***QUICK UPDATE***
Edler had successful surgery today. He wants to play be back in 2 months, but Gillis expects it to be slightly longer (playoff time). We will wait and see. Here's to a speedy recovery!
Hey all,
Sorry I've been away for so long, work got in the way of having fun. Anyways I'm back and should be blogging a lot more.
This morning it was announced that Cody Hodgson will get the call up. To be honest I was surprised with the timing. He was deserving of the call up before his injury however, I thought they would have given him a few more games with the Moose before making the call. I was wrong he's with the team and now we can talk about where he will play.
In my opinion he will start on the road in Dallas on the fourth line knowing that if he can play a good consistent game he will be moved up to the 2nd line wing position with Kesler. Shirokov was hot when he got called up and the team needed a spark so he was put on the 2nd line. The team is clearly looking for consistency now and I don't think Hodgson on the 2nd line, right away, will provide that. Long term I think Kesler's winger is Coho's spot to win, but he'll have to earn it.
Other news around Vancouver is injuries. They are going through a stretch just every team in the NHL goes through. Yes losing Edler and the depth players the team has lost are big loses but other top teams have gone through similar things. Detroit has been without Datsyuk and Stuart among others. Philly has been without their number one guy Pronger. The Canucks will have to rally around as a team and play strong hockey to win without their number one guy but they definitely have a team that was built for injuries. The defense has had a guy, Keith Ballard, sitting in the wings playing the 5th d man position who is more than capable of big minutes. It will be up to him to pick up a lot of the slack that Edler will leave behind but that is why the team acquired a 4.2 Million dollar dman in the offseason.
If everything works out the way it has potential to work out this could be a blessing in disguise come playoff time. Let me make myself clear, I don't think an injury to a top dman can ever be a good thing. But if you look at this in a positive way, Edler is hurt and will be out 6-8 weeks according to his doctor who is performing the surgery. This will put him back right around the end of the regular season. Here is why I think this is a good thing. Everyone knows that the Canucks are looking for ways to potentially get Sami Salo back in the line up, this injury provides that flexibility. If Salo gets back into the lineup and Edler is ready to go come first game of the playoffs the teams defense could be extremely deep in the playoffs. I am talking about having a top six of Bieksa, Hamhuis, Ballard, Ehrhoff, Salo and Edler. That is a very strong deep defense with two right handed dman. Also I think (I'm not a cap genius) the team will also have a little wiggle room to potentially add a fourth liner if needed come the deadline.
If it works out the way I am expecting it to we will use a few rookies in the lineup for the next week or so in Tanev and Sweatt. Rome and Alberts will then come back to hold down the bottom two spots. Salo will be able to work his way back into the lineup when he is ready. Right near the end of the season Edler will get a short conditioning stint with the Moose and get back with the team for game one of the playoffs. Like I said, an injury is never good, but if it works out this way our playoff roster has great potential.
As for the rest of the team, Luongo is turning back into the top of the league goalie we all fell in love with. He along with Henrik are showing leadership that this team hasn't seen in a long time. Calm productive hockey by the top guys is leading the way to good efforts by the rest of the team. Luongo will need to keep his play at this level down the stretch and into the playoffs. He will get rest whenever he needs it from very capable backup Schneider. It's a nice thing this season to know that Luongo is relied upon to win the games he's in but he's not relied upon to be the workhorse he has been in recent years.
The 2nd line is having issues with some consistency but I expect the group of Raymond, Samuelsson, Tambellini, Hansen and now Cody Hodgson to continue to be rotated to provide enough offense to keep other teams on their toes.
In my opinion other than a a fourth line centre I think the Canucks are pretty set for the playoffs. If the team does want to make a change the 2nd line wing position is the only one that could use an upgrade. Is it necessary? No. But if they do go for a big name guy that's where there team could use some help.
All in all this team is still in first in the West, fighting for first in the NHL. They have a very deep team and we will see some rookies with chances right now. This is exactly how Gillis said the season would play out by getting his rookie guys some time in the NHL. Volpatti, Tanev, Parent, Sweatt, Shirokov and now Hodgson have all seen the big leagues. It's great to see a winning team continue to focus so much on team development.
I am excited about the next few month before the playoffs, should be an interesting stretch run. Hope you all enjoy it.
I will be back blogging tomorrow about pre game stuff for the stars.
Go Canucks Go.
The followers on twitter are starting to go up, follow me @bmah03
Comment below.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Canucks vs Flames Pre game
Canucks vs Flames, CBC, TEAM 1040, 7:00pm PST
First off again, sorry to everyone who has been checking in looking for updates. I've pretty much been living at the arena for the skate Canada event. There's only today and tomorrow left after that I will catch up with a big blog.
Tonights game couldn't come at a better time in my opinion. With the struggles the team has had recently a
game against a divisional rival that we have always had some hate for will probably do us good. The team has lacked a spark lately but I don't expect that against the Flames tonight.
I've heard a lot of complaining about having shirokov sit out tonight. I think it's a pretty good idea. Think of it this way, with shirokov in the lineup the canucks really have no big forward next to Glass that can fight in a chippy game. With him out, Volpatti slots in and we can make sure that the game doesn't get out of hand. I'd rather see Shirokov be eased in in good situations then to be forced to be the spark of the team. He's a good prospect but on a team in first place in the West he shouldn't ever be a savior.
As far as the rest of the team goes they all need to pick it up. I'd like to see more of what we saw from
Henrik last game. Seven shots and a beauty goal. If he starts shooting more like last year that line will add another dimension to their already very powerful line.
Raymond will be on the second line with kesler and samuelsson. He really needs to pick up his game. His speed is his best attribute and getting back to using it will help him out. A simple dump and chase game by the second line tonight could put a lot of pressure on Calgarys D.
Although the record has been a bit shaky lately Luongo still hasn't lost in regulation and his GAA and SV% have been great. The game against the sharks he played great and I look for him to continue his strong play.
The team owes their goalies a few extra goals and tonight would be a good time to start.
Like I said I shoul be able to catch up on everything come Monday.
Till then, enjoy the game tonight.
Twitter me @bmah03
Coment below
First off again, sorry to everyone who has been checking in looking for updates. I've pretty much been living at the arena for the skate Canada event. There's only today and tomorrow left after that I will catch up with a big blog.
Tonights game couldn't come at a better time in my opinion. With the struggles the team has had recently a
game against a divisional rival that we have always had some hate for will probably do us good. The team has lacked a spark lately but I don't expect that against the Flames tonight.
I've heard a lot of complaining about having shirokov sit out tonight. I think it's a pretty good idea. Think of it this way, with shirokov in the lineup the canucks really have no big forward next to Glass that can fight in a chippy game. With him out, Volpatti slots in and we can make sure that the game doesn't get out of hand. I'd rather see Shirokov be eased in in good situations then to be forced to be the spark of the team. He's a good prospect but on a team in first place in the West he shouldn't ever be a savior.
As far as the rest of the team goes they all need to pick it up. I'd like to see more of what we saw from
Henrik last game. Seven shots and a beauty goal. If he starts shooting more like last year that line will add another dimension to their already very powerful line.
Raymond will be on the second line with kesler and samuelsson. He really needs to pick up his game. His speed is his best attribute and getting back to using it will help him out. A simple dump and chase game by the second line tonight could put a lot of pressure on Calgarys D.
Although the record has been a bit shaky lately Luongo still hasn't lost in regulation and his GAA and SV% have been great. The game against the sharks he played great and I look for him to continue his strong play.
The team owes their goalies a few extra goals and tonight would be a good time to start.
Like I said I shoul be able to catch up on everything come Monday.
Till then, enjoy the game tonight.
Twitter me @bmah03
Coment below
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Canucks @ Avalanche Pre Game
Canucks @ Avalanche, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 6:00PM PST.
This week is hectic in my world I am working every day at the BMO Skate Canada at the Save on Foods Arena, so I am very busy. Last game against the Wild was one of those games you need to simply forget. The team played exactly how the Wild like to play. They came out flat, with no energy and no will to win. That's simply not going to beat a team like the Wild. Like I said, move on, the game is over.
Tonight however is a very interesting game for a ton of reasons. There is a lot of talk about the Canucks right now and I will touch on a bit of it in this blog. First let's start with the game.
The Avs are always a challenge for the Canuck's, divisional rivals, the only team in the division that really has a chance to catch the Canuck's in the division race.
Standings: Tonight's game is big for three different reasons in the standings. 1) It's a divisional game and the fifth of six games between the Avs and the Canucks. The Canucks are currently up 12 points with the same number of games played. I know it's still only around the halfway point of the season but they can pretty much clinch the NW with a win tonight barring a ridiculous collapse. 2) As I am typing this Detroit is down to Pitt 2-0. If that score holds up the Canucks have a chance to go 4 points up for the lead in the West. 3) Philly is current up 1-0 over Washington and if that score holds up the Canucks will need a W to stay in first overall.
Tonight we get a little look into the future, Chris Tanev will see his debut tonight on defense filling in for the injured Rome and Alberts. Also Shirokov gets another shot. Tanev will give the Canucks a second RH shot from the point and according to Gillis he has been the best dman on the Moose. It should be interesting to see how much time he gets tonight. I expect Ballard to play a bit more tonight with the team using more of a 5 man rotation and using Tanev sparingly. Shirokov will have no excuse tonight. He will be getting a great offensive chance to play with Ryan Kesler tonight on the 2nd line. Shirokov is hot, he has a 12 game point streak going on for the Moose right now and his job will be to bring that offense to the big club.
The team has been struggling a bit to score in the last few games and some of the offensive guys have been put in the dog house for this. Both Tambellini and Raymond have been moved down to the fourth line tonight. Their winger will be a game time decision but it looks as though it will be Glass, Raymond and Tambellini. On the 3rd line Torres and Malholtra will stay together being joined by Hansen on the wing. Samuellson has been moved up to play with Kesler and Shirokov. The SSB line will stay intact.
The new lines will hopefully cause a bit of a spark and no one is really firing on all cylinders at the moment. The whole team needs to step up tonight. The Twins will need to lead the way and have the ability to do so. Henrik needs to make a couple nice passes tonight.
Everyone knows the Avs like to play an all out offensive game. The Canuck's style tonight should be to play a sound game with strong counter-punching. They should be able to pin the Avs in the defensive end and generate a lot of scoring chances while playing smart 1-2-2 hockey.
As much as the Canuck's have been struggling lately, Luongo hasn't been. In his last 12 games he is 10-0-2, and in January he is 4-0-0 with a 1.55GAA and a .955SV%. Look for him to keep up his good play tonight and lead the team.
In other news around the Canucks organization there are a lot of rumours of the Canucks shopping for a fourth line center. Zenon Konopka has been rumored as the guy the Canuck's are looking at, to me he's not the guy I am completely sold on, but I do think the Canucks need a fourth line guy for the playoffs.
Speaking of fourth line centers, Gillis did say that Hodgson should be back playing this week and he will be looking at how he plays. Could he get a call up? We'll have to wait and see.
Tonight should be fun with all the line up changes and the rookies coming in. I'm sure mistakes will be made but it will be great to see their energy.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below
This week is hectic in my world I am working every day at the BMO Skate Canada at the Save on Foods Arena, so I am very busy. Last game against the Wild was one of those games you need to simply forget. The team played exactly how the Wild like to play. They came out flat, with no energy and no will to win. That's simply not going to beat a team like the Wild. Like I said, move on, the game is over.
Tonight however is a very interesting game for a ton of reasons. There is a lot of talk about the Canucks right now and I will touch on a bit of it in this blog. First let's start with the game.
The Avs are always a challenge for the Canuck's, divisional rivals, the only team in the division that really has a chance to catch the Canuck's in the division race.
Standings: Tonight's game is big for three different reasons in the standings. 1) It's a divisional game and the fifth of six games between the Avs and the Canucks. The Canucks are currently up 12 points with the same number of games played. I know it's still only around the halfway point of the season but they can pretty much clinch the NW with a win tonight barring a ridiculous collapse. 2) As I am typing this Detroit is down to Pitt 2-0. If that score holds up the Canucks have a chance to go 4 points up for the lead in the West. 3) Philly is current up 1-0 over Washington and if that score holds up the Canucks will need a W to stay in first overall.
Tonight we get a little look into the future, Chris Tanev will see his debut tonight on defense filling in for the injured Rome and Alberts. Also Shirokov gets another shot. Tanev will give the Canucks a second RH shot from the point and according to Gillis he has been the best dman on the Moose. It should be interesting to see how much time he gets tonight. I expect Ballard to play a bit more tonight with the team using more of a 5 man rotation and using Tanev sparingly. Shirokov will have no excuse tonight. He will be getting a great offensive chance to play with Ryan Kesler tonight on the 2nd line. Shirokov is hot, he has a 12 game point streak going on for the Moose right now and his job will be to bring that offense to the big club.
The team has been struggling a bit to score in the last few games and some of the offensive guys have been put in the dog house for this. Both Tambellini and Raymond have been moved down to the fourth line tonight. Their winger will be a game time decision but it looks as though it will be Glass, Raymond and Tambellini. On the 3rd line Torres and Malholtra will stay together being joined by Hansen on the wing. Samuellson has been moved up to play with Kesler and Shirokov. The SSB line will stay intact.
The new lines will hopefully cause a bit of a spark and no one is really firing on all cylinders at the moment. The whole team needs to step up tonight. The Twins will need to lead the way and have the ability to do so. Henrik needs to make a couple nice passes tonight.
Everyone knows the Avs like to play an all out offensive game. The Canuck's style tonight should be to play a sound game with strong counter-punching. They should be able to pin the Avs in the defensive end and generate a lot of scoring chances while playing smart 1-2-2 hockey.
As much as the Canuck's have been struggling lately, Luongo hasn't been. In his last 12 games he is 10-0-2, and in January he is 4-0-0 with a 1.55GAA and a .955SV%. Look for him to keep up his good play tonight and lead the team.
In other news around the Canucks organization there are a lot of rumours of the Canucks shopping for a fourth line center. Zenon Konopka has been rumored as the guy the Canuck's are looking at, to me he's not the guy I am completely sold on, but I do think the Canucks need a fourth line guy for the playoffs.
Speaking of fourth line centers, Gillis did say that Hodgson should be back playing this week and he will be looking at how he plays. Could he get a call up? We'll have to wait and see.
Tonight should be fun with all the line up changes and the rookies coming in. I'm sure mistakes will be made but it will be great to see their energy.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Canucks Vs Wild Pre Game
Canucks Vs Wild SNET-VAN, TEAM 1040, 3:00PM PST
I'm watching the Patriots playoff game so I'll keep this pretty short.
We all know the Wild typically playing a pretty stifling defensive system. It will be up to the Canucks to make sure they play their own game and not turn the puck over to much.
Schneider is in goal tonight for the Canucks, and the Wild are starting Anton Khudobin because Backstrom has a bit of an injury. Schneider's job will be to bounce back from his first outright loss of the season. Because of Schneider's calm nature I don't expect Schneider to look shaky at all. The Canucks job against Khudobin will be to test him early and often as he has only played in 2 games this season.
The key to tonight's game will be to overwhelm the Wild with the overall depth the Canucks have. If the roll players are making good smart plays tonight it should be a good game for the team. If they underestimate the Wild watch out. The Wild always get up for games against the Canucks.
The defence has been stepping up recently by putting points and goals on the board. Last game it was Edler and Ehrhoff both putting one in the net. Look for the D to keep firing a little more as other teams start keying on not only the Twins but Kesler as well.
Daniel Sedin has been putting in very clutch goals this year, and last game was no different. A great hustle play by Hansen created a break away for Daniel and he made no mistake. It would be great if he could get to 50 this year.
Speaking of Hansen, he has a great game the other night and I would expect AV to reward him with some more ice time tonight. How nice will it be to have Hansen on the fourth line come playoff time?
A few injuries for the team, Bolduc and Rome are out. Volpatti and Alberts are in. Not sure what the lineup will look like tonight around the 4th line centre spot, but Tambellini and Glass have both seen time there in recent games.
Against weaker teams in the NHL the Canucks should be able to dominate. As long as they play their game I expect they do so. If they don't play their game it'll be a tight low scoring game.
GO CANUCKS GO
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
EDIT: Just a little note, Chris Tanev has been called up to the big club. Not sure if he's in the line up tonight. Doesn't make much sense because Alberts is healthy. We'll see. Alberts has been playing good lately in my opinion so I'd be surprised to see Tanev in.
I'm watching the Patriots playoff game so I'll keep this pretty short.
We all know the Wild typically playing a pretty stifling defensive system. It will be up to the Canucks to make sure they play their own game and not turn the puck over to much.
Schneider is in goal tonight for the Canucks, and the Wild are starting Anton Khudobin because Backstrom has a bit of an injury. Schneider's job will be to bounce back from his first outright loss of the season. Because of Schneider's calm nature I don't expect Schneider to look shaky at all. The Canucks job against Khudobin will be to test him early and often as he has only played in 2 games this season.
The key to tonight's game will be to overwhelm the Wild with the overall depth the Canucks have. If the roll players are making good smart plays tonight it should be a good game for the team. If they underestimate the Wild watch out. The Wild always get up for games against the Canucks.
The defence has been stepping up recently by putting points and goals on the board. Last game it was Edler and Ehrhoff both putting one in the net. Look for the D to keep firing a little more as other teams start keying on not only the Twins but Kesler as well.
Daniel Sedin has been putting in very clutch goals this year, and last game was no different. A great hustle play by Hansen created a break away for Daniel and he made no mistake. It would be great if he could get to 50 this year.
Speaking of Hansen, he has a great game the other night and I would expect AV to reward him with some more ice time tonight. How nice will it be to have Hansen on the fourth line come playoff time?
A few injuries for the team, Bolduc and Rome are out. Volpatti and Alberts are in. Not sure what the lineup will look like tonight around the 4th line centre spot, but Tambellini and Glass have both seen time there in recent games.
Against weaker teams in the NHL the Canucks should be able to dominate. As long as they play their game I expect they do so. If they don't play their game it'll be a tight low scoring game.
GO CANUCKS GO
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
EDIT: Just a little note, Chris Tanev has been called up to the big club. Not sure if he's in the line up tonight. Doesn't make much sense because Alberts is healthy. We'll see. Alberts has been playing good lately in my opinion so I'd be surprised to see Tanev in.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Canucks @ Capitals Pre Game
Canucks @ Washington SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 4:00 PM PST
39 straight days without a regulation loss until last night and already the bandwagon feels a little lighter. Let's be honest everyone, no team in the NHL is going to keep a streak up like that for the whole year. The Canuck's are currently first in the NHL and they deserve to be there. Tonight is a huge test for them and they really need to buckle down as a team and pick up an important two points. Great teams bounce back from tough losses and the Canuck's have been pretty good at that this year.
It's "Ovechkin vs the Canucks" night, but don't let that belief sink in. The Caps are a very solid team and have a lot of talent. If the Canucks sleep at all tonight they could find themselves in a big hole fast. Obviously we know about the Caps struggles to put in goals this season, but the same players are there from last year and have the ability to light up the scoreboard on any given night.
Kesler will more than likely get to match up with Ovechkin tonight. His job will not only be to shut down Ovie but to keep a lot of the play in the offensive zone. Last night this line looked good no matter what mix of wingers were together. Kesler and either Raymond, Hansen or Tambellini all had chances and played a lot of time on the attack. They will need to do that again tonight to keep the offensive guys for the Caps playing defense.
For the Caps defense they have Mike Green and rookie Carlson on defense. Neither of them see the Twins very often and neither super defensive defencemen. If the Twins can get out against these two more often then not I expect a good performance from them. It'll be up to AV to get them away from Hannan who knows them much better from his time in Colorado.
The PP needs to step up tonight. The Canucks lost the special team battle last night 1-0 and that was the deciding factor in the game. They have a great PP and a great PK, in a back to back situation they need to take advantage of those situations.
Finally in goal is Luongo tonight. In 31 games played vs Washington (a lot with Florida) Luongo has a 2.26 GAA and a .929 SV%. He is one of the teams leaders and has been on a great streak himself. He got the rest last night so he should be fresh tonight. As of late he's been playing lights out and the team would much appreciate another great game from their former captain.
It's time for a bounce back game against another very tough team. They are in the middle of their road trip and it would be really nice to pick up two more points right here. Detroit will be on the ice at the same time as the Canucks so by the end of the night we could be in first by as many as 5 points or holding on by only 1. A little separation in the standings could be pretty nice to have.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below.
39 straight days without a regulation loss until last night and already the bandwagon feels a little lighter. Let's be honest everyone, no team in the NHL is going to keep a streak up like that for the whole year. The Canuck's are currently first in the NHL and they deserve to be there. Tonight is a huge test for them and they really need to buckle down as a team and pick up an important two points. Great teams bounce back from tough losses and the Canuck's have been pretty good at that this year.
It's "Ovechkin vs the Canucks" night, but don't let that belief sink in. The Caps are a very solid team and have a lot of talent. If the Canucks sleep at all tonight they could find themselves in a big hole fast. Obviously we know about the Caps struggles to put in goals this season, but the same players are there from last year and have the ability to light up the scoreboard on any given night.
Kesler will more than likely get to match up with Ovechkin tonight. His job will not only be to shut down Ovie but to keep a lot of the play in the offensive zone. Last night this line looked good no matter what mix of wingers were together. Kesler and either Raymond, Hansen or Tambellini all had chances and played a lot of time on the attack. They will need to do that again tonight to keep the offensive guys for the Caps playing defense.
For the Caps defense they have Mike Green and rookie Carlson on defense. Neither of them see the Twins very often and neither super defensive defencemen. If the Twins can get out against these two more often then not I expect a good performance from them. It'll be up to AV to get them away from Hannan who knows them much better from his time in Colorado.
The PP needs to step up tonight. The Canucks lost the special team battle last night 1-0 and that was the deciding factor in the game. They have a great PP and a great PK, in a back to back situation they need to take advantage of those situations.
Finally in goal is Luongo tonight. In 31 games played vs Washington (a lot with Florida) Luongo has a 2.26 GAA and a .929 SV%. He is one of the teams leaders and has been on a great streak himself. He got the rest last night so he should be fresh tonight. As of late he's been playing lights out and the team would much appreciate another great game from their former captain.
It's time for a bounce back game against another very tough team. They are in the middle of their road trip and it would be really nice to pick up two more points right here. Detroit will be on the ice at the same time as the Canucks so by the end of the night we could be in first by as many as 5 points or holding on by only 1. A little separation in the standings could be pretty nice to have.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below.
Canucks @ Rangers Post Game
Canucks 0 Rangers 1
Well that's what you call a streak stopper. The point streak is over but it's not a reason to jump off the bandwagon. Luckily for the team their streak had built them a pretty sizable lead in today's NHL standings. Sure a team would like to win every game but that's just not going to happen. The most important things are one, how they preformed in the loss and two how they rebound. Don't get me wrong there was a lot of negative offensive play last night. But in general it was a pretty good road game knowing you are playing back to back. The pace of the game was slowed the was a lot of play at center ice, and for the most part (minus the no goal on the 5 on 3 PP) the crowd was pretty quiet.
Schneider was in goal and he had a fairly solid game. There are so many great things I see in Schneider's game this year, however there is one thing I think he needs to work on. If he lets out a rebound (doesn't happen a lot), his recovery speed is somewhat slow. If you take a look at Luongo when he makes a save and there is a rebound to the back side he is very fast at getting back over to the puck to have a chance at a desperation save. Schneider seems a little slower and in last nights case on the goal he was not even close to having a shot at it. I know it came off the post and you might say how was he supposed to know where it went? The point is he's not in a position to maybe find it and make a diving save. Because his rebound control has been so good it's not a huge problem, it's just something to keep your eye on to see if he improves it.
To me Aaron Rome does not look as capable in the defensive zone as he did last year. He looks shaky at the best of times and numerous chances by the Rangers were directly caused by the play of Rome. I doubt this will be addressed through trade and I don't see anyone in the organization stepping up to take his spot so one of two things needs to happen come playoff time. Rome needs to step up his game, or Alberts will be the 6/7 guy depending on how the defense shapes up with Salo's return. I hope it's the latter and and Rome will become the 8th guy. Not sure how that all works cap wise, but to be honest no one gets the cap as well as Gillis and his side kicks. I'll leave it up to them to figure it out.
On offense the team was just simply shut down. It was a combination of a hot goalie, good shot blocking, and maybe being a little too cute with the puck. Obviously Lundqvist played great, but the Canuck's needed to adjust their shot choices and didn't. The Rangers were getting into the shooting lanes a lot and when that happens you have to use the fake shot or drag the puck for a better shooting angle. They talked about it during the intermissions but didn't really use it. Really though for the last month we have been gifted with timely goals and bounces last night we just didn't get any.
That's all for post game, right back at it today with Washington.
Pre game coming up. Check out the twitter for an update @bmah03
Comment below.
Well that's what you call a streak stopper. The point streak is over but it's not a reason to jump off the bandwagon. Luckily for the team their streak had built them a pretty sizable lead in today's NHL standings. Sure a team would like to win every game but that's just not going to happen. The most important things are one, how they preformed in the loss and two how they rebound. Don't get me wrong there was a lot of negative offensive play last night. But in general it was a pretty good road game knowing you are playing back to back. The pace of the game was slowed the was a lot of play at center ice, and for the most part (minus the no goal on the 5 on 3 PP) the crowd was pretty quiet.
Schneider was in goal and he had a fairly solid game. There are so many great things I see in Schneider's game this year, however there is one thing I think he needs to work on. If he lets out a rebound (doesn't happen a lot), his recovery speed is somewhat slow. If you take a look at Luongo when he makes a save and there is a rebound to the back side he is very fast at getting back over to the puck to have a chance at a desperation save. Schneider seems a little slower and in last nights case on the goal he was not even close to having a shot at it. I know it came off the post and you might say how was he supposed to know where it went? The point is he's not in a position to maybe find it and make a diving save. Because his rebound control has been so good it's not a huge problem, it's just something to keep your eye on to see if he improves it.
To me Aaron Rome does not look as capable in the defensive zone as he did last year. He looks shaky at the best of times and numerous chances by the Rangers were directly caused by the play of Rome. I doubt this will be addressed through trade and I don't see anyone in the organization stepping up to take his spot so one of two things needs to happen come playoff time. Rome needs to step up his game, or Alberts will be the 6/7 guy depending on how the defense shapes up with Salo's return. I hope it's the latter and and Rome will become the 8th guy. Not sure how that all works cap wise, but to be honest no one gets the cap as well as Gillis and his side kicks. I'll leave it up to them to figure it out.
On offense the team was just simply shut down. It was a combination of a hot goalie, good shot blocking, and maybe being a little too cute with the puck. Obviously Lundqvist played great, but the Canuck's needed to adjust their shot choices and didn't. The Rangers were getting into the shooting lanes a lot and when that happens you have to use the fake shot or drag the puck for a better shooting angle. They talked about it during the intermissions but didn't really use it. Really though for the last month we have been gifted with timely goals and bounces last night we just didn't get any.
That's all for post game, right back at it today with Washington.
Pre game coming up. Check out the twitter for an update @bmah03
Comment below.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Canucks @ Rangers Pre Game
Canucks @ Rangers, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 4:00Pm
Tonight's game will feature a few line up changes for the Canuck's. Starting in goal will be Cory Schneider. Big game for Schneider as any game at MSG is always big for an NHL guy. I'm sure he'll be ready and as calm an cool as he has been all season.
Tambellini who has hit a bit of a stand still in point production lately has been demoted to the fourth line while Hansen will take his spot on the 2nd line.
On defense Alberts is out and Rome is in.
Any game for a Western team at MSG is a big game, tonight is no different for the Canucks. The team is still riding a hot streak and would like to keep the roll going. I see the Twins trying to get out in a first line vs first line match up. They should be able to take advantage of that match up and put up some points.
Kesler might have a little side mission with Hansen of shutting down regular Canucks killer Gaborik. Kesler has been owning pretty much any match up he's had of late and even with a sore finger he has the defensive skills to shut down anyone in the league. Hansen on his line will make the line slightly grittier without losing any speed. This line will need to keep their speed up to get in on the forecheck.
The third line will need to have a solid game tonight as the Rangers have a reasonably deep team. The same consistent defensive play they've been playing most of the season will be good tonight.
The fourth line will have to play a big roll tonight adding a few extra minutes to keep the big guys rested for tomorrow and I expect a Prust vs Volpatti fight. Prust typically goes with Rypien when he gets the chances but with Rypien out Volpatti will need to step up. Even though Tambellini is a smaller body he isn't afraid to throw his weight around. If this line can get the puck in deep and crash the defense hard they will have a big effect on this game. They have the ability to pop a goal in tonight, keep your eye out for them.
On defense Kevin Bieksa is hot, in his past 10 games he's a +14. He can probably thank Hamhuis for giving him the ability to jump into the play, but don't discredit his defensive play either. I have been having a bit of an issue with Rome lately and would like to see him step up tonight. When Alberts is in, I am extremely confident in the Alberts, Ballard pairing. When Rome is in it's shaky at best.
Tonight should be a great game against an old foe. Enjoy!
GO CANUCKS GO!
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
Tonight's game will feature a few line up changes for the Canuck's. Starting in goal will be Cory Schneider. Big game for Schneider as any game at MSG is always big for an NHL guy. I'm sure he'll be ready and as calm an cool as he has been all season.
Tambellini who has hit a bit of a stand still in point production lately has been demoted to the fourth line while Hansen will take his spot on the 2nd line.
On defense Alberts is out and Rome is in.
Any game for a Western team at MSG is a big game, tonight is no different for the Canucks. The team is still riding a hot streak and would like to keep the roll going. I see the Twins trying to get out in a first line vs first line match up. They should be able to take advantage of that match up and put up some points.
Kesler might have a little side mission with Hansen of shutting down regular Canucks killer Gaborik. Kesler has been owning pretty much any match up he's had of late and even with a sore finger he has the defensive skills to shut down anyone in the league. Hansen on his line will make the line slightly grittier without losing any speed. This line will need to keep their speed up to get in on the forecheck.
The third line will need to have a solid game tonight as the Rangers have a reasonably deep team. The same consistent defensive play they've been playing most of the season will be good tonight.
The fourth line will have to play a big roll tonight adding a few extra minutes to keep the big guys rested for tomorrow and I expect a Prust vs Volpatti fight. Prust typically goes with Rypien when he gets the chances but with Rypien out Volpatti will need to step up. Even though Tambellini is a smaller body he isn't afraid to throw his weight around. If this line can get the puck in deep and crash the defense hard they will have a big effect on this game. They have the ability to pop a goal in tonight, keep your eye out for them.
On defense Kevin Bieksa is hot, in his past 10 games he's a +14. He can probably thank Hamhuis for giving him the ability to jump into the play, but don't discredit his defensive play either. I have been having a bit of an issue with Rome lately and would like to see him step up tonight. When Alberts is in, I am extremely confident in the Alberts, Ballard pairing. When Rome is in it's shaky at best.
Tonight should be a great game against an old foe. Enjoy!
GO CANUCKS GO!
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Canucks @ Islanders Pre Game
Canucks @ Islanders, SNET-VAN, TEAM 1040, 4:00PM PST
It's game day in Canucks land again and after the 5 games in 7 night stint the two days off seems like forever that the team has been on the ice. But don't worry if you missed hockey over the last two days. The team is right back into a 5 games in 8 night stretch.
Tonight is team #1 Vs team #29 in league standings. In the last 21 games for the Canucks they are 17-1-3 with 37 points. In 40 games this season the Islanders have only 32 points going 13-21-6. Seems like it should be an easy win for the Canucks, however I don't think it will be. If you were a team in basically last place in the NHL and one of your more offensively gifted players is fired up to play his old team (Grabner), I would guess tonight the Islanders will play like this is a playoff game for them. If you follow Grabner on twitter he posted this early today "Skate is done... good to see the guys again but there are no friends on the ice... it's gona be a good test for us.see ya at the game." The Islanders have beat a few Western conference teams recently and it would be dumb for the Canucks to under estimate them.
Keys for tonight for the Canuck's are pretty simple, play their game and they will win. If the team plays at the level they are capable of tonight without coming down to the level of the Islanders they simply have to much skill and depth to not win. I don't see any match up issues with the top lines tonight, Canuck's should easily be able to roll our their top three lines without being worried who is on the ice for the Islanders and they will be able to get their fourth line some shifts tonight's as well. Look for the depth of the Canuck's to simply overwhelm the Islanders.
Kesler is playing slightly injured tonight, he has a thumb injury that he is saying might be an issue in the faceoff circle but shouldn't be an issue in any other aspect of the game. Tambellini will be on Kesler's line and has some faceoff ability. Keep your eye out for Tambi in the dot. As much as it will be fun to see Grabner playing against his old team, Tambellini gets the same chance tonight going against the Islanders. It looks as though the Islanders passed on a very skilled forward in Tambellini who has found a nice home beside Kesler on the Canucks second line. He will be fired up to have a good game tonight. The line should still be able to use their speed to get in and pressure the Islanders defense to cough the puck up and get a few chances.
Because Kesler has a bit of an injury I expect the Twins to maybe see a little bit more ice time early in the game. They are coming off a game in Detroit where they missed on a few chances and I'm sure they'd like to get the team back on track. The Islanders have no real imposing defensive force anywhere in their lineup and they rarely see a duo like the Twins out East. I expect the Twins to have a solid game and put up some points.
The third line will have to deal with a quick line tonight in Grabner, Schremp and Sim. But they have the ability to pin them in the offensive zone and take advantage of their lack of defensive play. I expect the Malholtra line to have a good game tonight.
Luongo is back in goal tonight and he is slowly, under the radar, returning to his elite status. He's moving into the top 10 in most goalie stats, including being 4th in Wins with a lot less games played then the guys ahead of him. His stats have been climbing for a while and this mid-season rest he's been getting from Schneider will be great come playoff time.
Canucks should be able to use the same game style they use against the Oilers team to pick apart the Islanders. But be careful, if they fall into the trap of being the best team against a weaker team they will have problems.
Go Canucks Go
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below
It's game day in Canucks land again and after the 5 games in 7 night stint the two days off seems like forever that the team has been on the ice. But don't worry if you missed hockey over the last two days. The team is right back into a 5 games in 8 night stretch.
Tonight is team #1 Vs team #29 in league standings. In the last 21 games for the Canucks they are 17-1-3 with 37 points. In 40 games this season the Islanders have only 32 points going 13-21-6. Seems like it should be an easy win for the Canucks, however I don't think it will be. If you were a team in basically last place in the NHL and one of your more offensively gifted players is fired up to play his old team (Grabner), I would guess tonight the Islanders will play like this is a playoff game for them. If you follow Grabner on twitter he posted this early today "Skate is done... good to see the guys again but there are no friends on the ice... it's gona be a good test for us.see ya at the game." The Islanders have beat a few Western conference teams recently and it would be dumb for the Canucks to under estimate them.
Keys for tonight for the Canuck's are pretty simple, play their game and they will win. If the team plays at the level they are capable of tonight without coming down to the level of the Islanders they simply have to much skill and depth to not win. I don't see any match up issues with the top lines tonight, Canuck's should easily be able to roll our their top three lines without being worried who is on the ice for the Islanders and they will be able to get their fourth line some shifts tonight's as well. Look for the depth of the Canuck's to simply overwhelm the Islanders.
Kesler is playing slightly injured tonight, he has a thumb injury that he is saying might be an issue in the faceoff circle but shouldn't be an issue in any other aspect of the game. Tambellini will be on Kesler's line and has some faceoff ability. Keep your eye out for Tambi in the dot. As much as it will be fun to see Grabner playing against his old team, Tambellini gets the same chance tonight going against the Islanders. It looks as though the Islanders passed on a very skilled forward in Tambellini who has found a nice home beside Kesler on the Canucks second line. He will be fired up to have a good game tonight. The line should still be able to use their speed to get in and pressure the Islanders defense to cough the puck up and get a few chances.
Because Kesler has a bit of an injury I expect the Twins to maybe see a little bit more ice time early in the game. They are coming off a game in Detroit where they missed on a few chances and I'm sure they'd like to get the team back on track. The Islanders have no real imposing defensive force anywhere in their lineup and they rarely see a duo like the Twins out East. I expect the Twins to have a solid game and put up some points.
The third line will have to deal with a quick line tonight in Grabner, Schremp and Sim. But they have the ability to pin them in the offensive zone and take advantage of their lack of defensive play. I expect the Malholtra line to have a good game tonight.
Luongo is back in goal tonight and he is slowly, under the radar, returning to his elite status. He's moving into the top 10 in most goalie stats, including being 4th in Wins with a lot less games played then the guys ahead of him. His stats have been climbing for a while and this mid-season rest he's been getting from Schneider will be great come playoff time.
Canucks should be able to use the same game style they use against the Oilers team to pick apart the Islanders. But be careful, if they fall into the trap of being the best team against a weaker team they will have problems.
Go Canucks Go
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment below
Canucks Vs Wings Post Game
Canucks 1 Wings 2 (SO)
Don't get me wrong I was very disappointed with the loss to the Wings. The Wings were very short handed missing very key players but they joined together and had a great game. The Canucks had an great performance by Luongo in goal and he deserved the W. The team couldn't put one goal in and didn't seem to have the juice in the tank they've had recently in the third period to pull away from a team for the win.
The Canucks and Detroit are clearly in a class above most teams in the NHL, but I think Detroit still shows a little something the Canucks don't. I am not 100% sure what it is but it seems like when a game has the playoff atmosphere the game did on Saturday the Wings step up.
The Canucks should be able to take a lot from this game and learn. They kept their point streak going and will hopefully pick right back up against the Islanders in the next game. If they do learn and keep improving from this game we will see one great playoff match up this year because these two teams.
Pre game for Canucks @ Islanders coming up.
Check the Twitter for the post update @bmah03
Comment below
Don't get me wrong I was very disappointed with the loss to the Wings. The Wings were very short handed missing very key players but they joined together and had a great game. The Canucks had an great performance by Luongo in goal and he deserved the W. The team couldn't put one goal in and didn't seem to have the juice in the tank they've had recently in the third period to pull away from a team for the win.
The Canucks and Detroit are clearly in a class above most teams in the NHL, but I think Detroit still shows a little something the Canucks don't. I am not 100% sure what it is but it seems like when a game has the playoff atmosphere the game did on Saturday the Wings step up.
The Canucks should be able to take a lot from this game and learn. They kept their point streak going and will hopefully pick right back up against the Islanders in the next game. If they do learn and keep improving from this game we will see one great playoff match up this year because these two teams.
Pre game for Canucks @ Islanders coming up.
Check the Twitter for the post update @bmah03
Comment below
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Canucks vs Wings Pre Game
Canucks vs Wings, CBC, TEAM 1040, 7:00 PM pst
Keep rollin' one game at a time. That seems to be the moto of the Canucks of late. This is a huge game foe the team when it comes to standings and playoff positioning. The team can put a little distance between themselves and the 2nd place wings tonight.
The game comes at what seems to be a perfect time for the Canucks. Although they are coming off a back to back, so are the Wings. That pretty much cancels that out. If either team has any travel advantage it's the Canucks as the Wings had the fly after a shoutout win last night in Calgary.
The wings also have many key injuries going into tonights game. Take a look at the injuries at tsn.ca/injuries.
The Canucks have brought Bolduc back in while Volpatti is out tonight.
Look for the big guys from the Canucks to have good legs tonight even though it's a back to back. They didn't have to play that hard after the 2nd and should be ready to go tonight.
Luongo is well rested and he's been playing great recently. I'm sure he'd like to make up for his last performance against the Wings. Look for him to lead the team tonight with key saves at key moments.
Both teams play a puck posession style so keep your eyes on time of possesion stats.
In big games you need depth scoring so tonight is a big night for the bottom six to chip in.
Go Canucks go.
I'm on the ferry home right now. Wish I was staying for tonights game, but instead I'll be back at work at the mini, mini 'Nucks. The salmon kings.
Twitter @bmah03
Comment below.
Keep rollin' one game at a time. That seems to be the moto of the Canucks of late. This is a huge game foe the team when it comes to standings and playoff positioning. The team can put a little distance between themselves and the 2nd place wings tonight.
The game comes at what seems to be a perfect time for the Canucks. Although they are coming off a back to back, so are the Wings. That pretty much cancels that out. If either team has any travel advantage it's the Canucks as the Wings had the fly after a shoutout win last night in Calgary.
The wings also have many key injuries going into tonights game. Take a look at the injuries at tsn.ca/injuries.
The Canucks have brought Bolduc back in while Volpatti is out tonight.
Look for the big guys from the Canucks to have good legs tonight even though it's a back to back. They didn't have to play that hard after the 2nd and should be ready to go tonight.
Luongo is well rested and he's been playing great recently. I'm sure he'd like to make up for his last performance against the Wings. Look for him to lead the team tonight with key saves at key moments.
Both teams play a puck posession style so keep your eyes on time of possesion stats.
In big games you need depth scoring so tonight is a big night for the bottom six to chip in.
Go Canucks go.
I'm on the ferry home right now. Wish I was staying for tonights game, but instead I'll be back at work at the mini, mini 'Nucks. The salmon kings.
Twitter @bmah03
Comment below.
Canucks vs Oilers post game
Canucks 6 oilers 1
If it wasn't for the goltending in the first the score could have been completly different. Both schneider and khabibulin made some big saves to keep the game close.
Schneider just keeps on rolling. Being able to play Schneider in a game like last night will be huge when it comes to playoff time for Luongo. Last night Schneider gave Luongo a rest that won't seem like a lot in the short term but 5 games off in the past 8, at the midpoint of the season, for Luongo will be huge for the long term.
After the 2nd period the stars of the team showed up. Henrik and Daniel used their ridiculous passing abilities to create on the rush while Kesler got a lucky bounce for one then used his tipping skills for two more. It was Kesler's second hat trick this season.
Again the defense pitched in on the score sheet with a few assists and a goal from Edler.
Don't get me wrong the team took control of the game although one thing I'm sure they will want to fix is the number of two on ones they gave up early on. The Oilers had a few good scoring chances in the first that were caused by bad pinches or over aggression by the defence.
What a game to go see. Was sitting in the upper bowl but man did we have a lot of action up there. A couple in front of us got arrested. The guy, an oilers fan, really didn't do anything wrong but his girlfriend ripped into the cops with some choice words and got them both arrested. Pretty funny. Second guy to getarrested was again an oilers fan. With the game half way over in the third and the game out of reach the guy gets up and is leaving the seating area. Everyone starts yelling "go home Oilers suck anyways", the guy in front of me keeps giving it to the guy as everyone is booing him out of the building. Oilers fan proceeds to snap run back up the steps pointing at guy in front of me yelling over and over "I'll f---ing kill you!" and telling him to come out of his seat to fight him. This just makes all the Canucks fans keep booing him telling him to leave and three rows of fans stand up and dare him to try to get to the guy who is still giving this guy every lip in the book. Needless to say the death threats got him arrested and escorted out of the building. Again, pretty funny. "We are all Canucks"
Go Canucks go!!
Twitter @bmah03
Comment below.
If it wasn't for the goltending in the first the score could have been completly different. Both schneider and khabibulin made some big saves to keep the game close.
Schneider just keeps on rolling. Being able to play Schneider in a game like last night will be huge when it comes to playoff time for Luongo. Last night Schneider gave Luongo a rest that won't seem like a lot in the short term but 5 games off in the past 8, at the midpoint of the season, for Luongo will be huge for the long term.
After the 2nd period the stars of the team showed up. Henrik and Daniel used their ridiculous passing abilities to create on the rush while Kesler got a lucky bounce for one then used his tipping skills for two more. It was Kesler's second hat trick this season.
Again the defense pitched in on the score sheet with a few assists and a goal from Edler.
Don't get me wrong the team took control of the game although one thing I'm sure they will want to fix is the number of two on ones they gave up early on. The Oilers had a few good scoring chances in the first that were caused by bad pinches or over aggression by the defence.
What a game to go see. Was sitting in the upper bowl but man did we have a lot of action up there. A couple in front of us got arrested. The guy, an oilers fan, really didn't do anything wrong but his girlfriend ripped into the cops with some choice words and got them both arrested. Pretty funny. Second guy to getarrested was again an oilers fan. With the game half way over in the third and the game out of reach the guy gets up and is leaving the seating area. Everyone starts yelling "go home Oilers suck anyways", the guy in front of me keeps giving it to the guy as everyone is booing him out of the building. Oilers fan proceeds to snap run back up the steps pointing at guy in front of me yelling over and over "I'll f---ing kill you!" and telling him to come out of his seat to fight him. This just makes all the Canucks fans keep booing him telling him to leave and three rows of fans stand up and dare him to try to get to the guy who is still giving this guy every lip in the book. Needless to say the death threats got him arrested and escorted out of the building. Again, pretty funny. "We are all Canucks"
Go Canucks go!!
Twitter @bmah03
Comment below.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Canucks vs oilers pregame
Canucks vs oilers, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 7:00pm
Great news. I'll be at the game tonight. I'm actually currently in the ferry terminal waiting for the 11 boat. Thanks to my girlfriend for the Christmas present!!
The Oilera are another team the Canucks should beat. They can play their game, a solid defensive effort with good counter punching, to beat the young Oilers team. Is it just me or are the Canucks addopting "the Patriots Way"? The New England Patriots are consistently a top team yet interview after interview they say the same thing. "They need to get better in different situations", "they need to work harder". These are the same things that are starting to come out of the Canucks locker room. They seem like they are on a mission and will get there one game at a time.
Tonight Schneider will get the start. People have been asking why Luongo isn't starting tonight. He had a good record against the Oilers and has played back to back before. This year is different though. With Schneider available why not use him and have Luongo rested and
ready for a big game with Detroit. The team will need a few key saves from
Schneider tonight as Edmonton does have some skilled forwards.
The twins, Kesler and company should be able to come out early and pop an early goal to deflate the young Oilers team.
The Oilers pk is not very good so the Canucks should be able to use their very good powerplay as an advantage.
Most important thing tonight is for the Canucks to stay with the mind frame "one game at a time" if they are caught looking ahead at Detroit they could find themselves on the wrong side of an upset.
Go Canucks Go!
See you at the game tonight. Feel free to say hi. I'll be sec 313 row 10. Home jersey. Spiked hair.
Twitter me @bmah03
commenw below.
Great news. I'll be at the game tonight. I'm actually currently in the ferry terminal waiting for the 11 boat. Thanks to my girlfriend for the Christmas present!!
The Oilera are another team the Canucks should beat. They can play their game, a solid defensive effort with good counter punching, to beat the young Oilers team. Is it just me or are the Canucks addopting "the Patriots Way"? The New England Patriots are consistently a top team yet interview after interview they say the same thing. "They need to get better in different situations", "they need to work harder". These are the same things that are starting to come out of the Canucks locker room. They seem like they are on a mission and will get there one game at a time.
Tonight Schneider will get the start. People have been asking why Luongo isn't starting tonight. He had a good record against the Oilers and has played back to back before. This year is different though. With Schneider available why not use him and have Luongo rested and
ready for a big game with Detroit. The team will need a few key saves from
Schneider tonight as Edmonton does have some skilled forwards.
The twins, Kesler and company should be able to come out early and pop an early goal to deflate the young Oilers team.
The Oilers pk is not very good so the Canucks should be able to use their very good powerplay as an advantage.
Most important thing tonight is for the Canucks to stay with the mind frame "one game at a time" if they are caught looking ahead at Detroit they could find themselves on the wrong side of an upset.
Go Canucks Go!
See you at the game tonight. Feel free to say hi. I'll be sec 313 row 10. Home jersey. Spiked hair.
Twitter me @bmah03
commenw below.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Canucks Vs Flames Post Game
Canucks 3 Flames 1
It's nice to finally see a Canucks team be able to put a game in cruise control against a weaker opponent and still win fairly easily. I know Calgary owned the shot totals but a ton of those shots were weak shots from the outside with really no chance of going past Luongo.
Unfortunate goal for Luongo late in the game last night but you can't really blame him for being upset. He worked hard last night and saw a lot of rubber. He deserved the shut out and his team, and his coach, let him down. Why the coach? Think about it from Luongo's point of view. There's less than a minute left and you know Calgary is trying to score (they pulled their goalie down 3 goals) because the only thing they have left is breaking up the shut out. Who does AV find on his bench to put on the ice? The fourth line. The fourth line gets stuck in their zone, ices the puck, and loses the faceoff. The puck ends up in the back on the net.
Ok I know not really a time to bring up little things like that when the team is winning but common, do something for your goalie who has been playing great for you all year. Like everyone has been repeating in the locker room this whole streak, "there's always something to clean up". This is the one beef I had with last nights game.
On the good side of things, the first goal for the Canucks seems like it's coming easy all the sudden, they've been jumping out of the gate and look great in the first. Speed really kills teams and Raymond used his speed to get outside of the dman on the first goal to set up a streaking Kesler driving hard to the net for an easy deflection. It's awesome to watch that line create using their speed.
I commented in the pre game that the faceoff percentages were down in the SJ game. Kesler brought his numbers back up with a solid 67%, Malhotra dominated going 15/19 for 79%. Meanwhile Henrik struggled again going a mere 6/16, against the big body of Jokinen he only went 2/7. Keep on eye on Henrik against big centers, he's been having trouble with them recently. Thornton and Jokinen did very good jobs against one of the better faceoff guys in the NHL. Bolduc went a horrid 0/8. If he wants to be the playoff 4th line center for the Canucks he better improve on that number.
The defense looks like they are really coming together. Ehrhoff and Hamhuis had a few really nice key plays in their own zone. Is it just me or does Alberts look a heck of a lot better than Rome paired with Ballard? When Ballard and Alberts are on the ice I am comfortable no matter what line they are lined up against. When Rome and Ballard are on the ice I get nervous when they are against the other teams top lines.
All in all a good team effort in a W they should be able to pick up all the time against a weaker team.
Follow the twitter for updates on the next post @bmah03
Comment bellow.
It's nice to finally see a Canucks team be able to put a game in cruise control against a weaker opponent and still win fairly easily. I know Calgary owned the shot totals but a ton of those shots were weak shots from the outside with really no chance of going past Luongo.
Unfortunate goal for Luongo late in the game last night but you can't really blame him for being upset. He worked hard last night and saw a lot of rubber. He deserved the shut out and his team, and his coach, let him down. Why the coach? Think about it from Luongo's point of view. There's less than a minute left and you know Calgary is trying to score (they pulled their goalie down 3 goals) because the only thing they have left is breaking up the shut out. Who does AV find on his bench to put on the ice? The fourth line. The fourth line gets stuck in their zone, ices the puck, and loses the faceoff. The puck ends up in the back on the net.
Ok I know not really a time to bring up little things like that when the team is winning but common, do something for your goalie who has been playing great for you all year. Like everyone has been repeating in the locker room this whole streak, "there's always something to clean up". This is the one beef I had with last nights game.
On the good side of things, the first goal for the Canucks seems like it's coming easy all the sudden, they've been jumping out of the gate and look great in the first. Speed really kills teams and Raymond used his speed to get outside of the dman on the first goal to set up a streaking Kesler driving hard to the net for an easy deflection. It's awesome to watch that line create using their speed.
I commented in the pre game that the faceoff percentages were down in the SJ game. Kesler brought his numbers back up with a solid 67%, Malhotra dominated going 15/19 for 79%. Meanwhile Henrik struggled again going a mere 6/16, against the big body of Jokinen he only went 2/7. Keep on eye on Henrik against big centers, he's been having trouble with them recently. Thornton and Jokinen did very good jobs against one of the better faceoff guys in the NHL. Bolduc went a horrid 0/8. If he wants to be the playoff 4th line center for the Canucks he better improve on that number.
The defense looks like they are really coming together. Ehrhoff and Hamhuis had a few really nice key plays in their own zone. Is it just me or does Alberts look a heck of a lot better than Rome paired with Ballard? When Ballard and Alberts are on the ice I am comfortable no matter what line they are lined up against. When Rome and Ballard are on the ice I get nervous when they are against the other teams top lines.
All in all a good team effort in a W they should be able to pick up all the time against a weaker team.
Follow the twitter for updates on the next post @bmah03
Comment bellow.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Canucks VS Flames Pre Game
Canucks Vs Flames, SNET-VAN, TEAM 1040, 7:00PM
Don't let the streak fool you, every team in the NHL can be beat. The Canucks are still one of the teams that on any given night can have a bad game and be beat. Calgary has many reasons to come out tonight on fire (no pun intended), they recently lost to the lowly Islanders and they lost 7-2 last time they played the Canucks. The Canucks are also now the most hunted team in the NHL being in first place.
If the Canucks are going to be a hungry desperate team they will need to play smart Canucks hockey. Play defensively until they get the option to counter punch. When they get their opportunity they will need to capitalize.
The Twins have recently dominated the Flames and on home ice they should be able to get whatever line match up they want. When the Twins get a chance against the weaker lines of the Flames they should be able to work the puck down low and get a ton of scoring chances.
Kesler and the second line consisting tonight of Raymond and Tambellini will need to use their speed to keep the chances up. If they are getting chances they will put one away.
Kesler and Henrik had bad games in the faceoff circle last game against the Sharks. It would be nice to see them get back on track there.
Malholtra didn't have any issues in the faceoff circle last night. He will need to keep leading the third line on the mission to be the most consistent and effective third line in the NHL.
The fourth line will be upgraded tonight with Hansen playing on the wing with Bolduc and Glass. Hansen adds an element of grit, speed and scoring ability to the line. With back to back game coming up on the weekend it would be nice to be able to use the fourth line on a regular basis tonight.
Luongo back in goal will need to keep up his play from December. He was the NHL 2nd star in December and it would be nice to see that carry over in January.
Team effort tonight is the key if they have that all should be well.
Follow the twitter @bmah03
Comment bellow!
Don't let the streak fool you, every team in the NHL can be beat. The Canucks are still one of the teams that on any given night can have a bad game and be beat. Calgary has many reasons to come out tonight on fire (no pun intended), they recently lost to the lowly Islanders and they lost 7-2 last time they played the Canucks. The Canucks are also now the most hunted team in the NHL being in first place.
If the Canucks are going to be a hungry desperate team they will need to play smart Canucks hockey. Play defensively until they get the option to counter punch. When they get their opportunity they will need to capitalize.
The Twins have recently dominated the Flames and on home ice they should be able to get whatever line match up they want. When the Twins get a chance against the weaker lines of the Flames they should be able to work the puck down low and get a ton of scoring chances.
Kesler and the second line consisting tonight of Raymond and Tambellini will need to use their speed to keep the chances up. If they are getting chances they will put one away.
Kesler and Henrik had bad games in the faceoff circle last game against the Sharks. It would be nice to see them get back on track there.
Malholtra didn't have any issues in the faceoff circle last night. He will need to keep leading the third line on the mission to be the most consistent and effective third line in the NHL.
The fourth line will be upgraded tonight with Hansen playing on the wing with Bolduc and Glass. Hansen adds an element of grit, speed and scoring ability to the line. With back to back game coming up on the weekend it would be nice to be able to use the fourth line on a regular basis tonight.
Luongo back in goal will need to keep up his play from December. He was the NHL 2nd star in December and it would be nice to see that carry over in January.
Team effort tonight is the key if they have that all should be well.
Follow the twitter @bmah03
Comment bellow!
Canucks @ Sharks Post Game
Canucks 4 Sharks 3
This is late so I will keep it short.
What a game by everyone as a whole.
A win usually starts with your starting goalie. Schneider got the call against the Sharks, who are a very good team, and he played very well stopping 32 of 35 shots. In recent years it hasn't been very common for a Canuck's team to be able to put the back up in against a top NHL team and expect a victory. This year they have that luxury and it's a huge thing for the team and Luongo this year.
My next big key thing for the game against the Sharks was a big game by the top line. They definitely brought that by starting off the game right with the first goal. Daniel Sedin leads the league with 8 opening game goals. And then there's Burrows, he is starting to come around rounding into mid season form and starting to finish the puck. He's positioning himself in front of the net getting tips and dirty goals. That's where he needs to be to be successful.
Because of Kesler being injured I mentioned the defence needed to step up and put points on the board. Against a top team like SJ you'll always need good offensive output from your defensive units and against the Sharks it was Ehrhoff with two assists, Edler with a goal and Ballard with another assist. Great job by the defence to step up when needed.
Speaking of Kesler, if that's how he plays injured he is easily developing into the roll of the type of player everyone on the team must look up to. What an effort, it will be needed come playoffs.
Finally, Tanner Glass. He answered the bell when Mayers wanted the fight and then when the team went down 3-2 he found another dance partner and tangoed one more time. The second fight was the big one for the team. It stole a lot of momentum from the game, something on the road that can go a little unnoticed but mean a whole lot to the team.
Great team effort and a whole new level of heart.
Pre Game for Canucks Vs Flames coming soon.
Check the Twitter to find out when it's out @bmah03
Comments welcome.
This is late so I will keep it short.
What a game by everyone as a whole.
A win usually starts with your starting goalie. Schneider got the call against the Sharks, who are a very good team, and he played very well stopping 32 of 35 shots. In recent years it hasn't been very common for a Canuck's team to be able to put the back up in against a top NHL team and expect a victory. This year they have that luxury and it's a huge thing for the team and Luongo this year.
My next big key thing for the game against the Sharks was a big game by the top line. They definitely brought that by starting off the game right with the first goal. Daniel Sedin leads the league with 8 opening game goals. And then there's Burrows, he is starting to come around rounding into mid season form and starting to finish the puck. He's positioning himself in front of the net getting tips and dirty goals. That's where he needs to be to be successful.
Because of Kesler being injured I mentioned the defence needed to step up and put points on the board. Against a top team like SJ you'll always need good offensive output from your defensive units and against the Sharks it was Ehrhoff with two assists, Edler with a goal and Ballard with another assist. Great job by the defence to step up when needed.
Speaking of Kesler, if that's how he plays injured he is easily developing into the roll of the type of player everyone on the team must look up to. What an effort, it will be needed come playoffs.
Finally, Tanner Glass. He answered the bell when Mayers wanted the fight and then when the team went down 3-2 he found another dance partner and tangoed one more time. The second fight was the big one for the team. It stole a lot of momentum from the game, something on the road that can go a little unnoticed but mean a whole lot to the team.
Great team effort and a whole new level of heart.
Pre Game for Canucks Vs Flames coming soon.
Check the Twitter to find out when it's out @bmah03
Comments welcome.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Canucks @ Sharks Pre Game
Canucks @ Sharks, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 7:30 PM PST
For a Stats holiday Monday there is a ton of news around the Canucks camp today. Starting with HUGE news about the salary cap. Canucks have been granted a cap relief for Rick Rypien. To be honest I do not 100% understand all the intricate parts of the cap world, however if you're looking for someone who does, capgeek.com usually knows their stuff. They are reporting today that the Canucks will need to clear approximately 1.8M in cap space to have everyone come off LTIR. Meaning, one way to get Salo back in the lineup would be to move Rome and Alberts which equals 1.8M. I do believe MG will find a way to move one of these two players, but I think he'll also work something else to be able to keep one or the other as the backup defenseman. Clearly the Canucks have always been a team who needs depth at defence and having Rome or Alberts as #7 is a luxury most NHL don't have.
Other news in Canucks land is the slow return of Cody Hodgson to the Moose. The Moose are playing great without two of their star players, Hodgson and Schroeder, but mostly thanks to star goaltending by Eddie Lack. Hodgson's return from injury is taking a bit longer than expected and he will probably be out for another two weeks. Schroeder on the other hand should be back in the next week.
Finally the most important news in Canuck's land that could very much affect tonight's game is the game time decision for team leader Ryan Kesler. He blocked a shot last night with his foot and it has been reported that he has been limping fairly badly. Kesler hasn't missed a game in roughly three years so we can assume he will try to go tonight. The question for Kesler will be can he get his foot in his skate. If he can do that then my guess is he'll be a go. If he can't the Canucks could have some issues tonight. Tambellini can play centre, so there is a possibility he moves into the 2nd line centre spot flanked by Raymond and Hansen. That would allow the #1 and #3 lines to stay the same with Volpatti slotting back in on the fourth line. If they put Malholtra in the 2nd line centre spot I have no idea what the rest of the team will look like.
Knowing all this, if Kesler can't go, the Sedin's will need to step up and carry this team on their back for a night. Burrows will need to be crashing the boards and the front of the net to create some space for the twins. The Sharks have a very solid all around team and it will be tough for this line to create space, however, the Canucks are the best team in the league, the twins are their best line, so they need to find a way to do it tonight.
Schneider will be in goal tonight relieving Luongo from back to back duty again. What a luxury for the team it is to be able to put Schneider in goal and not worry about a drop in play. Luongo had a tough game last night and he deserves the night off in every way. Hopefully Schneider can keep his good play going again tonight by staying calm and in good position. The Sharks have good balance this season throughout their lineup and will be bringing a lot of pucks towards the net. Schneider will need to be ready tonight.
The defense will also need to step up tonight, if Kesler can't go they will need to provide a little offense as well as playing a big game in front of Schneider tonight. Bieksa will need to keep up his solid play and hopefully Edler can bring some more physical play like last night.
Tonight will be quite the test for the #1 team in the NHL. The Sharks can play with anyone in the NHL so the Canucks will need to be on their toes. It's a back to back game on the road so expect a low scoring defensive effort from the Canucks tonight. If they can take the crowd out of the game in the first period with a slow boring start they'll have a chance tonight. If they can't weather the Sharks early storm they will be in trouble.
Big thing for the Canucks tonight is keep the ball rolling. There's a lot of momentum behind this team and they'll need it tonight.
GO CANUCKS GO
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment bellow
For a Stats holiday Monday there is a ton of news around the Canucks camp today. Starting with HUGE news about the salary cap. Canucks have been granted a cap relief for Rick Rypien. To be honest I do not 100% understand all the intricate parts of the cap world, however if you're looking for someone who does, capgeek.com usually knows their stuff. They are reporting today that the Canucks will need to clear approximately 1.8M in cap space to have everyone come off LTIR. Meaning, one way to get Salo back in the lineup would be to move Rome and Alberts which equals 1.8M. I do believe MG will find a way to move one of these two players, but I think he'll also work something else to be able to keep one or the other as the backup defenseman. Clearly the Canucks have always been a team who needs depth at defence and having Rome or Alberts as #7 is a luxury most NHL don't have.
Other news in Canucks land is the slow return of Cody Hodgson to the Moose. The Moose are playing great without two of their star players, Hodgson and Schroeder, but mostly thanks to star goaltending by Eddie Lack. Hodgson's return from injury is taking a bit longer than expected and he will probably be out for another two weeks. Schroeder on the other hand should be back in the next week.
Finally the most important news in Canuck's land that could very much affect tonight's game is the game time decision for team leader Ryan Kesler. He blocked a shot last night with his foot and it has been reported that he has been limping fairly badly. Kesler hasn't missed a game in roughly three years so we can assume he will try to go tonight. The question for Kesler will be can he get his foot in his skate. If he can do that then my guess is he'll be a go. If he can't the Canucks could have some issues tonight. Tambellini can play centre, so there is a possibility he moves into the 2nd line centre spot flanked by Raymond and Hansen. That would allow the #1 and #3 lines to stay the same with Volpatti slotting back in on the fourth line. If they put Malholtra in the 2nd line centre spot I have no idea what the rest of the team will look like.
Knowing all this, if Kesler can't go, the Sedin's will need to step up and carry this team on their back for a night. Burrows will need to be crashing the boards and the front of the net to create some space for the twins. The Sharks have a very solid all around team and it will be tough for this line to create space, however, the Canucks are the best team in the league, the twins are their best line, so they need to find a way to do it tonight.
Schneider will be in goal tonight relieving Luongo from back to back duty again. What a luxury for the team it is to be able to put Schneider in goal and not worry about a drop in play. Luongo had a tough game last night and he deserves the night off in every way. Hopefully Schneider can keep his good play going again tonight by staying calm and in good position. The Sharks have good balance this season throughout their lineup and will be bringing a lot of pucks towards the net. Schneider will need to be ready tonight.
The defense will also need to step up tonight, if Kesler can't go they will need to provide a little offense as well as playing a big game in front of Schneider tonight. Bieksa will need to keep up his solid play and hopefully Edler can bring some more physical play like last night.
Tonight will be quite the test for the #1 team in the NHL. The Sharks can play with anyone in the NHL so the Canucks will need to be on their toes. It's a back to back game on the road so expect a low scoring defensive effort from the Canucks tonight. If they can take the crowd out of the game in the first period with a slow boring start they'll have a chance tonight. If they can't weather the Sharks early storm they will be in trouble.
Big thing for the Canucks tonight is keep the ball rolling. There's a lot of momentum behind this team and they'll need it tonight.
GO CANUCKS GO
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment bellow
Canucks @ Avalanche Post Game
Canucks 2 Avs 1
I talked about the goalies for Vancouver needing to steal games for the Canucks with the type of schedule they have facing them right now. Last night Roberto Luongo did just that. Colorado couldn't even score with 7 guys on the ice. Luongo stopped 31 of 32 shots last night, the most important thing is how comfortable he looked in goal while making the saves. Cory Schneider is making a difference in Vancouver this year and it is benefiting Luongo a ton. Luongo can rest when he needs the rest and let his mind relax completely knowing his backup will be in for the whole game and he doesn't need to worry about having to come into a game he isn't starting. The team and Luongo will benefit by having Schneider start his fair share of games this year, come playoff time it will be a huge bonus. In my opinion Luongo got robbed from the shut out. I've seen a few angles of the "goal" by Colorado and even the side angle where it looks as though the puck crosses the line, there is no way you can say that it was in for sure. The ref on the ice called no goal so the war room in Toronto needed to rule that it had clearly crossed the line... not that my opinion counts but I don't think there's anyway to know for sure.
What a difference a solid winger makes for Glass and Bolduc. Raymond seemed happy to be in the lineup last night with no complaints being placed on the fourth line for the time being. Even in a tight game the line got some decent ice time for a fourth line. Glass lead the line with over 8 minute, Raymond with over 7 and Bolduc over 5. They also provided the only offense for the team in an important game. The first Bolduc goal was pretty lucky, Luongo made a big save causing the play to go back the other way, Bolduc had no option but to shoot and he got a lucky bounce off the dman. Who really cares though, first NHL goal is always an important one. Raymond's goal was a good hard working shift by the line that generated two chances for Raymond. It was good to see him burry the 2nd chance. I assume he will get a chance back in the top 6 very soon.
Kesler didn't hit the score sheet but man he was playing in your face hockey. Good to see emotion from the team leaders like this. The rest of the team will follow and hopefully Kesler will keep it up.
The Twins had some good shifts but in a game like this against Colorado's defence I would like to see them be able to put some points on the board.
All in all thank Luongo for the W and move on to the game tonight against the Sharks. The depth of the Canucks showed tonight and it's always nice to see the team have scorers on all four lines.
I will be posting a pre game for tonight's game soon. Check back in a few hours.
Follow the twitter for posting updates. @bmah03
Also I know someone who has tickets for sale for the Edmonton game on Friday. If you're interested comment bellow I will get you details.
I talked about the goalies for Vancouver needing to steal games for the Canucks with the type of schedule they have facing them right now. Last night Roberto Luongo did just that. Colorado couldn't even score with 7 guys on the ice. Luongo stopped 31 of 32 shots last night, the most important thing is how comfortable he looked in goal while making the saves. Cory Schneider is making a difference in Vancouver this year and it is benefiting Luongo a ton. Luongo can rest when he needs the rest and let his mind relax completely knowing his backup will be in for the whole game and he doesn't need to worry about having to come into a game he isn't starting. The team and Luongo will benefit by having Schneider start his fair share of games this year, come playoff time it will be a huge bonus. In my opinion Luongo got robbed from the shut out. I've seen a few angles of the "goal" by Colorado and even the side angle where it looks as though the puck crosses the line, there is no way you can say that it was in for sure. The ref on the ice called no goal so the war room in Toronto needed to rule that it had clearly crossed the line... not that my opinion counts but I don't think there's anyway to know for sure.
What a difference a solid winger makes for Glass and Bolduc. Raymond seemed happy to be in the lineup last night with no complaints being placed on the fourth line for the time being. Even in a tight game the line got some decent ice time for a fourth line. Glass lead the line with over 8 minute, Raymond with over 7 and Bolduc over 5. They also provided the only offense for the team in an important game. The first Bolduc goal was pretty lucky, Luongo made a big save causing the play to go back the other way, Bolduc had no option but to shoot and he got a lucky bounce off the dman. Who really cares though, first NHL goal is always an important one. Raymond's goal was a good hard working shift by the line that generated two chances for Raymond. It was good to see him burry the 2nd chance. I assume he will get a chance back in the top 6 very soon.
Kesler didn't hit the score sheet but man he was playing in your face hockey. Good to see emotion from the team leaders like this. The rest of the team will follow and hopefully Kesler will keep it up.
The Twins had some good shifts but in a game like this against Colorado's defence I would like to see them be able to put some points on the board.
All in all thank Luongo for the W and move on to the game tonight against the Sharks. The depth of the Canucks showed tonight and it's always nice to see the team have scorers on all four lines.
I will be posting a pre game for tonight's game soon. Check back in a few hours.
Follow the twitter for posting updates. @bmah03
Also I know someone who has tickets for sale for the Edmonton game on Friday. If you're interested comment bellow I will get you details.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Canucks @ Avalanche Pre Game
Canucks @ Avalanche, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 5:00 PM PST
Tonight is the first game of a crazy stretch for the Canucks. They play 5 games in the next 7 nights. It will be a test of will for the team as this kind of stretch isn't typically good for keeping winning streaks alive. They are however well rested for tonights game and should have Luongo back in goal tonight. Raymond will also be slotting back into the lineup. In a bit of a surprise AV will be using Raymond on the 4th line. It might have to do with the fact Raymond will be wearing a splint on his thumb still or that the top 3 lines are playing fairly well together.
Don't let the standings fool you, tonight's game is more than important. It is a crucial game for the Canuck's going into this crazy month of hockey. The Canuck's are currently sitting 2nd in the West, six points ahead of Colorado with 2 games in hand. Tonight they have the opportunity to not only be first in the West (If Detroit loses to Philly) but to put 8 points between them and Colorado while still having two games in hand. This kind of lead will be huge for the stretch run and may take some pressure off the team. Knowing these things I would call tonight a very important game against a division opponent.
We all know that Vancouver can play any type of game, fast paced offensive game or a tight stifling defensive game. Colorado on the other hand only seems to have one gear and that's offense. Canucks should be able to bring a strong counter punching game and have a lot of chances on goal.
Because of the Colorado's offensively minded dmen the Twins and Burrows should be able to take advantage of their cycle game to put up some solid numbers tonight. It's an important game and having the Twins prove to the team they can show up for big games is always a good thing.
The 2nd line will still be Hansen, Kesler and Tambellini tonight so they will need to keep using their speed to get in on the forecheck and cause turn overs. It would be nice to see this line start another point streak.
The third line has an advantage tonight as most teams in the NHL aren't as deep as the Canucks. Colorado is one of those teams. The third line should be able to dominate the faceoff circle and have the puck most of the time. Puck control and solid pressure should generate a solid game from this line.
The fourth line is improved tonight with Glass and Bolduc lining up with Raymond as their other winger. They should be able to get a fair share of ice time with it being a back to back tomorrow so they will need to use their speed to create some chances. Glass and Raymond add an interesting combination of speed size and defensive ability. Bolduc will need to stay within himself tonight and not make any mistakes. If they can all play a good game there is potential for this line to be very effective tonight.
In goal tonight is Luongo. Hopefully Luongo won't be distracted tonight from his new baby boy. The nice thing about this stretch of games is the team and Luongo know Schneider will be playing so he should be able to come in focused on tonight's game knowing he'll have the night off tomorrow. I expect a good performance from him tonight because the push from Schneider is starting to come on. Schneider is playing like he wants the number one spot and eventually if he keeps it up Luongo will need to keep pace.
A solid team performance tonight will get a W and a huge lead in the North West. Could the Canucks be #1 in the West tonight? Tune in to find out.
Post games and Pre Games tomorrow, follow twitter for updates @bmah03
Comment below.
Tonight is the first game of a crazy stretch for the Canucks. They play 5 games in the next 7 nights. It will be a test of will for the team as this kind of stretch isn't typically good for keeping winning streaks alive. They are however well rested for tonights game and should have Luongo back in goal tonight. Raymond will also be slotting back into the lineup. In a bit of a surprise AV will be using Raymond on the 4th line. It might have to do with the fact Raymond will be wearing a splint on his thumb still or that the top 3 lines are playing fairly well together.
Don't let the standings fool you, tonight's game is more than important. It is a crucial game for the Canuck's going into this crazy month of hockey. The Canuck's are currently sitting 2nd in the West, six points ahead of Colorado with 2 games in hand. Tonight they have the opportunity to not only be first in the West (If Detroit loses to Philly) but to put 8 points between them and Colorado while still having two games in hand. This kind of lead will be huge for the stretch run and may take some pressure off the team. Knowing these things I would call tonight a very important game against a division opponent.
We all know that Vancouver can play any type of game, fast paced offensive game or a tight stifling defensive game. Colorado on the other hand only seems to have one gear and that's offense. Canucks should be able to bring a strong counter punching game and have a lot of chances on goal.
Because of the Colorado's offensively minded dmen the Twins and Burrows should be able to take advantage of their cycle game to put up some solid numbers tonight. It's an important game and having the Twins prove to the team they can show up for big games is always a good thing.
The 2nd line will still be Hansen, Kesler and Tambellini tonight so they will need to keep using their speed to get in on the forecheck and cause turn overs. It would be nice to see this line start another point streak.
The third line has an advantage tonight as most teams in the NHL aren't as deep as the Canucks. Colorado is one of those teams. The third line should be able to dominate the faceoff circle and have the puck most of the time. Puck control and solid pressure should generate a solid game from this line.
The fourth line is improved tonight with Glass and Bolduc lining up with Raymond as their other winger. They should be able to get a fair share of ice time with it being a back to back tomorrow so they will need to use their speed to create some chances. Glass and Raymond add an interesting combination of speed size and defensive ability. Bolduc will need to stay within himself tonight and not make any mistakes. If they can all play a good game there is potential for this line to be very effective tonight.
In goal tonight is Luongo. Hopefully Luongo won't be distracted tonight from his new baby boy. The nice thing about this stretch of games is the team and Luongo know Schneider will be playing so he should be able to come in focused on tonight's game knowing he'll have the night off tomorrow. I expect a good performance from him tonight because the push from Schneider is starting to come on. Schneider is playing like he wants the number one spot and eventually if he keeps it up Luongo will need to keep pace.
A solid team performance tonight will get a W and a huge lead in the North West. Could the Canucks be #1 in the West tonight? Tune in to find out.
Post games and Pre Games tomorrow, follow twitter for updates @bmah03
Comment below.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Canucks @ Stars Post Game
Canucks 4 Stars 1
Hopefully everyone had a safe and happy New Years.
Last nights game could have been a different story had it not been for Cory Schneider. The Canuck's goalie faced 45 shots stopping all but one. What a luxury it is for the Canucks to be able to put Schneider in with full confidence he will play a good day. So far this year he is 6-0-2 with a .923 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. We will be seeing more of him in the near future as well with a big week coming up for the team of 5 games in 7 nights.
I guess if you are going to get beat in almost every facet of the game one of the best categories to win would be the special teams. The Canucks won because of their goaltending and their special teams play. The PP went 3/6 and the PK killed off 3 of 4 penalties with the lone goal coming late when the game was basically out of reach.
The Sedin's played good on the PP which is a spot they should dominate with the skill set. Using the point man has been very successful for this unit recently and they should keep it up because it gives the Twins a lot more room to work down low.
Bieksa also put in another one, he's been playing very good as of late and he is shooting the puck when he gets his chance. Who knows how the Canucks will find room for Salo but if they manage to get Bieksa and Salo under the cap this team will be very good.
Good to see Torres get back on the score sheet, fancy little move under pressure too.
Schneider played one heck of a game. He looks very big in goal and also has a calmness about him that is very impressive. On the penalty shot he gave the shooter nothing to shoot at. He reminds me of a Luongo of old where all the confidence in the world is leaking out of him. It would be nice if some of his calmness rubs off on Lu. Schneider is not the number one goalie in Van, nor do I think he deserves to be yet, however he is making a pretty good case for more starts this season and if he can continue his play at this level it will be interesting to see what AV decides. Schneider should get 2 of the next 5 games so he'll be able to keep his game face on and hopefully play as well as he did last night in Dallas.
Overall not a pretty performance by the team, a ton of things to pick at 5 on 5. But on special teams this team is playing very solid. They won't win a lot of games playing this way but last night they did and it's two important points to put in the bank. They'll have to turn it up some for the next one but for now enjoy the win and the start of the new year.
Lots of blogging coming up, plus I'll be at the Van Vs Edm game next Friday.
Follow the Twitter for updates @bmah03
Comment bellow if you have any questions.
Hopefully everyone had a safe and happy New Years.
Last nights game could have been a different story had it not been for Cory Schneider. The Canuck's goalie faced 45 shots stopping all but one. What a luxury it is for the Canucks to be able to put Schneider in with full confidence he will play a good day. So far this year he is 6-0-2 with a .923 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. We will be seeing more of him in the near future as well with a big week coming up for the team of 5 games in 7 nights.
I guess if you are going to get beat in almost every facet of the game one of the best categories to win would be the special teams. The Canucks won because of their goaltending and their special teams play. The PP went 3/6 and the PK killed off 3 of 4 penalties with the lone goal coming late when the game was basically out of reach.
The Sedin's played good on the PP which is a spot they should dominate with the skill set. Using the point man has been very successful for this unit recently and they should keep it up because it gives the Twins a lot more room to work down low.
Bieksa also put in another one, he's been playing very good as of late and he is shooting the puck when he gets his chance. Who knows how the Canucks will find room for Salo but if they manage to get Bieksa and Salo under the cap this team will be very good.
Good to see Torres get back on the score sheet, fancy little move under pressure too.
Schneider played one heck of a game. He looks very big in goal and also has a calmness about him that is very impressive. On the penalty shot he gave the shooter nothing to shoot at. He reminds me of a Luongo of old where all the confidence in the world is leaking out of him. It would be nice if some of his calmness rubs off on Lu. Schneider is not the number one goalie in Van, nor do I think he deserves to be yet, however he is making a pretty good case for more starts this season and if he can continue his play at this level it will be interesting to see what AV decides. Schneider should get 2 of the next 5 games so he'll be able to keep his game face on and hopefully play as well as he did last night in Dallas.
Overall not a pretty performance by the team, a ton of things to pick at 5 on 5. But on special teams this team is playing very solid. They won't win a lot of games playing this way but last night they did and it's two important points to put in the bank. They'll have to turn it up some for the next one but for now enjoy the win and the start of the new year.
Lots of blogging coming up, plus I'll be at the Van Vs Edm game next Friday.
Follow the Twitter for updates @bmah03
Comment bellow if you have any questions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)