Final, Canucks 3-2: Big rally from the Canucks to score two quick ones midway through the third period to grab Game 1 in a loud home venue. Henrik Sedin scored the game winner to finally get himself on the board, and Roberto Luongo recovered from a shaky start to make 27 saves. The Sharks have to be concerned with the way they allowed Vancouver to outright dominate the third period. This will be a quick series if something doesn’t change there.
Third period, 2:24, Canucks 3-2: Well, there was supposed to be an emphasis for embellishment, and the refs just called someone on it. The teams will play four on four for two minutes after Dan Boyle was called for holding and Maxim Lapierre (a former Canadien) was bagged for diving.
Third period, 3:36, Canucks 3-2: The third period is evaporating quickly with so few whistles, which has really hurt the sloppy Sharks, who can’t do anything right in the third. The game was so even through two periods, but the Canucks have made it a one-sided affair in the third. Joe Thornton needs to make something happen because no one else on San Jose has done a whole lot lately.
Third period, 11:39, Canucks 3-2: Wow, just like that, the Canucks have woken up, and Henrik Sedin has checked in. Sedin set up the Canucks’ second goal and made a nice move on the power play to give Vancouver its first lead of the series. He took the puck in front of the crease and moved the puck to his backhand, faking Antti Niemi out of his shorts, and sliding the puck into the net. The power-play woes and Sedin’s lackluster scoring have been forgotten in an instant. That was Sedin’s second goal of the playoffs, but it’s his first one with a goalie between the pipes.
Third period, 12:26, 2-2: Danny Heatley got two minutes for elbowing, and the Canucks have their fourth power play of the game. They’ve punted on their first three bids.
Third period, 12:58, 2-2: Antti Niemi has looked unbeatable for most of this game, but the Canucks have erased their second deficit of the night. Kevin Bieksa’s snipe from the right circle beat Niemi’s blocker up high. That thing was a laser. And now the teams are at the point where you don’t know how long this one will last.
Third period, 18:04, Sharks 2-1: There’s a fan sitting in the front row along the side boards in the Vancouver zone holding a bright pink sign that reads, “We want the cup.” So, now you know.
Third period, 19:58, Sharks 2-1: And the third period of the first game is under way.
Second intermission, Sharks 2-1: If the play stays like this, the third period is going to be wild. The Canucks played with more desperation during the last three or four minutes of the second period, and it translated into the most exciting stretch of the game. This one isn’t even close to over.
Second period, 1:05, Sharks 2-1: The pace has exploded in Vancouver’s favor in the last two shifts, and the Canucks were so close to tying the game. First, there was a long scramble in front of the Sharks’ net, and Antti Niemi made at least four saves during that scrum. There was a point when there were four Sharks in the crease with Niemi, as they did whatever it took to keep the score intact. Later, Jannik Hansen had a chance in front of the net, but Niemi just managed to get his left pad on the puck after Hansen’s deke.
Second period, 3:03, Sharks 2-1: The Joe Thornton line has been killing it in this game, and they nearly potted another goal on their last shift. The Versus crew was quick to say Thornton played the best postseason game of his career in Game 7 against the Red Wings, and if that served as a jumping-off point for things to come, the Sharks will have a big edge in this series.
Second period, 11:16, Sharks 2-1: Patrick Marleau redirected a fluttering shot from Dan Boyle, who charged the puck toward the net from the left point, and the Sharks capitalized right away on their first man advantage. That was a great tip from Marleau, and the puck just floated over the top of Roberto Luongo’s glove.
Second period, 12:16, 1-1: Mason Raymond was bagged for holding to give the Sharks their first power play of the series. Give some credit to Joe Pavelski on his last shift. He was absolutely blasted by Maxim Lapierre (of course) in the neutral zone, but Pavelski recovered to break up a wraparound bid that would have given the Canucks a 2-1 lead a moment later.
Second period, 13:14, 1-1: Another power play, another doughnut for the Canucks. The Sharks started to tee off on their last shift, but the Canucks are doing a great job of blocking the puck before it gets to Roberto Luongo. Maxim Lapierre recovered nicely to stop Ryane Clowe from batting the puck into an open net, adding another big notch to Lapierre’s great period.
Second period, 16:08, 1-1: Kent Huskins was called for hooking, and the Canucks have their third power play of the game. Their first two were pretty poor.
Second period, 18:11, 1-1: Maxim Lapierre tied the score after redirecting a pass from Jannik Hansen, who won a battle behind the net and fed the scorer in the slot. Lapierre beat Niclas Wallin through the slot, and Kyle Wellwood did a poor job defending the pass, as the puck went underneath his stick. The Sharks just fell asleep in front of their net, and they lost the lead as a result.
Second period, 19:58, Sharks 1-0: They’re back at it in Vancouver.
First intermission, Sharks 1-0: Joe Thornton’s tally gave the Sharks a big lift late in the opening period, and the Canucks have to rebound from Roberto Luongo’s egregious mistake, which had to deflate the bench. Otherwise, it was a fairly even first period, maybe with a slight edge toward the Canucks. It started fast with some big hits, but it slowed down. Let’s see how that late score affects the pace in the second period.
First period, 1:13, Sharks 1-0: Joe Thornton scored the first goal of the series after Roberto Luongo’s brain fart. Luongo played the puck behind the net and sent it to the right circle, where Thornton reached out to steal it and sent it straight back into the net. Luongo has been sketchy out of the net so far. He nearly played two pucks outside the trapezoid behind the goal line, which would have resulted in a penalty, and his giveaway allowed the Sharks to take the lead on the road.
First period, 1:33, 0-0: The Canucks had a good start to their second power play, but once they lost the zone, they were done. Neither team has really established any consistent level of control at this point in the game, though Roberto Luongo just made a big save with the left pad on a Ben Eager wrister. Luongo still hasn’t allowed a goal in any Game 1 of this postseason, so he’s got that going for him.
First period, 6:44, 0-0: Ben Eager was given two minutes for interference after the whistle because he shouldered Christian Ehrhoff into Roberto Luongo as the pair jockeyed for position skating through the slot. Sharks fans probably hate the call, but I think it was the right one.
First period, 7:40, 0-0: The home team had an awful power play, and that phrase has gotten worn out already in the conference finals. The Canucks didn’t get a shot on net during their man advantage, and the Sharks probably got the better end of the deal, since Ryan Kesler was a little shaken up on the receiving end of the high stick.
First period, 10:51, 0-0: The Canucks have the first power play of the series after Ryan Kesler caught a high stick from Douglas Murray, who will spend two minutes getting insufferably heckled by the Vancouver green men.
First period, 16:19, 0-0: The series isn’t even four minutes old, and it’s already gotten chippy. There have been two mini-spats during face-offs, and the Canucks have run two Sharks hard into the boards. These teams know each other well, and they’re going to get even better acquainted over the next week or two.
First period, 19:59, 0-0: And they’re off in Vancouver. I think many would be surprised if this series didn’t last six or seven games.
7:56 p.m.: Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo was hurt during warmups when he took a puck off the high chest or neck area. Luongo went down to the ice for a few moments, but he eventually picked himself back up. I doubt that will have much of an effect on him, but that’s obviously not an ideal situation a few minutes before the start of the conference finals.
6:30 p.m.: The top-seeded Canucks and second-seeded Sharks have something in common that they’d likely prefer to ignore. Each team has blown a 3-0 series lead this postseason, but obviously, each team rallied to win Game 7.
Add that to the questionable playoff histories of Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo and Sharks center Joe Thornton, and each of the Western Conference finalists will have plenty to prove as they fight for a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Neither team has had a particularly dominant run through the playoffs, and the matchup looks like a toss-up, which could make home ice a crucial factor for the Canucks.
The puck is scheduled to drop for Game 1 at 8 p.m. ET in Vancouver at Rogers Arena on Sunday. Check back for updates, and follow all of the action right here on NESN.com.
