STARS		CANUCKS
	AT

Bad News: Manny Malhotra is done for the season. Good News: Ryan Kesler is back! Or is he? The Province's Jason Botchford states that Alain Vigneault has said that he will play Kesler limited minutes between Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian against the Stars. Kesler said he didn't know he was playing. Always something between the coach and Kes it seems. If AV is saying that Kes is playing, then the doctors have cleared Kes to play. What's the holdup, KesLord?

As for losing Manny, let's just call a spade a spade. He is excellent at winning faceoffs but don't put too much stock in draws. I think people give that too much credit. For example, the Leafs are currently 4th in the NHL in faceoffs won. Winnipeg is 8th. The top team in the West is 12th! I'm not disregarding faceoffs / zone possession completely, I'm just trying to squash the ejaculation going on over it. Manny will be missed (somewhat) but I think Andrew Ebbett is a better hockey player than Manny is at this point. I am sure that will put me in hot water but I don't care.

The Canucks are the hottest team in the NHL right now. Wooo!

Henrik Sedin still needs 1 point to pass Markus Naslund and be a Canucks King.

The Stars may have just gotten smoked 7-4 by the Flames on Wednesday night but don't let that anomaly fool you. They may be 5-5 in their last 10 but they are 4-1 in their last 5.

Jamie Benn has 9 points in his first 9 games. Old man Jagr is leading the team in scoring. Louie Eriksson is struggling out of the gate. Aaron Rome is God.

PROJECTED ROSTERS / LINES

Cory Schneider

#35 / Goalie / Vancouver Canucks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 195

Born: Mar 18, 1986

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows

Higgins - Kesler - Kassian

Hansen - Schroeder - Raymond (because if it ain't broke don't fix it.)

Weise - Lapierre - Volpatti (Ebbett?)

Bieksa - Garrison

Hamhuis - Edler

Ballard - Tanev

Kari Lehtonen

#32 / Goalie / Dallas Stars

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Born: Nov 16, 1983

Morrow - Benn - Jagr

Eriksson - Roy - Ryder

Antoine Roussel - Cody Eakin - Reilly Smith

Nystrom - Fiddler - Ryan Garbutt

Robidas - Brenden Dillon

Daley - Rome (GOD!!)

Larsen - Goligoski

Quite the different-looking Stars team than what we are used to, hey? There's a fair bit if grit there and I can assure you that this game will have some hoopla. Remember this?

That's the funny stuff. I also expect some fun violent stuff as well.

TRENDS

• Stars are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
• Stars are 12-4 in their last 16 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
• Stars are 2-8 in their last 10 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
• Stars are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
• Aaron Rome is 100% awesome.
• Canucks are 4-1 in their last 5 Friday games.
• Canucks are 37-15 in their last 52 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
• Canucks are 40-18 in their last 58 games playing on 2 days rest.
• Canucks are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. Pacific. ACKKKKK!

• Much more at the cool Covers.com.

SCORE-PREDICTING WIZARDS LIST UPDATE

Aaron Rome: 10,000

Twin Terror: 7

Bobby Canuck: 6

andrew21nz: 4

FormerHab: 4

Meat Mayos: 4

raincity: 4

marcness52: 3

westy99: 3

ChuckinNux: 2

EvianBubble: 2

Nathaniel Perlow: 2

patrik e (hugs kittens): 2

PeaceJo: 2

Sean Zandberg: 2

seedvt: 2

YorkAveOrca: 2

beardstache: 1

dshaps: 1

Geordie Nuck: 1

Kent Basky: 1

KYCanuck: 1

NS_Cix: 1

radepalma: 1

Tangent: 1

Thursday: 1

Twitchy2010: 1

vancitydan: 1

Vancouverguy: 1

VIDEO

This is what it looks like when Maxim Lapierre scores a goal:

Aaron Rome is God 1:

Aaron Rome is God 2:

Aaron Rome is God 3:

Aaron Rome. Yea...I miss that guy. Stupid Gillis.

The title of this preview post on this Valentine's Day has been brought to you by Elton John:

I love this chick:

GO CANUCKS GO!

(Aaron Rome)

sigh.