Game 6 Big Letdown

OK. Game 6. Canucks and Blackhawks - Conference Semi-Finals. Second year in a row. Down three games to two (again) - but we're at home and we couldn't possible lose three home games in a row.

And, here I'm given three tickets to the game by The Mayor. Not the real mayor of the city, but, in my books, The Mayor deserves the key to any city that I'm involved with. He was going to be out of town and (for some reason completely unknown to me) he offered me the chance to go to one of the biggest games of the year.

Now, I realize that I'm not going to be able to drink another bottle of Orofino during the game. Funny, but GM Place seems to frown on BYO bottles. Do I pass up on the chance for another one of John Weber's fine wines? Silly question. That's what pre- and post-game libations at home are for. So, I'm game.

When watching games at home, I generally get goosebumps when Mark Donnelly lets the crowd take over the singing of "O Canada." Being a part of it at a playoff game is even better.

I won't go on for long about the game because there wasn't much positive to be said. The first period ended in a scoreless tie, but it was pretty much downhill from there. As grateful as I was for the tickets, it might just have been more enjoyable drinking and drowning my sorrows at home.

The game ended with the Canucks going down 5-1. This was one weird series. Each game saw a different team being dominant and winning, for the most part, a one-sided game. I can only imagine the excitement that might have been had both teams shown up to the same game on a consistent basis.

What was really irksome and only dug the knife in a little deeper (and twisted it for good measure) was the fact that it was one year to the day that the Blackhawks knocked the Canucks out of the playoff last year as well. Looks like we have a bit of a rivalry building here. So much for the Calgary Flames being the most hated team in Vancouver.

448. 2006 Orofino Red Bridge Red (Similkameen Valley)

Good thing tonight's wine didn't let us down like the team did. We took a quick sip before heading off to the game and then we soothed our furrowed brows upon getting home. A 100% Merlot wine, this is the type of Merlot that confirms that great Merlot wines can be grown and made in BC. Maybe the Canucks should have had a glass or two before the game because Orofino certainly delivered. In fact, this vintage won a gold medal at the 2008 All Canadian Wine Championships.

Long-suffering or not, we Canuck fans are going to have to wait another year for our gold medal, the Stanley Cup. In the mean time, pass me another bottle of the Orofino please.