And here’s my ‘scoop’: the Vancouver Canucks WILL win this game.

I don’t feel nearly so certain about Game #6, to be honest, but tonight I feel ridiculously confident. There is no ‘quit’ in this team. They’ve proven repeatedly that they can defy the odds, and their assets are strong enough to make this happen.

I might (no promises!) liveblog this game tonight, since the Yankee is taking the night off. So if you want to bitch, complain and celebrate with me, check in on this post at game time.

Go Canucks!

FIRST PERIOD

16:00— Just got home. Canucks win yet? Oh…

14:35— Am I the only fan watching this series that never heard the name “DiPenta” before?? Oy.

13:25?— Linden story just sent to me by David (from the OC)

Burke remembers 1988 when Linden, son of a cattle farmer in Medicine Hat, Alberta, began his journey.
“He gets embarrassed when I tell this,” Burke said, referring to the oft-quoted story about the Canucks’ psychological, pre-draft testing.
Linden said he couldn’t make it because he was needed on the farm.
Burke asked what his job was.
“When the cattle come into the pen I have to hold them down and pin them while they brand them and castrate them,” Linden said.
“OK,” Burke said, “You can skip the test.”
Linden went on to pass tougher ones.

11:00— Oy. San Jose is all over the Canucks net… but at least the “surly” Luongo is competitive.

10:30— The name “Getzlaf” just makes me angry. Why is that? I don’t know… it just does. Weird.

6:18— On the bright side… maybe the Canucks being passive in the 1st period means they’re going to be monsters on the offense in the 2nd and 3rd? Holy crap. (Ummm… beer? Please…?)
Wait, a new theory: Canucks are lulling the Ducks into a state of complacency. Yes! (So clever, our Vancouver boys are…)

6:00?— Whoa. This game seems SLOW so far. I’d have thought both teams would be hyperactive for this matchup. What the hell? Oh well, as long as it’s BOTH teams, and not just Vancouver that’s “relaxin’ into this game”...

5:35— Another penalty, it’s Smolinski. (Ummm… Is this fuc#ing game in slow motion??? I’ve barely TOUCHED my wine. WHY is this game so SLOW?!!!!)

0:01— AND LUONGO STOPS IT! (Hughson didn’t say that… I did. Goddamn, it’s a good thing when your goalie makes a save in the last second of the period.)

Geezus, we sucked in that period. But on the bright side? Anaheim looked just as lifeless (though with more awareness they were in the midst of a hockey game; yes, a small advantage). Still, the Canucks are at 0-0 and God won’t strike them with lightning (yet) for their poor start.

SECOND PERIOD

Pre-Period— Almost forgot this. An Edmonton friend of mine (yes, I’ll admit to liking one or two Edmontonians) had this exchange on IM with me the other day. A bit out-dated now, but it amused me…

T (4/27/2007 11:45:35 PM): I would like to see Getzlaf take a puck to the face. Can you help me out there?
Alanah (4/27/2007 11:46:15 PM): maybe not. I’m thinking of going to the game on tuesday, but I don’t think they’ll let me back into the press box if I start throwing shit over the side.
T (4/27/2007 11:47:26 PM): not you… can you talk to Trevor Linden or something? Tell him that all of Edmonton wants to see the ice crew scraping his teeth up from the ice during the second period.

Geez. If only I DID have such connections. Sigh.

20:00— Coming Soon
19:30?— Fu#king Ducks. Luongo looks pissed. WHY do we look in slow motion still? Oy. 1-0 Duckies

16:22— Luongo looks angry as a chicken in a dutch oven. As are we all…

16:00— Vancouver has a powerplay! I actually think this MIGHT be good news for once. They’re lethargic out there. Maybe without the pressure they’ll realize there’s a hockey game going on? Live in hope!

15:45?— Vancouver gets a 5-on-3! Celebrate! (Well, drink for whatever reason floats your boat… something good MIGHT happen…)

12:30— What the hell is it with goddamn Travis Moen? Every time Jim Hughson mentions something bad happening to the Canucks, freakin’ Moen’s name is in the sentence. Geezus.

11:00—Luongo vs The Ducks. That’s all this game is so far. Wow. Our goalie is going to go on a homicidal rampage if they don’t figure this shit out fast.

7:00???— No idea of the time on the clock; I’ve had my eyes closed too much. But I DID just see Giguere make a save… Whoo! Is that the first time he’s handled the puck in this game? Seems possible that the Canucks are running a “Bore Them To Death” strategy. (Geez, I feel bad for judging them now… could work!)

3:50?— I’m sort of boring myself here… but WHY is Vancouver so comatose in this game? Why? Why? WHY? Did the Ducks poison them or something? WTF?

2:00?— On the bright side… the lack of production by the Ducks (because they sure-as-shit should be up 4-0 at this point) is one hell of a good sign. If Vancouver gets ANY lucky bounces in this game, they can win it. I do (oddly) think they still will. But, damn, this is hard to watch.

1:12?— SHOTS 36-13 in favor of Anaheim. Holy Christ.

0:00— It’s a freaking MIRACLE we’re still remotely in this game. Mother of GOD, I need another bottle. See you shortly, guys.

WOW.

THIRD PERIOD

20:00— coming soon
19:59?— Yay! Beginnng of the 3rd and Luongo stops his 40th shot! (No, not a good sign for normal hockey fans. I take solace, however.)

18:00?— Vancouver gets a powerplay. Yes, they suck at it, but really, it’s a good thing to most people. (Really!)

15:00— Alanah Prediction: Getzlaf in penalty box for being a prick = Canucks will now score.

11:20— I have no idea what’s up anymore. I can’t even FAKE optimistic commentary much longer on this. Geezus, the fact that the Ducks are only up one goal must be freaking out everyone, Ducks and Canucks. For some reason NOTHING is working. And the team? Good lord.

08:57— Crowd is bored into a coma, and BURROWS SCORES!!! Canucks 1-1. Wow.

05:45— New Alanah Theory: If Vancouver somehow miraculously wins this game, we definitely (DEFINITELY) go to game #7. No way Luongo doesn’t threaten to kill someone later on tonight if we pull this off. (Just a thought).

02:00?— Can this crowd not wake up at ALL? They’re sooooo bad (and, yeah, Vancouver was pretty freakin’ bad, I admit, in Game #3) but these guys are really BAD. I know there were issues getting to the game by the puck drop, but by the THIRD PERIOD in a TIE? Whoa.

0:30?— OT is a scary prospect, no? Yet, thank God for it.

FIRST OT

Heart attack time. I can’t blog… yet.

What the HELL was going on with Sabourin being on the ice and not Luongo to open the period???

11:10— Not complimenting the Canucks at all, but at least they look like they’re playing hockey finally!

9:45— Willie Mitchell took a horrifying penalty. But really, only 10 seconds earlier I was scratching out my sister’s name, and putting Willie in my will for saving that goal against us.

Geezus, please kill this penalty…

8:00— Wow. Josh Green is sure making himself useful on this penalty kill… It ain’t easy being green…!

7:30— So many reasons to want Chris Pronger dead… So little time to enact them.

6:00— Okay it’s a bit late (I forgot). Predictions? I say Nazzy is the GWG.

5:00?— It’s after 9pm PT and I’m starving. Someone just mentioned this was going to 3 OTs? Geezus, I need to order pizza. Back in a moment…

2:30— Pizza is ordered. New theory (yeah, I’m still willing to try this): if we survive this nightmare, we are finally going to score in the 2nd OT. (Reasonable?) Oy…

0:00— I’m going to try and find money for the pizza; get a fresh glass for the new bottle I’m opening; and (of course) I need to puke now. Back in a few…

SECOND OT

20:00— Coming soon.

18:30— I’m here but the pizza isn’t. Nor is the game clock on the CBC tv broadcast. What the hell? Do they want us to suffer without knowing the ENDING of this horror?

Bulis’ great shot, by the way, reminds me that someone needs to predict Bulis winning this game. Wouldn’t that be something?

15:52— David Singer at HockeyFights.com took pity on me and found this video clip of Travis Moen getting his teeth smashed in. Perhaps you’ll all enjoy it. It gave ME a sense of peace for a few moments…

END— Oh Lord. Game over. Series over. Ducks win