Mark Spector

Mark Spector is a columnist for sportsnet.ca

Dustin Byfuglien was a force in front of the net in Game 3.

VANCOUVER - The good folks of Vancouver have always been mighty sensitive when it comes to the homeless. They'd take 'em home, if that didn't kind of, you know, ruin the whole premise.

We are doubtful, however, that they will save any of that grace for Dustin Byfuglien, that gi-normous vagabond of the Chicago Blackhawk who went from the fourth line, to defence, and back up to the No. 1 line in search of a home in this series.

On Wednesday night he was squatting in Roberto Luongo's crease, and by night's end had a hat trick - the first playoff hatty of his career - in a bruising, ill-tempered 5-2 Chicago win. The Blackhawks stole home-ice advantage back, and can take a stranglehold in Game 4 Friday night with a win.

"(Byfuglien) did an unbelievable job tonight. He was in the middle of everything," said Marian Hossa, another Blackhawk who awoke in Game 3. "After the first goal he got lots of confidence. He is dominating in the corners. I think it was frustrating their team."

Ya think?

Byfuglien (pronounced BUFF-lynn) banged in two rebounds, spent an eternity in Luongo's grill, and for his finale basically pushed the Canucks goalie into the back of his net with along with the puck. It was clearly a blown call by two referees who couldn't have had a tougher night's work, and as the fifth goal in a 5-2 game - scored with 6:02 to play - it wasn't game-deciding.

"It's a tough game to ref. There is a lot of energy, a lot of intensity in the game," said Alex Burrows, who scored in what was by far his best game of the post-season. He was elevated back up to the top line with the Sedins in period three.

It was, indeed, a game that had everything.

At one point, as the two clubs lined up for a face-off to open a Canucks power play, Daniel Sedin and Dave Bolland stood up and commenced to wrestling. It wasn't a fight or anything, but long-time observers say it was the most upset they have seen either of the twins since they arrived in Vancouver some 700 games ago.

"He just put his stick between my legs. We had words," Bolland recalled. "It's just part of the game. It's how it happens, right?"

What did Bolland say? "I probably can't say those words."

"I'm not going to comment on that," said Sedin when asked. "It's just one of those things. Once in a while, you've had enough. You've got to push back sometimes."

This series found another level in Game 3. More physicality, some emerging grudges, a few (ahem) different views on the standard of officiating, and now, a lead change in the goalie department.

Antti Niemi was fantastic, while Luongo was something less than that. Pucks stuck to the Chicago goaltender like he was wearing flypaper on his pads, while Luongo might have mistakenly donned his Indian rubber gear instead.

The first four Chicago goals - two by Byfuglien, and one each for Kris Versteeg and Hossa - came on rebounds. Some were more questionable than others, but in the end somebody - either Luongo or his defencemen - had better figure out these rebounds, or this series won't last long.

"When there's traffic, and there are shots, sometimes it's tough to control the rebounds," Luongo said. "(On the second goal) Duncan Keith has a clapper from the top of the circle, I don't know how you can control a rebound like that. It squirted out, I tried to cover it, and obviously there were some sticks there whacking at it. You've just got to fight. Sometimes, unfortunately, rebounds are impossible to control."

Crease crashing was, in the end, the difference in this game. The Canucks can complain all they want about it, but if they don't find a solution, again, they won't move on.

"What we're going to have to do is a better job … of protecting the front of our net," head coach Alain Vigneault said. "At the same time, we know what's being allowed and permitted in front of the nets and we have to do the same thing. Do that and we'll probably score more goals."

Vancouver was down 2-0 after a first period in which they outshot Chicago 16-12. Burrows scored at 19:06 of the second period to make the score 3-2 after 40 minutes.

But in the third period the Hawks were simply too much. They came too hard, and now, the cracks many thought they saw in a Vancouver defence corps that's long on finesse and short on physicality may be becoming a problem.

And here is something else Canucks fans don't want to hear, courtesy nifty defenceman Brian Campbell: "That was our best game of the playoffs so far. I think we are just starting to get our stride going here."

Yikes.