Canucks Vs Predators, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 7:00PM
Sorry for missing last game I got a little busy with work and all.
Simple version of the game against CBJ was Luongo won the game. That's all you really need to know.
On to tonight's game and starting with Luongo again. He has a chance tonight to be only the 25th goalie in history to win 300 games. Unfortunately I expect him to have to do it on his own again. I say this because I don't expect Nashville to give up very many chances.
If they do get any chances tonight the big guns for the Canucks need to step it up and put the puck in the net. It's been a long time since we've needed to complain a bit about the SSB line and Kesler but they have been slumping a bit lately. Starting with the Twin line. Obviously the checking is getting tighter as the playoffs loom closer and it isn't going to get any easier. They need to use their skill and creativity to find open space and fire the puck. It doesn't need to be pretty, it just needs to be a shot on goal. Burrows needs to pick his game up as well, crash the net a little harder and play more physical in the corner. Kesler needs to simply get back to what he was doing so well this year. Finding open ice to get his wrist shot off or drive the net hard.
The 2nd line will have a fired up Samuelsson tonight. He was very upset the other night that he lost his spot to Tambellini. We all know what happened last year when Samuelsson was angry, he took off. Hopefully that happens again this season.
The third line has looked good lately, Torres has been hitting everything that moves and it's been fun to watch. They just need to keep up a similar effort and bring more energy to the team.
Lapierre should have had a bit more time to get used to this team and it's systems. I expect him to become more of a factor as we move closer to the playoffs. As long as the fourth line is gritty they will see ice-time.
Good news on the injury front. AV has said that both Bieksa and Higgins will join the team on the road trip. Not sure when they'll both play but it's still good knowing they are getting close. Bieksa is clearly missed and I think Higgins will make an impact when he gets into the lineup. Edler will be the only missing piece. He is a big piece however the team should look much more complete in the next week or so.
Looking forward to sitting down tonight and watching the game.
Check out my twitter tonight during the game for thoughts as the game goes along. @bmah03
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Canucks Trade Deadline Recap
Let's start off this blog with what I wanted to happen with the deadline for the Canucks. I think I had made it pretty clear that what I wanted Gillis to go out and get was forward depth. What the Canucks had lined up as forwards for the playoff run before the deadline looked as follows:
Daniel Henrik Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Torres Malhotra Hansen
Glass Hodgson Oreskovich
Tambellini
I know a lot of people weren't comfortable with having Hodgson as the fourth line center for the playoffs. I was on the other side of the fence with that one and thought that we would be ok with him in that position. I did however really think we needed to upgrade with a 2nd/3rd line forward.
What Gillis ended up doing was even better. Not only did he get players that should be great for the playoffs he managed to add a lot more than anyone thought possible with the cap. According to capgeek.com the Canucks have roughly $950 in cap space. Not $950,000. $950, less than one thousand.
The trades Gillis pulled off were:
To Van:
Chris Higgins
To Fla:
Evan Oberg
2013 3rd rd pick
To Van:
Maxim Lapierre
MacGregor
To Ana:
Joel Perrault
2012 3rd rd pick
I'll start with the Higgins deal. I absolutely love this trade. Higgins can play on any of the bottom three lines and he will more than likely slot in on the 3rd line with the like of Malhotra and Torres. Higgins brings a very good 5 on 5 point total to the Canucks and has the ability to put up points and get streaky. He is also reliable in his own zone. In 07-08 he scored 27 goals, 12 of those were on the PP. He hasn't really been very good since that season but he also hasn't played on a very good team. He won't be relied upon to be a top scorer with the Canucks just a productive guy who doesn't cost them anything. In this roll I think he will thrive. I expect him to be a difference maker with Torres on this line. Evan Oberg was fairly far down the Canucks defensive depth chart and the 3rd round pick is something that I am willing to give up. What this deal also does for the team is it allows either Hansen or Torres to drop to the fourth line. Either one of those guys are very skilled 4th line guys.
The Lapierre deal I have mixed feelings about. If he tries to do things he can't do and takes bad penalties he won't see much ice time. However if he becomes the player that he can be this could be a huge pick up for the playoffs. AV knows this player very well and used him in a checking roll as a Junior. I expect AV to sit him down and explain to him the "Canucks way", if he buys I will be thrilled. He brings speed, grit and the ability to agitate ala Alex Burrows back in the day. I am thrilled with the way the trade played out. Gillis worked a deal that is very beneficial to the Canucks and the Moose. Joel Perrault has been a very effective player for the Moose and would have been a big loss for them, however the way Gillis worked out the trade Perrault will be staying in Manitoba on loan from the Ducks. He also picked up a prospect that has some grit in MacGregor.
Gillis definitely worked his magic today. Along with Laurence Gilman they worked the cap like geniuses and picked up two great depth guys. They didn't give up much in terms of assets either.
The Canucks forward lineup will probably looks like the following come playoff time.
Daniel Henrik Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samelsson
Higgins Malhotra Torres
Glass Lapierre Hansen
I like the looks of this lineup on paper but I am more excited to see it on the ice. Lapierre will be in tomorrow and Higgins in a week or so. Looking forward to it. Brings on the playoffs.
Daniel Henrik Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Torres Malhotra Hansen
Glass Hodgson Oreskovich
Tambellini
I know a lot of people weren't comfortable with having Hodgson as the fourth line center for the playoffs. I was on the other side of the fence with that one and thought that we would be ok with him in that position. I did however really think we needed to upgrade with a 2nd/3rd line forward.
What Gillis ended up doing was even better. Not only did he get players that should be great for the playoffs he managed to add a lot more than anyone thought possible with the cap. According to capgeek.com the Canucks have roughly $950 in cap space. Not $950,000. $950, less than one thousand.
The trades Gillis pulled off were:
To Van:
Chris Higgins
To Fla:
Evan Oberg
2013 3rd rd pick
To Van:
Maxim Lapierre
MacGregor
To Ana:
Joel Perrault
2012 3rd rd pick
I'll start with the Higgins deal. I absolutely love this trade. Higgins can play on any of the bottom three lines and he will more than likely slot in on the 3rd line with the like of Malhotra and Torres. Higgins brings a very good 5 on 5 point total to the Canucks and has the ability to put up points and get streaky. He is also reliable in his own zone. In 07-08 he scored 27 goals, 12 of those were on the PP. He hasn't really been very good since that season but he also hasn't played on a very good team. He won't be relied upon to be a top scorer with the Canucks just a productive guy who doesn't cost them anything. In this roll I think he will thrive. I expect him to be a difference maker with Torres on this line. Evan Oberg was fairly far down the Canucks defensive depth chart and the 3rd round pick is something that I am willing to give up. What this deal also does for the team is it allows either Hansen or Torres to drop to the fourth line. Either one of those guys are very skilled 4th line guys.
The Lapierre deal I have mixed feelings about. If he tries to do things he can't do and takes bad penalties he won't see much ice time. However if he becomes the player that he can be this could be a huge pick up for the playoffs. AV knows this player very well and used him in a checking roll as a Junior. I expect AV to sit him down and explain to him the "Canucks way", if he buys I will be thrilled. He brings speed, grit and the ability to agitate ala Alex Burrows back in the day. I am thrilled with the way the trade played out. Gillis worked a deal that is very beneficial to the Canucks and the Moose. Joel Perrault has been a very effective player for the Moose and would have been a big loss for them, however the way Gillis worked out the trade Perrault will be staying in Manitoba on loan from the Ducks. He also picked up a prospect that has some grit in MacGregor.
Gillis definitely worked his magic today. Along with Laurence Gilman they worked the cap like geniuses and picked up two great depth guys. They didn't give up much in terms of assets either.
The Canucks forward lineup will probably looks like the following come playoff time.
Daniel Henrik Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samelsson
Higgins Malhotra Torres
Glass Lapierre Hansen
I like the looks of this lineup on paper but I am more excited to see it on the ice. Lapierre will be in tomorrow and Higgins in a week or so. Looking forward to it. Brings on the playoffs.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Canucks Vs Bruins Pre Game
Canucks Vs Bruins, SNET-P, CBC, TEAM 1040, 7:00PM PST
It's very possible this could be a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals this season. The Bruins have made some moves to bolster their lineup and it should be fun to see what they bring against the NHL leading Canucks.
Obviously when a goalie has never lost against a team it's a big deal. It's an even bigger deal when he has never been scored on. Ok so it's only been two games but that's still 120 minutes of shutout hockey. Tim Thomas clearly feels comfortable playing the Canucks so the biggest key tonight will be to make him feel uncomfortable.
Cue Ryan Kesler. Kesler has done a great job of creating a terrible matchup in front of the net. He has cause goalies to look like they are wearing a blindfold with the number 17 on it as he stands in front of them. That will be a big factor tonight for Kesler. Also look for guys like Burrows and Torres to be driving the net really hard tonight.
The Twins had an outright awful game last night and they still both hit the score sheet. Tonight they will need to play a lot better as they will be matched up with Big Chara. Clearly playing against a big physical player the Twins will need to use their smarts to work around him.
Raymond had a game that was a hundred times better than lately. He had a ton of shots and got at least one crossbar. His game is slowly coming around again and tonight I am hoping he really breaks his funk. As long as he keeps shooting from good spots on the ice he will start getting some bounces.
The defense is starting to get better but they still have a problem. Aaron Rome looks horrid. He is making Tanev look bad too. He needs to get back to making his game very simple by playing physical hockey and making easy break out passes or doing off the glass and out. He should be focused on nothing more than that right now.
In goal we have our own star tonight, Roberto Luongo. He's been very hot at home lately with only one regulation loss at home in his last 15 games. This game could turn into a goalie battle and I like Luongo's chances coming off a little bit of rest.
Trade deadline is Monday and the Canucks are clearly looking to add to the bottom of the roster. The bottom six in my opinion could use a winger because I don't think Oreskovich is the best option for playoff time. Hodgson is fine and I think he will be the guy. The fourth line has been good lately and I think they will get a bit of time tonight. They will need to really stay physical and keep the pucks in the Bruins zone.
Should be a good game. Hope everyone enjoys it. My recording is set and I'll watch the game later tonight as I will be at the Salmon Kings game.
Twitter me @bmah03 Lots of tweeting when I am watching the game. And I will be Tweeting about the trade deadline for sure.
Comment Below.
P.S. Don Cherry just said that Luongo is a great puck handler... he also called him "Lugongo". Lol love that guy.
It's very possible this could be a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals this season. The Bruins have made some moves to bolster their lineup and it should be fun to see what they bring against the NHL leading Canucks.
Obviously when a goalie has never lost against a team it's a big deal. It's an even bigger deal when he has never been scored on. Ok so it's only been two games but that's still 120 minutes of shutout hockey. Tim Thomas clearly feels comfortable playing the Canucks so the biggest key tonight will be to make him feel uncomfortable.
Cue Ryan Kesler. Kesler has done a great job of creating a terrible matchup in front of the net. He has cause goalies to look like they are wearing a blindfold with the number 17 on it as he stands in front of them. That will be a big factor tonight for Kesler. Also look for guys like Burrows and Torres to be driving the net really hard tonight.
The Twins had an outright awful game last night and they still both hit the score sheet. Tonight they will need to play a lot better as they will be matched up with Big Chara. Clearly playing against a big physical player the Twins will need to use their smarts to work around him.
Raymond had a game that was a hundred times better than lately. He had a ton of shots and got at least one crossbar. His game is slowly coming around again and tonight I am hoping he really breaks his funk. As long as he keeps shooting from good spots on the ice he will start getting some bounces.
The defense is starting to get better but they still have a problem. Aaron Rome looks horrid. He is making Tanev look bad too. He needs to get back to making his game very simple by playing physical hockey and making easy break out passes or doing off the glass and out. He should be focused on nothing more than that right now.
In goal we have our own star tonight, Roberto Luongo. He's been very hot at home lately with only one regulation loss at home in his last 15 games. This game could turn into a goalie battle and I like Luongo's chances coming off a little bit of rest.
Trade deadline is Monday and the Canucks are clearly looking to add to the bottom of the roster. The bottom six in my opinion could use a winger because I don't think Oreskovich is the best option for playoff time. Hodgson is fine and I think he will be the guy. The fourth line has been good lately and I think they will get a bit of time tonight. They will need to really stay physical and keep the pucks in the Bruins zone.
Should be a good game. Hope everyone enjoys it. My recording is set and I'll watch the game later tonight as I will be at the Salmon Kings game.
Twitter me @bmah03 Lots of tweeting when I am watching the game. And I will be Tweeting about the trade deadline for sure.
Comment Below.
P.S. Don Cherry just said that Luongo is a great puck handler... he also called him "Lugongo". Lol love that guy.
Canucks Vs Blues Post Game
Canucks 3 Blues 2
Well I hope everyone liked my intermission thoughts from the last blog. Like I said in that blog, those thoughts are a lot more emotional than normal because I don't sit back and think about the game. This blog will be what happens when I have time to think about the game and not wish I was playing.
Let's be honest the Twins did not have a good game. Bad penalties and no passing. They are still tops in the league in points so lets give them a break. One regular season game off is not that big of a deal and the team still won.
Why did the team win? Hard work.
Hard work, starting with Schneider in goal. The team was clearly lead by their goalie, he made big saves early when the start wasn't really great again and then he saved the game when the Blues started getting hot in the 2nd. It's great to have a goalie like Schneider this season backing up Luongo and I am very excited to see him keep getting games this year and increasing his value for when the team eventually trades him.
Hard work by the bottom six players. Torres was getting hits all over the ice. I mentioned this in the last blog during the game. His hits were great and really sparked the team. Malhotra and Hansen are running around creating good chances and playing good D. The fourth line with Hodgson in the lineup will need to be tweaked come deadline, however I do not think it needs to be Hodgson. Hodgson brings an element to the fourth line that the team has never had. He is reliable in his own end and creative offensively. His play creates room for Glass and Oreskovich. Oreskovich however is the guy I think will be sent back down to the Moose with another bottom six guy joining the wing. Glass had a great game with a good early fight and a nice pass on Salo's goal.
Hard work by the defense. Guys like Hamhuis and Ballard working hard to get back into shape and Sami Salo getting back to his normal big shot and good defensive play.
It's pretty obvious this team has the skill to win any game, but they still need to bring HARD WORK every night. They will win lots of games when the bottom six guys are big contributors.
Check in soon for Pre game.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
Well I hope everyone liked my intermission thoughts from the last blog. Like I said in that blog, those thoughts are a lot more emotional than normal because I don't sit back and think about the game. This blog will be what happens when I have time to think about the game and not wish I was playing.
Let's be honest the Twins did not have a good game. Bad penalties and no passing. They are still tops in the league in points so lets give them a break. One regular season game off is not that big of a deal and the team still won.
Why did the team win? Hard work.
Hard work, starting with Schneider in goal. The team was clearly lead by their goalie, he made big saves early when the start wasn't really great again and then he saved the game when the Blues started getting hot in the 2nd. It's great to have a goalie like Schneider this season backing up Luongo and I am very excited to see him keep getting games this year and increasing his value for when the team eventually trades him.
Hard work by the bottom six players. Torres was getting hits all over the ice. I mentioned this in the last blog during the game. His hits were great and really sparked the team. Malhotra and Hansen are running around creating good chances and playing good D. The fourth line with Hodgson in the lineup will need to be tweaked come deadline, however I do not think it needs to be Hodgson. Hodgson brings an element to the fourth line that the team has never had. He is reliable in his own end and creative offensively. His play creates room for Glass and Oreskovich. Oreskovich however is the guy I think will be sent back down to the Moose with another bottom six guy joining the wing. Glass had a great game with a good early fight and a nice pass on Salo's goal.
Hard work by the defense. Guys like Hamhuis and Ballard working hard to get back into shape and Sami Salo getting back to his normal big shot and good defensive play.
It's pretty obvious this team has the skill to win any game, but they still need to bring HARD WORK every night. They will win lots of games when the bottom six guys are big contributors.
Check in soon for Pre game.
Twitter me @bmah03
Comment Below.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Canucks Vs Blues In Game
Canucks Vs Blues End of 1st. Van 2 Stl. 0
Here we go this is something new thought it would be fun to share my thoughts of the game as the game is going. Might see a bit more emotional thoughts then thought out one this way.
First things first I am sticking with my guns that the Canucks need a bottom six physical forward at the deadline, NOT a center. What I have seen from Hodgson when he is in the lineup as the fourth line guy is the line plays the majority of their time in the opponents end. If AV puts this line out in the playoffs they really need to only not get scored on. If they bring physical hockey with some scoring chances that's a bonus. I am not comfortable with Oreskovich for the playoffs though. The way I see it is, Cody will have the rest of the season to get comfortable and learn the game as a fourth liner. He will be effective in the position and can learn the NHL game with some serious cup run experience. Ryan Kesler started as the fourth line guy and he has developed into a great center why can't Hodgson take the same path. It's the same thing that Detroit does with their prospects. You start at the bottom and work your way up. Another winger will give Av the options to create some great lines in the bottom six. Any mixture of the following would be effective in the playoffs.
_____ Malholtra Hansen
Torres Hodgson Glass
or
Torres Maltholtra _____
Glass Hodgson Hansen
or
Torres Malholtra Hansen
Glass Hodgson _____
Other than that I would like to see if possible Okposo in a Canucks uniform to replace Raymond.
Speaking of Raymond, he looks a little better tonight. What I've seen from him lately is he is using his speed to take space away from himself not create space. What I mean by that is he is driving straight into the defense not forcing them back. He needs to use his speed to the outside and if he isn't going around the guy stop hard and make a pass to the trailer. This will create so much more room for him because he'll always have the D on their heels. His speed is an asset he needs to use it.
Love seeing the D getting healthy. They are confident and jumping into the rush tonight, looks good.
Tanner Glass you are a great team guy, great for Vancouver and you are having a heck of a game. He needs a goal for the Gordie Howe hat trick and he's already had quite a few chances. Let's see how much time the fourth line gets tonight.
Mr. Schneider you did a good job in the first ten minutes. Made some key saves early. You will be very successful if you do that in front of this Canucks team.
More to come after the 2nd.
End of 2nd Van 2 Stl. 2
Ouch, that period hurt.
Trying to keep this thing positive. The fourth line has played good. Yes they got scored on, it wasn't really the forwards fault. They've only got one shift after the goal that lasted a whole 18 seconds. This line is not the reason this team isn't playing good. PLAY THEM AV!
The physicality Torres is bringing tonight is awesome. He has at least three really solid hits. If he plays like that I can't wait for playoffs.
If Raymond keeps shooting it's bound to go in, can't say I'm happy with him yet. But he's improving.
That's about it for positive from that period.
Holy awful Aaron Rome. He's been by far my least favorite Canuck all season and it's not just cause of tonight. He isn't doing what made him valuable last season. Last year he was physical and made a smart pass. Kept it really simple and was effective. This season, bad passing, bad turnovers, lack of physical play. He needs to pick his game up big time because he's making rookie Tanev look bad. On the 2nd goal it was his turnover and him floating to cause a screen that gave the Blues that goal.
The twins have had one good shift in both period. Other than that they've looked pretty bad being stuck in their own zone quite a bit. They need to pick up up in the third.
Daniel's slashing penalty was a horrid call, but the team needs to realize that and pick up their game to not let it hurt them. They didn't do that and haven't recovered since. Need more mental toughness.
Confidence wise this team needs a big third period and a W. Maybe tonight can be used as message sending time. We'll see who AV has out on the ice in the third. I know who I'd want out there.
More chatter after the game. Lots of twitter talk going on @bmah03
Here we go this is something new thought it would be fun to share my thoughts of the game as the game is going. Might see a bit more emotional thoughts then thought out one this way.
First things first I am sticking with my guns that the Canucks need a bottom six physical forward at the deadline, NOT a center. What I have seen from Hodgson when he is in the lineup as the fourth line guy is the line plays the majority of their time in the opponents end. If AV puts this line out in the playoffs they really need to only not get scored on. If they bring physical hockey with some scoring chances that's a bonus. I am not comfortable with Oreskovich for the playoffs though. The way I see it is, Cody will have the rest of the season to get comfortable and learn the game as a fourth liner. He will be effective in the position and can learn the NHL game with some serious cup run experience. Ryan Kesler started as the fourth line guy and he has developed into a great center why can't Hodgson take the same path. It's the same thing that Detroit does with their prospects. You start at the bottom and work your way up. Another winger will give Av the options to create some great lines in the bottom six. Any mixture of the following would be effective in the playoffs.
_____ Malholtra Hansen
Torres Hodgson Glass
or
Torres Maltholtra _____
Glass Hodgson Hansen
or
Torres Malholtra Hansen
Glass Hodgson _____
Other than that I would like to see if possible Okposo in a Canucks uniform to replace Raymond.
Speaking of Raymond, he looks a little better tonight. What I've seen from him lately is he is using his speed to take space away from himself not create space. What I mean by that is he is driving straight into the defense not forcing them back. He needs to use his speed to the outside and if he isn't going around the guy stop hard and make a pass to the trailer. This will create so much more room for him because he'll always have the D on their heels. His speed is an asset he needs to use it.
Love seeing the D getting healthy. They are confident and jumping into the rush tonight, looks good.
Tanner Glass you are a great team guy, great for Vancouver and you are having a heck of a game. He needs a goal for the Gordie Howe hat trick and he's already had quite a few chances. Let's see how much time the fourth line gets tonight.
Mr. Schneider you did a good job in the first ten minutes. Made some key saves early. You will be very successful if you do that in front of this Canucks team.
More to come after the 2nd.
End of 2nd Van 2 Stl. 2
Ouch, that period hurt.
Trying to keep this thing positive. The fourth line has played good. Yes they got scored on, it wasn't really the forwards fault. They've only got one shift after the goal that lasted a whole 18 seconds. This line is not the reason this team isn't playing good. PLAY THEM AV!
The physicality Torres is bringing tonight is awesome. He has at least three really solid hits. If he plays like that I can't wait for playoffs.
If Raymond keeps shooting it's bound to go in, can't say I'm happy with him yet. But he's improving.
That's about it for positive from that period.
Holy awful Aaron Rome. He's been by far my least favorite Canuck all season and it's not just cause of tonight. He isn't doing what made him valuable last season. Last year he was physical and made a smart pass. Kept it really simple and was effective. This season, bad passing, bad turnovers, lack of physical play. He needs to pick his game up big time because he's making rookie Tanev look bad. On the 2nd goal it was his turnover and him floating to cause a screen that gave the Blues that goal.
The twins have had one good shift in both period. Other than that they've looked pretty bad being stuck in their own zone quite a bit. They need to pick up up in the third.
Daniel's slashing penalty was a horrid call, but the team needs to realize that and pick up their game to not let it hurt them. They didn't do that and haven't recovered since. Need more mental toughness.
Confidence wise this team needs a big third period and a W. Maybe tonight can be used as message sending time. We'll see who AV has out on the ice in the third. I know who I'd want out there.
More chatter after the game. Lots of twitter talk going on @bmah03
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Canucks vs Canadiens Pre Game
Canucks Vs Canadiens, SNET-P, TEAM 1040, 7:00PM
Lots going on in Canucks land recently. There's trade talks, recalls and healthy players. Starting today off with the really good news that both Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard will be back in the lineup. This is the kind of news fans of Canucks aren't very used hearing as we have all become accustomed to hearing that another dman is out. It will be good to see both these guys get back into the lineup and it looks as though they will both be in the top four. Hamhuis with Salo and Ballard with Ehrhoff. They will both need to focus on getting their games back up to game speed fast as the Habs bring a bunch of quick forwards with their lineup.
Montreal is coming off a very hyped game the other day in Calgary. The outdoor game seemed like it was a pretty big success for everyone but the Habs. I'm sure they will be frustrated and bring a pretty good effort against the best team in the NHL tonight. I think if they were playing any other team in the league they would have a let down game tonight. That's a lot of hype for one regular season game I would think it would be hard to get geared up for the next one however it is the Canucks. Getting up for the best team in the league is never really hard. Expect Montreal to want to revenge their 4-0 loss tonight.
Daniel Sedin is currently in first in the NHL in points with Henrik close behind in 3rd. Stamkos (in 2nd) has a game in hand on the Twins and doesn't play again till Wed. Not that the Twins care who is winning the scoring race, it would be nice to see them build a bit of a lead tonight. Last time the Canucks played the Habs the Habs managed to shut down the SSB line. I think they only registered a couple of shot. That simply can't happen tonight. The Canadiens blue line has a ton of injuries and this line needs to be able to use this to their advantage. I expect them to have another good game after a big night against the Stars the other day.
The Kesler unit will not have as big of an advantage as they are used to tonight as the Habs are a pretty fast group of forwards. They will need to use their size and smarts to create plays tonight. They didn't seem to be a big factor against the Stars which surprised me as I am expect Raymond to snap out of his slump. Tonight let's hope that Kesler and Sammy can help Raymond out a bit and get him on the score sheet.
The third line of Malholtra, Torres and Hansen has been 100x better as of late. I've said it all along they don't need to be scoring on a consistent basis but they need to always, ALWAYS be physical. Along with Hansen, Torres has brought his hitting back to the team. When he is running around like a train making big hits and getting off good shots he is extremely effective. It's what I've expected out of him since the singing and what I think people will be very excited about come playoff time. Malholtra can continue to be very effective by winning faceoffs and killing penalties. They all have the ability to hit the score sheet and should be able to beat most NHL third lines. Tonight is no different they need to be a factor either on the score sheet or in the physicality department.
Guess who's back, that's right, everyone's favorite Cody Hodgson is back tonight. He'll be centering a fourth line of Glass and Oreskovich. This is a great chance for Hodgson as he is clearly the lead contender for the fourth line center position in the playoffs. I have been very happy with Hodgson's performance as the fourth line center so far this season. In the five games he's played the line has spent the majority of their time in the offensive zone. For a line that is supposed to make sure the other team doesn't score against them that is a great place for them to be. It's hard to get scored on when you're in their zone. In the next couple of games Gillis and AV will be able to decide is Coho is the right options. If he is I expect them to add a 3rd/4th line winger at the deadline. Oreskovich is not the option and I think they want to have Tambellini as a top six forward spare in case of an injury. This line tonight will be big on the dump and chase. Look for Glass and Hodgson to create a few chances together as they've looked pretty good when paired up. Hodgson will also get to use his creativity on the PP. I haven't liked what I've seen of him there so far but that's because for some reason he's been asked to stand in front of the net. To me he's a skilled guy and should be running the play from the half boards. He has great vision and can make almost any pass. If they give him a chance there tonight expect the 2nd PP to look much better.
Luongo gets the start in goal tonight and he will sporting the new mask we've all been waiting to see. I really like the looks of it. Check it out for sure.
Should be a fun night in the NHL there is a ton of games and I'm really looking forward to them.
Canucks and Habs is always a great game to watdh. Can't wait till puck drop!
Enjoy.
Go Canucks Go
Twitter me @bmah03
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Lots going on in Canucks land recently. There's trade talks, recalls and healthy players. Starting today off with the really good news that both Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard will be back in the lineup. This is the kind of news fans of Canucks aren't very used hearing as we have all become accustomed to hearing that another dman is out. It will be good to see both these guys get back into the lineup and it looks as though they will both be in the top four. Hamhuis with Salo and Ballard with Ehrhoff. They will both need to focus on getting their games back up to game speed fast as the Habs bring a bunch of quick forwards with their lineup.
Montreal is coming off a very hyped game the other day in Calgary. The outdoor game seemed like it was a pretty big success for everyone but the Habs. I'm sure they will be frustrated and bring a pretty good effort against the best team in the NHL tonight. I think if they were playing any other team in the league they would have a let down game tonight. That's a lot of hype for one regular season game I would think it would be hard to get geared up for the next one however it is the Canucks. Getting up for the best team in the league is never really hard. Expect Montreal to want to revenge their 4-0 loss tonight.
Daniel Sedin is currently in first in the NHL in points with Henrik close behind in 3rd. Stamkos (in 2nd) has a game in hand on the Twins and doesn't play again till Wed. Not that the Twins care who is winning the scoring race, it would be nice to see them build a bit of a lead tonight. Last time the Canucks played the Habs the Habs managed to shut down the SSB line. I think they only registered a couple of shot. That simply can't happen tonight. The Canadiens blue line has a ton of injuries and this line needs to be able to use this to their advantage. I expect them to have another good game after a big night against the Stars the other day.
The Kesler unit will not have as big of an advantage as they are used to tonight as the Habs are a pretty fast group of forwards. They will need to use their size and smarts to create plays tonight. They didn't seem to be a big factor against the Stars which surprised me as I am expect Raymond to snap out of his slump. Tonight let's hope that Kesler and Sammy can help Raymond out a bit and get him on the score sheet.
The third line of Malholtra, Torres and Hansen has been 100x better as of late. I've said it all along they don't need to be scoring on a consistent basis but they need to always, ALWAYS be physical. Along with Hansen, Torres has brought his hitting back to the team. When he is running around like a train making big hits and getting off good shots he is extremely effective. It's what I've expected out of him since the singing and what I think people will be very excited about come playoff time. Malholtra can continue to be very effective by winning faceoffs and killing penalties. They all have the ability to hit the score sheet and should be able to beat most NHL third lines. Tonight is no different they need to be a factor either on the score sheet or in the physicality department.
Guess who's back, that's right, everyone's favorite Cody Hodgson is back tonight. He'll be centering a fourth line of Glass and Oreskovich. This is a great chance for Hodgson as he is clearly the lead contender for the fourth line center position in the playoffs. I have been very happy with Hodgson's performance as the fourth line center so far this season. In the five games he's played the line has spent the majority of their time in the offensive zone. For a line that is supposed to make sure the other team doesn't score against them that is a great place for them to be. It's hard to get scored on when you're in their zone. In the next couple of games Gillis and AV will be able to decide is Coho is the right options. If he is I expect them to add a 3rd/4th line winger at the deadline. Oreskovich is not the option and I think they want to have Tambellini as a top six forward spare in case of an injury. This line tonight will be big on the dump and chase. Look for Glass and Hodgson to create a few chances together as they've looked pretty good when paired up. Hodgson will also get to use his creativity on the PP. I haven't liked what I've seen of him there so far but that's because for some reason he's been asked to stand in front of the net. To me he's a skilled guy and should be running the play from the half boards. He has great vision and can make almost any pass. If they give him a chance there tonight expect the 2nd PP to look much better.
Luongo gets the start in goal tonight and he will sporting the new mask we've all been waiting to see. I really like the looks of it. Check it out for sure.
Should be a fun night in the NHL there is a ton of games and I'm really looking forward to them.
Canucks and Habs is always a great game to watdh. Can't wait till puck drop!
Enjoy.
Go Canucks Go
Twitter me @bmah03
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Saturday, February 19, 2011
Canucks Vs Stars
Canucks Vs Stars, CBC, TEAM 1040, 7:00PM PST
Starting off today with some good news on the injury front. According to Jason Botchford, Hamhuis passed all his baseline tests/concussion protocol. He has said he is good to go tonight but it looks like the team will keep him out against the Stars and he will play on Tuesday. Never a bad thing to give him an extra day off. Ballard is also getting very close to coming back. I would assume the team will split up their returns so I expect to see Hamhuis Tuesday and Ballard Thursday.
Tonights game is against the Stars and it should be a good game. Clearly the stars are struggling lately going a mere 2-7-1 in their last 10 games. They have dropped to 6th in the West, however, they are tied with 9th place Calgary in points. The Stars will be desperate for a win tonight and will try to take advantage of the Canucks young defence.
Everyone knows that the Canucks are extremely thing at defence so I will start today talking about the forwards. The forwards absolutely need to win the game tonight. They need to come back and help out the D but when they get a chance to attack the puck needs to stay in the offensive zone for a prolonged period of time.
Starting with the SSB line. The Twins haven't looked good lately and by their standards seem to be slumping of late. Yes I know Daniel scored on the PP last night but 5 on 5 they haven't looked very good. It'll be up to them tonight to control the flow of the game and start putting up some points 5 on 5.
The Canucks second line has at times this season looked as though they are a number one line. They have a 33 goal scorer in Kesler on the line, good for 2nd in the NHL. They have a a red hot Mikael Samuelsson who has 13 points in 9 games this month. They also have Raymond. He hasn't been as hot as the other two but he's been decent. He needs to step up his game right now down the stretch and into the playoffs. I expect him to have a good game tonight against the Stars. This line will be key tonight. Watch for them to come out tonight using their speed and skill to put points up on the board.
The third line has been getting a lot of talk lately and it's not really good talk. Malholtra had a good game recently but there has been no consistency. Hansen has been good all year but he needs help. Torres has been lacking a lot of what he brought at the beginning of the season. He needs to bring his physical grit to the game. Tonight against the Stars Torres can try to take Steve Ott off Kesler and the Twins. I would count that as an effective game for Torres. Hard hits and the odd goal are what he was brought in to do and he needs to start that back up. Torres can be a difference maker and it would be nice to start seeing him bring that to each game.
The fourth line has been an issue for me lately. Since Oreskovich has been called up they have been getting trapped in their own zone much more than they had been. I would like to see them have the ability to get the puck in the offensive zone and use their size to get in on the forecheck.
As for the defence they need to keep it simple. Starting with their leader Ehrhoff. He had a rough game the other night and to me it seemed like he was trying to do way to much. He can be a top two D man in the NHL but to do this he needs to do what he's best at. Play alright defence while doing a great job at pushing the puck up to the forwards and joining the rush. There is no reason he should stick to this part of his game. I know there are a ton of injuries and he's trying to make up for everyone, he simply can't do that. He's not a defensive player and he won't succeed trying to be. Rome, Salo and the young guys just need to keep their games simple. Salo is starting to look really good to me and I am really excited to see him in the playoffs this year. He can be a difference maker and I expect him to be as much.
There's been a ton of trades lately, including some blockbuster trades. I don't expect the Canucks to be involved in a huge trade however I do think they will do something. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I have decided that my biggest wish for a trade is a third line winger. I know we do not have a ton of cap room but I think Gillis has the ability to add a player who can fit this position on the team. This is something that most fans haven't been asking for but I will explain why I want this. The line up currently looks like this:
Daniel Hank Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Torres Malholtra Hansen
Tambellini Glass Oreskovich
What a third line winger would let us do is move some players around. I would also like to see Cody Hodgson in the playoffs. If we are able to acquire someone who can play third line wing it will give us a lot of options for the bottom six. My playoff lineup would look as follows:
Dan Hank Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
_______ Malholtra Hansen
Torres Hodgson Glass
Malholtra and Hodgson could be switch up depending on what offense is needed. All four wingers could play together in any spot. Whoever was brought in to play on the third line would preferably be a veteran guy who has a bit more offensive skill than Torres. He doesn't need to necessarily be big, or extremely physical. My reason for having Hodgson on the fourth line is when he was there the fourth line was able to play their shifts in the offensive zone. It's hard to get scored on from there. He can also take a spot on the 2nd line PP.
The trade deadline is awfully exciting but it's game day. Time for the leaders of this team to step up and get the team back on track.
Should be a good game tonight. Hope you all enjoy.
Go Canucks Go.
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Starting off today with some good news on the injury front. According to Jason Botchford, Hamhuis passed all his baseline tests/concussion protocol. He has said he is good to go tonight but it looks like the team will keep him out against the Stars and he will play on Tuesday. Never a bad thing to give him an extra day off. Ballard is also getting very close to coming back. I would assume the team will split up their returns so I expect to see Hamhuis Tuesday and Ballard Thursday.
Tonights game is against the Stars and it should be a good game. Clearly the stars are struggling lately going a mere 2-7-1 in their last 10 games. They have dropped to 6th in the West, however, they are tied with 9th place Calgary in points. The Stars will be desperate for a win tonight and will try to take advantage of the Canucks young defence.
Everyone knows that the Canucks are extremely thing at defence so I will start today talking about the forwards. The forwards absolutely need to win the game tonight. They need to come back and help out the D but when they get a chance to attack the puck needs to stay in the offensive zone for a prolonged period of time.
Starting with the SSB line. The Twins haven't looked good lately and by their standards seem to be slumping of late. Yes I know Daniel scored on the PP last night but 5 on 5 they haven't looked very good. It'll be up to them tonight to control the flow of the game and start putting up some points 5 on 5.
The Canucks second line has at times this season looked as though they are a number one line. They have a 33 goal scorer in Kesler on the line, good for 2nd in the NHL. They have a a red hot Mikael Samuelsson who has 13 points in 9 games this month. They also have Raymond. He hasn't been as hot as the other two but he's been decent. He needs to step up his game right now down the stretch and into the playoffs. I expect him to have a good game tonight against the Stars. This line will be key tonight. Watch for them to come out tonight using their speed and skill to put points up on the board.
The third line has been getting a lot of talk lately and it's not really good talk. Malholtra had a good game recently but there has been no consistency. Hansen has been good all year but he needs help. Torres has been lacking a lot of what he brought at the beginning of the season. He needs to bring his physical grit to the game. Tonight against the Stars Torres can try to take Steve Ott off Kesler and the Twins. I would count that as an effective game for Torres. Hard hits and the odd goal are what he was brought in to do and he needs to start that back up. Torres can be a difference maker and it would be nice to start seeing him bring that to each game.
The fourth line has been an issue for me lately. Since Oreskovich has been called up they have been getting trapped in their own zone much more than they had been. I would like to see them have the ability to get the puck in the offensive zone and use their size to get in on the forecheck.
As for the defence they need to keep it simple. Starting with their leader Ehrhoff. He had a rough game the other night and to me it seemed like he was trying to do way to much. He can be a top two D man in the NHL but to do this he needs to do what he's best at. Play alright defence while doing a great job at pushing the puck up to the forwards and joining the rush. There is no reason he should stick to this part of his game. I know there are a ton of injuries and he's trying to make up for everyone, he simply can't do that. He's not a defensive player and he won't succeed trying to be. Rome, Salo and the young guys just need to keep their games simple. Salo is starting to look really good to me and I am really excited to see him in the playoffs this year. He can be a difference maker and I expect him to be as much.
There's been a ton of trades lately, including some blockbuster trades. I don't expect the Canucks to be involved in a huge trade however I do think they will do something. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I have decided that my biggest wish for a trade is a third line winger. I know we do not have a ton of cap room but I think Gillis has the ability to add a player who can fit this position on the team. This is something that most fans haven't been asking for but I will explain why I want this. The line up currently looks like this:
Daniel Hank Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Torres Malholtra Hansen
Tambellini Glass Oreskovich
What a third line winger would let us do is move some players around. I would also like to see Cody Hodgson in the playoffs. If we are able to acquire someone who can play third line wing it will give us a lot of options for the bottom six. My playoff lineup would look as follows:
Dan Hank Burrows
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
_______ Malholtra Hansen
Torres Hodgson Glass
Malholtra and Hodgson could be switch up depending on what offense is needed. All four wingers could play together in any spot. Whoever was brought in to play on the third line would preferably be a veteran guy who has a bit more offensive skill than Torres. He doesn't need to necessarily be big, or extremely physical. My reason for having Hodgson on the fourth line is when he was there the fourth line was able to play their shifts in the offensive zone. It's hard to get scored on from there. He can also take a spot on the 2nd line PP.
The trade deadline is awfully exciting but it's game day. Time for the leaders of this team to step up and get the team back on track.
Should be a good game tonight. Hope you all enjoy.
Go Canucks Go.
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