An Ugly Morning After

The distinct scent of loathing is all about us today. Many Canucks fans, looking for any tired excuse, are calling out the referees and the league for perpetuating the history of playoff failure in Vancouver.

The Canadiens are melting down while trying to explain why their more talented team is coming up short against the plodding Senators. I could not believe Mika Zibanejad's goal was allowed to count, but I've seen similar plays go either way, so the best defense for those situations is to keep the puck outside the net. And the Canadiens cannot do that.

And without Carey Price in net, Montreal appears closer to elimination. For two periods, the Canadiens played to the strengths of their game, leaving little to chance. But when decisions started to go against them (a faceoff is placed in the wrong circle), the Canadiens were not prepared. Having a second center who can take the faceoff on the appropriate side would have been great, and a good bet in the event of the first center being kicked out of the faceoff.

Still, you have to win the faceoff. Montreal did not, and today it weeps over the results.

But it still has a few games left to extend the second season. In Vancouver, it's the first day of another long summer.