More frustration

The Canucks are out. How did it happen? Hamuis was carrying the puck and lost his balance a little. While trying to regain his balance, one of the Kings put his stick between the legs and forced him to the ice. This resulted in a turnover that lead to a 2-on-1. The Kings scored to finish the series.

Before I continue, let me go back a little. In 2009, the Canucks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. The series was filled with absolute filth coming from the ‘Hawks, and the only thing resembling hockey was coming from the Canucks. The idea that such a disgusting team could win that series was an absolute embarrassment to the game.

Next year, round 1. The Canucks faced the Kings. The officiating was awful. Among the more memorable misses was a high stick lodged in Henrik Sedin’s visor. Announcers always talk about how officials can’t let a penalty go when the evidence is obvious. Apparently, the Canucks are the exceptions to the rule.

Even worse was a disallowed goal. I believe that it was Daniel Sedin who was headed to the net. The puck went off of his skate into the net. The rule that was used to disallow the goal insists that for a goal like this to be disallowed, there must be a “distinct kicking motion.” This wording is actually emphasized in the rulebook. When asked about the decision, the dufus who was responsible for the call, Mike Murphy, defended the decision with the words, “It was not a distinct kicking motion.”

The way that the series was handled was absolutely horrible. The Canucks won anyway. After the series, I realized that the horrible officiating in the series was not the fault of the Kings. They didn’t try to exploit the officials, and they really didn’t look that bad in the series. I held no grudge against their team and viewed them as having a promising future.

This series was followed by another Blackhawks series. How did the Blackhawks play? Cheap shots, cheap shots, and more cheap shots. They were still embarrassing. They still beat a team that plays a sport that resembles hockey.

Last year, the Canucks faced the Blackhawks for the third straight year. And for the third straight year, the Blackhawks did not play anything resembling hockey. Cheap shot after cheap shot from the Blackhawks was rewarded with penalty after penalty against the Canucks. The officiating in the series was absolutely inexcusable. Somehow, the Canucks still won.

They made it all the way to the final when they faced a team that is essentially the same as the Blackhawks. Who was the embarrassment to the sport this time? The Boston Bruins. We saw more cheap shots after the whistle and more atrocious officiating. Like the previous two years, the Canucks lost to a team that is an absolute disgrace to the game.

We even saw the return of Mike Murphy who handed out an unprecedented 4 game suspension to Aaron Rome. The play in question was late, but that is all that anyone found wrong with it. Mr. Murphy defended the decision by stating that he was making up the rules as he went. He also came up with two criteria: the player being hit, Nathan Horton,  was not carrying the puck, and there was a serious injury.

Two games later, Johnny Boychuk put his stick between the legs of Mason Raymond. Without Raymond ever touching the puck, Boychuk spun Raymond into a vulnerable position and then pushed him into the boards. Mason Raymond suffered a broken back as a direct result of this undeniably dirty play. It was interference (although the refs somehow missed the call) and the injury was more severe than Horton’s. Mr. Murphy refused to act on the more obvious examples of the rules that he created to justify the suspension to Rome.

This year, the Canucks were eliminated in the first round. After making it to the Final last year, this was a big disappointment and a frustrating series for Canucks fans. Despite being compared to the Bruins, I should point out that the Kings style of play is not cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after cheap shot after the whistle.

I should also point out that like everyone else on this planet, I am biased. Unlike most people, I’m at least willing to admit to bias. After compensating for my bias for the Canucks and my bias against the Calivermin who are invading my home state as well as acknowledging that the hit from Byron Bitz was indeed dirty, I have to praise the Kings. They beat the Canucks, and they beat them the right way. Not only that, but I think that Kings and Canucks fans have to admit that we watched a thrilling game 5.

Even after compensating for my pro-Canucks bias and my bias against markets that receive preferential treatment from the media, I still have to view the Blackhawks and Bruins as complete and utter filth. I may be frustrated right now, but I am also relieved that the Canucks will not be taken out by such an embarrassing display for the fourth straight year. I am still protesting the league’s misguided rule changes by refusing to watch any NHL games that do not involve the Canucks, but let me say one thing to any unlikely visitors to my blog from Los Angeles. Go Kings!