Introducing Your New-found Road Warriors: The Vancouver Canucks
by Sean Zandberg on Dec 4, 2009 1:18 AM PST
in Game Review
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Wow. That is nearly all I can say about this Canucks team. They defied the odds against a well-rested Flyers squad tonight and soundly beat them 3-0 in their own harsh building, leaving Philly with a chorus of boo's as they left the ice. I thought the Canucks looked somewhat sluggish after the first period, but they seemed to gain momentum as the game went on. That was not exactly indicative of a team who was playing the 2nd game in as many nights on the road. Vancouver killed more penalties than the Flyers did, and in the end scored NO powerplay goals but bettered the Flyers 5 on 5 to take this one.
The Flyers are a struggling team that isn't getting any breaks. Hell, how many times did they hit the post or not convert on one-timers in this game? Too many to count. In the end, the Canucks got the game-winning goal from an unlikely source: Willie Mitchell. "Kind of get scared when he wanders off near the other team's net," Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo said with a laugh. "You never know what could happen."
No shit. Luongo was solid in net but the Canucks limited the quality scoring chances against. Where they faltered, Lou was there to stone a helpless Flyers team.
Final shots: Flyers 38 Canucks 29.
Jannik Hansen was promoted to the second line, while Mikael Samuelsson was demoted to the 3rd line to start the game but did not produce. That is unfortunate.
In consecutive nights, the Canucks made the highly touted (or, currently hot goalie) look human. Brian Boucher allowed 3 goals for the first time since October 25th.
The Canucks' top line of Burrows and the Twins combined for 1 goal and 3 assists. So, it really is good having Dank back in the lineup. Burrows is lighting it up since his return no doubt.
Don't look now! The Canucks have won 5 of their last 7 games, including 3 straight wins on the road. I believe they are now 6-8 over all on the road. It just keeps getting better and better. Look at the Western Conference standings. Woo!
My 3 Stars:
2. Henrik Sedin
3. Kevin Bieksa
OK, Canucks fans...are you stoked yet? I have a few questions for you:
- would you leave the current forward lines intact as they are? Does Hansen get another chance on line 2?
- how do you rate Shane O'Brien's play over the last 2 games? Has he earned another game in a Canucks uni over Mathieu Schneider?
- Raycroft is probably going to play against the Canes on Saturday. How much faith do you have in him and the teams' ability to play in front of him?
My answers:
- YES I AM STOKED. I would leave the current forward lines as is. Shane OB has looked just fine to me. I would leave him in the lineup and old man Schneider can sit. He has earned it. No minor penalties for him?? Nice!
- I have already said that if the Canucks beat the Flyers that they would lose to Carolina on Saturday. I will stand by that. Faith-less aren't I?
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A huge shout-out to our D the last two games.
Against NJ Salo and Edler scored with Bieksa setting up Hansen on a 2 on 1. Against Philly we get goals from Mitchell and Ehrhoff. To top that off there were also fights from Bieksa and Mitchell. (You have to love Bieksa’s superman punch on Richards)
If the Canucks are going to be successful this season we will need our D to be strong. They really helped Lu out tonight and have been producing offensively.
As far as that Carolina game goes I’m glad Raycroft is in net as we all remember the early Pittsburgh game last season that saw Luongo get injured. And even with our back-up in net this is a must-win as the Canes have only 5 wins this year. Lets kick them while they’re down.
I have to say, I’ve been wincing a lot lately when Schneider is on ice and the play is in our zone. Shane Obi-wan is also scary in the D-zone. Put me in the category that wishes we had Lukowich, ’cause we already have plenty of offensive D-men.
As for forward lines, I only caught a bit of the Flyers game so I haven’t seen the new look 2nd line. But if Hansen can replicate anything like what Grabner was doing then I’m all for experimenting with a new SPEED line. Sammy should continue to get PP time though.
That’s my armchair opinion :)
Awesome
Flyers lose. Again. And Lu gets the shutout too
Space Weed Says Telling it like it is without a care about the mainstream's feelings
"DO NOT get stuck behind Kyle Wellwood in the buffet line. This isn't really etiquette, but it will prevent you from starving to death"- Down Goes Brown on Etiquette for Jason Spezza's wedding
by Kevin Sellathamby on Dec 4, 2009 6:59 AM PST reply actions
From a Washington fan who has adopted the Canucks as her West Coast team:
I’ll stand every single man on the Canucks a round for first spanking the Devils and then blanking the Flyers. I love you guys. So much. That made my night.
FЯEE ALEX
If you can repay by taking out Calgary and Colorado, I think this partnership is complete!
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Dec 4, 2009 12:38 PM PST up reply actions
My roomie likes watching the Flyers, but doesn’t know hockey or the people in it that well. I told her just to watch the Canucks goalie cause it’ll be a crazy night. By the third period she was totally amazed.
And I’m happy cause the Canuck win means the Islanders were fianlly able to claw their way out of the basement! Keep on rolling!
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
Looks like our Vancouver warriors are making friends on their sojourn East! Admit though new fans….those Blue and Green colours rock, right?
Oh, don’t worry too much about the Whale on the crest…out here…we have a feeling its going to be replaced with an even cooler logo next year! Johnny Canuck! No word announced…just a rumour….
Good to see the Caps fans adopt this team.
Hopefully, we can make that Canucks/Caps Cup series a reality….would be fun.
As for our defense…cant say I agree with ragging on SOB, or even Schneids.
SOB was fine last night. I watched him closely after reading the posts of some…thinking I might see it.
He had a strong game, and wasn’t a liability in his own zone at all.
Schneider has been as advertised….loving the defense play the last several games actually.
The earliest use of the word with the spelling we recognize today is found in "L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Exploration in British America" by James Edward Alexander, published in 1849:
We also met a lusty fellow in a forest road with a keg of whisky slung round him who called to us 'Come boys and have some grog, I'm what you call a canuck"
Yes, yes they seem to be. I actually started watching vancouver at the end of last season, esp. during the playoffs.
What’s up wit the hockey stick logo, though? It’s almost as weird as the foot on the Avs’ jersey; this is hockey, not Karate Kid :)
Canucks / Caps would be fun indeed, although one wonders if the Calder Cup final last season was a preview. I liked what I saw of Cory Schneider in that, but he did not get a lot of help. If they do, though. my Caps come first baby :)
I didn’t get to watch VAN / PHI last night, busy as I was watching the Caps trash the Panthers, but from the shot chart it looks as if the D did a good job keeping Philly from hanging curtains in the crease, no small feat. Don’t knock that.
What’s up with all the fat Wellwood jokes? He sure doesn’t look fat to me.
FЯEE ALEX
The Welly jokes are the Leafs fans not being able to let go. He is in the best shape of his life… sort of blase and old now….like calling the Sedins “sisters”.
As for the stick in the rink logo, if you look at it another way, the area around the stick becomes a “C” for Canucks.
But the logo that they may go to is one of the ones on Luongo’s helmet, the “Johnny Canuck” logo that they have on the shoulders of one of the jerseys.
It is more the logo for the team that used it first, an old Western Hockey League team before we got the NHL.
And it looks like a Canuck…really just another word a hard working, hard drinking fellow that the word originally was meant to denote, like in the message on my profile…
Besides, as the team that has changed logos and jerseys more than any other…its our right to change our mind again!
The earliest use of the word with the spelling we recognize today is found in "L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Exploration in British America" by James Edward Alexander, published in 1849:
We also met a lusty fellow in a forest road with a keg of whisky slung round him who called to us 'Come boys and have some grog, I'm what you call a canuck"
Leave the GD uni's alone!
Are they going to change them every frickin year to goose jersey sales?!?!?!
I just retired my old Orca jersey and replaced it with this year’s version. If they change the unis next year I am going to be pissed.
I hear you Mojo. I liken it to Vancouver must be a fashionable city, and the jersey just changes with the times. LOL
I saw a guy wearing a Johnny Canuck limited edition. Never got to ask him where he got it, but it almost pulled the money out of my pocket without the help of the hand…it looked great! Same colours, just changed John McCaw’s old corporate logo.
The thing is, the team hasn’t been owned by “Orca Bay” for years, which is what that one was made for.
What the fuck, really, does a Orca have ( which I love…being a West Coaster ) to do with a Canuck?
The quote on my profile is from one of the first uses of that word describing a Canuck….which is what we have been for over 120 years.
Besides, it has hockey history too…being the logo of the old WHL team.
Seems like a no brainer…and…yes, they would sell a ton!
Peace
The earliest use of the word with the spelling we recognize today is found in "L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Exploration in British America" by James Edward Alexander, published in 1849:
We also met a lusty fellow in a forest road with a keg of whisky slung round him who called to us 'Come boys and have some grog, I'm what you call a canuck"
took a look at the standings, although we may be in 9th and still out of the playoff picture, we do have something: we are within 5 points of calgary (who is leading the division)…. :)
"If you ever lose your way in the dark, a good thing to find in your pocket would be Mathieu Schneider's teeth." Kurtenbloggers
"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler." random commentor at yahoo
GO CANUCKS GO!
And two games in hand on the Avs, who are four points up. The face would probably be on the shoulder caps…the main logo would be the running guy in a green plaid shirt with hockey gloves and a smile….or smirk mor like it…From making teams in their own barn get booed like the Flyers last night.
;-)
They were saying on 1040 last night that it was the first shutout in Philly ever and the first against them in 25 years…
The earliest use of the word with the spelling we recognize today is found in "L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Exploration in British America" by James Edward Alexander, published in 1849:
We also met a lusty fellow in a forest road with a keg of whisky slung round him who called to us 'Come boys and have some grog, I'm what you call a canuck"
Sort of like Bieksa with a beard...I think...
The earliest use of the word with the spelling we recognize today is found in "L'Acadie: or Seven Years' Exploration in British America" by James Edward Alexander, published in 1849:
We also met a lusty fellow in a forest road with a keg of whisky slung round him who called to us 'Come boys and have some grog, I'm what you call a canuck"
O'Brien
Definitely looked better in the Philly game than in the New Jersey game. The problem with Schneider is that he looked so slow out there, even slower than O’Brien. If O’Brien avoids taking penalties and glaring mistakes, he keeps the 6th D men slot. Schneider may not be able to stay if Demitra gets healthy and returns to the lineup (because Schneider takes up more cap space than O’Brien or Rome)
I still like Schneider more than SOB. As least Schneider has a rocket shot for the PP. If O’brien gets any type of scoring chance he usually misses the net.
What about when Grabner returns?
Hansen, Grabner, Wellwood; pick any two?
OR
Hansen, Grabner, Wellwood, Hordi; pick any three?
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
Hansen, Grabner, Wellwood, Hordi; pick any three?
That’s a pretty easy choice. And I very much dislike Wellwood. But Hordi is a plug.
by Section 312 on Dec 4, 2009 1:34 PM PST up reply actions
Can Samuelsson play center at all? Cuz Hansen and Samuelsson and Bernier are too good for 4th line duties, ditto for Grabner who seemed to fit in well on the speed line:
Burrows-Sedin-Sedin
Raymond-Kesler-Grabner
Hansen-Samuelsson-Bernier
Johnson-Wellwood-Rypien
Oops, I misplaced Tanner Glass, too. My brain hurts.
When Grabs gets back, we have some serious thinking to do ’roun here. Double ditto for Demo, if he ever does return.
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
I think Grabner gets the shaft in that scenario. I mean after all, he is good offensively so AV can’t wait to get rid of him. :)
Bernier – Wellwood – Sammy
Hansen – Johnson – Glass/Ripper
Those would work and you could keep Grabs on the 2nd line just don’t think it will happen.
by Section 312 on Dec 4, 2009 2:00 PM PST up reply actions
I hear ya, but … Hansen has earned his way higher than 4th line, these days. And he’d be an easy poach as an RFA for another team, come the off-season, if he saw his good play rewarded with a demotion. Um, right?
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
Well if people played where they had earned to play Wellwood would be in the ECHL.
by Section 312 on Dec 4, 2009 2:08 PM PST up reply actions
It might yet happen. Nice guy, got some talent, but maybe can’t maintain the drive consistently. When his back is to the wall, he looks a lot better for a while, but it’s been more off than on in his time here.
That’s another reason I was asking if Sammy can play centre, actually, cuz if Welly ends up as the odd man out, we might find ourselves with better players but shy a centreman.
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
When we don’t notice SOB it’s a good thing. Having said that, I didn’t notice him much last night. :)
I don’t mind having Rayzor in net tomorrow, but am a little concerned about giving Luey 4 days off while he’s red hot.
When we don’t notice SOB it’s a good thing.
Almost agree with that. Except the coaches want him to play physical, which means we will have to notice him. Wow, 2 games and no minors by OBi-Wan. I’m impressed. Now it’s the damned Sedins taking all the penalties.
by Sean Zandberg on Dec 4, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions
it sounds like our game last night triggered a coaching change for philly…..
"If you ever lose your way in the dark, a good thing to find in your pocket would be Mathieu Schneider's teeth." Kurtenbloggers
"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler." random commentor at yahoo
GO CANUCKS GO!
Think we can make it two in a row tomorrow?
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
apparently…somehow…Maurice has been given the vote of confidence by Canes management
by Sean Zandberg on Dec 4, 2009 6:09 PM PST up reply actions
Oh, you mean they haven’t been able to line up a replacement yet!
Canes got anyone worth grabbing in return for a proven Slovak centreman who could help them out for a couple of years while they rebuild? :)
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
I’m a big Matt Cullen fan but he isn’t quite a top 6 on our team.
How about 37-year-old Ray Whitney?
by Sean Zandberg on Dec 4, 2009 6:59 PM PST up reply actions
Maybe. Save $500k, too. If/when Demo returns, we gotta clear $4m of cap space for him.
If this is right, we’ve got $2.1m of cap space right now. In round numbers:
Losing Welly saves 1.2m
Replacing SOB with Rome saves 1.0m
2.1 of cap space plus 2.2 above makes 4.3m
Ooh, that’s close. Not sure if that even leaves room to bring Grabner back… sorry Hordi?
The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.
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