Canucks-Flames Preview

There is questions as to who will start in goal for Vancouver tonight, as it is a back-to-back game situation. Well Rotowire has pointed out that the Vancouver Province is saying that Roberto Luongo will get the start. I don't see where it says that. But it does say this:

The Canucks are an impressive 10-2-3 in Northwest Division play, are 12-1-0 when leading after the first period and 18-0-0 when leading after two.

This reflects my Ducks post game. When we get the lead, we are usually gold. Love it. I'm glad there is no Felix Potvin or Jan Hlavac or even Jyrki Lumme out there to screw things up.
As I pointed out in the last post, the Canucks have won 5 and lost 3 when playing the second game in a back-to-back situation.
So what can we expect tonight? I'll tell you my hunch. I pick the Flames to win this one. It's in Calgary. We won by an unusual 5-3 score over the Flames a few days ago, and Miikka Kiprusoff was given the hook. Expect a rebound performance from him, and the revenge factor from the whole Flames squad. It will take a majorly spirited effort from Vancouver to pull out a win in Calgary.
It is great to have Ryan Kesler back as he can do it all....especially check. Maybe he should shadow Iginla tonight. The usual Iggy Pest named Mattias Ohlund is not playing again tonight because of his neck issues, as reports the Province.

"I got hit on the first shift against New Jersey and had my head jammed against the [corner] glass," said Ohlund, who has been experiencing neck stiffness and headaches. "I played a few more games, but I didn't feel good and things are not were they're supposed to be."

Remember when Ohlund and Iginla fought in the 2003 playoffs? Check it out. If Flames fans hate Ohlund I could see why. Dirty bugger. But hey, he's OUR dirty bugger, and Phaneuf is a homo. Haha.
3-2 Flames in a shootout tonight. Anyone top that?
That's my call. Fear the 'dreaded' Iginla-Conroy-Huselius line. Conroy was promoted to the top line in the Flames' last game against the Ducks and responded with 3 assists.
By the way...Happy New Years to all of you. Have a great night. I'll tip my glass of Captain Morgans and Coke to each and every one of you. See you in 2008.

T Tags: Canucks Flames Preview Luongo+to+start Happy+New+Years

Canucks 2 Ducks 1

Isn't it great cheering for a team that doesn't lose games when leading after 2 periods? This Canucks team is completely content to play trapping and patient hockey in that scenario. While it puts us on the edge of our seats, especially like tonight's game, as the Ducks bagged a goal with just over 10 minutes left to make it 2-1, you still have to feel somewhat confident that Vancouver will hold the opposing team off.
Tonight was the same ol' story. Up by 2 after 2 periods, the Ducks woke up and peppered 11 shots at Luongo in the 3rd, while the Canucks only hit the net 3 times. That's the beauty of having a good defensive team and a world class goalie in net. A text book Canucks victory tonight, as we have beaten these lame Ducks 3 times out of 3 this season.

A Couple Thoughts

- Pronger was booed every time he touched the puck. What did he ever do to Vancouver? Must have been some bitter Oilers fans in the crowd. If you wanna boo somebody, boo that primadonna Scott Niedermayer for Christ sakes!

- Todd "Useless Tit" Bertuzzi had 1 assist, was a +1 and played 20:32. More or less invisible and floating. Huh. Sure am glad he isn't a Canuck anymore. Enjoy the Bert futility, Anaheim fans!

- that was back-to-back games for the Quacks. They looked like they didn't really get going until late in the second. No excuse though, as Doug Weight pointed out in the intermission. The Ducks were playing so well until they ran into Calgary and Vancouver, and have lost 2 in a row. They are stuck in 3rd place in the Pacific Division, 4 points behind the Sharks and 7 points behind the Stars. Life sucks defending the Stanley Cup don't it?

- a disciplined game by Vancouver. Only 2 times the Ducks had a PP. The Ducks were shorthanded 3 times and the Canucks converted once. Bing-bing-bing, the Swedish Touch line connects again.

-The Canucks take over top spot in the Northwest, 2 points ahead of the Wild.
The real challenge comes tomorrow against the Flames, where we will have to find the energy to win back-to-back games. We have a 5-3 record playing in the 2nd games in back-to-back situations.

BOX SCORE

HIGHLIGHTS



T Tags: Canucks Ducks Review Boo+Pronger Niedermayer+shitbag Bertuzzi+floater

Hawks place Sergei Samsonov on waivers

Many thought Samsonov would rejuvenate his career in Chicago after bitterly leaving Montreal. But that did not happen, as Samsonov showed a lot of flair with the Hawks but has only managed 4 assists and a -7 rating in 23 games with the Hawks. His ice time averaged about 12:20 per game. He only had 38 shots on goal. How quickly his career has declined. Samsonov enjoyed his best years with Joe Thornton in Boston.
Now he comes with a $3,525,000 price tag and is certain to be doomed to the minors. Oh well, adiose jackass!!

T Tags: Black+Hawks Sergei+Samsonov waivers

NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo

The outdoor game between the Penguins and Sabres will be played on January 1, 2008 at 1:00 EST at the Ralph Wilson Stadium. How big is the stadium? It seats 73,967 people and is the home of the Buffalo Bills. This is going to be a massive event. The 2003 NHL Heritage Classic outdoor game in Edmonton was held at Commonwealth Stadium with 57,167 people in attendance (a record for attendance at a hockey game) as well as 2.747 million people watching on TV (another record).
What better place to hold an outdoor game in the U.S. than in hockey-mad Buffalo! Love it.

No one can forget how cold it was at the 2003 outdoor game (-18 degrees celsius, -30 with the wind chill, clear skies). The same will not happen in Buffalo. It could be the opposite. It is currently above 0 degrees celsius with rain and snow in Buffalo. The weather is forecasted to be much of the same by January 1. So Crosby may have to work the snow shovel in between faceoffs. Could you imagine how backyard-ish the game will be if it snows? Coolness. Expect the unexpected.

Links

-The promo video for the 2008 Winter Classic starring Ryan Miller. Pretty cool.
-NBC's commercial for the game, found at NHL.com, as well as links to interviews with players who played in the 2003 outdoor game.
-A few highlights from the 2003 Heritage Classic.
-Quick fan-cam footage of the 2003 HC.
-Raj Binder from This Hour Has 22 Minutes visits the 2003 HC game. Funny stuff.

T Tags: NHL 2008+Winter+Classic outdoor+hockey+game Buffalo New+York Ralph+Wilson+Stadium video Penguins Sabres 2003+Heritage+Classic Edmonton

Salo gets his groove back / Marc Denis put on waivers

A great story behind the Canucks' 5-3 beating of the Flames last night was the re-emergence of Sami Salo. With Mattias Ohlund out with neck spasms, Salo had to step it up as Vancouver's go-to guy offensively and he delivered, with 24:37 icetime, 1 goal, 5 shots and a +1 rating.
Yeah we saw more of his shot, finally. That was only his 1st goal and 3rd point in 21 games this season. It has been a tough year for Salo. The oft-injured D-man broke his nose after taking a puck in the face in November and missed a considerable amount of time, only to come back wearing a full cage over his face. He was not on his game at all. He was almost a ghost out there.
Until last night. THAT is the Salo we are used to seeing, and want to see more of. It just took an injury to Ohlund to bring it out in him.
Salo may never play a full season, but his his totals of last year (67 games played, 14 goals and 23 assists and a +21) should be his target at his pricetag ($3.5 million per season through 2011). Let's hope he keeps rolling now.

CANUCKS-FLAMES HIGHLIGHTS

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The Lightning have placed goalie Marc Denis on waivers today. At a pricetag of nearly $3.0 million dollars, this could be the end of the road for Denis, who showed so much promise in Columbus, yet never materialized in Tampa. As TSN puts it:

Denis has one win in 10 starts this season with a 4.05 goals against average. He has not played in nine of the last 13 games and was a healthy scratch in three of the last four, losing his spot to rookie netminder Kari Ramo.

Keep in mind that Ramo struggled yesterday AND that Tampa's defence is ASS. Tampa's world could fall apart if they can't play better team D.

T Tags: Canucks Flames Sami+Salo improvementLightning+place+Marc+Denis+on+waivers

Canucks-Flamers Preview

Canucks: 20-13-4 (4th in the West)
Flames: 17-13-7 (7th in the West)

Ah, back to Canuck hockey again. Feels like it's been a long time. Both Vancouver and Calgary have not played since December 23. Both teams lost on that date (Calgary lost 1-0 to the Devils, and the Canucks lost 3-1 to the Avalanche)
We have played the Flames 3 times already this season and have won all 3. Those were back in October and November. A lot has changed since then. For one, the Canucks have become a better team.
However, the Flames have become considerably better more recently. While Vancouver is 5-3-2 in their last 10, Calgary is 7-0-3. Yeah, no more Keenan-bashing is being heard. He's got them playing great hockey in front of an improved Miikka Kiprusoff. Suddenly, the joke that was Calgary is now only 3 points behind us.
Part of the Flames hot streak can obviously be credited to Jarome Iginla (6 points in his last 5 games, yet 0 points in his last 2.) But how about Kristian (The Weasel) Huselius? He has 8 points in his last 5 games played and zero in his last 2. The secondary punch of the Weasel is very key to Calgary's success. He is now 2nd in team scoring with 14 goals and 35 points in 37 games.
And how about Adrian Aucoin? Prior to Calgary's 1-0 loss to the Devils last Sunday, the former Canuck had seven points (2-5-7) in the previous five games.

STATS TO PONDER

-the Canucks are 18-3-0 when they score first. Calgary is 10-4-3.
-when leading after 1 period, the Canucks are 10-1-0. When trailing after 1, they are 2-9-2. Huh.
-when leading after 1 period, the Flames are 5-0-3. When trailing after 1 they are 4-8-2. Not many leads after the first period for Calgary.
-when their opponents score first, the Nucks are a dismal 2-10-4. Shitty. I don't like that stat. The Flames are a better 7-9-4 when giving up the first goal.
Where am I getting all this stuff from? Check out this page at Calgary's home site.

NOTABLE RECENT INJURIES

-Canucks: We know the IR guys. But Mattias Ohlund missed Vancouver's last game with a sore neck. He is questionable for tonight.
-Flames: Gandalf the Grey...I mean...Owen Nolan has a sore neck as well. He has missed the Flames' last 3 games.

MY PREDICTION

This is a tough call. Should be a great game between 2 divisional rivals. Will the Canucks contain Calgary's speed? Don't I always say that? If this were in Calgary, I'd call a Flames win, but it's in Van City, where the Nucks have won 4 straight, and Luongo has been red-hot. So I say the Canucks snag a 4-3 win with home ice advantage, and Luongo saves our butts.

Game Time: 7:00 PST
TV: CBC (HD-baby!)

T Tags: Canucks Flames Preview Huselius Iginla Ohlund+neck+injury

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope all of you have a great time with your families. If you don't have a family, crash someone else's party. Do whatever it takes to be happy in this, the festive holiday season.
See you all on the other side, headache and all.

Sean Zandberg

Canucks-Avalanche Preview

Still don't have time to do up an in-depth pre-game post.
The Canucks have won both games against the Avalanche this season so far. But combine a hard-fought win over the Coyotes last night with their super ability to look tired after consecutive road games and the possibility of Luongo taking the night off (my guess, but maybe he won't because of the Xmas layoff), and here's what you get:




Who knows, though. The Avs do not have Smyth or Sakic in their lineup.
If the Avs win, they tie us in points, but claim #1 spot in the Northwest, as they have played one less game, and have scored 10 more goals than us.
It's going to be a great game.

Game Time: 5:00 PST
TV: Sportsnet Pacific

T Tags: Canucks Avalanche Preview Northwest+Division

Canucks-Coyotes Preview

I am Christmas Crammin today so no big preview post. I'll just let The Great One hollah out my prediction:




T Tags: Canucks Coyotes Preview

When NHL superstars fight

Sidney Crosby fights Andrew Ference. I will say this, and I hate to, my respect level for Crossby just went up a little.



Wayne Gretzky fights Neal Broten




Mario Lemieux fights Gary Lupul, Bob Carpenter, Bobby Gould, and Todd Krygier



And for some added violence to the collection to take you down memory lane:

Ulf Samuelsson knocks out Janet Gretzky.
McCreary knocks Wayne Gretzky on his ass, and apparently never plays another game in the NHL.
Dave Taylor cold cocks Gretzky and knocks him out, nearly.
Tie Domi sucker punches Ulfie Samuelsson. Listen to Harry Neale afterwards. Never get away with saying that nowadays, and that is a shame. This is still one of my fave NHL moments ever. Gad I hated Ulf.

T Tags: NHL fights Crosby+fights+Ference Gretzky+fights+Broten Lemieux+fights violence Janet+Gretzky+knocked+out McCreary+hits+Gretzky

Canucks Rap- "Trap it Like it's Hot"

From the same person who brought you the Trapper's Delight Canucks rap, here is the latest from the Ultimate Canucks Fan Contest:



The Sedin "Pinky and the Brain" references are dominant here. I guess Boogaard was good for something.....a laugh!


T Tags: Canucks+rap Drop+it+like+it's+hot Snoop+Doggy+Dog+Parody YouTube Video

Canucks 3 Stars 2: No Revenge for Dallas

What a great game. Instead of the usual 2-1 score that we are accustomed to between Dallas and Vancouver, we got to see a few more goals in a great matchup.
Vancouver weathered a 1st period Dallas storm, being outshot 11-6 and purely outclassed by the Stars, who wanted to finish us off early. Luongod kept us in it, keeping it scoreless after 1.
A beauty goal by Mason Raymond on a solo effort broke the ice, and the Canucks really didn't look back. Sure, Dallas came close many times, but Luongod and the squad shut them down.
So much for the revenge for the Stars. They must be frustrated, and I laugh at their frustration.

A couple of things:

- As well as Raymond and even Jaffray played, they only got 5:20 and 7:08 icetime respectively. I think I missed something there. These 2 provide a youthful energetic element to this squad, and I like it.

-The Swedish Touch line is going again, and that can only translate into wins. It seems they took Vigneault's challenge seriously and have got their game back.

-What a non-goal by Jaffray. I jumped off the couch in celebration, only to be disappointed because Pyatt clearly interfered with the Dallas defender to create room for Jaffray. Yes that was interference.

-Speaking of Pyatt: after taking 2 consecutive penalties in the 3rd, he could have been the goat had Dallas tied it.

-Bottom line: Luongod was terrific again at home. His focus right now is unparalleled.

-If we are going to pay to watch Canucks games on PPV, when are they going to be on high definition???

-Unfortunately, this bold performance by the Canucks tonight was overshadowed by Marion fucking Gaborik's 5 goal and 6 point night to keep the Wild on top of the Northwest and Sid Crosby's fight to go along with the Penguin's inability to hold a big lead against the Bruins.

-What's the deal with Marty Turco picking on Luongo's pads?

"It was part comical, part serious," Turco told The Goalie News writer Kevin Woodley on Thursday.
"We all have them. They're usually behind the 11 inches. We all need side protection, and Louie's knees are just a little bit bigger than others so fortunately it sticks out for him."
That was very serious research because I really don't like the idea of larger nets so we are looking at ways we can do thing without touching larger nets," continued Turco with a slight grin, a reference to Luongo saying earlier this year he'd quit if the nets ever got bigger.

Read nothing into those statements, only that Turco is joking around. Luongo was less comical about it post game accusing the media of, basically, blowing it out of proportion. Which Louie was correct in saying.

BOX SCORE

HIGHLIGHTS (TSN)






T Tags: Canucks Stars Review Turco Luongo goalie+pads Crosby+fight Gaborik+goals

Canucks-Stars Preview

Stars: 19-11-4 (2nd in the West)
Canucks: 18-12-4 (6th in the West)

Look at tonight's game as a revenge match....for Dallas. The Canucks edged the stinky Stars in 7 games in last year's playoffs and this is the first time they've seen eachother since. You know that Dallas is coming into Vancouver on a mission to make the Nucks pay for it.
Meanwhile, the Canucks came home after a crazy road trip and made Brodeur and company look foolish on Tuesday night.
It's going to be close, as the series was.

INJURIES

It is being reported that Brad Isbister is skating with the Canucks but is not ready to play yet.
The Stars are without Philip Boucher and Jere Lehtinen, both out with long term injuries.

Red hot for the Stars:
-Mike the Weasel Ribeiro is leading Dallas in scoring with 16 goals and 33 points in 31 games.
-Brendan Morrow has 12 goals and 32 points in 34 games.

As for the Sedins, Alain Vigneault had this to say about their recent struggles:

"I think they’ve got a little bit away from what was making them successful, they’re over-cycling and over-thinking and not shooting enough. If they can get back to that they’ll be fine."

Amen to that.

The Stars roll into Van having won 4 of their last 5, including 4 in a row. Marty Turco was in goal for all of those 4 wins. His record can be seen here. He's heating up no doubt.

The Canucks surprised the hell out of us by killing the Devils, after a mediocre road trip.

My Take:

I think Dallas gets their revenge tonight, winning 3-1 (empty net goal included). They are rolling right now and should be motivated to make us pay for sending them home early last spring.

PS: Is GM Place really as quiet as it comes across on TV? It sounds like a damned graveyard on TV. Where's the fricking noise?

Game Time: 7:00 PST
TV: Canucks PPV

T Tags: Canucks Stars Preview Turco Revenge

Bertuzzi hearing transcript

Hey, you got 20 minutes to burn? Check out the Bertuzzi hearing transcript and see if you can get through all of the lawyer bullshit.

For new developments on the story, check out this ESPN article. The war continues.

T Tags: Todd+Bertuzzi+hearing+transcript Steve+Moore

Canucks-Devils post game thoughts

Make Brodeur look stupidly human: check
Luongo look like God: check
Convert on the power play: not (0-for-5)
Get the Sedins going: check (5 points total) They weren't held in check very well
Your captain persists through the flu and plays like a monster: check
All players on your team put out a 100% effort for 60 minutes: check
Jason Jaffray breaks out and puts up super offensive numbers: not (13:39 icetime 0 points, 1 shot on goal). Mason Raymond played only 9:43 and had 3 shots on goal.

Bottom line: An ass kicking that was a treat to watch.
The race is ongoing for top spot in the Northwest. The Wild also won last night, so they are leading the NW Pack by 1 win, with 1 less game played. damn.

BOX SCORE

T Tags: Canucks Devils Review Luongo+is+god

Canucks-Devils Preview: Luongod against the Devil Brodeur

New Jersey Devils: 18-12-3, 2nd in the East
Vancouver Canucks: 17-12-4, 6th in the West

It's not very often that Canuck fans get to see the Devils play in Vancouver. It has not happened since December 29, 2001, where we beat them 4-2. I don't even remember that. But I do know that Jan Hlavac had 2 goals and Peter Skudra was in net for the win.
The main focus tonight will be on the goalies, as the 2 best (arguably-not) go head-to-head. Canucks.com has some crazy stats on Martin Brodeur:

Brodeur is 11-1-1 with a 1.68 goals-against average and two shutouts in his last 13 starts. He hasn't been nearly as dominant in 14 starts against the Canucks, however, going 6-8-0 with a 2.59 GAA. Brodeur ended a personal five-game skid to Vancouver with a 3-0 win in the teams' last meeting Jan. 13, 2006.

I can't find anywhere that states Luongo's record against New Jersey. Can anyone help me there?
The Devils were red hot as soon as Jamie Langenbrunner had returned but have since cooled off, winning only 2 of their last 5 games.
The Canucks are faring worse, having lost 4 of their last 5.
You could say that both teams have scoring issues, as both are in the bottom half of the NHL in goals for. Yet their goals against is in the top half of the League.
So we could be looking at a low-scoring affair here.

Don't blink, Nucks fans, but we are 4 points from being out of a playoff spot. The team will trudge forward without Brendan Morrison, Brad Isbister, Jeff Cowan and Kevin Bieksa. Markus Naslund is battling the flu but should play.

The Devils are healthy, minus only Jay Pandolfo and Cam Janssens. (Thank god, no Janssens. He's a beast.)

So let's see what happens tonight. It's 2 teams that play the same and have superb goalies. Regardless, I say this game ends 2-1 in Vancouver's favor, as they return home 'rested'.

Hate to say it, but I am a big Zach Parise fan. The kid has skills that we will see first-hand tonight.

Luongo on his ribs:

“It feels good, I didn’t have any issues when I’m on the ice, so that’s a good thing. I was able to get through practice with no discomfort and no pain, so it’s really feeling good. Hopefully I’ll stay on top of it and it won’t get worse.”

ENEMY BLOG FROM HELL: 2 Man Advantage. Actually, you really gotta check that site out. It's really picked up and has Photoshop skills. 2MA's Joe Bechtel has the Devils winning this one 3-2 in a shootout. We'll see about that. If the game does go to a shootout, I have no faith in Vancouver scoring more than 1 goal.

Game Time: 7:00 PST
TV: Sportsnet Pacific

T Tags: Canucks Devils Preview Luongo Brodeur defence

Brendan Morrison will miss 3 months / Luongo will play Tuesday

That is what TSN is reporting today. Morrison will have wrist surgery today and will be in a cast for 6 weeks.
Morrison had 20 points in 30 games before the injury, and is in the final year of his contract, making $3.2 million per season. He should be back about a month before the playoffs start at best.
This is where I hope Raymond or Jaffray can contribute at a consistent level so that Morrison's absence doesn't sting too badly.

According to TSN, Roberto Luongo WILL play against New Jersey tomorrow. Alright!

It appears that Naslund has caught the Keslerian flu. Maybe they should stop sharing water bottles. He missed practice today.
And just to give you an unnecessary visual:




T Tags: Brendan+Morrison+out+3+months wrist+injury luongo+returns Naslund+flu

Some Americans just piss me off

Ah, we have a bit of cross border controversy happening at the Battle of California that I would like to (hopefully) address in as few words as possible. Rudy Kelly has a ballsy, yet seemingly ludicrous post up about...well...blaming Canada for criticizing hockey in America, laughing at American hockey markets that fail, and pushing away potential hockey fans because we feel we are hockey superior up here and our attitude is not appealing. Here is an excerpt:

I’m not saying you’re (Canadians) not good fans, you guys are passionate and that’s great, but I’m starting to wonder if maybe you’re hurting the sport by loving it too much.
I think what I’m trying to say is that you guys are a more little focused on making sure hockey is still a “Canadian” sport than worrying about its health overall. Read this thread or this article and tell me that Canadians really seem concerned with growing the sport. You guys are acting like that one Biblical dude who would rather split the calf in half than let someone else have it. (What was his name… Jesus?) Look, if Nashville eventually has to move, fine, I get the economics of the situation… but you guys seem to be reveling in their failure, like it proves your hockey superiority or something. It’s not good for the sport if Nashville moves, no more than it was when Winnipeg and Quebec moved. The future of the game rests with the teams in the Southern part of the United States; if they fail, the league fails. I’m not sure you guys realize that.

The last 2 sentences have me cursing as does the whole article. The League will not fail if the southern U.S. hockey markets fail. That is a pompous statement. I think of it this way: would it really hurt your feelings if...say...4-5 American markets just disappeared and the League only had 26 teams? How about 20 teams? It wouldn't bother me one bit. That would maybe mean that the NHL failed to bring a successful brand of hockey to those areas I guess, but what is the bottom line here?
People are going to watch whatever the hell they feel like watching. Entertaining and competitive hockey/teams will bring people into the seats or into viewership in most cases. If that doesn't work, then fuck them! Move the team elsewhere. That's how I feel about Nashville. I'm not laughing at their failure and I don't WANT them to fail. It's just that they had a kickass team that was a contender and still couldn't generate enough revenue or fan base. So....what else is there to do? Try somewhere else or just fold your hand.

I do believe it was/is mostly American writers that were crying about the game being too violent and wanted to make the game more presentable to all ages. This is the other part that really pisses me off. We don't have to change the game because of certain failing markets to make it more appealing....as a last ditch effort to bring in more fans. The game should be played the Canadian way, the way it was in the early days. Bring back fighting and goonery. Yeah, people like that. Always have, always will.

Rudy mentioned in his piece that hockey is not Canada's game anymore. As much as that angers me to even read it because the patriotic side comes out, I have to be realistic. Well it is our culture for one, and you will never have that, and secondly it isn't America's game either. I don't mind sharing the game with a country, as long as they don't fuck it up.

According to this ESPN source, through 16 NHL games this season, 5 of the 6 Canadian markets were in the top 10 in regards to game attendance. Edmonton was in 17th. We are not having any problems up here. Why? Because we love this game. Always have, always will. Some of you Yanks have football and baseball as your primary sports, yet you still want it all and cry about it when you don't get it. The American hockey markets that fail because of that fact can just go ahead and piss off right now. I don't care about you, and couldn't care less that your NHL franchise failed. Stick with your boring baseball.

More from Rudy:

I get the impression that you guys don’t really want hockey to succeed in the United States. You want to keep hockey to yourself, and you justify it by saying, “Well, nobody watches hockey in the United States, they don’t even want the game.” I think I understand why, too; I’m not Canadian, so I can’t really pretend to know the national psyche, but I think you guys might be a little worried about being irrelevant. Hockey is what makes Canada unique on the global scene, and if you lose that then the only thing you’ll have left are moose and flannel. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Is that accurate?

This is where I hate typing because I can't tell how serious Rudy is being here. But there is, from what I'm seeing, a dingbat American with that same ignorant attitude that Canadians and the rest of the world hate.
I don't know of anyone that wants hockey in America to fail. Personally, like I've already said: I just DON'T fucking care if certain American hockey markets fail. Canada has something, nationally, that America does not have and never will have: a love for the game of hockey. Can we love this game too much??? Fuck no! You cannot take this from us. Face it, we are bigger fans per capita than you are. Suck it up, kids. And even those who laugh at failing American hockey markets have the right to. It's a free country. Does that mean we are a little worried about being irrelevant? To some people, that may be the case.
But you see, I am a type A Canadian. I don't give a shit which country is more powerful (in every sense of the word.) All I want is a happy laid back lifestyle, where I can enjoy Spiced Rum and Coke while I watch Canucks/NHL hockey.
Don't feel so threatened, Rudy. Relax. Should I send you some Maple Syrup? Last time I checked, there were 10 American-born players drafted in the first round in 2007. So there is something right going on in hockey USA.

T Tags: Battle+of+California Americans+vs+Canadians Stupid+yanks NHL hockey hockey+markets

Sunday Ramblings

I couldn't agree more with what Curtis Sanford said post game after last night's 2-1 shootout loss to Edmonton.

"We know that they got an unbelievable shootout record this year," Sanford said. "Garon and Roloson have been solid for them back there and they have some young guys that can put the puck in the net when it's just them and the goalie. You have to respect that and it gives you all the more reason to close it out in regulation time or the overtime."

The Canucks looked better last night and got stronger as the game went on but really didn't bury their chances. Garon is a Canuck-killer, in regulation/OT but especially the shootout. It seems that players are better to shoot high blocker side on Garon. Kesler did and it worked in the shootout. Garon seemed to leave that side open. But he just cannot be beaten along the ice, as he is way too flexible, as Ron and Don pointed out in Coach's Corner.
In front of fans and family, Jason Jaffray was given over 15.5 minutes of icetime and managed ZERO shots, but one fight against Steve Staios in OT. Too bad. He should have been given a chance in the shootout.

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From TSN:

Just two months after serving a lengthy suspension for a hit on Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg, the New York Islanders forward is facing punishment time again after receiving a match penalty for trying to step on Jarkko Ruutu's foot.

"Trying". Did he actually make contact with Ruutu's foot? Did Ruutu sell it? I have no clue and can't tell from the highlights footage.
But Simon is a 7-time offender and 2 months ago served a suspension for using Hollweg's face as a baseball. TSN has a poll up on what fans think Simon's suspension should be. So far, they don't favor Simon's career in the NHL:

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Bryan McCabe will miss 6-8 weeks as he suffered a broken hand injury against the Habs on Saturday night. Apparently his hand has 3 broken bones. Surgery is obviously required.
Usually, I'd say this is a blessing for the Leafs team, and it still could be perhaps. But McCabe deserves some credit for the Leafs' recent success as he has elevated his game. Check out his stats over the past 10 games over at ESPN. At least he wasn't a minus player over the previous 8 games before last night's loss to Montreal. He was a minus 1 last night only because the moment he broke his hand, the Habs went down the ice and scored.

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Random question: when is Ilya Bryzgalov going to recieve a painted mask or have one made up? His white mask sucks.

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On the topic of goalies: can you believe the play of Alex Auld with the Bruins? Check out the difference in his stats playing for Phoenix compared to Boston.

T Tags: Canucks Oilers Review Chris+Simon+suspension Bryan+McCabe+hand+injury Bryzgalov+mask

Canucks-Coilers Preview

“We weren’t sharp at all. We didn’t play like we had anything in it. All along, we’ve said we weren’t going to use any excuses, about injuries or scheduling.” - Canucks’ captain Markus Naslund refusing to use the recent adversity to justify the effort in Thursday night’s loss to San Jose. (Associated Press)

See? Markus is right about the loss to San Jose and how the Vancouver media is blaming it on scheduling. So sure am I that Markus is right, that I assure you that we will see a different Canucks team on the ice tonight. And I think we'll see that happen right off the bat.
The season series has each team winning 2 game. The Oilers have won the last 2: 5-4 and 1-0.
The Oilers have won their last 2 games, over Detroit and St. Louis, but have lost 3 of their last 5.
The Canucks impressively defeated the Ducks this week only to lose a stinker to San Jose last game. They have lost 3 of their last 5 as well.

So what can we expect tonight? Well, I don't think Vancouver should let Edmonton get their skating game going too much. The Oilers are doing surprisingly well this season, and can burn you on the rush. We are better off tho keep them to the outside or clog up the middle, or whatever.
I say we win this one 4-3 in OT. Andy Grabia at Battle of Alberta says 5-1 Coilers. He has a crack habit though.
Let's see if, once a-fucking-gain, the Sedins and Naslund can dominate and break out of their current slump.
I am expecting great things from Raymond and Jaffray as well. Jaffray may have a lot of family and friends here tonight, as his hometown of Olds is a 2-hour drive south of Edmonton, as the Vancouver Province reports.
Luongo playing is a possibility, but don't count on it. He did not skate today.

T Tags: Canucks Oilers Coilers Luongo+injury+update Jason+Jaffray

Ducks trade McDonald to Blues for Weight

The Ducks also receive Czech prospect Michal Birner and a 7th-round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry draft.
I was expecting Brian Burke to trade a defenceman, as he was proclaiming that every defenceman was up for grabs except Pronger.
The 2 teams acquire struggling centers and hope for better results. McDonald only has 4 goals and 12 assists in 33 games. He is not the same without Selanne and had not clicked with any other Duck.
The aging Weight only has 4 goals and 7 assists in 29 games.
McDonald has already played with Kariya a few years back with the Quacks. He is earning $3.33 million per season and has another year left in his contract.
Weight, who makes $3.5 million this season will become a UFA this summer, and will probably be used to jumpstart Todd Bertuzzi. Bert the Floating Futile only has 8 points in 19 games with the Ducks.
I like this deal for both teams. But I don't like to see the Ducks keeping Schneider. That is one wicked blueline group. Too good.
So who is this Michal Birner kid? He was drafted 116th overall by the Blues in 2004. The 21 year-old Czech put up great offensive number in the OHL, but has that has not translated with the Blues' AHL affiliate Peoria.
Hockey's Future has this to say about Birner:

Birner is a good skater, and has the ability to stickhandle in traffic. He is sometimes guilty of playing too much on the perimeter, but his quickness enables him get to the net or open scoring areas in a hurry. His shooting skills are adequate, and he is considered a smart passer. Birner must continue to elevate his awareness when he doesn’t have the puck.

T Tags: Doug+Weight+to+Ducks Andy+McDonald+to+Blues trade

Definition of a bad shift

Whenever you feel that you've had the worst day at work ever, remember the lady in the following clip.


Waitress Falls Through Window


I also found a clip of Scott Walker on YouTube about what he did before he got into hockey. It's worth a look!

On top of that, I found some footage of Derek Boogaard as a kid hurting himself. Listen to his mother laughing at him. No wonder why he's such an ass!

T Tags: Break.com YouTube Waitress+window Scott+Walker+headbutt

Canucks road weary?

From Canucks.com:

Unfortunately, on the seventh game in the seventh city in a span of twelve days, the Canucks just didn’t have enough gas in the tank.

Yeah, whatever. Let's stop making excuses here. That would be an insult to the Sharks more than anything else. These guys are well-paid athletes. They have not played enough consecutive games to used the 'tired' excuse. I thought San Jose played a great home game and shut us down.
The Nucks could have came back in the 3rd, and were well on their way in doing so until another turnover costed them again, and Thornton blasted away a coffin nail.

Mental mistakes. Willie Mitchell mentioned those.

"Out of five goals, four of them were mistakes, and you can't play like that," said Mitchell, who got dusted by Michalek on San Jose's first goal. "Against a team that good, you can't make more than one mistake."

The Sharks executed their game plan to near perfection.

"It feels good we got some wins at home, and it's going to continue like that," Milan Michalek said. "We were talking about it before the game, (how) we had to come out hard on them because they played the night before."

Yeah, so much for the Sharks' home ice issues.

BOX SCORE




T Tags: Canucks Sharks Review Thornton

Canucks-Sharks Preview

The Canucks have not beat the Sharks yet this season in 2 tries. Both losses occurred in October, by scores of 4-2 and 3-1. It was Joe Thornton ( 1 goal 2 assists) and Jonny Cheechoo (1 goal and 1 assist) who killed us in the first game.
Jeremy Roenick was a Canucks killer in the second game, scoring 2 goals (yeah, why did I bring that up?) Bad memory.
But that was in October, when the Canucks had not found their game yet. Now it's different. We are rolling. But so are the Sharks, who have won 4 of their last 5.
Actually the Canucks and Sharks have been battling it out for 2nd spot in the Western Conference for a while now. Only 1 point separates them. 1 win separates them. It's close.
The Sharks have the best PK in the NHL. Surprisingly, they are 16th on the PP.
The Canucks are 15th on the PK and 13th on the PP.
The Canucks are playing back-to-back games. The Sharks have not played since Tuesday, where they killed Minny 4-1 after an embarrassing 7-1 loss to the Sabres days earlier.

Joe Thornton needs to be contained. Are Kesler or Burrows up for the job? Joe is a hard guy to contain. Nearly impossible. But Big Joe only has 2 assists in his last 3 games. Joe Pavelski has 1 goal and 2 assists in that span.

For the Canucks, it's ol' pretty boy Pyatt who has the most points in the last 3 games (1 goal and 2 assists). Daniel Sedin has 1 goal. His invisible bro has NO points. The 3rd party of the useless Swede trio, Naslund, has 1 assist in his last games.

It's time for the Swedes to pick it up. That, or we can rely on the Raymond-Jaffray-Sanford combo to carry us again. It could happen. I am thinking they score at least a point each tonight. I got a feeling Jaffray is going to break out. We'll see.

Canucks.com pointed out something:

One of the few negatives for San Jose has been its surprisingly poor play at home, where it is 5-6-2 after going 25-12-4 there last season. The Sharks are tied with Phoenix and Montreal for the fewest home victories.

My take on the outcome

Should be a violent affair. Are the Swedes going to break out? They'd better. We need them to. I say the Canucks eek one out here: 4-3. Yeah, I'm no longer pessimistic.

Sharks' Marcel Goc has his pre-game opinions here (video). Yep, focus most of your attention on the Sedins. That way, Jaffray, Raymond and Pyatt can unload on ya!

On the IR:

Canucks:
Morrison-wrist surgery, out indefinitely.
Cowan- shoulder injury-out 6 weeks.
Isbister- strained hamstring- day-to-day
Bieksa- yeah you know.

Sharks:
Ryan Clowe (knee)
Jeremy Roenick (knee) YAY!!!
Jonathan Cheechoo (groin strain) double YAY!!
Brad Norton (back) who cares.

Game Time: 7:30 PM
TV: Sportsnet Pacific

T Tags: Canucks Sharks Preview Thornton Jaffray Raymond

Canucks 3 Ducks 2: Youth is served

Well, I guess I underestimated the Canucks' abilities.
Praise be to Curtis Sanford! The Ducks outshot the Nucks 35-20, including 16-1 in the 3rd period, but Sanford was outstanding. It's a relief to know that we have such a capable backup, and Sanford more than proved that last night. Fully deserving of the game's first star.
So the kids played an inspirational game. Mason Raymond and Jason Jaffray were terrific with a goal and an assist each. They didn't look out of place at all. I'm excited for both, but especially Jason Jaffray, who is 26-years old and is finally getting his chance in the NHL. He is still smokin' with the Moose, but you know he is going to do everything in his power right now to stay with the big team. Heads up, this guy could go on a streak!

"It was a great feeling to see the look on Mason's face when he got his first one out of the way," Jaffray said. "And when that puck went in for me, I could have jumped five, six feet in the air. It's definitely a moment I'll always remember."

Yeah, well keep it up, dude.

"It's not great for the Canucks to hear that he's (Morrison) going to be out for a while," Jaffray said. "I'm definitely not a guy who's going to fill his shoes, but I'm a guy that's been brought in to maybe soften the blow a little bit. If I can provide offense and create scoring chances, that's kind of what I do."

I think that if Jaffray and/or Raymond keep playing like this, I won't want Morrison to come back!




HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME

ps: Thanks Ducks, for taking so long to show up in this game. Ha!

pps: did Earl Sleek pick the 3 stars? No way is Pronger star #2! It should be Sanford, Jaffray, then Pronger.

ppps: Thanks Big Bert, for doing your usual SUCK.

GAME SUMMARY (NHL.com)

T Tags: Canucks Ducks Review Mason+Raymond Jason+Jaffray

Canucks-Ducks Preview

Check out the highlights of the last time the Ducks and Canucks played where the Canucks won 4-0. In order for the same thing to happen again, a few things are going to have to occur:

1. The team has to play well in front of Sanford. He lets out a fair bit of rebounds, and he is not Luongo. Luongo was the big story of that 4-0 win, stopping 15 shots in the first period before the rest of the guys even showed up, and stopping all 26 shots he faced. So was Kesler, who had 2 power play goals.

2. I don't know if the team had a bad case of the shits in L.A., but they all played like their diapers were full. Uninspired. Sloppy. Sluggish. I do expect a better effort against the Ducks.
3. Secondary scoring. The Sedins are off their game lately. They are losing battles along the boards, getting roughed up, and making stupid little fancy passes that are getting intercepted too often. That needs to stop right now. Play with some heart, you floaters! Until they stop being wimps, someone else has to step up.

4. One commenter here suggested that Morrison may miss the game against the Ducks with a wrist sprain. He was sent back to Vancouver for evaluation.
Brad Isbister may miss the next 3 games due to a pulled hamstring, suffered against the Kings. So if those 2 don't play, Mason Raymond and Jason Jaffray will. Hey, fine by me. Anything to light a spark under this teams' collective asses. (I can't fault Pyatt right now, who seems to be on a bit of a roll.)

5. Stay the hell out of penalty trouble. Once again, Sanford is not Luongo, and the Ducks have some mean fire power from the point.
Which reminds me: is that no-brained indecisive twit Scott Niedermayer making his debut tonight? And if he does, can someone please whack that shit over the head with a blunt object? It may help his thought process along a little.
So what is my prediction for tonight? Well, you ain't gonna like it. It should be pretty feisty, as last game was. I think the Ducks will be motivated to avenge the 4-0 loss we handed them a few weeks back, and the Canucks will be motivated to put the last gutless effort aside.
But I just can't get over the fact that it's Sanford in net, and that the Sedins look and play like they are 50 pounds lighter. Expect penalty trouble from the Nucks.I say the Ducks take this one 5-2. Any other takers out there?
I will praise Sanford's name and declare him holy if he steals this one!


T Tags: Canucks Ducks Preview Niedermayer+sucks Sanford Jaffray Raymond Sedins+floating

In Sanford and MacIntyre we trust

The Canucks have called up goalie Drew MacIntyre from the Manitoba Moose today. It appears that Luongod is mortal after all, suffering from bruised ribs. Well at least that is not a long-term injury, and we know that Sanford is a reliable backup. It's the team in front of him that is questionable.
Perhaps that is why the Canucks also called up Mason Raymond and Jason Jaffray as well. We could see some lineup changes. Is someone else injured? Morrison? Someone getting the hook? Linden and Brown?
The 3 callups are doing a fantastic job for the Moose this season.

- MacIntyre has played 16 games, and has an 11-4-1 record and a 2.28 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

- Mason Raymond has 6 goals and 14 points in 17 games.

-Jason Jaffray is continuing his AHL scoring prowess with 10 goals and 21 points in 19 games.

T Tags: Luongo rib injury Canucks MacIntyre Raymond Jaffray

Canucks-Kings Review

Well, my pregame wasn't far off. The Canucks actually took the night off though, so I will do the same thing with the game review. I'm not going to waste any time analyzing a stinker.

"It hurts when I move, it hurts when I breath," Luongo said of his ribs. He took a good shot in the cage in the Pens game. He is day-to-day. Thanks to Mr. Bucholtz for the tip.

Don't be blaming Curtis Sanford for this loss. I think the Kings' Derek Armstrong said it best:

"Every team has a good first and second goalie, but I don't think it would have mattered who was in goal tonight," said Derek Armstrong, who scored for the Kings. "Sanford didn't have much of a chance on any of our goals. We just had a solid team effort. They're a good hockey team, and we battled them all night."

A stinker. So with that in mind I leave you with this:


This is a joke that was told on some radio station last year, using NHL names to tell a hilarious story. I'm sure not all of you have heard it. This humor is a bit dirty, so you've been warned!

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So our day begins at the golf course where I have been battling in
the Lindy Ruff all day. We call it quits and head into the club house
for some Bob Beers and some Kelly Buchburgers. After crushing
many drinks we decided to hit the local night club to check out
some Carl Dykhuis and some Joe Nieuwendykes.
I noticed that I was getting eyeballed by some Neil Sheehy and she had a bit of a
Doug Weight problem. A real Jamie McCOWan. I thought to myself
"I can't stoop this Patrick Marleau". She wanted to take off, and I
wasn't sticking around for the ugly lights to come on, so I paid the
Rick Tabaracci and we hopped in a Tomas Kaberle.
I took her back to my Phil Housley where things got a little hot and steamy. She geared down and not to my surprise her Keri Taco was a bit Joe Reekie and Jason Wooley. I decided she needed a Bill Barber, pulled out my Donald Brashears and shaved her hair diaper down to
the Randy Wood.
She then proceeded to trim my Harry Snepsts and the bush around my Pekka Rautakeileo. I then reacted quickly and popped her Don Cherry but she was too Ken Dryden, so I flipped
her over, grabbed my Haken Loob and threw it in her Curtis Brown with no Tie Domi.
After a few pumps she started to complain that she was too Marty Mcsorley to go on. So I snapped and quickly showed her to the Daryl Sydor and told her maybe I'll call her
Brendon Morrow. Needless to say she was Grant Fuhrious.
The next morning I had the worst Darren Puppa and I was Valeri Zelepukin all day. And two weeks later I noticed a Travis Green drip oozing from my Mike Babcock. So I booked an appointment with Dr. Randy Gregg and got a Corey Schwab.
But that isn't the end of the story!
A month later I woke up and saw Garth Snow outside. The weather man said it was going to be a 30% chance of a Theo Fleury. My car wouldn't start so I had to borrow my roommate's car. It's not as Chris Osgoode as mine and it takes a Roberto Luongo time to start, but I was stuck. When I went in his room to get the keys, there was that same Rick Brodsky with my roommate! She was sucking on his Mike Peca while Esa Tikannen his temperature with her finger. I
said "Buddy, don't do it! That Butch Goring has the fans clapping! I think she picked it up in Paul Kariya!" But he wouldn't listen to Marty Reasoner.
Finally I said "keep up the Manny Legace", and ran out.

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To hear the audio of the joke on the radio, check out Atomic Hockey.

Thank you and good night. Wednesday's game against the Ducks will be better I can almost guarantee that.

PS: Hey, how about those Leafs? They are learning team defence. Hell just froze over.

T Tags: Canucks Kings Review Stinker Luongo Sanford joke

Canucks-Kings Preview

Yeah, I'm still mad about the Nucks' loss to Pittsburgh. And yes, I still hate Crosby, and anyone who wears a Pens jersey (except Gary Roberts).
Anyway, I just need to get over it. A win tonight over the Kings will help ease my relentless anger.
The Canucks are back on the road to California to take on the Kings, Ducks and Sharks. The Ducks and Sharks games are on Wednesday and Thursday. Busy week, because they end their road trip in Edmonton on Saturday night and return home to play the Devils the following Tuesday.
So let's see how much resolve this bunch has on a busy road trip. And let's see how much resolve they have after losing a heartbreaker to those fucking Penguins.
The Kings are on a bad slide. They have lost 4 of their last 5, and are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, securing a spot in the Western Conference basement.
The Canucks are still leading the Northwest by 2 points over Minnesota, and hold 2nd place in the West. Both teams have played 29 games.
The last time the Kings and Nucks played was October 18, when the Canucks were in their rough start. We outshot the Kings 28-17 and lost the game 4-2.
What can we expect tonight? To be honest, I foresee a motivated Kings team and a Canuck team that is slow out of the gate. I can see the Kings getting ahead early and the Canucks battling back....but it will be too late...Kings win this one 4-3.
Feeling a little pessimistic right now.
Oh well, Go Nucks!












The Canucks land in L.A. (photo from Canucks.com The team has a photo-road diary going on for their road trip. Some good picks there.)

T Tags: Canucks Kings Game Preview