PR - Saints

Saints-Hurricanes Series a Dousy; head's back to Toon Town Tied at Two
[ackk, I had a nice PR and lost it because of Shaw :(. Oh well, this is the short re-written version which unfortunately lacks the intrical details and phenomenal penmanship of the last 'lost' one. Just imagine the lost PR to be everything you want out of a PR: It'll "make your wildest dreams come true." Oh, nvm, thats Pedro.]

Game one saw the Hurricanes start of the scoring. This would be the pattern for three of the next four games. The Saints rallied back and took game one 4-3 in Saskatoon. This is the first time in many playoff appearances that the Saints have taken Game 1!

Game two unphased by the dissapointing conclusion to Game 1, the Calgary Hurricanes came out flying and got the opening goal once again to silence the electric Purgatory Place in Saskatoon (aka the Barn). A late goal by the Hurricanes tied up the game and it headed into overtime. After Getzlaf ran Saint's goalie Cheverie, the Saints went on a powerplay. However, this meant little to Russian Superstar Svitov (and former Saskatoon Saint) who stole the puck at his own blue line, streaked down the ice and beat the still dazed Cheverie on a backhanded shot to the top corner. The Hurricane take Game 2.

Game three showed that as loud as it was in the Barn back home, the historic Hurricanes in Calgary would not be outdone. The Saints' Baranka, however, silenced the fans early in the 1st with a howitzer from the point assisted by Captain and Art Ross winner Higgins and Rocket Richard winner Bouchard. Fellow ruskie Svitov answered back along with Getzlaf midway through the period with two PP goals followed by one by King: it was 3-1 in Calgary and the fans flocked to the beer gardens at the Saddledome and cracked open the Big Rock. However, in a statement of sobriety (the likely sober) the Saints answered back with five straight goals to finish off the remaining 40 minutes. Sjostrom scored two and took Star #1 in Game 3.

Game four saw backup Boucher come in net for the Hurricanes. So much for being a backup; Boucher played the best goaltending game of either team in the series. The Hurricanes would win 3-1 but this was not a close contest despite the series thus far being a real war in the trenches. The series is now tied; it's a best of three headed back to Toon town.

Series Snyposis: Goaltending. This afternoon coach Joseph Ratzinger announced to the media that Saints' #1 goalie Tuuka Rask will start tonight and likely will play the rest of the series, win or lose. Rask: "I'm on the bench. I'm sitting the playoffs series of my lifetime, against our worst rivals, and I'm on the bench through no one's fault but my own. Coach Ratzy has given me the nod for tonight in Saskatoon. This will be my first playoff start and I expect to play the game of my life. I will not let my team down or the fans. Tonight we will take this series back!"
This series now features the 'backups who once were starters': Boucher vs Rask. Young: "Higgsy with pass, Bouchard and Lombardi will of course finish off with pretty goals. If this team is going to win, its not because more must be done by the Offense on Offense. We need defence and we need goaltending with confidence. We are putting our fate in Tuke's hands and I am more than confident in his ability. He may be young but that Finn, not before long, will be the #1 goalie in the league. Now it's time for him to start his prime and to deliver us a playoff series win!"

The series continues tonight in Saskatoon. It will be decided by the goaltenders and, hopefully, by the fans.

Francis de Sales
The Saskatoon Journal
July 8, 2007