Twas the night before hockey, and all through Vancouver
Puck-crazed citizens lose sleep over their teams latest maneuver

Will our new guys contribute? Are our veterans savvy?
Who's going to score on line 3 now that we've lost Raffi?

Will the twins play as if they weren't unbelievably wealthy?
And will Kes please put some damn clothes on and get healthy?

Is Alexandre ready to, as he says, "stir the pot"
and will Manny give every face-off everything he's got?

Will Hodgson live up to his sky high potential
And can Lou go a season without crying like he's mental?

Can our defense get physical and match other's contact
And will our fourth line get nasty and have our stars back's?

Will us fans have to clean out liquor stores by the All-Star game
Because our team's like Don Cherry's jackets, a national shame?

Will that new old team in Winter-peg steal our bluster
By playing inspired while we seem lackluster?

And what of Ginger Jesus, our backup goalie
Will he be traded for a stud FA by GMMG?

Can the team make it deep into May, deeper still, into June
Will they win their sixteenth game in the playoffs, sending us to the moon?

All these questions, and many more, are what troubles my soul
It makes a Canucks fan genuinely want to see rival's heads roll

After a summer of what if's, why not's, how come's and what have you's
In just under 24 hours, hockey's season becomes brand new

No other sport really matters, World Series? Who gives a fuck
Tomorrow, a ref will check the goals, anthems will blare, and they'll drop the damn puck.

Here goes nothing, 2011 season. Let's have some fun. ONE MORE WIN!

--GoodKeith

Gentlemen -- after over 100 hockey games we stand here, today, in a very familiar location.

I know there are very few of you who have played in a winner-take-all game for the Stanley Cup, but we've all been there. As children, skating around ponds, community centers, practicing, honing our skills. We've all scored the championship clinching goal in backyards, basements, and on basketball courts.

Now, it's for real.

This is the one moment that has carried us through slumps at every level, endless injuries, tantrums and days when you just don't feel like getting your work in. This moment has been teasing everyone in this room for years. There's not one man here who's ached for this moment after playoff defeats and, worse, teams not even making it this far.

Now, it's upon us.

There's been countless words published about this game, this series. Every single word that's been read, posted on bulletin boards, mentioned either in or out of context, been analyzed among various experts on various networks is now completely irrelevant.

Now, it's our turn to write history.

Roberto -- tonight, there are not only going to be the thousands of people standing behind you, cheering you on, but millions of people who will stand with you, living and breathing in your successes and failures. You know what to do -- do not let these people down.

Hank and Danny -- You two finally got on the board Monday, that was good. However, tonight, we are going to do anything and everything to make your tallies stand up and produce silver. Fight as hard as you possibly can. We'll take care of you two.

Alex -- Do not, I repeat, DO NOT get sucked into the mind games of the Bruins. You're on the first line for a damn good reason. Play your game as hard as you can. You've been our man in overtime -- if we need to go there -- don't think for a second we won't go to you again. But only if you play your game, not theirs.

Kes -- Game time, big guy. Ohio State's taken a ton of shots in the media these past couple weeks -- what say you get people to notice what they do well tonight? Remember, Mase can't go tonight, so you and Chris have a toughie ahead of you. But I have confidence.

Tico -- Get out there and drill someone. But remember to use your head, don't take a bad penalty, and absolutely do not flip out.

Manny -- It's your time. You are now the spark in the Rogers Arena powder keg. Anything you do well will reverberate and spread throughout the entire team. Hopefully it gives us a boost. Can you imagine if you scored?

Sami -- I know your body's taken a lot of shots over the years. Tonight, it's time to put a final salve on all your wounds. Play the body. Get in front of it if he shoots quick.

Defenders -- Obstruct, don't destruct. Bobby Lu's great, but we've got to do our part and help him out. Play smart, get back.

Now that everyone's gone through their rituals, walked their seawalls, done things I can't possibly imagine, we come back here, into the moment that we've all imagined since we could barely lace 'em up. We've come a long ways to make this possible, gentlemen. We've played hard all year to get this one game... sixty minutes of hockey... And now we have it. In our house.

All I have to say is there's thousands of people out there who have the same dreams you do -- of winning a championship. They have only seen it happen in their heads and have no idea how to make it happen in real life.

Let's show them how it's done, proving to them -- and to you -- that every struggle is worth it, every bad day can topped with ultimate success, every bad injury can turn into something beautiful.

But most importantly, prove it to yourselves you are the best team on the ice.

Game time.

--GoodKeith

I know it's late to the party for me but I have been thinking hard about this because I really want it to mean something to this fantastic community. So here we go.

1. Home country advantage

I have been up to Canada to specifically watch the Vancouver Canucks play four times. Once in 2003 with my college against the Thrashers, once in 2006 with my buds against the Wild (where we almost got reamed by a city bus), once in 2008 for the Luongo injury game (watched from afar, in Speakeasy bar) and once in 2009 (LA Kings game). The Canucks, amazingly, are 4-0-0 when I go to their turf and watch them make their money while I spend my hard earned cash. Also getting to the game is amazing -- train ride along the coast. Can't beat that.

2. Solidarity

I'm a fan of Seattle sports teams. We haven't won anything we can brag about since before I was born, way back in 1979 (Sonics NBA Champions). Seeing as Canucks fans haven't gotten their names engraved on the cup just yet we can help each other deal with it, and when someone finally wins something we'll celebrate like college kids.

3. David Stern and Seattle City Council

But wait, you say, isn't David Stern the NBA's commissioner? Yes he is.

Continue reading this post »

I know this is odd since I'm a member of the community here but bear with me for a moment.

I just wanted you guys to know one thing: You're all awesome and unbelievably fun to watch the game with, wax poetic with and just all around cool people. A lot of stuff that's done here is focused on the crucial element of enjoying hockey in various states of sobriety instead of an emphasis on advanced statistics or an apathetic, half-hearted look at game 24 of 82. There's a general sense of community in here, which is what I love, and keeps me coming back. This goes out to you, all around the world (and it's with confidence I say that, thanks to the fine efforts of Yankee Canuck).

Thanks for letting this American Hockey fan who's still constantly learning more about hockey hang around all you experts as I add my two cents. And also thanks for not giving me a hard time when I had to pick my country in the Olympics that one day. (Also thanks for reading my somewhat dis-jointed game previews, those were hard to write holy crap Zandberg how do you do it?)

I know we're all going to feel for the Canucks for some time, but know that you helped someone become much more of a Canuck lifer AND become a better hockey fan all in the same posts.

Find me on twitter if you want to get more of my thoughts throughout the year, only with less punctuation and capitalization.

--GoodKeith

So I think, after last night's Swedish Masterpiece, it's time to share the love with the country that pretty much won us game one, Sweden. I love a lot of things Sweden has to offer. A few are as follows:

--Their interpretation of fish
--ABBA
--Amanda Seyfried
--The term "fjords"
--Swedish Meatballs
--Inspiration for the Swedish Chef
--This girl I coached for four years named Annali
--Elin Grindemyr -- if you image search you'll see why (NSFW, NSF marriages)
--Mikael Samuelsson
--Lutefisk (Scratch that -- the only thing that's good after it's been pickled is garlic cloves)
--Participation in military operations in Afghanistan
--Their hockey jerseys
--Freddie Ljungberg
--Dynamite
--The Hives
--Stockholm

Please feel free to add your favorite things about our favorite Scandinavian nation! --GoodKeith

It happened last night: Playoff fever.

I was working the first part of a double duty, fourteen hour shift (in the beautiful "Bellingham Area") when it hit. My boss at the Mount Baker Theater dropped the hint she was following the Red Wings-Coyotes game and mentioned her family was from the Michigan area, therefore her loyalties are with Hockeytown's heroes. Since I am somewhat new at that workplace I go all calm and cool, making a joke about the Coyotes. I do not, however, mention "Throw the Snake" and its raw powers, therefore I do not mention when the Coyotes won. I did, however, drop the line that the Sens beat the Pens and that made her stop in shock.

I get through my first duty, walk uptown (in a black suit, mind you) and report for my second shift, throwing freight (pretty much in the same suit, only untucked and unbuttoned). Somehow I survive the eight hours though my stomach feels a similar sensation to the dude who took a cannonball to the chops and had it filmed, except the only cameras around me are security cameras trying to prove the night team's a bunch of dirty, rotten scoundrels.

I finally clock off and head to get some coffee because I deserve it. There, off in the distance, is a man who I've probably seen fifty times before but never said anything to. The reason I noticed him this time was very simple: He was letting his playoff fever spring eternal in the form of a Bobby Lu jersey. I gave him a "We Are All Canucks" before I progressed into what now was the least important part of my day in hitting on a hot barista, knowing full well that playoff fever was about to spread like wildfire, like someone was about to drop a diesel tanker on a forest fire.

It happened this morning: The dream of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was realized. God, let it be tonight. let it loose tonight, and let it shine tonight.

--GoodKeith

Two games in two days in two cities to close out the RTFH (tm)? Only a cranky NHL scheduling secretary could have written that one. Then again, last year, the Avalanche were abysmal and the Coyotes were halfway to Hamilton. So far this year, they've both got 80+ points. Looks like a series of hairpin turns at the end of the road trip...

But fear not. The previously discussed water mark for the RTFH (tm) has been reached, as the Canucks cannot do any worse than .500 to wrap the trip up. They can slip as far as sixth in the standings, though, which is why tonight's game gets Tuesday Morning Coffee's, as well as the communities', attention as a big game.

The Colorado Avalanche have more than held their own on their own sheet of ice, going 21-9-2 this season. Paul Stastny (a familiar foe for Luongo) leads all Avs with 61 points (12/49), followed by Chris Stewart with 51 (24/27) and Matt "Fuck Tavares" Duchene, with 45 (21/24). The Avs' goalie tonight will be Chris Anderson, who will be starting his 20th consecutive game. Suffice it to say, a lot has changed since the Canucks and Avs last faced off back on 11/21/2009. Including video game cover models. Back then? The 2KSports cover guy was Ovie. Now? Livonia, MI's finest, Ryan Kesler. Look for him tonight, he'll have to score if the Sedins get off to a slow start and defend himself (and even trade blows) if an altercation occurs. From what we know of Kesler, when he does great things, he has no problem telling the competition about it. Another great subplot.

Something else to take note of tonight is, if the rumors are true, the goalie situation. The grapevine says AV will put Roberto Luongo in tonight, then start Andrew Raycroft tomorrow against the 'Yotes. Does that mean Luongo's going to have a short leash if he stinks up the joint? Or will AV stick with him no matter what this game?

Don't drive 1/6th of the way across the country (a tad!) the wrong way and miss this one... we're on at 6 PM PST on Sportsnet!

In other news, there's a high likelihood Marc Savard is done for the year after Matt Cooke "finished my check" and introduced a shoulder socket to an eye socket. I saw the hit a few times and think it indeed crossed the boundary from "part of the game" to "cheap shot." However, it's up to the powers that be to figure out a suitable punishment. I know I'd push for a ten-game suspension. What about the rest of the Misconduct faithful?

--GoodKeith

Here are, apparently, some excerpts from the book Patrick Kane had on Roberto Luongo:

"Shoot toward the top shelf, where Auntie Niemi keeps the cookies."
"If you don't get your way, cry."
"Luongo NEVER PLAYS THE PUCK, ever, so don't get back on defense."
*drawing of naked lady*
"Coach's mustache reminds me of my babysitter back in kindergarten, wild."
"Remember: HIT TOEWS, don't expect a pass from him."
"Skate around like an idiot, that will distract him."
"Tip: Invest in P90X. That workout from the TV. Chicks dig abs."
"Remember: The guys in Red are NOT YOUR TEAMMATES."
"[expletive deleted] it, they HAVE to be booing."

Tonight, we get another chance to see if the book on Luongo is gospel or if it's just some wild scribbling from a hockey player as the Vancouver Canucks take on the Chicago Blackhawks in a game your fellow correspondent will actually get to see and enjoy because I have the night off! (I work graveyard shifts, and don't drink on work nights. Lame, but it keeps me out of trouble.) Other storylines include:

--The end of the Olympic love. It seems as though teams are giving their Olympic participants pre-game recognition. This would be the Blackhawks second home game since the Olympic break, but we'll see if the Blackhawks fans give it up one more time for Kesler. Bet against it, despite this matchup featuring 13 Olympians.

--The Roberto Luongo redemption tour. Everyone remembers what happened last year at the United Center. Luongo said as much, claiming "There's always a little something the year after" to canucks.com, implying he's still righteously ticked after last year. Other Canucks share his sentiment. Can some demons be exorcised tonight?

--Debut. Andrew Alberts, throw your 6' 5" frame around in there, get yourself a name in Vancouver.

--Almost home. Eight days until the Canucks and Senators drop the puck in Vancouver! It's almost here! Run to the hills!

I hate these Chicago Blackhawks. I hate the fact they put advertisements up behind the goal, I hate their Byfuglien characteristics, I hate that they think they've never won shit, I hate their sense of entitlement, I hate their fans that are around this area (this has been previously reported on), I... wait, I love how they cheer all the way through the American National Anthem. That's great. Everything else, hate-fest. Canucks can take my hate and turn it into goals, saves and hits. Get 'em.

First, a little bit of backtracking. From "Olympic Handshake Thread?":

"Sorry Ehrhoff, make it up to you someday. Now get out there and make me remember you." --GoodKeith, 10:14 AM, 3/1/2010

Flash forward to OT, Canucks @ Blue Jackets, 3/2/2010. Who scores the winning goal? Christian Ehrhoff. I'd like to think he was watching that  handshake thread and got pissed off some sad American didn't know his name. Much like Grant Clitsome is today after everyone now knows HIS name.

ANYWAY, tonight the Red Wings (8) host the Canucks (3) at Joe Louis Arena. Tickets are still available. The most interesting storyline is Roberto Luongo against his coach in the Olympics, Mike Babcock. How much attention did Babcock pay as far as Luongo's style, what he likes/dislikes and such and stuff during the two-week Olympic Tournament? Will they make notice of one another before the game and perform a secret handshake? Probably not. Will the Red Wings pay tribute to Olympians before the game? Definitely not. Will the Red Wings start a rookie goalie? Yes they will.

Meet Jimmy Howard. He's from Syracuse, New York, went to college at UMaine, is left-handed and is the only thing in the way of the Canucks and two more crucial road points. Howard looks like he's finally found out how to be an NHL goalie after a couple of years as starting goalie at Grand Rapids. .921 SV percentage, 22-13-8, 2.28 GAA. He gets a stiff test tonight, that'll be for sure.

For the Red Wings, hey, everybody wave at Todd Bertuzzi! Seriously though, they'll be playing with a desperation. The Canucks? Just looking to finish this amazing road-stand with a winning record. If they win 3 of their next 5 it can be done. And that's all we wanted from the Olympic Road Trip, right? Oh, yeah, also a gold medal for Canada. Some of us still get reminders of that event. Frequently. From co-workers. Goodness.

Enjoy the game and have fun tracking the trades as we come to the trade deadline!

--GoodKeith

via www.youthink.com

So, here I go, I proudly proclaimed my affinity to the United States, watched the entire game at a bar where half their TV's stopped working from the 5 minute mark of the third period to the end of the handshake line, and drank so much beer a brewery is considering changing the name of their Scotch Ale to "GoodKeith lager."

And Sidney Crosby killed every one of my good feelings with a five-hole strike on Ryan Miller. Dang.

So here's the unofficial USA-Canada handshake thread -- I know I'm not the only USA supporter out here, feeling a bit lost. The most important thing about all this is now that my bout of patriotism has ended, my loyalties to the Canucks remain 100% intact. I get to watch six players who made the Olympic tournament their own personal highlight reel (Hank, Dank, Salo, Pavol, Kesler and Luongo) play on the same team. I look forward to seeing Luongo's confidence swell now that he's won the big one.

But, today, I start the healing process with the handshakes. Great seeing everyone's spirit and excitement for these Olympics on a daily (and sometimes hourly) basis. Looks like Canada did, indeed, own the podium these Olympics. After a rough start, couldn't have happened any other way.

Also I'm still laughing at Zandberg putting up a picture of Hacksaw Jim Duggan last week when the USA-Canada prelim game occurred. Well done.

--GoodKeith

Tonight's the last night the Canucks, as an NHL team, get to play in Vancouver until March 13th. Understandably, there's a lot ahead of the Canucks that isn't desireable... long travel, unfamiliar food, Olympic pressures, but that can't start until they skate at least 60 minutes against the St. Louis Blues (7 PM PST, Rogers). The Blues don't care about road trips, they care about history, and that history would be made tonight, as they've never swept a Western Canada tour (Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver). Two out of three are done. The third...? Desperate to win in front of their fans.

LAST TIME WENT WELL... The Canucks ended the old year with a bang, beating the Blues 4-3 in St. Louis. This game was remembered more for the ejection of Rick Rypien for his wrist-wrap than for the end result. Could some Blues seek revenge and try to see how tough Rypien is without his mitt taped up? Hope for a Janssen-Rypien brawl has never been higher.

SEE YOU ON CBC... Vancouver is looking to quash their feud with the Canadian Broadcasting Company to start this road trip, but might find it difficult to find the right people to talk to, considering Hockey Day in Canada is Saturday and the CBC's already spread out all over the map. We'll see how it works out after the game and on After Hours: If you see a Canuck with a HNIC towel on his shoulder, you know everything's good between our boys and the powers that be.

TONY TANTI, PAVEL BURE, MAKE ROOM... Alexandre Burrows is tied for the Canucks record of goals scored in the month of January with 13, currently. One more goal and he holds this record as his own. A stunning feat indeed.

PREDICTION!!! I can't see the Blues doing the Western Canada thing. Not tonight. Canucks win, 5-2, Burrows GWG.

DRINK OF CHOICE: Tonight we're going pre-funk style, so a cheap six-pack of Milwaukee's Best Ice is just what the doctor ordered. Sure enough, it might be awful, but it will get the job done and keep working until most have gone to bed. Plus it was on sale, come on now.

Hope the Canucks remembered to pack their toothbrushes...

--GoodKeith

It's story time. I live across the border in a semi-small city called Bellingham, in the great state of Washington. We recently opened up a Boston's Pizza franchise simply named "Boston's" but you can tell the place draws heavily from it's Canadian counterpart. The lead manager is a dude named Brad, who is a gigantic Canucks fan. We're talking throwback flying-V jersey style fan here.

During game six of the WC semis I went there in hopes the Canucks would somehow extend the series and bring it all back to Vancouver. The first bad omen was that Boston's HD feed was Chicago's Comcast Sportsnet feed, which meant I had to hear the Chicago announce crew all game long. A mild-mannered guy sat next to me at the bar, eating dinner. As it turns out he was a Chicago fan. During the last six minutes of the game he was singing "Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye" into his cellphone while eating spaghetti. A really cute waitress I was trying to do voodoo on went home with ANOTHER Blackhawks fan. This happened.  It was all Chicago's fault, and I never thought I could be more pissed off at one specific facet of hockey.

Then Ron MacLean opened his big mouth and attacked Alexandre Burrows' integrity. Then he told the city of Vancouver they're a bunch of idiots, but in a long winded, "Maybe, the more I say to these people, the less they'll understand" sort of way. The NHL Network piles on after the Canucks take one from the Oilers in OT. This past two weeks approaches Blackhawks territory of anger.

Now, hoping MacLean apologizes and said what he did was irresponsible and wrong tonight during pre-game is like expecting Kelly Clarkson to write a hit song about losing weight and loving life. However,  the Canucks do have a chance to beat the Blackhawks and make all that craziness go away, proving to the NHL landscape the only important hockey to be played in Vancouver won't be all over at the end of February. Can Burrows perform some more of his magic, with or without the help of his somewhat obscure linemates? Is this the last stop on the Bernier redemption tour or the first stop on the Baumgartner express? Will we see Rick Rypien throw up on a defender tonight? And can you actually spell Dustin Byfuglien's name without looking at it?

The Canucks have this weird sensation of playing down to their opponents. Can they answer the bell and "Play Up" to the one of the best the West has to offer? Only time will tell. Enjoy your Saturday morning then drink up when you hear Ron MacLean talk about how great he is -- you'll be lathered up and ready to roll when the puck drops at GM Place.

--GoodKeith

UPDATE (4:39 PM): Looks like Rypien still has stomach ailments and remains sidelined, so Wellwood will center the 3rd line between Demitra and Bernier, while Samuelsson moves back up to Line 2 and Johnson centers Hordichuk and Glass, according to Dan Murphy on Twitter.

UPDATE: 3:23 PST: No Mitchell tonight. Ryan Johnson returns and punts Wellwood out of the lineup.

(Mgmt Note: Big thanks to GoodKeith for his preview help today!)

Less than 24 hours after the Poutine and Meatballs line saved a point in Oil Country, the Canucks are back at it again, facing off against Marty Turco Alex effin' Auld and the Dallas Stars. (7 PM PST, RSN's got it) Here are a couple of my notes for tonight...

WHEN IN EDMONTON... Vancouver just got back from playing the Oilers. After Dallas plays tonight they head to Edmonton for a game tomorrow. Wonder if any Canucks have any advice for Stars players this year about the best restaurants and the like.

Continue reading this post »

Tonight, two teams with similar records and eerily similar Saturday Night box scores face off, as the Nashville Predators skate around against the Vancouver Canucks. Both teams suffered 3-2 setbacks (NSH lost in regulation to the Ducks Saturday, weird) and both are trying to stay comfortably far ahead of Detroit in a six-team playoff logjam out West.

GREEN LASERS OUT, GREEN MEN IN: According to "The Official Green Men Facebook site," tonight should mark the return of everyone's favorite fans, The Green Men. As I was reading the news this morning I was shocked to see this listed on the injury report: "Questionable: The Green Men (stomach virus)". Hoping for the best as far as that goes.

REVENGE!: When these two teams last met down in Nashville, the Preds took a 4-2 decision, fueled heavily by Martin Erat's hat trick. Season series is tied 1-1. Captain Lou said the Canucks penalty taking killed them last game, wonder if the Canucks will respond to their captain's concerns. (EDIT: When they last met, on December 22, the Canucks won 4-1. Ouch, facts hurt.)

Randoms: Here are a couple thoughts I had while watching the game Saturday Night:
"So why is Shorthouse in Toronto again?"
"Wow, Kevin Weekes sure has been saying "Engage Physically" a lot tonight."
"Scott Oake, you're nobody's hero. Don't mention the West Coast Express."
"SHOOOOOOOOOOT IT (Also what I say when I watch a soccer game)"
"Man, I have to go to work. Angry. (After the Flames won in a shootout)"

Predictions: As much as I'd like to see some action tonight, I'm taking Canucks 2-1 in a game without much fighting action, as the Predators gear up for two more games on the road, one home game, then five more road games.

As a bonus, on the Predators' web site, they are advertising for tickets to WWE RAW. That's all you need to know about Nashville Hockey right there.

--GoodKeith

I know Zandberg posted a great, informative preview with an amazing Photoshop but I've got a few thoughts on tonight's game as well -- Hopefully you can stomach two previews of the same game. Think of it as a really special event tonight, you know, more special than it already is.

Blood on the water

Tonight, on CBC, it's Calgary at Vancouver! Though many of the East Coast viewers will think this is just a hallucination brought on by alcohol (the more you drink, the better the game gets) rest assured there will be plenty of memorable moments on the ice tonight. Calgary will be hungry to reclaim the top spot in the NW Division and unofficially lay claim to the mythical title of "Canada's Best Chance." The Flames roll into town on a two-game point drought with their most recent loss coming at the hands of the the Columbus Blue Jackets mere hours ago. Also of note, the Blue Jackets officially formed their hockey team mere hours ago.

Some things to watch tonight: Can Luongo do it again? One more shutout for the big fellow's never in question, especially since he held these same Flames to one goal just twelve nights ago. It'll be interesting to see how the Flames attack the Canucks tonight considering we just saw these guys at their Saddledome and tore them to pieces.

Burrows -- Can HE do it again? This current homestand has been magical for Alexandre the Great. Simply amazing. If he were a sharpshooter, he'd be Leon from "The Professional." (Their English is at an equal level, anyway.) There's no doubt the Flames are going to try and rattle him heavily, throwing whatever bodies they have around and through him. Two questions from this: Do the Canucks use Alex as a decoy? And if the Flames do everything they can to stop Burrows, will that kill their flow going from offense to defense?

Goons -- Tonight there might be some fights you wouldn't normally see. If the Flames bring their mascot, expect the most adorable brawl ever. Look for mismatches in fights and also look out if one team goes up big on another team and emotions get in the way of common sense and basic human decency.

Holy crap, fans? -- This matchup is one of the few all season I didn't see a "tickets are still available!" tweet from @VanCanucks for. Expect CBC to take great advantage of their seven second delay and strategically angle the microphones away from the cheaper sections of seating.

The blood on the water reference? It's time for these Canucks to start developing their killer mentality, one that eluded them in Chicago last playoffs. Once a predatory fish sees blood in the water it believes a wounded animal is near. Sometimes it's much more. It's the Canucks turn to make like Jaws and start picking teams off one by one with sweet musical backing tracks. Let's see if we can't continue this amazing 2010 run and extinguish the Flames in front of God, and six million of the most talented eyes and ears of Canada.

DISCLAIMER: If you hate anything you read, I just got off a double-shift at work and am exhausted. Carry on!)

--GoodKeith

Alright, I've been wanting to write this for a while and I finally have the edge I need to make this make sense. So here we go.

I live about 30 miles south of White Rock in a growing community named Bellingham. I am a huge US patriot, and have actually lost a former classmate of mine in the Iraq War. I vote and try to be a great American. However, this US/Canada match-up tonight has got me thinking about what were to happen if -- god forbid! -- the US and Canada were to meet again in the Gold Medal Game in the Olympics.

About a month after that game I intend to visit GM Place to watch the Canucks battle either the Lames or the Senators. As it will be the first home game after a two-and-a-half year long road trip (probably not true) there will be a full raft of patriotism and city-ism towards the Canucks. I will be coming from the states to watch this game. I received a hockey shirt for Christmas that says, plainly, USA Hockey. If I get "Kesler 7" on the back will I be able to dodge grief, or should I spring for a Canucks sweater and avoid any certain awkwardness? I'd like any beer spilled on me to be my own.

Thanks -- GoodKeith

So you've finally found a way to watch the hockey game at a sports bar. Congratulations. Tonight, your favorite team is up against Liberty City's Ice Knights, which means, hopefully, your sports bar will be free of any fans rooting against the visiting team. Sure, both of you enjoyed/experienced/gagged on Mark Messier as an active player on your roster, but tonight, the only common element both your teams have is a high profile player named Henrik. With that being said, here's your guide to maximizing enjoyment of the game!

PRE-GAME: Stake out spot in sports bar that reminds you most of home, preferably the one closest to a wall in case you need to lean on it later (why later? keep reading). Shoot glare at fans who are cheering for other teams/other sports going on and mock their struggles heroically. Order your favorite beer and an appetizer. Hell, order two.

CANUCKS SCORE FIRST!!! That's why you came here. You wanted to see how others would react. You know your family's reaction. Your wife will fake a cheer, your kid will stare blankly at the television, and your pet will do what he always does. It's a shame, however, you're the only one cheering. Get yourself another beer.

RANGERS STRIKE BACK. Quietly sip your beer. Do not get too crazy. Do not answer the phone -- your co-worker is calling, taunting you. Ask waitress for an RC Cola.

RANGERS SCORE AGAIN. From here on out you can do one of two things... take a shot any time the Rangers score or take a shot any time the Canucks, you know, take a shot. It's Tuesday Night in the city...

RAYCROFT GETS PULLED. Sing your favorite song.

SCHNEIDER GETS SCORED ON. Can't help you there.

Hopefully you remembered to get a seat against the wall because balance becomes an issue after a couple drinks and the wall is there to save your ace and your face. Leave a good tip and drag yourself home, knowing the road ahead is long indeed...

Then go puke in Marian Gaborik's yard.

PRED: NYR 4, VAN 2

Story time.

Back when I went to high school, the state I was in conducted a series of tests to quiz what kids were really learning in school. (They later eliminated these tests.) Once, there was a staff meeting to discuss these tests, and a man with 35+ years teaching decided to stand up after discussions had been offered, and gave his fellow faculty a little song:

I love ducks,
They quack and fly so high...
Quack, quack...
Fly High!

He then asked what that song meant to other teachers. The teachers responded, "Nothing." The senior teacher then said, "Yeah, well, that's what these damn tests mean to me! NOTHING!" The entire room lost it.

Why is this relevant? Tonight RC-Cola and the Canadian Club take on the Once Mighty Ducks. Since our skate-laden heroes don't play on Halloween (but the quack attack does against Phoenix) the sooner this game ends, the quicker our  boys can be home safely for a Halloween that promises to be filled with candy and crazies.

PREDICTION: RC Cola loves California! Canucks win, 3-1.

--GoodKeith

But... I had to chime in,

Great series, Blackhawks. Your youth did what our experience could not.

Your force took down our "home field advantage" and the only thing you did this series was to never give up.

You took what we had going in game four and, with 57:12 gone in the third period of game 4, took the momentum away from the Canucks and sent it straight down the "El Train" towards the Windy City.

You, Blackhawks fans and lovers of the focused, patient indian, you earned this series win. Now you all get to chill and watc on widescreens as your opponent is determined.

Maybe there was a lot of love lost during this series, maybe there was a lot of hair-pulling (literally) you couldn't let go of, maybe there were a few really strange calls. But, you, as a team, went through it and did what teams do: You conquered the obstacle as a team and emerged victorious.

Good luck agains tthe Red Wings OR THE Ducks in the Western Conference Finals. Though we as Canucks fans may not like you, we respect the hell out of you.

---GoodKeith

Gentlemen --

It is no secret we have taken the upper hand in this war we wage against the proud warriors of Chicago. After leaving our home with a fair deal of vulnerability, an unsung hero has returned to guide us to the advantage we had when this battle was first waged, 1,890 miles away. Granted, we fight not for our lives, as some have done in the past. We fight not to defend our radical beliefs, as some have done in the past. We fight not to defend our nation, as some have done in the past.

We fight, gentlemen, to become immortalized in the history books -- to become engraved on hallowed soil. We fight so we may give our supporters a chance to feel their labor of love invested in us has been worthwhile.

Our supporters have been at our backs for years, through years when Vancouver was fighting defending an ocean that does not provide our water supply. They were at our backs when we surrendered battles to vastly superior opponents and surrendered battles to vastly inferior opponents. They have spent their hard earned coin on us so we may have facilities and amenities to prepare for battle. Without their support we would be in the same situation as our comrades from the desert -- only God and Bettman have any idea where their fate lies.

As to becoming engraved on hallowed soil, that is something our brigade of troops has never done. We have been closer in the past twice, but both times were denied immortality under Liberty's shadow. This time around we are not only armed with enough firepower to outshoot the ones out east they call Crosby and Ovechkin, we have a wall manning the goal that can halt the stiffest barrage we have in the west from players like Franzen, Hossa, Toews, Kane, and that bastard Pronger.

So now it is our turn tonight, in the center of the American republic, to do battle once more. We will either achieve great victory yet again or we will head back home with three chances to win two games. All I know is, gentlemen, nothing is going to be done unless you make it a priority to doing our brand of battle. Nothing shall be rendered unto you unless you realize it takes every piece of your learned wisdom from throughout the years to achieve success in this game. Every coach and mentor you have had believes in you.

And now, go out to battle and Pursue It. For the journey is long, hard, and scratchy -- but the reward is as sweet as you'll ever know. And yes, maybe your place in history will be marred by someone who thinks your name is spelled "Alexander" but their misfortune will make your legend grow for generations. Bring it in, Canucks.

--Keith

Hey gang, I know I'm relatively new here but something pretty wild has happened recently.

I got hurt at work at 3 AM on Saturday, March 28. Knee popped out of where it was supposed to be for a second, hurt quite a bit, pulled a Sami Salo, you get the drift. It took me 45 minutes to get myself together and finally decide to "Do the right thing" and get a ride to the hospital. I was diagnosed with a knee strain and was told to take two to three days off. My time was filled reading about the Canucks successes and also loading up on Naproxen, my prescribed anti-inflammatory.

The day of April 1, 2009, I was still hurting quite a bit but decided to go to work at my job, which was and still is throwing freight at a shopping center. I didn't think my knee would hold out the four nights I was scheduled to work, but I had pills, bandages, and braces to get me through it. By the end of the week I was barely able to walk and actually picked up a set of crutches to hobble around on. Conversely, the Canucks that week had three very winnable games and only got one point out of it, so their division championship chances looked a LOT like my knee felt.

On Tuesday April 7, everything changed. That's the day I had my occupational therapist appointment (A full NINE days after the incident... really) and I was medically re-assigned to light duty (sampling product at the grocery end) but I was able to keep working and being productive. Also, the Canucks took on the Flames that night. Things looked splotchy for a while but the Canucks pulled it out and kept their division championship hopes alive.

As days went on I felt better, stronger, and have been getting good feedback from physical therapy. The Canucks, conversely, won their division and swept the Blues in the first round. Now the Canucks and I have something in common: We're both waiting to see what the next step is -- I go back to the doctor 4/27 at 10 AM, later that night both the Flames/Blackhawks and Ducks/Sharks play.

The wild thing about it is my life has mirrored the Canucks situation way too closely the last month. I have been a Canucks fan ever since I understood how awesome hockey was and the fact the Canucks were the only team within a reasonable distance of where I am. It's scary what this last month has been, but I am excited for the future.

Go Canucks go! Go, my knee, go!

Here's something I thought of doing while I wait for yet another physical therapy appointment... a little breakdown of who's next for the Canucks.

If the higher seeds win out (SJ def ANA, DET def CBJ) we get Detroit. The defending champs. Home ice falls to Detroit in this series, meaning the Canucks would have to win one time in the Octopus Tank. Not bad, considering the Canucks won a regular season game in Detroit and lost by one with Sanford in goal against -- you guessed it -- those Red Wings. Then again, the last meeting these two teams had was in 2008 and so much has changed since then. I don't have to say it, but this would be the toughest test for the Canucks -- trying to beat the champs when most of the games will be played out east.

If the Ducks beat the Sharks OR the Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings (hahahaha oh I am funny) the Canucks would face either Chicago or Calgary.

The Flames: Boooooooooooooooo. Canucks won the season series 4-2 against CGY -- with their only two losses having been when Sanford and Schneider were netminders --  and would have home-ice advantage. Considering Calgary's not solved Luongo this year, on paper this looks like the desired matchup. However, Calgary's probably going to play down and dirty hockey all series trying to prove Vancouver's soft. Rick Rypien has something to say about that.

Chicago: Vancouver split the series with the Blackhawks during the long march known as the regular season. Chicago is notable for having a hard-hat night on a night when Jonathan Toews scored a hat trick -- hilarity ensued. I see Chicago as a more skilled St. Louis -- lots of good building blocks that ARE there as opposed to being maybe a year or two away from being there. It'd be quite a tough battle, I am sure,

If all hell breaks loose (The Ducks beat the Sharks AND the Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings) the Canucks are the one seed and face... The Ducks! Vancouver has split the series with the Ducks but has not been able to solve them recently, as the last two meetings went beyond the 60 minutes of regulation (one L, one SO-L). My high school English teacher had a song about ducks that went like this:

"The Duck song"
I love Ducks...
They quack and fly so high...
Quack, quack, fly HIGH.

If this series were to get down hopefully the Sedins could blast some Ducks out of the sky with slap shots... however, since Columbus is woefully overmatched against Detroit, no more internet will be wasted on this matchup.

So many outcomes, so much to think about... hopefully the rest of the playoffs sorts itself out so there can be less time thinking and more time drinking... and watching the Canucks.

--GoodKeith

Canucks win 4-1 -- Here's how they do it:

G1: The city of Vancouver is hyped for their first playoff series in two years. So hyped, in fact, all bars begin serving blue and green beer to everyone by law. St. Louis' players accidentally all decide to take the SkyTrain to GM Place in the first series and also miss their stop along the way. Exhausted by the cramped quarters of the SkyTrain, they finally make it to GM Place after being hassled about not having any tickets to give away by numerous people. Paul Kariya misses the first period but comes back in the second to no avail -- Nucks 5, Blues 1.

G2: Finally with team bus services intact, the Blues arrive at GM Place at their appointed hour only to be delayed by striking Aramark workers who are really looking to get their contract. Chris Pronger irritates everyone by bringing a Pizza into the game and proudly displaying it. That night at the pre-game skate about 150 people start chanting "Pizza Boy" at Pronger. Later that night at the game, another sell-out crowd picks it up. Pronger responds by challenging any Canuck to a fight and draws Rick Rypien. After Pronger gets an even bigger gap beaten into his teeth, the Blues lose again, 3-2 in OT.

G3: The series shifts to St. Louis, where people accidentally wear red to the Blues game because they just came out of the Cards game and didn't want to go home. Thin Lizzy plays a reunion show in the parking lot three hours before the puck is dropped where they play a re-mixed version of "The Boys are Back" but substitute the word boys with Blues. For. Three. Hours. The Sedin twins try to skate the St. Louis Arch but get tired halfway up and that affects their play in this game as the Blues win 3-1 -- all on power play goals.

G4: The Blues skate out to an early lead again in this game, but surrender the lead when Kesler scores a shorthanded goal from the opposite blue line to silence the crowd, who are still wearing red because they think it's a magical color and they just bought these nice new Cardinals shirts. Canucks go and upset the Blues on their home ice 4-2.

G5: The series shifts back to Vancouver where the atmosphere is so electric the team plane was able to land using only the energy made from the province cheering for their boys to come home. St. Louis returns to Vancouver only to find that a trail of blue and green beer has been lined, showing them the way to their hotel, where the help staff has decorated their rooms with a host of blue and green, replacing the pictures in every room with a picture of Luongo. When the St. Louis administration complains to hotel management, the managers reply with "And there's something wrong with that room decoration?" St. Louis spends all night refurbishing their own rooms and has a meltdown pre-game skate. Meanwhile Vancouver's focused and determined to end this series. Chris Simon gets four scored on him in the first period then cries during the second and third, asking when he can go home and tell his parents where it all went wrong. Canucks win going away, 6-1.

Feel free to contribute your playoff predictions!

--GoodKeith

This is what it comes down to, Canucks fans: A noon-time date with destiny. Or, even, a lunch date with a real ugly chick. One chance to seize the northwest division once and for all after the Flames had their "insurmountable division lead," the first chance the Canucks had to clinch (CANUCKS AN INCH AWAY FROM CLI... nope), the game the flames had a chance to clinch (Where I still don't know how Roberto made some of those saves), and now we're here.

It's been a long season that began with a somber note and has hopes of ending with the greatest gift of all: Home ice. (Well, for the first round at least) A season which saw Roberto Luongo miss time with a non-contact injury only to see him come roaring back, answering the critics and asserting himself into the captain's seat.

A year of lutefisk, blue and yellow, ABBA and Mamma Mia.

And now, all the Canucks and their rabid fans need is one point against the Colorado Avalanche. Just get to overtime and you've got your title.

Destiny is something few can control. Don't lose your grasp on this, Canucks.

I live and work in the state of Washington and today, while working an eight-hour shift, I saw more people in Canucks logowear than in Seattle Mariners clothing.

They know something special's about to happen. Tomorrow begins the first step.

--GoodKeith

Vancouver's schedule: 6 games left (4 home/2 road/1 back-to-back), two against the Avs.
4/2 ANA, 4/4 @EDM, 4/5 COL, 4/7 CGY, 4/9 LA, 4/11 @COL

Calgary's schedule: 6 games left (2 home/4 road/3 back-to-back), two against the Oilers.
4/2 @DAL, 4/3 @MIN, 4/6 LA, 4/7 @VAN, 4/10 @EDM, 4/11 EDM

We all know the most important game on the schedule is Flames @ Canucks. That's pretty much a four-point swing. (Two if it rolls into overtime)

Canucks have a one-point advantage over the Flames. Flames play pretty much the opposite schedule of the Canucks... Canucks get to sleep in their own beds for the majority of the rest of the season... I'm thinking there's some good to come out of these remaining two weeks of the season. Can one team get to 100 points? Could both teams?

Lots of questions... Hopefully the blue and green hockey machine gives us some good answers. A lot of Canucks fans are looking for a banner this year to raise to the roof at GM Place... a Division champions banner is a great place to start.

Hey gang, it's GoodKeith, whom you may remember from the day the Sonics left Seattle. 200 comments? I'm still amazed. Anyway I am more than likely coming to Portland for a little anger management at the expense of the Thunder and wanted to know a couple things...

1) Where's a good spot to eat before the game? I know about one thing about Portland from going there so infrequently, and that thing is it's a short distance from the Train Station to the Rose Garden. (Also no sales tax) With that in mind...

2) If for some reason I cannot get tickets (or a ticket, solo traveler) to this game, where's a great spot to watch the game? Sure it won't be the same but the beer will cost a lot less.

Common sense dictates I check back in closer to the actual game time but I myself am super busy (graveyard shift job, very involved during off-hours with basketball in and around my area) so I try to get as much information as I can where and when I can.

Oh, and I still don't really have an NBA team to follow, can you suggest one...?

--Keith

Okay BlazerManiacs, this one's not one of my finest moments but I think it should be brought to light before the season (and game-day emotion) start to become the norm around here.

So here we go. It was Monday, July 7, and I wanted to call "The Jim Rome Show" to "have a take" about the Sonics. Little did I know I would be taken on an hour-long ride of depraved humor by a gut-less comic and eventually slammed against the wall.

Things to point out:

--The first two voices you hear are local Sports Talk Radio show hosts
--The photo illustrations were done by me in an attempt to get some frustrations out
--The letter read at the end was written by me on that day and stands as one of my finest pieces of sports literature ever written
--Bob's Burgers and Brew is a restaurant up here in Whatcom County that sells Burgers and beer. Sadly, nobody showed up for me that night.

Anyway, it's just one YouTube away... Right here, for your enjoyment! (pops)

--Keith, one sad Sonics fan

Today... well, let's see if I can do this without violating one of your policies about no profanity or masked profanity.

Today is awful. The NBA franchise that called Seattle home for 41 years has been allowed to move to Oklahoma City in a "settlement" between the city and the NBA. Fans will not be settled. I am not settled. The green and gold is put on a shelf and may never see the light of day again.

So I'm asking you, a community filled with passionate fans, to legitimately convert this lifelong Seattle Supersonics fan over to Blazer-Mania. Who should I love? How much should I love them? Who's getting passed over as far as the Hall of Fame? Are you excited to have a line-up of Roy, Bayless, Oden, Fernandez, and Aldridge? (If my names are wrong I apologize...)

I never thought I'd say this with conviction, but let's go. Blazers.

--GoodKeith

As some of you who contributed to the softball post had seen, the great RED will be gracing softball'ers with his presence. However, he announced he would have to leave as he was being treated to a birthday dinner at Ipanema, a fantastic place for lunch and dinner (and do enjoy a caiparinha for me, dude).

With that I would like to be the first from this community to wish Red an extremely happy birthday! Here's to you and all the joy you have provided us, from the entertaining signs to the dances to the bobblehead that is larger than life to showing up to our last softball game in a Jose Canseco jersey.

--GoodKeith