Marathon Men
Posted 11:18 AM ET | Comments 0
How the Mighty Fell (and blocked a shot)
Last night, and I don't know exactly what time it was because the Canucks/Stars game went 4 overtimes, I saw Markus Naslund go down and block a shot.
I double-checked the number in my head. 19. Yep, that's him. Markus Naslund. The Captain and former runner-up for the Art Ross. Sacrificing his body to keep the, oh maybe 64th shot from getting to Luongo.
There have been many adjectives used to describe the Canucks Captain, but "gritty" has never been one of them.
In many ways this change in Naslund is a mirror of the change in the team. A change I was aware of, but had never really internalized until I saw that puck hit a prone Naslund somewhere in the "upper body".
The Game
The Canucks were outplayed during much of last night's marathon. Their "soft dump" strategy was crushed by Turco's puck-playing prowess time after time. Puck played into the Dallas corner, Turco out of his net to play it to a speeding forward, Canucks again on the defensive. A new plan is required.
Welcome to the playoffs Roberto Luongo. Last night's game, 5th longest ever in the history of the NHL, was an illustration that you must be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. Luongo let in 4 goals. On 76 shots. In a game that was 2 and a quarter games long.
On to Game 2.
Go Canucks
CG
April 12, 2007
Last night, and I don't know exactly what time it was because the Canucks/Stars game went 4 overtimes, I saw Markus Naslund go down and block a shot.
I double-checked the number in my head. 19. Yep, that's him. Markus Naslund. The Captain and former runner-up for the Art Ross. Sacrificing his body to keep the, oh maybe 64th shot from getting to Luongo.
There have been many adjectives used to describe the Canucks Captain, but "gritty" has never been one of them.
In many ways this change in Naslund is a mirror of the change in the team. A change I was aware of, but had never really internalized until I saw that puck hit a prone Naslund somewhere in the "upper body".
The Game
The Canucks were outplayed during much of last night's marathon. Their "soft dump" strategy was crushed by Turco's puck-playing prowess time after time. Puck played into the Dallas corner, Turco out of his net to play it to a speeding forward, Canucks again on the defensive. A new plan is required.
Welcome to the playoffs Roberto Luongo. Last night's game, 5th longest ever in the history of the NHL, was an illustration that you must be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. Luongo let in 4 goals. On 76 shots. In a game that was 2 and a quarter games long.
On to Game 2.
Go Canucks
CG
April 12, 2007