Bingo bango bongo

Round 1, Dallas v. Vancouver. Vancouver leads the series 2-1.

After game 1's marathon (18:00 into the fourth overtine), and game 2's whimper (0-2 on period-opener-goals), I started to wonder (as I mused without getting to my blogging keyboard a week ago) if the Canucks' controlling ethic this year would be "Stump the Expectations." We expected them to be sewer sludge when the season began and they play from Boxing Day forward 32-8-6 hockey. Now, we expect them to win the cup. Will they fold?

But no. Last night, despite being outplayed in the early going, the lines juggle again and out pops a win. A win, though, that wouldn't have been possible without Luongo's back-stopping. If Vancouver wins, Luongo's a lock for the Smythe. No doubt about it. I don't even need to see the rest of the games.

In other news, 3 cheers for Ireland and New Zealand at the world cup of Cricket. New Zealand are through to the semi finals with a confident win over South Africa -- after taking two early wickets for only 1 run between them, one of whom collected nearly 150 runs earlier this tournament. Ireland, after being trounced by 9 wickets by Australia earlier, showing that perhaps they really belonged here with a win over Bangladesh. Some people's untimely losses (India, Pakistan) really do result in other folks' gains.

Hockey Night In Canada - Revenge of the West Coast?

Folks, we are on the edge of something... Imagine. A Stanley Cup playoff. With three (count 'em!) Canadian teams competing for a drink from Lord Stanley's silverware. And none of them from Toronto, Montreal or Edmonton! Wheee! How many times has it happened that the only spring hockey we get out here in the west features teams from the other two really big Canadian cities but Vancouver misses the dance? Wouldn't it be loverly?

I can see the HNIC executives in Toronto having several species of bird. Some months ago, when there was a Senators-Sabres tilt that everyone except those along the Mtl-Tor corridor wanted to see, they imposed their nearly meaningless game on everyone but the Ottawa Valley. Well, we're back and bright, and we may be at the dance that you won't get to. All it takes is a Maple Leafs win and an Islanders loss and we'll have an EDM-TOR-MTL-free Stanley Cup Playoff. And probably still have three Canadian teams in the running.

I know. It's silly. Clearly, I need to go out back and stare at that rainwater-glazed wheelbarrow for awhile to re-achieve my sense of perspective and equilibrium.