Poking The Bear

Truth be told, I was reluctant to publish a Stanley Cup Finals post because it would be impossible to write one without bias. But after tonight's game, it's just too hard to stay away from all the storylines that this series has to offer. So let's get to it, starting [of course] with the headline that the media has already beaten to death. I've got to get my whacks in, before it stops being cool.

Burrows Bites Bergeron
Not OK. Everybody knows it happened; if it didn't happen we wouldn't be talking about it anymore. That said, this story needs to go away. The Lucic taunt was over the line. Sure, it was easy for him to cockily offer a finger with the score 4-0 in the 3rd, but I think he'll come to regret it in what we'd expect to be a much closer game 4.

Thomas vs. Luongo
The two goalies, both finalists for the Vezina Trophy, are without a doubt the two best netminders in the league. Both goaltenders are capable of putting their respective teams on their backs and almost singlehandedly winning games. That said, they have their weaknesses too. Thomas, of course, is prone to excessive aggression that can lead to some soft goals. Luongo, on the other hand, is quite susceptible to having games get away from him and is often criticized for struggling in big moments. Right now, Thomas has all the momentum, coming off of a 40-save performance.

Horton Gets Rocked
Five minutes and seven seconds into Game 3, Nathan Horton got completely ruined by Aaron Rome. It was a dirty hit and exactly the kind that the NHL hoped to avoid with the creation of Rule 48. Bruins fans will find the hit highly reminiscent of Matt Cooke's cheapshot against Marc Savard; hockey fans in general were likely reminded of R.J. Umberger's face as Horton stared blankly towards the ceiling. If there wasn't bad blood between these two teams, there is now. But there was, so now there's more.


America vs. Canada
The Bruins-Canucks series is stirring up some deep emotions. Let's not forget what's at the root of it all: the Canada vs. USA debate. Canada brought such wonderful things into the world as Tim Hortons, Robin Scherbatsky, and even hockey itself. But this is Amurica. We created much cooler sports, like football and Slamball. We [eventually] killed Bin Laden. We invented the piano key necktie. As if it's even a competition. USA! USA!