A clip from "Rocky Balboa" played on the jumbotron during the second period of Game 3.
Cardinal rule of jumbotron management: Never motivate with a Rocky movie made after 1985.
For tonight's Game 4, the CanesVision crew should consider the more appropriate "Rocky IV," aka the movie that single-handedly toppled the Soviet Union (perhaps it will have the same effect on Evgeni Malkin).
Specifically, the best four minutes of cinema in the entire Rocky catalogue. Of course, that would be the "No Easy Way Out" montage.
Win or lose, the Canes have never done anything easy. They even took two moves to relocate the franchise.
"Things just don't come easy in this sport," Canes forward Chad LaRose said. "We know it's not going to be easy this way either."
Cue Roger Tepper, and thrown in Adrian's lack of faith — "You can't win!" — to set the mood. Here's a brief history of the Canes' not so easy way out:
2001 First round vs. New Jersey
Down 3-0 and minus captain Ron Francis and rookie hotshot Shane Willis, the Canes beat the Devils 3-2 in overtime in Raleigh in Game 4.
Game 5 goes the same way in New Jersey, another 3-2 Canes win.
Back in Raleigh, the Devils end the dream with a 5-1 rout at the ESA, but not before a 5-minute standing ovation from the appreciative crowd (still one of the cooler things any fan base has ever done).
2006 Second round vs. New Jersey
Up 3-0, the Canes waste a chance to eliminate the Devils, losing 5-1 at the Meadowlands.
The next day, they pummeled the Devils 4-1 at the RBC Center to end the series.
2006 Stanley Cup Finals vs. Edmonton
Up 3-1 — with a power-play in overtime no less — the Canes give up a Halley's Comet of a short-handed goal to Fernando Pisani and have to shuttle back to Edmonton for Game 6.
After a 4-0 loss in Edmonton, it's another cross-continent trek from Edmonton to Raleigh for Game 7.
On the third shot, the Canes win the Cup 3-1 in Raleigh.
2009 Second round vs. Boston
Up 3-1, the Canes get shutout in Boston in Game 5 and then fall behind early in Game 6 in Raleigh, eventually losing 4-2.
In Boston for Game 7, with no other choice, the Canes win 3-2 in overtime.
Comments
basketball ??
Tue, 05/26/2009 - 14:32 — esteban1949They are still playing ? I thought College ball was done for the year ? Or are those reruns ? As far as I am concerned there hasn't been any professional basketball since Seattle quit & moved...heck there are only 3 real pro sports that mean anything these days ya know...
1.Hockey
2. Playoff Round Hockey
3. and at times NFL Football Super Bowl games.
other than that, any other sport, I'd rather be tied up and forced to watch Woman's professional bowling and synchronized swimming from the south pole...with my eyelids taped open with duck tape or super glue !
Go Canes !!
Geeze who the heck watches
Tue, 05/26/2009 - 13:48 — myze13325Geeze who the heck watches professional basketball
...an even cooler thing...
Tue, 05/26/2009 - 13:16 — GaryInBostonGreat article, but I have one comment to make. You say that the 5 minute standing ovation at the end of the Devils game in 2001 was "...still one of the cooler things any fan base has ever done", I would like to add that THE coolest thing ever was by the Boston Celtics fans during the 1982 playoffs when they were losing to the hated Philadelphia 76ers in game 7 and began to chant "Beat LA, Beat LA, Beat LA" to the Sixers.
Good luck against Malkin and Crosby tonight...the Canes will need it!