cANUCKS gAME 1 rEPORT

NOTE TO TEAM: do not spot the opposition a 3 goal head start and only show up for the final 20 mins. Flames 5, Canucks 3. Lets go with Sami Salo on the D with 4 shots and a even rating as the Vancouver player of the game.  He needs the honour before he gets injured next week. We are too ashamed of the first 40 to even want to talk about the rest of the team.  The Flames were skating circles around us for the first period.

Auditions! Ack!

wow!  when will the party end?  who knows.  just been busy with life, music and sports. theme for this week is auditions!

as far as sports go… we are currently auditioning for a canucks blog so expect our “demo” to show up here soon.  most like a rant about drafting and what to do about FA’s and RFA’s.  what will they think of goin’ non-caps? in other news:

• bowling a steady 130 so far.  lookin’ at getting it to 150 by season’s end.  pb =212!  that game was awesome.  too bad i followed it up with a 120.  but that is the game i guess.  bowling hot and cold as last nites practice session with the team showed.  practice makes perfect!
• congrats on TFC for winning 6-1 last night!  what a great game!  what “impact” were on the pitch?  none we thinks.
• RIOS!  learn to keep your head in the game!  could be worse though, we could have Milton Bradley.
• Jays pitchers continue to impress!
• hint to the majors: to stop drugs in sport = either incarcerate the offenders OR punish the team in the standings (ie: take away pts and/or wins.)  that will rid the prob in a blink of an eye!  easy peasy!

Gotta run.  Literally.  Woodpeck will return shortly with Canucks rants in hand!

Canuckelled!

T’was a great ride while it lasted. Can’t believe it ended in such a manner. The Canucks just could not hold a lead.  Not Luongo’s fault on most of the 7 goals last night. The D lapses were too numerous to list here.  Where was the timeout AV?  We could vent more but we’ll drop it and let it be. We lived and died with every shift last night and its gonna take some time to heal.

We’ll be back to our regular blog frequency now that our team is out. Chicago played a great game and one their fans won’t soon forget.  We know we won’t.

DReaded ElimiNATION gaME! ACK!

Tonight’s the night for the Mighty Canucks.  Its win or go home.  Its been a rollercoaster of a ride during this series with the Blackhawks and part of us still can’t believe we are facing elimination.  Seems like we outplayed them most of the time but Chicago just seems to take full advantage of their chances.  We’ve lived and died with every play to this point and tonight will be no different.  No excuses moving fwd team!  Play a great road game and bring the series back home for a 7th game!

Top 40 Hit!

Just a quick note to say that Woodpeck is now a top 40 ranked table hockey player in the province!  Great tourney this past weekend in Cambridge.  Good times were had and we played the best we have out of all of the 3 events we’ve entered recently.  Just goes to show that if you keep at, success will come.  Or maybe it means, keep drinking at these events and you’ll play better.  REGARDLESS, more on the tourney later. We’re still a little too excited about dem Canucks to write anything worthwhile!

Next Rnd Stanley Cup Predictions!

So during the first round we picked 7 of 8 winners but not all in the right amount of games.
Here goes for the next round!

Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh in 7 over the Capitols
Boston in 6 over the Hurricanes

Western Conference:

Detroit in 6 over the Ducks*
Vancouver in 6 over the Blackhawks

* this series could go either way.  but we’ll go with the depth of the Wings over the depth of the Ducks.

That’s Right Shaggy!

Bobby Doooby LOUUUUU!!!!

Canucks are into the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup playoffs!

The 2nd, 3rd and OT periods of last night’s game 4 were some of the most exciting hockey we’ve seen this team play in ages.

• Alex Burrows continues to impress!
• As does the fact that we won 2 games against the Blues without Sundin.
• Luongo standing on his head was unbelievable.  He’s surely taken his game to the next level.
• Bernier, Raymond and even Shane O’Brien had fantastic moments during this first round.

Now we wait.  This is the part of the Stanley Cup playoffs we’ve never understood.  Why they don’t play on back2back nights when at the same venue is beyond us.  There is no sense to a long, drawn out playoffs.  It negates any advantage a team that sweeps gets.  The Playoffs should never run past May Long.  No scoobie snacks for you NHL sked makers!

Working On A Moose Thang

This upcoming weekend the Vancouver Canucks farm team, the Manitoba Moose make a return to Ontario. Woodpeck plans on attending the Saturday night affair at Copps in Hamilton vs. the Montreal farm team, the Bulldogs. Sunday aft, its a showdown the Toronto Marlies the Maple Leafs affiliate. Reports pre and post to follow!

NHL 2009 Trade Bits & Bites #1

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ll more than likely know already that the NHL trade deadline is fast approaching.  Here’s some food for thought that weve been chewing on of late:

• The Pittsburgh Penguins need a Scoring Left Winger Badly.  Ever since Ruslan Fedotenko went down with an injury they’ve had ziltch for scoring from that position.
• The Vancouver Canucks are looking at having a lot of UFA’s leaving their roster come the summer.  Look to see a couple of moves made.
• The Ottawa Senators still need a number 1 goalie.  If they can trade Spezza for one on at least a 2 year deal, jump on it!
• Yes Virginia, Dominic Moore (unless he signs a long term deal) and Nik Antropov’s days as Maple Leafs are numbered.

More Trade Talk to come!

Just Do Something Mats!

mats plays catch up

Well, we’ve never posted a pic here at The Hills are Alive and its been on purpose. From day 1, we’ve wanted to keep this blog pretty simple and only use a pic or any multimedia when the moment deserved it.  Well, tonight is one of those nights.  This one is for you Mats!

All Eyes are on Mats Sundin 2nite as he returns to his previous stompin’ grounds in Toronto.  It may be the last time he ever skates on Maple Leaf Ice in a game.  Woodpeck hopes he takes the opportunity to prove that he has still got it. Proves that all the attention is deserved.  Proves that he can bring many factors to a game. Proves that no matter what ppl think now, he’s a top player in this league.  Consistency is missing in his 17 games so far.  Generally, things are looking up of late for him so that bodes well.  He’s getting sharper but still laggin’ a tad.  We’ll give him the bye for the lackluster performance in Ottawa this past Thursday.  Just DO SOMETHING Mats!“.  ed note: that’s what we yelled at him on Thursday btw… but he never responded.

We just hope the Canucks prevail & either way, that is what Mats will talk about when its all said & done.  He’s just like that & today is just another day at the office for him. Despite it all, we’ll be watching Mats & drinking to you! Enough with the Leaf memories! Seize the moment & lets make some Canuck memories 2nite!