NOTE: When on vacation in Florida, one can easily lose touch with pressing issues/events… like the Subway Series!
SIESTA KEY, FL – Week 2 of vacation, and I’ve given some thought to going full Nic Cage and withdrawing my life savings and drinking myself into oblivion. I’m too drunk to remember if I’ve made this joke before. If it weren’t for these two pesky kids… I did find the time to catch Game 7 of the NHL Finals and see the Oilers come up just short of pulling off the first comeback from down 3-0 in the finals since WW2.
Uphill Climb
After going down 2-0, the great Connor McDavid said, “It’s supposed to be hard.” The degree of difficulty just went up from there as Edmonton lost again and was one game from getting swept.
But they figured out how they could counter Florida’s aggressive forecheck and get behind them with quick and long breakout passes. They started scoring goals off the rush. They attacked Bobrovsky’s weakness on the high blocker side.
Game 7
Bobrovsky was close to melting down and didn’t practice before Game 7, apparently needing the mental break. But he was solid, with the team limiting Edmonton’s chances. Down 2-1, McDavid and then Hyman had golden chances to tie, but Florida players were just able to tie up their sticks enough to prevent tap ins.
Fittingly, like so many of their games this post season, the game ended with the Panthers tying the puck up against the wall. Leon Draisaitl, McDavid’s partner in crime, was a no-show with zero goals in the series.
Connor McD, MVP
Despite the loss, McDavid won the Conn Smythe for the MVP of the Playoffs. This was the right decision. The winner doesn’t always have to come from the winning team. If you re-started the playoffs tomorrow and had a draft, McDavid would be the number one pick without a close second. Too often it is forced to a player on the winning team. Thurman Thomas was set to get the MVP of Super Bowl XXV. He wasn’t less valuable because Norwood sliced the kick. You know? I probably should think of a more recent example but I need a refill.
That’s my time. Angry Ward will be here tomorrow.
