it's too deflating. Oh well. Let's get to it.

• I believe that I actually called the knob of the stick debacle. It's the fourth time this has happened, and it's official: Roberto Luongo's knob is too big. Hmm. I think I saw this episode of Sex & The City.

• Still waiting for Ryan Kesler to really show up. I know he had two assists, but, frankly, the way that he can take over a game with his speed and tenacity, I want to see more of Frack (or is he Frick?)

• Also still waiting for Kyle Wellwood to show up. He's looking a little more nonchalant than usual, and that's the exact opposite of what we need out of him.
  

• Enough of Andrew Alberts already. The seventy-six minors he took in the game really hurt our ability to generate offense. He's like a clone of Shane O'Brien from last year. A bigger, dumber clone.

• Best quote from the press afterwards: But [Luongo's] knob probably wouldn't have been a factor in overtime if the Vancouver Canucks didn't play like one in regulation. Good one, Botch.
  

• Speaking of players I'm sick of, Pavol Demitra deserves to be demoted, methinks. He's getting a free pass to do nothing. I think a switch of Grabner and Demitra might do us all some good. We need to generate more offense on Kesler's line and Demitra's not getting it done.

• My Facebook account is inundated with people down on the Canucks for chronically giving away two-goal leads. Let's put this to bed. First of all, in these playoffs, almost every team has done it once, and second, the Canucks haven't been known for that since the mid-90s. Let's get with it, everyone. The Canucks are a good team. They could be up 2-0 in this series right now if it weren't for one bad bounce. And it could be worse. Imagine if we were the San Jose Sharks.
  

• I know Luongo's going to get flack for the knob thing, but he was sensational last night. Had he won, all the talk would be about how he finally got it going.

• And finally: Drew Doughty is so freaking good it's infuriating. I hate his guts. The way he skates the puck out of the zone, the way he's always in position, the way he plays half the game and he could be my kid brother. The way he broke up that two-on-one with the Sedins... it made me upset. UPSET.

Here's hoping we win the next one, or I might hurt somebody. And somebody's face.