Remember back in the late 80’s when Billy Crystal was still kind of funny? He made a movie with Gregory Hines called "Running Scared." Basically it was a tale of two veteran Chicago Detectives nearing the end of their careers and all they knew was how to be veteran Chicago Detectives. Well, the Captain decides they are "holding on too tight" (classic cop movie cliche by the way) and demands the boys take a vacation. GASP! After they get a taste of the good life for a week or so in Florida, they return to Chicago with a new outlook on how to be Veteran Chicago Detectives. The motto for the rest of the film is, "Be careful, but not too careful." There is even a scene where they call for backup, and the whole Chicago Police Department shows up because they had never called for backup before. It was assumed it was a very big deal. Hilarity ensues. Finally the movie culminates with the boys getting the drug dealer, the drugs, and Billy Crystal wins back his ex wife, all while not being careful. Fade to black, end credits. I think in a lot of ways the Whalers are having a Running Scared moment right now, and if they aren’t careful, they are going to lose the whole series.
Hartford’s game is fast and chaotic. They need to play with more reckless abandon while 5 on 5 if they want to survive this series. If it wasn’t for the steady power play action the other night, that game doesn’t even get to overtime. Alberta is a team with nothing to lose right now. The momentum is all on their side. They are down 3-2 in the series, and can play the style they have been playing. Take it to the Whale, and get right in their face. What do the have to lose? They are going back home. If they win, they live to fight another day. If they lose, they put up a great effort in front of the home crowd, and get saluted for a season no one expected. In theory. If they lay an egg, this is all out the window.
I personally hope it goes 7 games for two reasons. I love 7th games. Who doesn’t? I love the all the marbles mentality, and it’s usually the best game of the series. The second reason is I will be back in Newport this weekend for a bachelor party on Saturday night. I am pretty sure we will have other things to watch. My mother reads this blog, so I need not elaboarte. I think you guys get the idea. If it goes 7, I will be able to take it in at Goonblog HQ, while deflecting the same questions from MOL since the start of the series. "Who do you want to win?" "Isn’t this over yet?" "When is the LAST POSSIBLE GAME?" That’s really the one I get the most. Not a big fan that MOL. So Hartford, in Alberta, be careful, but not too careful. Alberta will be coming out like two Veteran Chicago Detectives that realize all they want to be is Veteran Chicago Detectives on Saturday. Don’t get caught Running Scared.
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