Vancouver Canucks Hockey Stuff

Big game for the Canucks and Maple Leafs

Tonight’s 4pm pst battle between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks will most likely be overshadowed by Mats Sundin’s first return to play in Toronto since not re-signing with the club at the end of last season.  in-terim Leafs GM last season, Cliff Fletcher, wanted Sundin to waive his no-trade clause so that the Leafs could deal him off for assets.  Sundin refused to waive his no-trade clause, citing that he didn’t want to become a rental player for another team.  By the time free agency had begun, the leafs had decided that Sundin did not fit into the plans for their hockey club.  So, once he became a free agent, several teams made him offers, most notable the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers.  Sundin signed with the Canucks in mid-december.  Though Sundin hasn’t had an extremely huge impact on the Canucks team, the play of the team has indeed improved with him in the line-up. 

How will the fans in Toronto treat Mats on his return back home?  Hopefully with cheers, as he spent a great 13 seasons there, becoming Toronto’s all-time points leader.  Tonight’s game will be on CBC at 4pm PST, and you can listen to it live streaming online via online radio at The Team, team1040.ca

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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

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