With the Vancouver Canucks on the verge of Cup glory, we go inside the players' heads.
As we wait for the puck to drop to start Game 6, it must be amazing for the players on the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins to be so close to making their dream of winning the Stanley Cup come true.
We can review what has taken place thus far in the final, the Canucks winning the first two games of the series by one-goal margins at home and then getting blown out in Boston before rebounding with a 1-0 win to pull within a victory of winning it all.
And we can try to forecast what will happen in the next game based on what we have seen: Can home ice be the deciding factor for the Bruins once again, or will the Canucks demonstrate the ability to win one on the road?
Sportsnet's Louis Jean is reporting Monday that injured Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton visited his teammates briefly this morning and plans to attend Game 6 tonight. There is still no chance Horton will return for Game 7 should the Stanley Cup Final go the distance.
What we think really doesn’t matter, though, does it? It’s what is going through the minds of the players who will decide this thing that really counts. So what exactly are the players thinking today?
One can only imagine…
Henrik Sedin: "I stood up to Mike Milbury in the media with some colourful quotes of my own, but damn it would be nice to get a freakin’ point in this series."
Daniel Sedin: "I won the scoring race; I’ll probably win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP, but losing this series would make the season an absolute failure. No question about it."
Tim Thomas: "Screw the Conn Smythe Trophy…I want Stanley."
Roberto Luongo: "Sure, I was in net for that gold medal, but this is the game that will really give me credibility. I come across as a confident guy, win or lose, but I really, really, really need to win this year or life in Vancouver is going to be damn miserable. I can win it. I really can…I think."
Zdeno Chara: "Wade Redden over me? What the hell were the Ottawa Senators thinking? Hahahaha."
Max Lapierre: "Are my skates on the right feet?"
Shawn Thornton: "Wonder whatever became of Cameron Mann?"
David Krejci: "Hey, maybe I really am a go-to guy. I could get used to all this attention!"
Kevin Bieksa: "I’m a tough guy…no, I’m a leader…no, I’m a goal-scorer. The heck with that, I’m an impending free agent and I’m all of the above. And tonight I’m going to prove it."
Milan Lucic: "I’m going to do everything in my power to win the Cup in my hometown of Vancouver."
Ryan Kesler: "I’m a two-way player; not just a checker. Gotta score goals, too. Gotta leave it all on the ice tonight."
Rich Peverly: "Stanley Cup final vs. winter in Winnipeg…Hahahaha."
Alex Burrows: "I don’t care what you think about my diving; if this game gets to overtime, it’s all mine. Go ahead, try me."
Mark Recchi: "Too old my #@%$. Put the puck on my stick with the game on the line and I’ll show you old."
Raffi Torres: "Big pay cut and a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Not a bad trade-off."
Andrew Ference: "Finger up…finger down…finger up…finger down."
Chris Higgins: "Damn, this sure beats the heck out of playing in Florida."
Christian Ehrhoff: "Minus-4 in the final; that’s not good, right?"
Patrice Bergeron: "Nobody’s pointing the finger at me yet, but geez, I’ve got to start producing if we’re going to win this thing."
Cory Schneider: "I’m ready if you need me, but if it’s all the same to you, let’s wrap this thing up tonight."
Tuukka Rask: "It’s my turn to be No. 1 next year, right?"
Manny Malhotra: "Not exactly how I saw myself competing in the Stanley Cup final, but it sure beats the alternative."
Gregory Campbell: "Hit…block shot…kill penalty…hit…block shot…kill penalty…hit…block shot…kill penalty."
Mason Raymond: "How did Pavel Bure manage to make his hands keep up with his feet?"
Tyler Seguin: "I know I can score at this level. I really can. I think I can. Can I?"
Christopher Tanev: ‘Huh, I’m going to win the Stanley Cup and set myself up for a job on the Canucks blueline next season all at the same time. Awesome!"
Sami Salo: "Why is everybody saying I’m done if we win this thing? I’ve still got some gas left in the tank…Damn my body aches."
