Red-Headed stepchild, Raffi Torres, tapped a Jannik Hansen pass past Tim Thomas with under 20 seconds to go to put the Canucks on top and win game one, 1-0. Despite winning the battle of scoring chances, shots, faceoffs and effectively shutting down Vancouver's trio of offensive giants on and off the powerplay the Bruins now trail in the Stanley Cup Finals.
It was certainly a tough game to watch, I was revved up and prepared for overtime, but the true travesty was not how or that we lost -- it was the dive-and-bite-fest that preceded it. Alex Burrows has never been a hockey player that I've had much to complain about, I've heard about his diving antics but never seen him like this. When he and Patrice Bergeron engaged in a gloved face-wash match at the end of the first, I was surprised at how angry the usually even-keeled Patrice got. Replays later evinced the true culprit -- Burrows' choppers. In the replay you can clearly see Alexandre glance to the ref to make sure he's not looking and hold Bergy's gloved hand while he proceeded to bite down. It's bush-league and inexcusable behavior from a professional athlete. He should be suspended a minimum of one game, and Boston should make sure they finish their checks on him throughout the remainder of the series.
Additionally, its extremely perturbing to see Montreal-West flopping and diving all over the ice. The League needs to start stepping in and punishing flagrant divers with fines and suspensions post-game, as well as demanding that its Refs call any embellishment with at least matching minors and better yet, negating any penalty for the non-diving side. One of the Sedins inspired even more outrage in me, when he chopped Andy Ference in the jewels, then proceeded to collapse like he'd been shot with a high-caliber rifle when Ference gently cross-checked him back (certainly gently by cross-checking standards). As I said on the radio, I kept hearing Kevin Costner from JFK in my head as I watched the replay.... "Back and to the left....back and to the left..." I'm not suggesting that this idiocy affected the outcome of the game, but it could have and that simultaneously scares and pisses me off to no end.
On a final note, it was a scary day yesterday as a Masshole: Several tornadoes (including at least one severe one) and dozens of powerful thunderstorms rocked the Bay State. the Juicy Rebounder's own home was spared much of the havoc, but I'd like to extend my condolences to the families of those killed and injured because of nature's fury, and to hope for a speedy and successful rebuild and recovery for the most affected regions along the State's southern border. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
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