The Boston Bruins claimed the 2011 Stanley Cup with a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night, winning the best-of-seven series in the final game played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. It was a tough way to lose for the Canucks players and their fans after winning the first two games of the series and having the chance to win the Cup at home one last time. High expectations brought with it high emotions and disappointment.
You'd think that the City of Vancouver would have learned from the past and prepared for it accordingly. No one can say that there wasn't fair warning. However, the city wasn't ready for it.
At least that is the way it appears from afar.
After last night's loss, rioting took place once again, similar to events in 1994 after the Canucks lost in the Stanley Cup final series to the New York Rangers. This was happening to the point that social media reports indicated that police, fire and rescue personnel were being advised not enter into areas during the height of the rioting. Just who was in control of the city at that point?
Though it was 17 years ago and it was probably assumed that people would hold their emotions in check and not destroy their city again and represent themselves as hooligans, in hockey of all sports, that did not happen.
Vancouver makes YouTube again
As the Bruins hoisted their first Stanley Cup since 1972, the scenes from 1994 in Vancouver re-emerged.
(Footage via MoxNews.com)
Many are blaming a few, some not even hockey fans, for making everyone else look bad and tainting what hockey fans and the Stanley Cup is about - sportsmanship, pride, history and tradition. A game was lost, but the world was not coming to an end. However, it seems that some wanted to create a spark to create something to that end. Let's hope that new traditions are not being created for losing the chance at winning the Stanley Cup, particularly from hockey fans in Canada.
Unfortunately, after Wednesday night's game, Lord Stanley's Cup has another smudge on it.
Just as Vancouver Canucks fans were ready to celebrate a four-game sweep of the Boston Bruins and the first-ever Stanley Cup win for the franchise in three tries (1982, 1994, 2010), the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals took a sharp turn in the other direction. After losing two closely-played games in Vancouver, 1-0 and 3-2 (OT) respectively, the Bruins put a 'world of hurt' on Vancouver and goaltender Roberto Luongo particularly after Nathan Horton was laid out by Vancouver's Aaron Rome. Boston lit Luongo up for a decisive 8-1 win in game three while goaltender Tim Thomas built a mound of snow on the goal line in a 4-0 shutout win to tie the series at two games apiece.
Once again fans in both Vancouver and Boston braced themselves for game five in which a win would provide the edge to the victorious team in sitting only one game away from claiming Lord Stanley's 'Holy Grail'. Luongo met the challenge head-on in Vancouver as the Bruins could not put the rubber past him and the Canucks regained the series lead 3-2 with a 1-0 win. Heading back to Beantown, the home-ice advantage belonged to the Bruins, hoping for the series trend to continue - that the home team wins.
Game 6 sets the stage for big finish
It didn't take the Bruins long as they scored not one, not two, not three, but four goals in a span of just over four minutes during the first 10 minutes of play to take a 4-0 lead early on in game six. The scoring barrage forced Canucks coach Alain Vigneault to pull Luongo from the net after three goals scored against as he was replaced by Cory Schneider who was beat just as quickly for a goal before settling into the game. Behind the spectacular play of Thomas, Boston maintained the four goal advantage over the Canucks until the first minute of play in the third period when Henrik Sedin managed to get one past Thomas on the power play to narrow the Bruins lead to 4-1.
The Bruins took advantage of their own power play opportunity at the 13-minute mark on a goal by David Krejci to reestablish a four-goal lead 5-1. One last goal by Vancouver's Maxim Lapierre near the end of the game left the final result at 5-2 for the Bruins. A thorough job was completed by Boston all the way around and led by Tim Thomas, the favored candidate for the Conn Smythe trophy whether he wins or loses in game seven.
As may be fitting, the final game of the NHL season will take place in Vancouver and provide the opportunity for fans there to celebrate a Stanley Cup victory as the trend of the home team winning in its home rink is back on the Canucks side. However, as wild as the ride has been so far, don't expect game seven to not bring out every emotion and ounce of energy out of all watching and expect the Bruins to play hard to earn their first Cup since 1972. The final result will be a win for the NHL and the sport one way or the other.
Take it all in stride win or lose
However, an emphatic note and plea to Vancouver fans and hockey supporters taking in game seven live - do not repeat what happened in 1994:
The moment to reveal Lord Stanley's gift to a great sport will finally arrive with all its glory and history on Wednesday and the journey along the way will finally end for the season. Celebrate the game and the sport for what it has provided everyone - a great ride. Do it right and don't tarnish the Cup or its legacy.
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From the Champions League final to Wake Med Soccer Park
Both men's and women's lacrosse championship tournaments will finish by end of the weekend and are expected to have great attendance and exposure as all games will be available online and/or on television for fans worldwide to tune in.
The 2011 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Final Four takes place at LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, NY as the defending champions, the Maryland Terrapins, are joined by the Duke Blue Devils, the Northwestern Wildcats, and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The women's tournament begins on Friday and a champion will be crowned on Sunday.
The 2011 NCAA Men' Lacrosse Championship highlights the talents of the defending champions, the Duke Blue Devils along with the Maryland Terrapins, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Denver Pioneers in this year's Final Four that will take place at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD on Saturday and Monday.
The Triangle-area caught fire with hot college lacrosse action this past weekend. Though tempered with some bouts of severe downpours, the weather did not affect the great play and skill showcased by some of the best lacrosse players in the country.
The defending NCAA men's lacrosse champion and fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils began defense of their title by split-dodging past their first opponent, the Delaware Blue Hens, 15-14 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals against #4 Notre Dame. The two teams met in last year's championship final that ended with Duke winning 6-5 in overtime.
Raleigh Sports Examiner coverage of Duke beginning their title defense in 2011:
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The unranked Maryland Terrapins, but current ACC champions, beat the #8 UNC Tar Heels 13-8 to advance on to play the #1 seeded Syracuse Orange next week. The Terps did not make fans in Chapel Hill feel any better by pulling the 'hidden ball' play on their Tar Heels during the game:
Take a look on YouTube courtesy of ESPN:
The possibility exists for Maryland and Duke to meet in the Final Four in Baltimore, MD over Memorial Day weekend. However, the Blue Devils will need to get past the Fighting Irish first and the Terps have a battle of their own to unseed the Orange next week. Should the two ACC teams meet, one can only wonder what tricks will be up the Terps' sleeve after yesterday's performance, and Duke knows it all too well as they fell victim to similar antics last season.
Here is what the current NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament bracket looks like:
