Vancouver Canucks Hockey Stuff

St. Louis Comes to Town

Another big game tonight for the Vancouver Canucks. The St Louis Blues will be in town to play the Vancouver Canucks tonight at 7pm, and if Vancouver can pull out another win, it will be 11 wins in a row at home, which will break the franchise record set on Tuesday night.  The Canucks are still sitting in 4th in the Western Conference, the importance of a win tonight can not be understated.

Looks like Pavol Demitra may not play, as he had x-rays done this morning on his knee, and did not particpate in the morning skate.  Taylor Pyatt will move up to the second line with Sundin and Kesler, and Hansen will fill in for Pyatt.  I’m not sure of Pyatt’s move up, I’d rather see Hansen or Wellwood up with Sundin and Demitra on the 2nd line, but i’m not Vigneault, so I can’t make those calls!

Anyways, the game, Canucks against Blues, starts tonight at 7pm and is on Sportsnet, and live streaming online at the Team1040.ca

Popularity: 7% [?]

Roberto Luongo injured, but Canucks pull out win.

Not even a minute into the first period, and former Vancouver Canuck Matt Cooke laid a “submariner” on the Canucks’ Alex Edler, sending him head over heels in the defensive zone.  Immediately Jannik Hansen came over to defend Edler, and a line brawl insued.  We haven’t seen a brawl like this since the game against Edmonton on February 16th 2008.  There were four sperate scrums going on at once, and in the end both Matt Cooke and Jannik Hansen were thrown from the game with game misconducts.  Later on near the ten minute mark of the firt period, on a play where the pens shot missed the net, Roberto Luongo kicked out his left pad to attempt the save and ended up laying face first on the ice, apparently hurt.  The play was whistled dead and the Canucks trainer Mike Bernstein came out to help Luongo.  Taylor Pyatt and Mattias Ohlund helped Roberto Luongo skate off the ice, while he put no weight whatsoever on his left leg.  He left and didnt return for the remainder of the gane, while Curtis Sanford took over the golatending duties.  Late in the first period, on a strange play deep in the Penguins zone, Pavol Demitra flipped the puck over Danny Sabourin, the penguins back-up goaltender, and went around the net where the puck came out, and flicked it into the back of the net.  It’s Demitra’s 8th point since his return to the line-up from his rib injury.  He’s been on fire.  The Canucks finish the first period leading the game 1-0.

The Canucks dominated through the first half of the second, leading the Penguins 5-0 in shots after the first 12 minutes, and pulled ahead 2-0.  Pavol won the face-off and Daniel Sedin grabbed the puck at the faceoff circle deep in the Penguins zone, skated up the side boards,  beside Sabourin, popped the puck underneath Sabourins left pad, and deep into the net.  In the second half of the period the Penguins started applying some pressure, but could not convert.  This included a lackluster end of third period power-play for the Penguins, where they just couldn’t get set up in the offensive zone due to the good penalty-killing of the Canucks.  One not so nice statistic the Canucks faced going into the third was the fact that the Penguins are 6-3 when trailing going into the third period.

20 seconds into the third period, the Penguns pull in close after they score just after the Canucks penalty had expired.  The Third was fairly uneventful, but the Penguins pressured with a few minutes left late in the third, but couldn’t beat Sanford for the tie.  Pavol Demitra put the icing on the cake with halfa minute to go getting the empty netter.  The Canucks finish the road trip 3-0-1 getting 7 out of a possible 8 points and are still first place in the northwest division.  Tonight’s three stars were 1- Daniel Sedin, 2- Henrik Sedin, and 3 – Pavol Demitra.

Tonights goals were scored by Pavol Demitra (Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin), Daniel Sedin (Henrik Sedin, and Pavol Demitra (Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin).  A huge night for Vancouver’s top line ammasing 8 points.

The Vancouver Cancuks play again Monda at home against the Detroit Red Wings, at 7pm PST.  The game is broadcast live in HD on Sportsnet pacific, and live streaming online on radio with Team1040.ca

Popularity: 9% [?]

Big win in the Big Apple

After a great first period, the canucks scored 2 more to make it 4 nothing before the rangers poured on the offense, however it wasn’t enough to beat the Canucks.  The Canucks beat the Rangers  6-3.  This was Markus Naslund’s first game playing against the Canucks, and he was largely ineffective, a few nifty plays but finishes with just one assist.

The first period saw Alex Burrows with a short-handed goal to make it 2-0 for the canucks, after Kyle Wellwood scored just over 4 minutes in to open the game’s scoring.  The Canucks dominated the first period play, spending alot of time in the Rangers defensive zone.    The Canucks left the 1st leading 2-0.

In the second, the Canucks should have had the game with a score of 7 or 8-0.  This is just how many chances they had, especially with a long 5 on 3 five minutes into the second period.  The Canucks had what appeared to be a goal on a slap by Sami Salo (you could clearly see the puck cross the goal line in the overhead camera view and the TSN announcers also called it a clear cut goal) however it was called a no goal, keeping the score at 4-1.  Shortly after the play resumed the Canucks were still on a 5 on 3 powerplay, and Demitra buried it behind Lundqvist, who pulled himself from the net without any orders from NY coach Tom Renney.  Something I have never seen during NHL play.

The third period was dominated by the NY Rangers, who came out hard against the Canucks trying to catch up on the scoreboard.  NYR scored a goal at the 7:45 mark of the third to make it 5 – 3.   Shane o’brien had a very poor night for the canucks, ammassing 5 minor penalties, costing the canucks a goal in the 2nd, and stressing the team out late in the second who had to have a great penalty kill after he got a double-minor for boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct.  Roberto Luongo was sharp throughout the third period, stopping everything NY shot at him.  Daniel Sedin put the icing on the cake with an empty net goal with 6 seconds left in the third period.

Tonights goals were scored by Kyle Wellwood (Mattias Ohlund, Taylor Pyatt), Alex Burrows Shorthanded (Jannik Hansen), Alex Burrows (Jannik Hansen), Ryan Johnson (Taylor Pyatt, Mattias Ohlund), Pavol Demitra (Henrik Sedin, Sami Salo), and Daniel Sedin (Ryan Kesler, Mattias Ohlund).  The three stars for tonights games were 1- Alex Burrows, 2- Kyle Wellwood, and 3- Jannik Hansen, as picked by the Hockey Writers Association.

Th Canucks play again tomorrow night against the Minnesota Wild, in Minnesota, and the game starts at 5:00pm and is broadcast live on Sportsnet Pacific, and streaming live on online radio on Team1040.ca

Popularity: 9% [?]

Thanks Roberto, Another Canucks Win!

If it wasn’t for Roberto Luongo’s impressive first period, including almost a solid two minutes of 5 on 3 penalty killing time, the Vancouver Canucks would not have won the game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Canucks netminder was stellar in the new Canucks 3rd jerseys,  while the offensive players scared away Toskala from the Leafs net after scoring 4 goals on 9 shots through a period and a half.  pavol Demitra returned to the line-up tonght, making a three assist effort.  Kyle Wellwood opened the scoring on a beautiful deflection into the net, against his former team.  Wellwood leads the Canucks in goals scored.

Tonight’s goal scorers included Kyle Wellwood (Pavol Demitra, Shane O’Brien), Ryan Kesler PP (Mattias Ohlund, Pavol Demitra), Willie Mitchell (Alexandre Burrows, Jannik Hansen), and Daniel Sedin (Laurence Nycholat, Pavol Demitra).

The Canucks found themselves in the penalty box alot again tonight, especially in the third period when the Leafs tried staging a comeback.  The Leafs scored on one of their third period power plays while pulling Curtis Joseph (who replaced Toskala in net half way through the second) for the extra attacker, making it a 6 on 4.  Overall, the Leafs were one for eight, and the Canucks were one for five on the power play.

Tonight’s three stars were picked by CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada and were 1- Roberto Luongo 2- Willie Mitchell and 3- Pavol Demitra.  The Canucks ended their six game home stand with a 4-1-1 record.

The Canucks now head out on a four game road trip, playing their next game agianst the New York Islanders on Monday night at 4pm, the game being broadcast on Sportsnet Pacific and streaming live online on Team1040.ca

Popularity: 9% [?]

Canucks Lose in Buffalo to go 3-2 on Season

After a disastrous first period, the Canucks couldn’t seem to crawl out of the negative column to beat the Sabres in tonight’s game at Buffalo.  The Sabres came out fast and quick with three goals in the first 13:10 of the first period, after the Canucks had some serious troubles with penalties, including a double-minor for  roughing against Shane O’Brien that cost the Canucks one of Buffalo’s early goals.

Penalties haunted the Canucks all night, with Buffalo going 2 for 5 and the Canucks being ousted with a miserable 0 for 3 on the power play.  Thomas Vanek buried the Canucks with the Sabres 5th goal of the night mid way through the 3rd period, on a beautiful goal with NO defence anywhere around to help Curtis Sanford out.  Sanford played his first start of the season, without a W to show for it.  The night contained a bucketful of defence errors, with Willie Mitchell playing a mediocre game, and several other mistakes all around.  A bright spot again was the Kesler Burrows Hansen line, however they couldn’t pull anything together in the third after Burrows was given a 10 min misconduct half way through the third period.  One bright light on Defence was the play of Alex Edler, who looked good all game long while he was on the ice.  The Sedins were broken up this game half way through, and didn’t play as linemates through the end.  Will Vigneault pair them up again?  We will have to see in Chicago on Sunday.

Tonight’s goal scorers included Ryan Kesler (Alexander Burrows, Willie Mitchell), Steve Bernier (Henrik Sedin, Mason Raymond).

The Canucks continue the road trip, flying into Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 4pm on Sunday.  The game will be broadcast on TV on Canucks PPV ( Pay Per View ) and if you don’t want to pay, you can always listen to the game streaming live on the internet at team1040.ca

Popularity: 10% [?]

Burrows scores winner 27 seconds into Overtime.

After a “get back to earth” loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday night,  The Vancouver Canucks had alot to prove tonight as they played in Detroit against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings.

The Canucks got on the board first, and it was the grit and character of the third line that got the job done (really, they got the job done for the Canucks all night long).  The Red Wings came back and tied the game with a power play goal by Holmstrom, only for Vancouver to come back four minutes later halfway through the first to take the lead on a goal by Ryan Kesler.

The Canucks fell behind 3 -2 halfway through the second period when Cleary scored a beautiful breakaway goal for the red wings, having received the puck just as he stepped out of the penalty box, going in for the breakaway goal.  It wasn’t until 2:23 of the third period that the Canucks tied it up at 4-4 when Mason Raymond followed a 2 on 1 play with Willie Mitchell and Pavol Demitra, and sent the puck flying into an empty net behind Chris Osgood.

It only took 27 seconds for the third line to strike again in overtime, when Alexander Burrows errant shot off the end boards came right back to his stick and he one-times it past Osgood for the game winner.

Tonight penalties were very costly to the Canucks, having given up 2 goals on 5 penalty kills, while going 0 for 4 on the power play themselves.  Robert Luongo got the win in net tonight stopping 32 of the 35 shots he faced.  Osgood let in  4 goals out of 29 shots.

Tonight’s Canucks goal scorers included Jannik Hansen (Alexander Burrows), Ryan Kesler (Shane O’Brien, Sami Salo), Mason Raymond (Willie Mitchell, Pavol Demitra), Alexander Burrows (Alexander Edler, Willie Mitchell).

The Canucks are now 3-1 on the season, and the meet up against Buffalo on Friday at 4:30pm.  You can see the game on Sportsnet, or listen to it streaming live on Team1040.ca

Popularity: 10% [?]

Flames burn 6-1 as Canucks continue to go undefeated in pre-season.

Alex Edler made it 1-0 for the Canucks 21 seconds into the 1st period, and it was pretty much Vancouver all the way in from there.  The Canucks were outshot by the Flames tonight 36 – 23, by new canucks captain Roberto Luongo led his team to victory, with big nights from all four canuck lines.

One thing that is starting to haunt the Canucks again, is their lac of discipline.  They had 9 penalties (21 minutes worth), compared to Calgary’s six, but thankfully Calgary couldn’t convert, even on 2 minutes of 5 on 3 time. 

Jannik Hansen showed his potential for a roster spot come regular season with a two goal effort, and both Alexander Burrows and Ryan Kesler has 3 assists each.  Goals for Vancouver came from Alex Edler (Pavol Demitra, Taylor Pyatt), Jannik Hansen (Ryan Kesler, Alexander Burrows), Pavol Demitra (Kyle Wellwood, Lawrence Nycholat), Lawrence Nycholat (Alexander Burrows, Ryan Kesler), Jannik Hansen (Ryan Kesler, Alexander Burrows), and Mason Raymond (Pavol Demitra, Mike Brown).

The Vancouver Canucks play Thursdy the 2nd against the San Jose Sharks at 7pm at GM Place.  Check out the resource below for tickets to an upcoming San Jose Sharks and Canucks game!

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Canucks remain undefeated in pre-season, beating Sharks 3-2

The San Jose Sharks couldn’t get a goal past Roberto Luongo through two periods where they could only amass 14 total shots.  Cory Schneider played as the Canucks netminder for the third period, and while he did let in 2 goals, he also faced a whopping 23 shots on net!

With the Canucks win tonight, they are now undefeated in the preseason with a 3 and 0 record, defeating the Oilers twice, once at home, and once on the road, and now the Sharks on the road.  Victory may not be a long lasting effect though, as the Canucks face off against the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow  night at 5pm pacific time. 

Goal scorers in tonight’s game included Pavol Demitra, Jason Krog, and Jannik Hansen.  All three Canucks goals came on specialty units, with Krog’s goal, assisted by Hansen, being scored while shorthanded.   The Canucks finished 2 for 7 on the powerplay, and the Sharks were 1 for 8, including 4 back to back powerplays in the third period.

You can catch the Canucks next game on Sportsnet at 5:05pm Pacific time tomorrow against Brian Burke’s Anaheim Ducks.

Popularity: 9% [?]