@NHL will have 3 Game 7s in the next 48 hours. Only one series will be on back-to-back games. Of course, that is the @canucks.
— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) September 4, 2020
The Vancouver Canucks have forced a Game 7 thanks to Thatcher Demko rising to the occasion in the last 2 games. Colorado and Philadelphia have also crawled back from 3-1 deficits to force a Game 7. Only Vancouver doesn't have a day off in between Game 6 and Game 7.
Demko had 48 saves in Game 6 and 43 saves in Game 5.
Jake Virtanen scored the first goal in Game 6. J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes, and Bo Horvat added goals in the 3rd period. Horvat leads the playoffs with 10 goals.
For those who missed, @jkenney's Alberta Day message before tonight's game, followed by the national anthem performed by 14-year-old Kiya Bruno of the Samson Cree First Nation. #cdnpoli #ableg #AlbertaDay https://t.co/06ELCMIl2L pic.twitter.com/3wNkFKpgBp
— Matt Wolf (@MattWolfAB) September 2, 2020
We are told the NHL is about inclusion. When a 14-year-old Cree person sings O Canada, NBCSN certainly would make sure that gets on television. Uh, no. You could argue that the early game went to overtime. However, NBCSN has a policy not allowing coverage of the late game to start until the very last moment.
The NHL Network isn't to blame since the channel can only carry what NBCSN has on the air. NBCSN has a streaming option but hasn't allowed any pregame elements on the late game unless that game airs on NBCSN.
Since the Internet is smarter than NBC on hockey coverage, we have the video (above) of the Alberta Day message from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. We don't usually agree with Kenney on most things, but you should visit Alberta when you can. The beauty is stunning. The video of 14-year-old Kiya Bruno singing O Canada is wonderful. Too bad NBCSN doesn't have a clue on getting elements such as this on U.S. television.
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Jacob Markstrom had started every single game in goal in the Vancouver postseason until Game 5. Thatcher Demko saw 8:26 of playoff action in Game 1 of this series. You might feel bad if you forgot the name Thatcher Demko.
We noted in the last notebook that the Canucks series was the only series that had 2 back-to-back games after the rescheduling following the time taken off after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI. A lot of playoff teams have a balance among goaltenders, such as Las Vegas. Other teams ride their starters, such as Toronto and Montréal.
The Habs acquired Jake Allen this week to have a solid backup goalie. Michael Hutchinson — the Toronto backup goalie for most of 2019-2020 — have excelled for Colorado in its second round series with Dallas.
Calgary and Edmonton had an ideal goalie setup. The Flames ran with Cam Talbot over David Rittich. The Oilers started Mike Smith in Game 1 against Chicago and quickly went back to Mikko Koskinen.
The NHL on NBC has introduced Hockey Culture, a series of interviews hosted by Anson Carter. We were thrilled with the interview with Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi commentator Harnarayan Singh. Singh has expanded beyond the HNIC commentary in Punjabi to being a ice-level reporter in English for HNIC. Singh's voice has been heard on the interviews that NBCSN runs in the intermissions.
Canadian players Ryan Reaves and Edmonton's Darnell Nurse are also part of the series. As for Carter, the NHL on NBC would be wise to have Carter as an analyst on games in the 2020-2021 season. Carter has proven his talents in the studio and on this interview series. We aren't saying that because Carter is Canadian (he is) or Black (he is); the network needs better analysts. Mike Milbury should retire but if NBC keeps him, he'll be in the studio only. The network needs better analysts (not Brian Boucher) so yes, use Carter to his full potential.
We noted earlier about watching Carolina at BMO Field in Toronto. The home of the Toronto Argonauts has had some Toronto FC home games recently. Kenny Albert took advantage of access to Commonwealth Stadium, home of the Edmonton CFL team. This article delves into his experience in the bubble in Edmonton.
Curious about the food trucks where Albert and others have eaten. There might be some Canadian edge to the food in the food trucks and restaurants, even a lamb burger.
NBC has been highly reluctant to get its announcers to Edmonton. Albert makes a single trip each year to Edmonton as the New York Rangers radio voice. Hopefully, the network will be more eager to show more NHL games on Canadian soil and have those announcers make the trip.
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We noted in the last notebook that Vancouver was potentially forced to play a pair of back-to-back games after the postponement of games followed by the tragic shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI. I didn't realise the reasoning but eventually figured out the issue. A day off in between Game 6 and Game 7 would have put the game on Saturday, the day of the Kentucky Derby. NBC only has 5 hours of coverage of the horse race that normally runs on the first Saturday in May.
Game 7 could have aired in the late slot on NBC on a holiday weekend but somehow that wasn't considered.
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Liam McHugh seemed really proud of not knowing much about Thatcher Demko. There is a significant reason why NBCSN doesn't know the Vancouver Canucks. The league likely made NBCSN carry the Canucks home opener on October 9.
To its credit, NBCSN used Los Angeles Kings (the opponent) play by play guy Alex Faust with Vancouver area resident Ray Ferraro. The telecast halted a years-long ban on not showing Vancouver on the U.S. channel. That was the Canucks only regular season appearance on U.S. television.
By our accounts, that was the first regular season Vancouver Canucks game on NBCSN since April 3, 2012 against Anaheim. That was the last of 3 games in a 10-day stretch.
Yes, NBCSN did carry the 2014 Heritage Classic but the NHL required that game to be on U.S. television.
The NHL Network usually walks into the room and points out how many more telecasts the channel carried vs. NBCSN. Not in 2019-2020. The U.S. channel only showed Vancouver once as the opponent on Hockey Night in Canada at Toronto on February 29.
ESPN+ showed 20 Vancouver Canucks regular season games, 12 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver with 8 road games. Mic drop.
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Not saying the NHL isn't hip but I actually remember these goal songs. The Toronto Maple Leafs drive even their own fans crazy with Hall and Oates You Make My Dreams (1980). You can root for the Maple Leafs to score but you want the mute button after they score.
The St. Louis Blues used Gloria (1982) from Laura Branigan. As bad as that Hall and Oates song is, this song is worse. Hated it then; still hate the song.
The Vancouver Canucks have I'm Still Standing (1983) from Elton John after they win. Baby Boomers, who love Elton John's 1970 songs, might sneer at this song. They would be mistaken. Such a fun and inspirational song.
Twitter capture: @canadian_xing; @MattWolfAB
video credit: NHL on NBC
photo credit: NHL.com
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