The Vancouver Canucks end the Florida Panthers 12 game winning streak, like they ended the Montreal Canadiens nine game winning streak earlier in the season. I had a feeling the streak would end here, and it did. Here are some thoughts about the game last night and brouhaha that ensued after the OT winner by Daniel Sedin. 

 

Roberto Luongo showed why he was given a 12 year contract by former Vancouver GM Mike Gillis. That glove-save on Bo Horvat reminded us why he was once our No.1 and why he is going to the All-Star Game this season. 

Video credit: @GregBalloch

 

Emerson Etem has some wheels. With his speed, Etem drew two penalties last night. The OT penalty on Jagr proved to be the key on beating the Panthers. I’m going to like this kid. 

 

Jaromir Jagr can still play hockey. The oldest player in the NHL at 43 years of age, can still be a scoring threat. If not for some good goaltending from Jacob Markstrom, Jagr would have added another goal to his HOF tally. 

 

Jacob Markstrom shut it down after the 1st period. Not disregarding his passing mistake and lack of defensive presence in front of him on the Jokinen goal, Markstrom gave his team a chance to get back into the game and eventually win it. His excellent play has helped the Canucks have this seven game home-stand 4-2-1. With the return of Miller, Willie can breathe easy and give Miller more rest now that Markstrom has shown him the goods.

 

Jake Virtanen scored his second goal of the year on Roberto Luongo to tie up the game. When that happened, I couldn’t help it…  

 

Here’s Jake’s goal on Luongo

 

Daniel Sedin scores twice, including the OT winner, to tie Markus Naslund as the Canucks franchise leader in goals. A story that should have eclipsed everything but was overshadowed by a brouhaha that ensued after the winning goal. 

 

 

Canucks win the game 3-2 in overtime, snapping the 12 game win streak of the Florida Panthers. Shortly after the winning goal,  Henrik Sedin did a fly-by toward the Florida bench due to something that was said to them by a member of the Panthers prior to OT starting. The comment was disparaging enough for both Sedins to be angry about it. These guys usually good about shrugging things said on the ice off, but not last night. In their post-game interviews, you could see they were angry about the comment. Here is what I saw during the melee that ensued after the win. 

 

It was an entertaining game and today in the mid-afternoon the day after, I am still engaged enough to write about it and some messages I received over the morning and late last night. 

 

It brings me to the a couple of things that have been bothering me about ’things said’ and ’things supposedly said’. 

 

 

For as long as I can remember, the Sedins have been taking a lot of crap from players, media and fans from all over the league, including right here in Vancouver. In fact, admittedly, I wasn’t very fond of them when they were drafted. I later changed my tune, once I saw these guys play. Even with their struggles, I saw their brilliance. I soon became a fan.

 

The ’sisters’ remarks and taunts are old. The weird sexual and incestual innuendos that many have spewed over the year and even as recently from guys like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars. NBC national broadcaster, Mike Milbury, calling them ‘girls’ “sisters’ on national TV as well as many fans and media members across the league questioning their “toughness”. The list goes on and on and on. I am amazed the Sedins haven’t cracked sooner. 

 

Whatever was said to Daniel and Henrik before overtime, was enough to get them to shove it in that guy’s face after the win. I liked what I saw from Hank and Danny, it shows that they are not to be messed with. Perhaps, the league, fans and media will start showing them the respect they both deserve. 

 

 

I don’t care about his ‘peanut butter comment’. No one knows what it even means. I don’t think Denis himself knows what it meant. The comment he made about calling Daniel a “low life” made me laugh and angry at the same time.  It also did no favours for Denis Potvin’s credibility as a person and a broadcaster. 

 

First off, it was unprofessional. As much as people gripe that Cheech can be a bit of a homer (and I am not arguing), Potvin just made himself look like a fool to anyone that has any brains and even knows the Sedins a little, that he’s so wrong. He just made himself look like he will say just about anything to keep his Florida Panthers in the good light. That’s fine, but not to the point you’re making defamatory comments about a guy who has a reputation of being a class act and *is* one. 

 

Second, when I hear Denis Potvin call anyone a “low life”, I can’t help but shake my head and remember what was said about him in the past.  For those that do not know. During his time as a player for the NY Islanders, Denis Potvin’s wife has claimed in a court of law that Potvin has beaten her repeatedly. She also claimed that Potvin was under the influence of drugs and alcohol often when she received these beatings. So when Denis goes off talking about who is a “low life”, he should, perhaps, take a step back, and look in the mirror. 

 

 

It was a game full of everything. It had great goals, great saves and big drama. Not bad for a Monday night game on the NHL schedule. I was thoroughly entertained and rode an emotional roller coaster.