FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 | WWW.PGCITIZEN.CA Sports 11 Into the Sharks’ tank Not losing their cool part of Canucks’ plan against Sharks in Game 3 of series Jim MORRIS The Canadian Press boarded an airplane to San Jose. started yapping at the officials and erwise there will be some serious games. They were swept in four “We have been on that side of the taken bad penalties. consequences to that. ” games by Chicago last year. ANCOUVER — story before and it hasn’t worked “We learned our lessons the hard He also took exception to Eager Ryane Clowe has heard critics Watching the San out that well for us. You learn from way,” said defenceman Kevin Biek- calling Bieksa “a phoney” for fight- say San Jose is a team that can’t get Jose Sharks melt the past. We want to keep our eyes sa. “At the time it really cost us. ing San Jose’s Patrick Marleau. it done in the playoffs. down in Game 2 of on the prize. If that includes taking “We talked about it a lot before “Last year we had (Dary) Hordi- “We’ve got to do something to the NHL Western a punch in the face, why not?” the playoffs. We have been very chuk ask him I don’t know how prove them wrong, or shut them Conference final Vancouver takes a 2-0 lead into good all season being disciplined many times to fight and he always up a little bit,” said Clowe. broughtV back some old memories Game 3 tonight at the HP Pavilion. and even-keeled, staying away turned him down,” said Vigneault. “It’s in our hands.” for the . Game 4 in the best-of-seven series from stuff after the whistle.” “I think (Rick) Rypien is 40 or The series has the potential to get Been there. Done that. Don’t is Sunday afternoon. The Canucks were undisciplined 45 pounds lighter than him and mean, especially if Vancouver takes want to do it again. The Canucks have dominated and lost their composure the last two offered him, I don’t know on how a big lead in either game in San Jose. The Canucks refused to be drawn the Sharks for most of the first years in playoff losses to Chicago. many occasions, to fight and he “We’re not looking to be nasty,” into retaliation penalties and didn’t two games. Vancouver has played Sedin, the NHL’s scoring leader turned him down. It is what it is.” said Bieksa. “We go out, we play let the Sharks’ rough-house tactics physical, didn’t get rattled when and an MVP finalist, said this year’s The Canucks will play the rest of hard. If the other team wants to re- distract them in a 7-3 victory. The the Sharks scored first, and took team has more talent, which raises the series without forward Mikael taliate or take runs at us, we take Canucks scored four third-period advantage of San Jose mistakes. the confidence level. Samuelsson, who underwent suc- advantage of it on the power play. goals, two of them on power plays. said it hasn’t been “You get frustrated when you cessful surgery Thursday to repair his “We are focused on Game 3. It “You learn from your experi- as easy as it looks. And it won’t get feel their team is better than your adductor tendon and sports hernia. is by far the biggest game of the ences,” goaltender Roberto Luon- any easier at the Shark Tank. team,” said Sedin, who had a cut “There were no other options,” series.” go said Thursday as the Canucks “Going to San Jose, it’s a tough under his nose as a reminder of the said Vigneault. “He hurt himself place to play,” said Torres, his face Eager hit. “This year we have a bet- real bad. We had to go in there showing the cuts and bruises of ter team. That’s the bottom line.” and get it fixed.” a long playoff run. “It’s a loud Bieksa said there are nights when Samuelsson, the only Ca- building. the Canucks new resolve is put to nuck with a ring, “I’m sure the last thing they the test. suffered the injury in a May 7 are going to do is let us come “It’s still a work in process,” he game against Nashville. The in there and do what we do. said. “I don’t think we have per- former Detroit Red Wing They will be ready to go.” fected it yet. had a and two assists in CBC’s broadcast of Game 2 “It’s nice we’re not the team doing 11 playoff games. of the series drew an of audi- that. I just shows you can take advan- The Canucks have also ence of 3.01 million. tage of that. When they start acting been without third-line It wasn’t too long ago the like that we are going to capitalize.” centre Canucks’ composure and While most of the Canuck play- who suffered a serious eye mental toughness was as frag- ers seemed to have put the pre- injury in March. ile as fine china. vious game behind them, coach San Jose coach Todd McLel- A cheap , like when was still steamed lan said his team must do a bet- San Jose’s Ben Ea- over Eager’s hit on Sedin. That re- ter job of keeping its composure ger drove Dan- sulted in a minor . in Game 3. iel Sedin head- “Obviously he’s on the ice to try “We made far too many trips to first into the and hurt people,” said Vigneault. the penalty box,” said McLellan. boards Wednes- “He ran Danny from the back, one “That’s often a result of frus- day night, of the NHL’s potential MVPs. Their tration. It catches up might have coach goes out and says that’s the with you.” blown Vancou- way we want them to play. The Sharks ver’s cool. They “I just hope nothing serious is are now 0-6 in would have going to happen on the ice. Oth- conference final LUONGO NIEMI Bruins beat Lightning to take 2-1 series lead

The Associated Press from at 8:12 of the third as and opened the scoring on a back- for 18 goals in the first two games. ie stopped 15 shots in the third. the puck trickled between the legs hander just 1:09 into the first. Bos- Tampa Bay centre Steven Stam- TAMPA, Fla. – Tim Thomas made of Lightning goalie Dwayne ton is 7-0 during the post- kos said before the game that the 31 saves for his first playoff shut- Roloson and into the net. season when scoring the Lightning wanted to avoid “run and Game Notes out this season and second overall, Game 4 is Saturday first goal of the game. gun hockey.” Boston centre Brad • NHL Commissioner Gary Bett- Andrew Ference and David Krejci in Tampa. Krejci was briefly Marchand added that both teams man attended the game. scored and the beat shaken up late in the hoped to “buckle down” on defence. • Tampa Bay D Pavel Kubina the 2-0 in returned to Boston’s first when he was Stamkos had three shot as the didn’t play and hasn’t resumed Game 3 of the Eastern Conference lineup after missing hit in the neutral Lightning outshot Boston 10-8 dur- practicing. Kubina has been out finals Thursday night. two games because zone by Tampa Bay ing the first period. Bruins since the first game of the confer- Thomas, the favourite to win the of a concussion sus- defenceman Marc- Zdeno Chara made a nice defen- ence semifinals against Washing- Vezina Trophy as the top regular- tained when he was Andre Bergeron, who sive play during the period to break ton when his head went into the season goalie, gave up nine goals hit by Philadelphia’s received a minor pen- up a Tampa Bay 2-on-1. glass on a hit. in the first two games of the series Claude Giroux in the final alty for elbowing. Thomas made a strong save in • Bruins LW played that the Bruins lead 2-1. game of the second round. Both teams were looking to the first on Martin St. Louis’ shot with a sore right foot and had an Ference made it 2-0 with a shot Krejci was alone in the low slot play tighter defence after combining from the low right circle. The goal- assist. NHL, True North play down reported sale of Atlanta Th rashers to Winnipeg group ‘It’s been a long road’ The Canadian Press Hockey League and the MTS Centre arena, which would become the NHL team’s new home. WINNIPEG – The NHL and True North Sports and The Globe report says the NHL board of gover- Haslem’s comeback sparks Heat, Entertainment are disputing a report that a deal to nors has already approved the sale and transfer of bring the to Winnipeg is done. the team, pending negotiation of a purchase agree- now knotted with Bulls Citing sources, The Globe and Mail reported ment between Atlanta Spirit LLC, the Thrashers’ Thursday evening that the announcement confirm- owners, and True North. Tim REYNOLDS when Miami hosts Game 3 of the East ing the sale will be made Tuesday in Winnipeg. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is also not The Associated Press finals, what will be the Miami native’s “It’s not true,” True North spokesman Scott Brown confirming the report, saying “as far as we know, first home game since getting injured. said when asked about the report that a deal was done. there is nothing done.” MIAMI — The season began The crowd roar when he checks in True North Sports and Entertainment owns and “Certainly, the board has not approved anything,” with Udonis Haslem inspiring the may make the building shake. operates the Manitoba Moose of the American he said in an email to The Canadian Press. Miami Heat with his words. He “That’s what we’ve been waiting gave a passionate speech in the on since November,” James said locker-room nearly seven months Wednesday, discussing Haslem’s im- ago, talking about how pact. “I’m happy for him. desperately he wanted Just putting in the time Thunder, Mavs – all tied up to win a championship and the effort, just get- to honour his recently ting back, getting back Jaime ARON The Thunder’s unusual set of fin- its seven-game winning streak end deceased mother. to game shape, feeling The Associated Press ishers outscored the Mavs’ by five. and dropped to 6-1 at home in the Now, Haslem’s in- healthy, feeling confi- They broke the game open playoffs. spiring the Heat with dent. He helped change DALLAS — Kevin Durant with a 14-5 stretch capped “We made it a little tougher for his play. the game for us.” scored 24 points and James by a tough jumper by him,” Durant said, referring to Or, perhaps more In Miami on Thurs- Harden added 23, leading the Harden near the foul Nowitzki’s 48 points in Game 1. accurately, simply by day, Heat executive Oklahoma City Thunder to a line; it put Oklahoma Nowitzki made 10-of-17 shots in playing. and former all-star 106-100 victory over the Dal- City up by 10 with 3:15 Game 2, but had to earn every one, He scored 11 of his Alonzo Mourning las Mavericks on Thursday left. Dallas got as close with bodies flying at him before and 13 points in the second shook his head and night, knotting the Western as four points the rest during every possession. He was half, and had a pair of HASLEM marvelled at what saw Conference finals at one of the way. swarmed so tightly that he didn’t dunks – the first was his first basket from Haslem in Chicago. game each. “They’ve been even score in the third quarter, tak- since Nov. 20 – to begin and end a “U-D is a proven veteran and Durant was as playing hard all ing just two shots in nearly nine min- critical 10-0 run. That was the final champion. ... It was just a matter of tough to guard as year for us and utes. The Thunder also got physi- margin Wednesday in Miami’s 85- him being healthy again,” Mourn- ever, but the real this was another cal without drawing many fouls. 75 win over Chicago Bulls that tied ing said. “Now you see that he’s difference was example,” Du- The big German took only 10 free the Eastern Conference finals at a healthy. He’s not really thinking Harden and the rant said of throws, down from 24 in the opener. game apiece. about his body anymore. He’s out bench coming his He even missed one, and it was a “Huge. Huge,” Heat guard Dwy- there reacting, using his talents. up big, espe- biggie – part of a series of three shots ane Wade said. “He was the player And he had a pretty good impact on cially down with 36.7 seconds left. It could have of the game. No question about it.” the outcome of the game last night.” the stretch. pulled the Mavericks within three. Wade said those words on a night Haslem ruptured the Lisfranc liga- The beard- Tyson Chandler had 15 points where LeBron James fought off a ment in his left foot on Nov. 20 while ed, left-hand- and 13 rebounds, and Jason Kidd cold for game-highs of 29 points guarding Zach Randolph in a game at ed guard had team’s reserves. added 14 points and seven assists and 10 rebounds, plus scored nine Memphis. He was carried off the court a four-point Oklahoma City contin- for Dallas. However, the Maver- points in a late 11-2 spurt that and the fear was that his season was play in the final ued its streak of avoiding icks’ bench wasn’t up to its usual sealed the win. over, since the injury he had can take seconds of the consecutive losses this scoring punch. J.J. Barea scored 11 James had the dazzling num- up to a year to fully heal in some cases. third quarter post-season. The series points, and Jason Terry and Peja bers and spectacular finish, but the He wanted to come back in four that put Okla- shifts to the Thunder’s Stojakovic both had eight. clear spark came from one of the months, and actually returned for homa City up home court – about 200 Maynor scored 13 points, Cook two Miami players left from the short stints in two previous post- by one. Then miles up Interstate 35 – had eight and Collison six. Russell 2006 championship season. season games, looking very rusty. he and fel- for Game 3 on Saturday Westbrook bounced back from a “It’s kind of hard to be patient when On Wednesday, that was any- low reserves night. tough opener to score 18 points, you work so hard to get back,” Has- thing but the case. Eric Maynor, Dirk Nowitzki didn’t but he watched the fourth quarter lem said. “But I understand, we’ve “We really shouldn’t care who’s out Nick Collison dominate nearly as much from the bench. had a formula that’s been working there,” Bulls guard Derrick Rose said. and Daequan Cook as he did in the opener, “I was surprised but Eric was for us. My teammates have done a “We still have to play the same way. teamed with Durant scoring 29 points. He playing a great floor game and was tremendous job of getting us to this But he came (up) huge for them, to outplay Dallas’ had 16 in the fourth getting everyone involved,” Du- point. So I just had to be patient.” shooting the ball well, rebounding crew of closers in quarter, but it wasn’t rant said of Westbrook not playing Not any more, he doesn’t. the ball well. There was too many the final period. NOWITZKI enough as Dallas saw down the stretch. He’ll be in the rotation Sunday hustle plays that we didn’t get.”