Raccoon scores in OT, Kings tie series

Let's get real, here. Anze looks like a raccoon. Not a little bit, but a lot. While this has inspired nicknames over at BoC and Jewels from the Crown, nicknames like "Raccoon Jesus," but I don't imagine Jesus was a particularly proficient hockey player, so maybe the name is a bit of a misnomer.

Kira was sleeping while I was watching the game last night, so I found myself having to silently cheer. Not for the first period, mind you, as she was awake, and the Kings weren't. But she was out before the second, and I don't think I've ever come closer to punching a hole through my ceiling when I jumped out of my chair, silently, with my hands raised, when Simmonds converted the 3-on-1 to tie the game.

Roberto Luongo, who earned some playoff mystique with an unbelievable (but extremely lucky) save in overtime in game 1, countered his good fortune with a bad bounce in game 2. After Rob Scuderi forced a too-many-men penalty on the Canucks in overtime by astutely playing the puck towards their bench, Kopitar was able to shoot, get his own rebound, and shoot again. The puck hit Luongo, got beside him, and then got knocked in by the oversized knob on his stick. I play with a relatively small tape ball on the end, but Luongo seems to prefer the larger variety, and that likely cost him the game last night. Well, that, and having 7 men on the ice in an overtime period during the second game of a playoff series.

If the NHL wanted parity after the '04-'05 lockout, that's what they've found. Every playoff series with two games played was tied at 1-1. Of the teams that found themselves ahead 1-0 in the series, all built a lead of at least 1-0 in the second game, and all subsequently lost the game. The Bruins, Kings, and Capitals were all down 2-0 in the first period before winning game 2 to tie their respective series'.

I love playoff hockey.