Tonight's Game

LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT THING…
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT IN DENVER…
THE SUN WILL RISE TOMORROW MORNING…AND THE CANUCKS NHL SEASON WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY AGAINST NASHVILLE…
THIS IS NOT A MUST WIN SITUATION…
BUT IT IS A STATEMENT GAME…
ON SUNDAY IN CHICAGO THE CANUCKS SIMPLY DID NOT SHOW UP…
IN THE PAST FANS IN THIS CITY HAVE QUESTIONED THE TALENT ON THIS TEAM…
BUT RARELY HAVE THOSE FANS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE CANUCKS HAVE ENOUGH HEART…
YESTERDAY IN A TEAM 1040 POLL…HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WERE ASKED IF THEY THOUGHT THE CANUCKS NEEDED A HEART TRANSPLANT…
85 PERCENT OF YOU SAID…”YES”
THE ISSUE WAS PRESENTED TO HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…WHO INSISTS THIS TEAM DOES INDEED HAVE HEART…
QUOTE…”ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT THIS GROUP IS THAT THEY DO CARE”…
THE HEADLINE IN THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE TODAY SUMMED IT UP BEST…
“COACH SAYS PLAYERS CARE…SO PROVE IT”…
THAT’S WHAT TONIGHT’S GAME IS ALL ABOUT…
PROVING NOT ONLY TO THE FANS BUT ALSO TO THEMSELVES THAT THEY ARE A PLAYOFF TEAM…
WHAT ADDS TO THE DRAMA IS THE RETURN OF PETER FORSBERG…
THE AVALANCHE WILL BE PLAYING IN FRONT OF SOLD OUT ARENA…
THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE ELECTRIC…
WHICH MEANS THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF THE GAME WILL BE CRITICAL…
IT’S NOT THAT THE CANUCKS HAVE LOST 3 STRAIGHT…IT’S THE WAY THEY LOST THOSE GAMES…
MENTAL MISTAKES…AN INABILITY TO EXECUTE…AND AN UNWILLINGNESS TO PAY THE PRICE…
LIKE THE MAN SAID…”ADVERSITY DOES NOT BUILD CHARACTER…BUT IT CERTAINLY DOES REVEAL IT”…
WIN OR LOSE TONIGHT…
BY THE TIME THE SUN RISES TOMORROW…WE WILL KNOW ONE THING THAT WE DO NOT KNOW NOW…
WHAT THIS TEAM IS REALLY MADE OF…