Vancouver Canucks Hockey Stuff

The Canucks season is over.

After a crazy end to end game, that saw the Canucks down 3-1 early in the second period, they came back and took a 4-3 lead, then a 5-4 lead with just 7 minutes left in the 3rd period, but doing as they had done in the last few games, the Canucks could not hold the fort, and the fast young Blackhawks team came back and tied the game at 5-5, and added two more to seal the deal.  Penalties killed the Canucks tonight, giving up 3 powerplay goals on 4 blackhawk powerplays.

The turning point in the playoffs for the Canucks?  Game 4, with 2:44 left in the 3rd period, the Canucks had a 2-1 lead.  2:44 left to take a 3-1 lead in the series, they fail.  Chicago scored with 2:44 left in the third and score shortly in overtime to take the win.  This was the turning point for the Vancouver Canucks and they never did fully recover from game 4. 

The Chicago Blackhawks will move on to the Western Conference Championships, to meet the winner of the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks series.

Who will be on the team next year?  Some notable names that may not return include Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Mattias Ohlund, and Mats Sundin.  This was not the year for the Canucks.  We, as fans, are still waiting.

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Sami Salo will not suit up for tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.  It was speculated that Sami Salo might play.  He travelled to Chicago to be with the team, and skated in yesterdays team sakte.  However, he did not skate this morning, and will not play tonight.  His injury has not been disclosed, but it is speculated to be a lower body injury, possibly a groin injury.  This means that the team will remain the same for tonights game as it was in the last game, a 3-1 Canucks win.

The Vancouver Canucks play the Chicago Blackhawks tonight in Game 4 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The game is at 5pm PST and you can watch it on cbc, and listen to it via live streaming radio at The Team1040.ca/player

With a win tonight the Canucks can take a 3-1 series lead, and go home to possibly win the series on saturday night.

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Tonight the Canucks play the Blackhawks in Chicago at 5pm PST.  Sami Salo will not play tonight, however he has flown to Chicago and could possibly rejoin the team for game four in Chicago.  Ossi Vannanen will replace Salo on the Canucks blueline.  Pavol demitra is out with an undisclosed injury, and will be replaced in tonights game with Taylor Pyatt, who has not played a game since a personal leave late in the regular season. 

Tonight’s game will be live on CBC at 5pm, and you can listen to the game live streaming online on Team1040.ca/player  The canucks will try to come out and gain a 2-1 series lead, after losing to the Blackhawks 6-3 on saturday night, creating a series tie at a game apiece.  Game 3 is 30 minutes away!  GO Canucks GO

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Huge goal by Sami Salo with less than two minutes left in the third period stopped a rally by the Chicago Blackhawks in game one of the second round of  the Stanley cup Playoffs.  The Canuck win game one 5-3. 

The Vancouver Canucks looked a little slow out of the gate in tonights game against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the continous line-up by the blackhawk players to the penalty box ended up helping the Canucks beat the Blackhawks tonight.  Vancouver ended up ahead of the Blackhawks by a margin of 3-0 by the start of the third period.  The Sedin line looked amazing through the first two periods, making dazzling plays, finding each other and Burrows all over the ice.  Henrik potted the 2nd goal in for the Canucks after a nice feed from daniel on the sideboards.

Fast forward to the third and the Blackhawks score one only 2 minutes into the period, and the young guns in the Chicago line-up were set on fire.  Chicago dominated the third period, finishing their checks, getting pucks on Luongo, and tying up the game.  GM Place was dead.  You could hear a pin drop.  That was until 2 minutes left, when the Canucks broke out of their zone, with a  four on one.  Khabibulin made an initial save, and the rebound came out to Salo who popped it into the wide open net.  Mayhem was about again in GM Place. 

Three stars for tonight, third star was Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhakws, second star was Kyle Wellwood, and first star, Sami Salo, who had the game winner tonight.

The Canucks take a 1-0 lead in the series, and they will play again Saturday May 2nd 2009,  in Vancouver at GM Place, game time is 6pm and you can watch the game live on CBC, or listen live to streaming online radio at the Team1040.ca

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Mike Gillis, General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks, announced this morning that they have recalled Jeff Cowan of the AHL to play with the Vancouver Canucks.  Jeff Cowan, referred to by fans as “the Brabarian” played with the Vancouver Canucks las season, and put up 15 points in 71 games (i believe) in the AHL this season. He was also 5th on the Peoria Rivermen for PIM’s.   In 10 career NHL playoff games, Jeff Cowan has scored two goals, including an overtime game-winning goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the 2007 Western Conference Semi-Finals.  Why they brought him back? WHO KNOWS.  Get your bra’s ready ladies!

Make sure to tune in to CBC tonight at 6pm to watch game one of the Canucks vs Blackhawks of round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  You can always listen to tonights game live streaming online on internet radio at the Team1040.ca  GO CANUCKS GO!

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The Vancouver Canucks will ope round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday April 29th.  Here’s a complete schedule of the round two playoff games and times.

• Game One – Thursday April 30 – Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks – Game Time 6PM – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Two – Saturday May 2  - Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks – Game Time 6PM – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Three – Tuesday May 5 – Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks – Game Time 5pm – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Four – Thursday May 7 – Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks – Game Time 5pm – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Five ** – Saturday May 9 – Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks – Game Time 730pm – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Six** – Monday May 11 – Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks – Game Time 6pm – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• Game Seven** – Thursday May 14 – Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks – Game Time TBD*** – TV (CBC) – Radio (Team1040.ca)
• ** – denotes a game that will be played, only if neccessary.
• *** – No announced time yet, I will post when it is available.

A couple things to remember, games on and two of the second round game schedule start at 6pm, not 7pm.  I belive this was done to appease the viewers in the East.  Game Five, Blackhawks at Canucks doesnt start until 730pm.  not sure why this is, but whatever, its a saturday night and i’m sure all the pubs will be full.

Hopefully the Canucks can pull out all the big stops tomorrow night and get this team on a roll further into the playoffs.

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Tonight the vancouver Canucks playoff future was decided… they will face off against the Chicago Blackhawks at home.  This worked out becasue the San Jose Sharks were eliminated tonight by the Anaheim Ducks, which forces Anaheim to face off against the Detroit Red Wings, with Detroit getting home ice advantage.  Tonight the Calgary Flames lost to the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, so the ‘Hawks win the series 4 games to 2.  I don’t have a date or time for when round two will start, but the Vancouer Canucks will have home ice advantage, which is very important in the post-season.  Watch this site for a follow-up with dates and times for Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Edit: I believe Game 1 will be played in Vancouver on Thursday April 30th, 7pm, broadcast on CBC, with live streaming online radio on team1040.ca  Second game will be on Saturday May 2nd 2009.  If I am incorrect, I will change the dates, but I am 99% confident these are the dates and times of games 1 and 2.

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This is a hilarious spoof of Alex Burrows facebook page.  Check it out, i’m sure it will make you laugh.

[caption id="attachment_242" align="aligncenter" width="674" caption="Alex Burrows facebook"][/caption]

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For the first time in Vancouver Canucks history, they have won a playoff series 4 games to 0.  They completed their first ever playoff sweep tonight with an overtime win against the St Louis Blues.  Alex Burrows scored his second goal of the night with 19 seconds left in the 1st overtime period, to give the Canucks the 3-2 win.  Vancouver will now have to wait for around 7 days to begin their next playoff series, which has yet to be determined.

Roberto Luongo is now 7-0 in his last 7 starts, which include 3 shut-outs and only 6 goals allowed in those seven games.  Though it appeared he may have been injured in the second period of tonight’s game, he battled through it and got the win.  He seemed to be slow in getting to his feet throughout the remainder of the game, so hopefully it isn’t serious, though I highly doubt it was just “cramping” that he told to Scott Oakes of CBC Sports.

Willie Mitchell also battled through pain, an Henrik Sedin, who left the 3rd period in significant pain, also battled through and got the win for Vancouver. 

What will we remember this series as being?  One where the Canucks literally shut down their opposition.  One where the St Louis Blues special teams didn’t hurt Vancouver.  A goaltending duel between Chris Mason and Roberto luongo, who were the hottest goalies coming down the last stretch of the regular season.  A record setting four game sweep.  A precedent of things to come?

The Canucks are on top of their game right now.  If there is a team to beat in this league, it is the Vancouver Canucks.

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I won’t be in town over the weekend, so I won’t be able to blog about the next two Canucks games.  Hopefully by the time I blog on thursday, the Canucks will be up 3-0 in the series!  For now, Here’s a selection of photos from Game one at GM Place, taken by the Vancouver Canucks, as featured on Canucks.com
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