Game 4 — heartbreak — again

I can’t begin to explain the overwhelming feelings of frustration and despair I experienced watching tonight’s game.

It started out good — Kesler was feisty right off the first face-off, and I was all pumped for a spectacular win.

Alas, it was not to be.  The team just seemed to crumble as the 1st period came to a close.  The Bruins, to their credit were out hitting, out checking the Canucks.

However, they were also playing like a bunch of goons.  The hacks, the slashes, the taunts, the shots to the head, the tripping — it was unbelievable.  Or, well, I guess not, considering the fact that the officials in these games have chosen to continually look the other way — until a crucial moment in the game, and then they would blatantly favour the Bruins.

I know there are people who will read this and say, yes, but it was the same with the Canucks.  But, honestly, in my opinion, it was one-sided.

And, I’m going to have my say about Rome’s hit on Horton.  It was not a dirty hit.  It was a hard hit.  And it was awful to watch Horton laying on the ice with his arms straight out in the air before him, signalling that he had taken a severe injury to his brain.  But Rome’s intent was not to injure, it was simply to finish his check.  It was open ice and both players were skating very fast and very hard.  When Horton hit the ice, his head took one hell of a knock.  Thank God for helmets.

I think the loss of both Hamhuis and Rome has seriously hurt the Canucks ability to perform effectively.  Henrik is obviously playing hurt, as is Kesler, and Luongo has lost his confidence or his focus, something is wrong.  As a team, they seem intimidated.  They’ve allowed the Bruins to get inside their heads, and allowed them to shake them off their game.  Henrik and Daniel need to step up and be the leaders they can be, and Kesler has to find a way to get the magic back.  Burrows, Torres, Bieksa, Maholtra, they all need to ‘bring it’, and in a huge way.

The next game is in Vancouver — home ice — and hopefully, being back in friendly territory will give the team the encouragement and inspiration they seem to be lacking right now.

I’m not giving up on them.  They’re still real contenders for the Cup — they wouldn’t be where they are if that weren’t true.

So, I’ll keep washing my t-shirts and wearing them every day — until Lord Stanley’s Cup is back on Canadian soil.

Go Canucks!