No major American pro sports postseason does close like the NHL. It has the most game sevens, overtimes and nail biting finishes. Tonight, it’s the biggest game seven you can have, the title on the line.
Game sevens for a title are rare across the pro sports landscape. There were just two in the NBA in the past decade and only one in the 90s. MLB has had two in each of the past two decades (2002 and 2001, 1997 and 1991). The NHL though has had by far the most in recent history, five since 2001. Its last in 2009 was a classic, Pittsburgh winning the cup by a goal in Detroit.
In less than an hour, the Stanley Cup’s deciding game will be in Vancouver, for which the Canucks have to be thankful. They’ve lost each of the three games in Boston by at least three goals, a combined goal differential of +14 for the Bruins. So it will come down to the man in net for the Canucks, Roberto Luongo.
In Vancouver, Luongo has looked like a world-class goalie, worthy of the 12-year, 64-million contract extension he was signed to preceding the 2009-10 season. There, he shutout the Bruins in two of the three duels. But in Boston, his goaltending has been brutal. In game four, he was pulled in the third period after letting in four goals. But giving up three goals and getting pulled just nine, yes nine, minutes into the first period of game six is almost unthinkable. Calling him Jekyl and Hyde might be an understatement.
He’s done it before though. In the first round series against Chicago, he got the hook after giving up four goals in 21 minutes in game five. But the Canucks won it in game seven and Luongo allowed just one goal, holding strong for Alexandre Burrows to net the clincher five minutes into overtime.
The cards are stacked against Boston. In the past 20 MLB, NBA and NHL championship game sevens, the road team has won just once, Pittsburgh’s 2009 Stanley Cup. Three other Stanley Cup game sevens have been played up north in Canada, the last in Edmonton in 1987. Each of the Canadian teams has beaten its North American counterpart.
But really, this is Luongo’s biggest moment. A choke here and there’s no trip to the bench and another game for redemption. This is it. If good Luongo doesn’t show up, Vancouver stands no chance, because Boston’s Tim Thomas is consistently excellent.
The two teams have been separated by just one goal in each of the three games in Vancouver. Expect nothing different tonight. For one side, it will be a triumph that leads them to hoist the Cup. But the other will just see a mistake, one that prolongs a Cupless history or decades long drought.
Game sevens for a title are rare across the pro sports landscape. There were just two in the NBA in the past decade and only one in the 90s. MLB has had two in each of the past two decades (2002 and 2001, 1997 and 1991). The NHL though has had by far the most in recent history, five since 2001. Its last in 2009 was a classic, Pittsburgh winning the cup by a goal in Detroit.
In less than an hour, the Stanley Cup’s deciding game will be in Vancouver, for which the Canucks have to be thankful. They’ve lost each of the three games in Boston by at least three goals, a combined goal differential of +14 for the Bruins. So it will come down to the man in net for the Canucks, Roberto Luongo.
In Vancouver, Luongo has looked like a world-class goalie, worthy of the 12-year, 64-million contract extension he was signed to preceding the 2009-10 season. There, he shutout the Bruins in two of the three duels. But in Boston, his goaltending has been brutal. In game four, he was pulled in the third period after letting in four goals. But giving up three goals and getting pulled just nine, yes nine, minutes into the first period of game six is almost unthinkable. Calling him Jekyl and Hyde might be an understatement.
He’s done it before though. In the first round series against Chicago, he got the hook after giving up four goals in 21 minutes in game five. But the Canucks won it in game seven and Luongo allowed just one goal, holding strong for Alexandre Burrows to net the clincher five minutes into overtime.
The cards are stacked against Boston. In the past 20 MLB, NBA and NHL championship game sevens, the road team has won just once, Pittsburgh’s 2009 Stanley Cup. Three other Stanley Cup game sevens have been played up north in Canada, the last in Edmonton in 1987. Each of the Canadian teams has beaten its North American counterpart.
But really, this is Luongo’s biggest moment. A choke here and there’s no trip to the bench and another game for redemption. This is it. If good Luongo doesn’t show up, Vancouver stands no chance, because Boston’s Tim Thomas is consistently excellent.
The two teams have been separated by just one goal in each of the three games in Vancouver. Expect nothing different tonight. For one side, it will be a triumph that leads them to hoist the Cup. But the other will just see a mistake, one that prolongs a Cupless history or decades long drought.
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