Stanley Cup Finals!

After a series-clinching goal that no one saw live on TV, it’s finally here!  The Stanley Cup Finals!

Canucks jerseys and flags are now truly everywhere!  On cars, in stores and bars, even in front of the provincial parliament buildings.

Today on game day, fans started cheering and honking horns on the streets 5 hours before the game, and before game time, crowds gathered in front of big screens around downtown.

Both goalies played great in Game 1, so it seemed like it would be another long night with multiple overtime periods.  With less than 30 seconds in the 3rd, this, however, started the celebrations early:

3 more to go before the Stanley Cup can come to the Stanley Park!  #bringithome

Roller Coaster Ride to the Cup

The Vancouver Canucks make to the Conference Finals for the third time in franchise history (first time since I know anything about hockey).  They are now facing the San Jose Sharks, and this match-up also created an entertaining rivalry in the office.

Hockey games seem to be the least predictable among all sports, especially for these two teams.  Both the Canucks and the Sharks lost a 3-0 series lead this year, and after the Canucks won Game 2 7-3 and had a 5-goal lead at one point, it’s the Sharks’ turn tonight in Game 3, and they went up 3-0 in the first period.  Even though the exciting comeback bid fell short for the Canucks, these are what make watching hockey like riding roller coasters.

One more nice thing about this series is that my dad finally learned how to pronounce the word “Jose”.  #nowayjose

End of the run

Coming back from the temple, looking at the half time score, 39-63, I still believed in a historic comeback.  But after Artest missed the uncontested lay-up and no Laker tried to defend Mav’s three’s, hope for the three-peat started fading. Then very disappointed to see a couple Lakers lost their cool.

However, it’s been a great season (sans the Playoffs).  In fact, looking back, it’s been four amazing years of Lakers basketball: 3 trips to the NBA Finals and 2 championships.  Lakers fans are totally spoiled.

On likely the end of Phil Jackson’s career, 11 championships say it all.  What a great run that brought so much excitement to all basketball fans!

You can experience a lot from watching sports and learn a lot from it – the competitiveness, the team work, the struggle before the triumph.

It seems summer is still far away from Vancouver, but once it comes, time for more basketball for me!

Looking forward to it all starting again in October!

Elimination Games

After losing three games in a row, the Canucks played a game 7 vs. the Blackhawks, and it was like Vancouver 2010 all over again!  Canucks/Canadian took the lead early on, and Blackhawks/Americans tied it up late in the 3rd.  Then, there came the overtime…

Vancourites can finally breathe again!  Now, after up 3-1 over the Predators, losing the 3-0 lead in the first round feels like just a small hurdle along the way.

Also after losing three games in a row, the Lakers are facing elimination in each of their next four games.  Pau Gasol continues his struggle on the court.  It is really worrisome to me that he must have something troubling him off the court.  Even though no NBA team has come back from 0-3 deficit, if any team could do it, this Lakers team is the one.  They have the talent, but they got to be ready mentally and play their best games starting Sunday.  Go Lakers!!!!

Stunned.

Lakers lost Game 1 and home court advantage to the Hornets.  Gasol scored just 8 point in each game, and a combined 4-19 shooting is not a good number of a big man.  Pick-and-roll seems to be Lakers’ kryptonite.

Canucks were outscored by the Blackhawks 12-2 in the last two games.  The two teams seemed to have switched their jerseys after Game 3.  The Canucks do still have a 3-2 lead in the series, but the Hawks have all the momentum now heading back to Chicago.  Who is/are going to step up for the Canucks, calm the troop and restore their confidence?