A sigh of relief

Carrie Underwood takes in the game (hubby Mike Fisher
plays for Nashville)

My team the Vancouver Canucks won their series with the Nashville Predators last night, meaning they will advance to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Watching the game I felt nervous and on edge. It was game 6, so even if they had lost they would have had another game to try to knock out the Preds, but I could not relax. I realized that I have felt anxious for the whole playoffs. I don’t think I’ve really enjoyed a single game. The Canucks haven’t exactly made it easy for me – they have played a lot of tight games and have allowed the other team to come back way too often. But I don’t remember ever feeling quite like this before. I almost dread the games, and watching them has often felt like a somber duty rather than a happy pleasure.

I thought maybe it was because of my new life as mum to a little baby. Sleep is in short supply these days and since I live in the Eastern Time zone, games can sometimes go on well past midnight. Quite frankly, I’d rather be catching some much needed zzzs than watching the Canucks get their asses handed to them by my least favourite team (the Blackhawks, in case you were wondering).

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman were
regular fixtures during the series

But then I realized that I’m not the only one feeling anxious these days. My brother was here to meet his new nephew recently and I observed the same dread and apprehension in him. (Sidebar---three cheers for my lovely sister-in-law who indulged me and my brother - matching jerseys, modified touchdown dances and all - while we watched hockey and kept her from sleeping.) So it’s not just me.

So what’s the deal? I think this attitude stems from us (and by us I mean the Canucks) being the favourite for the first time, well, ever. We (again, the Canucks) sat on top of the league this year. We had the best record and the best player. If the world made sense, the Canucks would not have had to work so hard to win the first two series.

The Canucks celebrate their win

Just like in real life, expectations breed pressure. I’ve enjoyed a magical, no expectations no pressure Canucks cup run once before in my life. Now it’s my turn to endure a nerve-wracking slog through the playoffs. I’m hoping that the Canucks will make all this pain worthwhile.