2. Rick Nash with 3 assists. His captaincy pervades the team. He makes everyone around him better. And he's SO frakking good.
3. Steve Mason taking 43 shots and turning away 40 of them. That's a .930 save percentage. By comparison, he was at .916 last year. His 3rd period saves as the Nucks were pressing ... well, they were epic.
4. While we're talking about Vancouver, Steve Yzerman and the Canadian Olympic Team management are going to have a hard time saying, "No" to Mase for a spot on the team in the February Olympics in Vancouver if he keeps this up.
5. 3 goals in 3:44. Un-freaking-believable. When this team clicks on offense, it's truly scary. We can score with anyone, and we can defend anyone. (Until Ovechkin proves me wrong...)
6. 3 goals in 3:44. And with that, we chased all-world goalie Roberto Luongo to the bench and opened up a rich vein of fear, angst and self-loathing in the Vancouver fan base (see below for more on that). I gather that Luongo had a near-breakdown after giving up 7 goals to Chicago in the last game of their playoff run last year, and that he's not been up to speed since. While I feel for a guy who's clearly meant enough to his team to get the Captain "C" as a goalie, I have no problem with shooing him off the ice after 25 minutes of game playing time. It's all friendly competition, Luuuu...
7. RJ Umberger had, what, 3 breakaways last night? 3rd line be damned, this man will get the puck, drive the puck, and get his shots. No goals last night, but breakaways like this help rattle the opposition something fierce.
8. Jared Boll got cheap-shotted on the SECOND hit while he was up against the glass. Hordichuk (or whatever his name is) should be required to sit until Boll returns. Totally uncalled for, and classless.
9. Speaking of classless, booing your team after game 3 in their home opener is telling. I'm talking to you, Vancouver Canucks "fan." Your bellyaching all day on NHL Home Ice on XM was pretty funny, too. IT'S ONLY THREE GAMES!
10. Some nights are better ones to make a statement that is picked up by the larger hockey world. This game was one of them. Only one other game was on, and that ended before ours began. The (awake) hockey world had nothing else to watch, and the CBJ obliged with a statement game. We're for real, even if you don't want to believe it.
Next up, San Jose on (late) Thursday night! Do you think I can catch up on my sleep by then?
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