So, did I miss anything?
I haven't seen a lick of G1, and aside from what I'm bound to see in highlight reels, I don't really intend to watch it. I got the gist of it off my cell phone, and as it's a "write it off" game, I'll be much more effective with untainted eyes. Still, it had to have been hard for Ducks fans who did watch, or even attended the game. Sorry, folks. Lucky green shirt wasn't available, but it will be there for game two (which personally I'm calling "game one").
Still, Duck fans, chill out. It's like none of you have ever seen Mighty Ducks Part 2 before.
First off, there's no team more Icelandish in the NHL than the Dallas Stars and their collection of Finns + Norstrom; of this there can be no doubt. Meanwhile you have the Ducks, fresh off their triumphant championship at the end of the first film, who start the sequel way too overconfident and get sloppy. Iceland demolishes them in the preliminary game, crashing them back down to earth, and they have to dig deep to re-establish the identity that made them great. I don't want to spoil the end of the movie (or the series) for you, but if you've got any old-school Mighty Duck jerseys, you might want to bring them in case the team switches uniforms for the 3rd period.
Historically speaking, G2 will be the breaking point. The Ducks have never lost a series when they have taken at least one of the first two games; they have never won a series when they started 0-2. That's flimsy, of course, but what else is there to do but take a deep breath, say a little prayer to the lucky green shirt, and hope for an improved effort in G2.
Or as I'm calling it, "G1". Go Ducks.
19 comments:
If this whole D2/Ducks comparison means that Matty Norstrom breaks Ryan Getzlaf's wrist, I'm all for it.
If this whole D2/Ducks comparison means that Matty Norstrom breaks Ryan Getzlaf's wrist, I'm all for it.
Rudy has been laying on the hate the last few days, I love it.
Spade has a really good post over on his blog about keeping the puck away from Turco, I think the Ducks inability to do that tonight is what did them in. A big part of Anaheim's game is laying on the body during the forecheck, and generating scoring chances from those hits. Having Turco play the puck negates that.
Is Spade up for a coaching job?
oh and another thing, not to nitpick at all, but what was with the Honda Center being nearly empty in the third period? I noticed the same thing when I was down there in March, people started to leave as soon as the game was "out of reach" (my philosophy when it comes to the Ducks is that its never out of reach).
For the defending Stanley Cup Champions, I was a little surprised.
It's like none of you have ever seen Mighty Ducks Part 2 before.
Perfectly said. I wouldnt be surprised if Anaheim wins the next four.
As a fan of the other 2007 stanley cup contender who is also down 0-1, I'll cheer for you guys and say Go Ducks! in game 2.
I want that rematch!
Quack... Quack... Quack...
One other point of optimism: at least this playoff loss didn't come with a Pronger suspension (Unlike the Ducks' two previous playoff losses).
crap!
I loved Selanne's ghost punch at Boucher, priceless!!
It's strange, last year I was shitting Mac Trucks whenever the Ducks lost a game, but tonight I was sorta 'meh' on the whole thing. They got waxed, and deserved to.
I suppose having watched them carry the cup home last season makes things a lot less stressful on me, the viewer. The way I see it, they have a free pass for 25 years before I start expecting another championship.
So go get 'em, boys. Or not, it's okay.
Veryproudofya, you've expressed my emotional state pretty well, I think. I had nearly written a post about this very same indifference last week, but had trouble putting it into words, but yeah, it's very weird getting into this "year after"--certainly much different than my emotions each of the last two years.
I guess that's what they mean when they say "So that's how the Cup changes everything", because it certainly has changed my level of desperation and expectation.
Of course, I asked my Red Wings buddy about whether my "year after" indifference was common, he thought I was insane. So I dunno, it probably doesn't affect everyone the same, but I'm surprisingly cool about whatever these playoffs hold. I'll certainly care what happens tomorrow when I'm in attendance, but it's not even close to last year's emotions.
Anybody else have that change in attitude? Or are we just crazy?
Maybe you guys are crazy, but if that's the case, I must be crazy as well. I agree with Spade on the Ducks deflating. You'd think that they'd have learned from earlier in the season.
That said, I still want them to win. I haven't seen playoff hockey in person yet.
P.S. Think we'll see the flying V? :P (I get asked this a lot when people find out I'm a Ducks fan...)
Yeah the Ducks were outshooting Dallas 8-2. Then the first goal was scored and then Ducks seemed to stop playing. Near end of 2nd Dallas was outshooting the Ducks 20-9. As I said, Ducks need to learn how to score on Turco. And Bobby Ryan is not a 4th liner.
Funniest highlight of the night, was after Beauchemin's high sticking penalty. Watching the replay which clearly shows it amidst a bunch of morons chanting Ref you suck. That's why I need a place like this, to communicate with Duck fans who understand hockey. I expected a split in Anaheim, a split in Dallas and then wins in 5 and 6.
And while, it is obviously not the same coming off a Stanley Cup win. I don't feel my attitude as a fan is significantly different from last year.
I'm a little torn on the "Refs you suck" chant (guaranteed once per game).
I mean, I think it is a bit influential (which is good)--refs I think do respond to mass criticism, and at times will relax on the whistle afterwards. But still, it definitely shows the ignorant side of Anaheim fans in a loud and prominent way.
Oh well, I can live with it. It's like Parros-worship. I don't necessarily participate in it or even fully understand it, but it does seem to make some difference when enough people buy into it.
The refs you suck chant is the worst idea ever. I refuse to participate in that nonsense. Personally, half the time I'm at the game I have no clue whether it was an actual penalty or not, especially on stick infraction penalties.
After the 5-0 drubbing from Det last yr, I was pissed, and disappointed. Today, meh. If the Ducks don't make it out of the 1st round, I'll chalk it up to karma for Burke's idiocy at bringing Bertuzzi on to the team. I can always put in the 07 DVD and relive last yr. The way this team has played this yr, maybe they don't deserve to win the cup.
After the 5-0 drubbing from Det last yr, I was pissed, and disappointed.
So was I, of course, but it does emphasize one major difference between DET fans and DAL fans; there haven't been a flood of Stars fans over here today making sure I know how much I suck.
Whether the Stars' fanbase is more classy or less hardcore, I dunno, but I do appreciate it.
Detroit fans have a superiority complex unlike any other NHL fans, including Canada. Dallas fans saw they're team have a bad stretch to end the series, which is another reason, I don't like this loss. It gives Dallas a lot of confidence which is something they lacked to end the season.
And the Ref you suck chant is only affective if it is a bad call. I agree it can help urge the ref to do a make up call. But 4 or 5 times last night, on stuff that was pretty legit, I can't stand it.
It gives Dallas a lot of confidence which is something they lacked to end the season.
This is true, and even if they had ended the season well, they were a mess about G1s. Knee Jerk City pointed it out to me, but apparently the Stars hadn't won a G1 since 2001, and hadn't had a lead in a series since 2003 Rd 1.
Well, the Ducks made sure those streaks ended.
crap!
Whether the Stars' fanbase is more classy or less hardcore, I dunno, but I do appreciate it.
I don't know about all Stars fans, but I'm one that is careful not to count my chickens before they hatch.
And I'm very classy. And also hardcore.
ES (and everyone else),
It was an ugly affair.
The Ducks did indeed stop playing.
Like Bryan said, the boo or "you suck" issue on the Beauchemin high stick was ridiculous.....it was a clear and fully callable penalty.
Same thing a few minutes later when Huskins played the puck with his broken stick. I was out of my seat about it - but not because of the call.
I was holding my hand up to the 420's (or wherever else) to vainly stop them from booing about it. It was a correct call.
I thought, (besides the deflated and inexcusable play of the Ducks after the first 10:00 of the first) that perhaps the referees missed a few for us, and the cross check on Sutherby(?) was marginal - Daley(?) just folded on a light bump - the elbowing call on Getzlaf was also marginal.....among other instances.
Oh well. I'm not gonna cry ref. This season has been filled with games that were more poorly officiated than this one.
It is up to the Ducks to play harder than that. They can. They should. Heads are going to roll, otherwise....and such a marginal effort from what has and can be a GREAT penalty killing team...
Thank god, at least, that Zubov isn't back yet. Otherwise they might have scored on all of their PPs...
Enjoy the series! More than the last game!
T
Post a Comment