Preds Hand Over Win To Vancouver; Allow Canadian Media To Keep Pride

Readership,

Though I've begun this blog with ten minutes left in the game, I feel I can begin my opinion on the evening.

Aside from eating dinner and still having to wait an hour and a half for the game to begin (friggin' Vancouver games), the initial 1st period looked like it was going to be a fun game. Both teams came out with their A game, a high-energy back and forth race to get the puck in first, resulting with a 0-0 scoreboard.  Smithson was the casualty, blocking a shot with his hand.

2nd period began the end, really.  The Preds rarely got a chance out of their own zone, getting a handful of shots versus Vancouver doubling theirs up from the 1st.  Bouillon was cut and left for the locker room.  Our "lunch pail gang" had no thermos of Liquid Ice to come back.  The lackluster 2nd period-play ended 0-2 Vancouver.

3rd brought Bouillon back to the game, as well as a last gasp of energy...before a blast from the blue-line and, as a few moments ago as of typing this blog, the Sedins scoring this game out (instead of diving and whining all over the ice like they did at 501 Broadway) - the game became 0-4.  Hornqvist, one of the only players (see also Erat, Sullivan, hell...even Jones for the few minutes he was out there) that seemed to be "on" and energized, scored late to kill Betty Lu's hopes for an easy shut-out (and yeh, I called him Betty Lu).  I've got that fella's name on my back at the moment - thinking perhaps picking up a Goc shirt.  Giving any Preds X-Mas gifts this year?  Getting any that you know of?  Send your pics to seepuckcity@gmail.com and I'll post'em on Boxing Day (26th) though the end of the year.  Back to the game - Preds lost it in the 2nd for the rest of the way ending 1-4.

With the couple of days off the Preds had on this Canadian trip to travel out west, it seems either they got a little lazy, Christmas might've been on their minds with all the friends and family-visiting one would assume they all tried to squeeze in, or it could just be Vancouver really just wanted to give their fans something to rub in the faces of anyone who gives two piddles about any other Canadian team...cos as any small-market team fan knows, Canadian egos are equivalent to that of a bull in a china shop. Vancouver fans are going to bed smiling tonight, or at least to the messageboards to talk smack, not about how their team beat the Predators, but that the other Canadian teams did not.

60 minutes, boys.  20 won't cut it.  Not in Canada, and certainly not at home when we face the best in the West.  We seem to do rather well, however, when we face "the best" - let's continue that streak...and break Chicago's.

Happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate it.  Merry Whatever-Else to those of you who celebrate other things.  Enjoy the gift of breathing for those of you who don't really celebrate anything at this time of year (cos based on the people I've seen in the malls and on the roads this past week, it really should be a privilege...so...inhale with glee).  I'll see you in 303 on Saturday.

Safe travels and send me those Preds gift pics for the 26th!

Cheers.

PS. It's Always Sunny In...Vancouver?