The theme in Game 3 was muscle.
The Blackhawks brought it in the form of 257-pound Dustin Byfuglien, who was allowed to use his strength in front of Roberto Luongo's net. He was also allowed to pitchfork Luongo into the net, which raises another theme we'll deal with in a moment.
There is no question that Byfuglien's strength in the slot is a problem for Vancouver, but the Canucks don't help themselves when their goaltender spits out rebounds, and when Kevin Bieksa can't clear pucks from the crease.
And so, the Blackhawks lead the series 2-1, and have taken home-ice advantage back. Some other impressions on Game 3...
Discipline
What discipline? Just one day earlier, the Canucks were talking about how they don't get rattled, how they don't complain to officials, and that they can handle adversity. All of that was lost when Daniel Sedin started tussling and jawing with Dave Bolland, when Alex Burrows took a needless unsportsmanlike penalty, and when Luongo started talking to the officials, looking for a life preserver.
Joel Quenneville
Out-coached Alain Vigneault. His two major changes for Game 3 -- moving Byfuglien to the top line and sitting a struggling Troy Brouwer -- were overdue. But he recognized how the series would be called in the crease area, and his team adapted to the officiating. Vigneault now says the Canucks will do the same thing. It took the Canucks boss three games to realize that.
Rebounds
One of the defining themes of the series. When Hawks goalie Antti Niemi is controlling his, as he did in Game, the red shirts win. When Luongo does a better job of it, the blue shirts win.
Kyle Wellwood
If anyone symbolized Vancouver's lack of muscle in Game 3, it was the diminutive centre. He was tossed to the ice three or four times, made to look like a ragdoll by Chicago's bigger bodies.
Luongo
"Can you back up a little bit, please?" He wasn't talking to Byfuglien, rather to a reporter in his post-game scrum. Seems everyone is too close to the Canucks captain these days.