Henrik hits 1000 points as Canucks win

The Canucks came into tonight’s game with a 1 game winning streak. Hey, I know it not the five or six we all expect now…..hahahaha….you laughed, admit it. The Canucks were 6-1-3 in their last 10 games and are at that position of just being out of a playoff spot. Some have said on here....eh em, Kent, that this team have no business even thinking playoffs. But the numbers say otherwise right now, even if you think this team will flop at the end.

Tonight’s game marks the return of my favorite ex-Canuck, Roberto Luongo. Unlike other ex-member’s who also demanded a trade, Lu had a self-deprecating style that continues to live on in our hearts and twitter feeds. Also the hope for tonight was Henrik spoiling Lu’s return and getting himself his 1000^th point in the process. Even scarier for Lu is the return of Jayson Megna to the Canucks lineup after he killed off the flu…for everyone.

1^st period

The Canucks start the game with the captain and two other Swedes. One looked just like the captain. I guess putting Megna with the twins wasn’t seen as the best way to get Hank a point. Jared McCann is back with the Panthers and playing for the first time against the Canucks. I was not sad when he was traded to the Panthers. I’m sure all the ex-Canuck army guys who now work for the Panthers now will inflate Jared’s fancy stats.

6 minutes into the game and it is a typical Canucks start. Slow… No real good shots directed at Lu as the Panthers kept the Nucks to the outside. Finally Bo is able to get a chance as he grabs a free puck just outside the blue line, takes a couple strides and fires one at Lu that is stopped. The Canucks then get the first PP of the game as Sven was upended along the boards.

The PP struggled a bit to get the puck away from the boards for a bit but once free they moved the puck across the ice, spread out the Panthers and Sutter almost dragged one around Lu. No luck on this PP during the second half of it and now the Canucks are 1 for their last 19 opportunities.

The Panthers finally get some pressure on Miller at the 6 minute mark as the Canucks seem more than happy to take every pass on the skate and kick it first. It’s some kind of stupid bet the players all had, “Hey, you have to kick the puck first or you put money in the jar.” So the Panthers kept stealing the puck from players in the Canucks end.

With just under 4 minutes left the Sedin line went out and tried to get Hank that point but Lu pushed across and robbed Eriksson point blank.

A minute later Bo almost got decapitated by a Groot slapshot.

The period ends with a familiar score in a Canucks game. 0-0

2^nd Period

The second period started with the Sedin line again. I think Hank is going to play 30 minutes tonight just to try and get that point. Horvat was on the bench after the training staff stitched his head back on.

The Panthers got their first PP of the game 2 minutes in as Burrows was a bad boy. Gaunce had a chance with Sbisa on the PK, but he decided to skate to the boards and then Sbisa missed a pass in front. The Panthers then come back down the ice and after McCann takes a shot that is saved, he grabs his own rebound and passes to Jagr who scores.

And then it happened……

Henrik won a defensive zone draw, the Canucks skating out of the zone with Daniel leading the way. Daniel passed over to Hank who beat Lu five hole.

Even Lu loves him

And then Henrik had to get a penalty for picking on an old man like Jagr. This is how reputations are tarnished. I wonder if Hank send Daniel a text later tonight taunting him….I mean in a brotherly Swedish way.

The Canucks were able to kill that penalty, but then the Canucks decided to try and play with 6 guys and hope the ref wouldn’t notice. He did.

The rest of the period was a lot of Panther shots. I don’t think we have to think about Miller re-signing next year as Willie might play him to death by the end of the year.

3^rd period

I’m still on Gaunce watch 2016/17.

Early in the period the Sedins are able to gain the zone and get a shot off that Lu can’t handle. The scramble in front of the net let’s Sbisa get time to put it top corner. 2-1 Canucks.

At that point the fans were getting a little nuts and then Sutter almost added a third as he hit the post.

At this point let’s take a moment to talk about the events of today in the US.

……………………..OK….enough of that.

In the middle of the period there was more of a free-wheeling style of play as Sven hit a post and the Panthers spent some time down in the Canucks end. Jagr and McCann looked dangerous together, but I think it was more Jagr than Jared. They pinned the Sedins in a couple times.

There was a play where Granlund gets into the Panthers end and gets the pass over to Burrows who fires a backhand high on Lu, who makes the save. The interesting part is that was a Panther on AMFB the whole time slashing him even after the whistle blew. AMFB didn’t even seem to notice as he was talking with Lu the whole time. Burrows got the next shot on Lu and gave him a little tap on the head after. Ever-lasting love.

Lu headed to the bench with a minute as the Panthers add the extra attacker. Daniel had a chance to get a point closer to his brother but hit the post on an empty net with 30 seconds left. Luckily the Panthers can’t get one by Miller and the Canucks win 2-1.

A big thank you to Henrik for leading this team