Vancouver Canucks Hockey Stuff

Yesterday the Vancouver Canucks signed forward Rick Rypien to a two year contract extension, that will see him under contract to the Vancouver Canucks through the  2010-2011 NHL season.

Rick Rypien has been with the Vancouver Canucks for five seasons.  This past season he played in twelve regular season games, netting a total of three goals.  he also had 19 penalty minutes in those 12 games.  During the 2 rounds the Canucks made it to in this past post-season, Rypien had two assists and 40 penalty minutes. 

With this contract extension, Rypien is now put into a solid spot in this teams line-up, most likely up on the third line, with possible second line minutes if he can stay healthy.  His knack for injuries is the only thing holding Rypien back from moving into a stronger bigger game.

Popularity: 48% [?]

Luongo solid as he stops 45 of 46 shots

Roberto Luongo didn’t get the shut-out but he may have played his best game of the season, when it counted most, as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1 tonight at GM Place.

The first period was shaky at best, the Canucks being outshot 21-9, they still came out of the first period up 1-0 on a goal by Rick Rypien.  The Canucks just couldn’t keep the puck out of their zone in the first, and looked a little slow off the start.  They sure came out a lot better in the second period, and Luongo bailed them out time after time again.   During a couple of consecutive Vancouver penalties, Luongo kept the puck out of the net to keep the game 1-0.  It wasn’t until the 14 minute mark that Iginla was able to put a puck past Luongo to tie up the game.  22 seconds later, Mattias Ohlund slapped on from the point which deflected off Calgary defencemen Dion’s stick to sail past Mikka Kiprusoff to make it 2-1 Vancouver.  The third period was a goaltender duel with both goalies all over saving everything coming at them.  kiprusoff looked great in the third making some big saves off the Sedins and the Sundin Kesler line.  It was 2-1 Vancouver up until 14:51 when Ohlund slapped another shot from inside the point that made the game 3-1 Canucks.  Less than 3 minutes later Alex Burrows made a seet interception pass to Daniel Sedin, and the Sedins walked into the Calgary zone.  Daniel passed to Henrik, and after almost fanning on the shot he picks up the puck and rifles it home past Kiprusoff.  4-1 Vancouver.  The best part?  Hearing the taunts in the crowd “Calgary sucks”.  It’s playoff fever in vancouver already.

Tonights three stars were Roberto Luongo with a stunning performance in goal, Mattias Ohlund with 2 goals and 3 blocked shots, and Mikka Kiprusoff.  The Flames ended up outshooting the Canucks 47-25, but the Canucks come out on top to tie the Flames in the Northwest for 1st, although Calgary has the tie-breaker for first in the division as they have more wins.  Both teams now have 2 games left, so the Canucks need to go out and play the LA Kings at home on thursday night at 7pm, and the Edmonton Oilers (who were statistically eliminated from the playoffs tonight) on Saturday in Edmonton at 12 noon.  Both games are available on sportsnet, and you can hear both games live online on streaming audio at team1040.ca.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Rypien needs abdominal surgery, out indefinitely.

Rick Rypien has suffered a sports hernia tear on his left side, and will be out from the canucks line-up for the forseeable future, as he will be undergoing surgery within the next few days.

Good news for the Canucks today: Sami Salo skated and practiced with the team for the second time since suffering his groin injury in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.  it’s expected that alo will play in tomorrow nights game against the Boston Bruins.  The game will be televised on TSN and available on live streaming radio online at team1040.ca  The puck drops at 7:00pm and the game is a home show a GM Place.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Pettinger and Wellwood going through waivers as back-up

The Vancouver Canucks have placed Kyle Wellwood and Matt Pettinger on re-call waivers to hopefully bring them back up to the big club in time for tuesday morning’s skate before tuesday nights game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The forwards are being recalled after several injuries in the Canucks 4-2 loss last nightto the Chicago Blackhawks, where Rick Rypien is out due to a virus, Sami Salo is out with a groin injury, Pavol Demitra is out with an upper body injury, and Darcy Hordichuk is out with a knee injury. 

Any club can take either Wellwood or Pettinger off waivers, and only have to pay them half their season’s salary to play on their club, while the Canucks would then have to pay the other half of their salary’s.  Gillis and co aren’t afraid of paying as they have plenty of room under the salary cap, however they need healthy players and they need them now. 

Be sure to take in the Canucks final game of the six game road trip tomorrow night at 4pm against the Columbus Blure Jackets.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Vancouver Canucks 6 – Calgary Flames 0

In a night that saw the Vancouver Canucks honouring the late Luc Bourdon with a touching ceremony at GM Place, the Canucks played a game that Luc would have been proud of.

The Canucks finally turned a tide of Penalty trouble, though they did give up a couple 5 on 3 power play chances to the Flames tonight.  The Canucks played a great offensive game, and hopefully this is what we’ll see throughout the rest of this season.  Bernier looked great with the Sedin’s getting a beautiful goal 23 seconds into the second period.  Mason Raymond showed everyone at the Garage why he is on this team, with blazing bursts of speed time and timagain, and Pavol Demitra looks very promisng as well.

The Canucks went one for nine on the powerplay, while the Flames were kept off the scoresheet on 6 powerplay attempts, including just over a minute of s on 3 powerplay time.  The Canucks lone power play goal was scored by Mattias Ohlund halfway through the 3rd period, making it 5-0, and the Canucks got a beautiful shorthanded breakaway goal on the Flames power play in the 3rd, scored by Rick Rypien.

Tonight’s goal scorers were: Henrik Sedin (Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler), Steve Bernier (Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin), Alexander Burrows (Ryan Kesler), Alexander Burrows (Ryan Johnson), Mattias Ohlund PP Goal (Taylor Pyatt, Daniel Sedin), Rick Rypien SH Goal (Mattias Ohlund).

The Canucks play again against the Calgary Flames on saturday night in Calgary, as the second game in this home and home set.  Game time is 7pm and will be broadcast on CBC and live streaming online at Team1040.ca.

Popularity: 9% [?]