Canucks Vs Sharks Post Game

Canucks 6 Sharks 1

As I said in the pre game post keeping the momentum going was the key for the Canucks against another strong Western Conference team. This they did and more.

When the Canucks score the first goal of the game they are 10-1-1. Last night Tambellini finished one of the hundred chances he's been getting since his call up to put the team up 1-0. A good offensive zone face off by Kesler and a shot that caused a loose puck in the slot set up the chance for Tambellini, he squeeze a quick shot through Niemi. Tambellini has been sitting in the high slot lately and getting one time chances from there.

The SJ goal that tied it 1-1 was one of those goals that you can credit to the opponent. A good low hard shot forced Luongo to kick out the rebound into the high slot where Heatley was standing. Luongo might have had a chance if his paddle was flat on the ice but it was a bang bang play and you can't really blame anyone for that one.

A few minutes later when SJ had some momentum Luongo came up big with two saves on Logan Couture. This kept the game in check and is the kind of saves the team will need from Luongo in the playoffs. If he can make those saves the Canucks will have a good chance of going deep.

Good offensive zone pressure let Hamhuis create a turn over on the 2nd goal. He got the puck to Hansen who made a nice cross ice pass to Torres who finished with a quick one timer.

Credit AV in making an interesting switch to the bottom six forwards. He balanced out the lines quite a bit by moving glass up with Malholtra and Samuelsson, and having Torres Perrault and Hansen together. It made for a lot of pressure on the SJ defence and the ability to finish when they were able to create the turn over.

The third goal was a great hustle play by Tanner Glass, finished off with a nice wrist shot by Samuelsson. Glass went down and blocked the shot from the point, not only was he able to move the puck forward to Samuelsson breaking out of the zone but he got up and drove hard to the net causing a nice screen for Samuelsson to shoot behind beating Niemi on the far side.

Up 3-1 going into the third the Canucks finished off the Sharks with three goals to end the game. The first was another great forecheck by Glass causing the Sharks most reliable defenceman, Dan Boyle, to turn the puck over right in the slot to Samuelsson who finished with a nice wrister in the top corner beating a surprised Niemi.

Although holding their opponents to no goals the Sedin line hadn't put up any points till 3/4 of the way through the 3rd. They were able to get the puck in deep and work a Sedin like cycle oppening Burrows up at the side of the net for an easy tap in putting the SSB line on the board at a combined +3 for the game. As I said before the game, when this line has a good +/- the team will be winning the majority of games.

Finally to make it 6-1 another good forecheck caused a loose puck that came to the point where Birthday Boy Keith Ballard hammered a slap shot off a Shark's defenceman and in. Look for this to boost Ballard's confidence a bit and him to bring more offence in the near future.

As a hole the Canucks D played solid. Bieksa was out with the flu so Rome slotted in as the 6th D man. He played good and didn't make any glaring mistakes. The thing I noticed most about the team without Bieksa in the game is that the break out pass was typically tape to tape to the fowards making for a smooth break out. This is something Bieksa rarely brings to his game and with Salo coming back mid season we could see Bieksa moved out come the deadline.

A solid defensive effort by the Canucks lead to 6 goals and only 1 against. This is game was played mostly 5x5 with only one penalty per side. If the team can bring this style of game each night with the effort they played at they will have a very strong record come the end of the regular season.

Is Luongo starting to pick his game up and we could be seeing him rounding into his typical mid season form.

No game till next Wed. But they will need a good week of preparation as it will be another big divisional game against the Flames.

Two wins in a row and a nice break. Check in soon as I will try to come up with something creative to write about during the break.

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Go Canucks Go!