Canucks-Wild Preview: God help us all
So we know the various things that are wrong with this slumping Canucks team...
-fragile confidence
-lousy power play
-lousy penalty kills
-mental lapses
-turnovers
-panic attacks
-not playing the coach's system
-not playing a full 60 minutes
So there is isn't really much else to say except for what players will be playing and who won't.
Pavol Demitra will not play against his former team.
Mike Brown will play. We could use the grit.
Kyle Wellwood will play on a line with Jannik Hansen and Steve Bernier.
Mats Sundin will play with Kesler and Burrows, which I think is a great idea. Kesler and Burrows are basically line 2 players anyways.
Mason Raymond is expected to sit out with Shane O'Brien. Strange how 2 of the 3 players involved in the scuffle at practice on Thursday sit out.
Rob Davison will play in O'Brien's stead.
The Wild lost a disappointing game to the Oilers tonight. They will be whipped and drilled by coach Jacques Lemaire's to win their game against Vancouver.
It's tough to look at the Western Conference standings right now. The Canucks have 51 points and are 2 points from a playoff spot. A loss against the Wild will once again put heaps of pressure on the team.
I really don't know what to expect from the Canucks at this point. They are trying to say all the right things in their 7 game slump, but it is all just lip service to me. These next 3 games will be crucial. All 3 are at home, where they are atrocious. They could very well lose all 3, as GM Place is not such a friendly place to play in lately. If they lose the next 3, Alain Vigneault could be fired, OR, the team will go on the road and turn it around.
Doesn't that bother you that the team plays with so much fucking anxiety at GM Place? What does that say about the team? What does that say about the fans? Well, I've had a few drinks so I'll say this: Canucks fans can be the worst fans in the League. Pessimistic. Doomsayers. How about the fans get a little more into it more consistently and cheer the team on? The players can use all the help they can get.
I know the Devils have been rolling lately, so their fans are optimistic. But when they were down with under a minute to go against the Penguins tonight you could hear the fans screaming "Let's go Devils" as the clock winded down. The Devils never quit, tied the game, won in OT, and sent Crosby home crying.
Now THERE is a team that has their shit together. Confidence is everything. Jamie Langenbrunner is everything. Jesus, what a captain he is.
To me, the Devils are the model team. They play Brent Sutter's system so well. Sure they got outshot by (I believe a 43-16 margin) yet they still win. They lose Brodeur long term and still win. When they had chances they made it count. Plus they got breaks. That's what happens to a team that is rolling and has confidence.
Can someone please tell me how Sundin can start off so sluggish after a long layoff yet Brendan Shanahan can return after more time off than Mats, play 5 games, and have 3 goals and 1 assist? Shanahan turned 40 on January 23. He's so clutch. He also is playing with better talent and has a better shot.
Anyways, I'm just ranting. I'm not losing faith in this Canucks team. Why? Because I believe that once they win a game they will turn it around. If they don't win any games, very soon Mike Gillis will do SOMETHING to change it up. All hope is not lost.
T Tags: Canucks+Wild+game+preview slump Devils Shanahan Sundin answersLabels: Canucks, Devils, Game Preview, Mats Sundin, Wild
11 Comments:
It's amazing what belief in a coach and his system can do for a team's confidence and level of play huh? Devils come back in the last minute and the Canucks wet themselves with fear the second they have a lead. Puke.
The Wild are going to be filled with bloodlust after being defeated by the defeated Oilers. Oh my. Where are those fucking hockey gods?
But! I'm not giving up. What's in it for me if I give up? They are going to win a game eventually and I want to be one of the fans that stuck by them in their hour of need. If only someone could convince the fans at GM Place that cheering will have a lot more positive impact at this point, rather than trying to communicate their displeasure by booing. It's not like the boys don't know they've been playing like pre-schoolers.
The fans technically can do what they want I suppose. It just sucks. Boo'ing isn't helping.
Yeah, I'm still believing in blue, haha. I won't quit.
Looks like Mike is believing in that funny green color. just kidding, Mike!
Ahh, rubbish. The Devils play BORING hockey, exactly the kind that AV was told to not exercise this season. And the only reason you could hear the fans was cause there were only about 200 of them watchin :)
Tonight will be a great "tell" over what the Nucks really think. If they come out hard and really put in an effort, then its just a matter of time. Another poor outing with few shots and hustle and AV is gone.
I'm gonna pick a win tonight for the Nucks, but it wont come easy and half of me is thinkin SO loss for a lousy point. Screw it, Nucks win 4-2.
Wellwood with 2 :)
And one more thing, the fans havnt been that bad. Did you see the 10-2 slaughter in Edmonton? The fans were chanting "ten" when the Sabres had 9. Now thats brutal, and the players HAD to notice. Our mild booing is nothing which the fans dont deserve to dish out. We were promised a new direction and an exciting team, what we've witnessed has been anything but.
Ps. Lou has to step it up also, he's the highest paid player on the team and also the captain. Good captains dont let there team lose 8 in a row...
After watching the Oilers last night, I think two things came out of the infamous "We want 10!" night: One, the team came out fighting and hitting hard right off the puck drop and Two, the Oily fans really cheered them on. I think the Canuck fans will get behind their team in a heartbeat if the Canucks come out swinging (and scoring.)
Billy: Losing in a shoot out again will make us all weep like babies.
Sean: I'll have a kuish with my coffee, please.
Must go buy beer now, in preparation for tonight.
Holy shit! Have you checked the lineup? Not only is Sundin playing with Kes & Burr, but they've become the 2nd line!
Didn't want to bruise Sundin's ego, I guess.
Billy: Boring hockey can be successfull hockey! I think Vigneault has tried to get the team to play a more exciting style, but then they suck defensively. They turn into the fucking Leafs. Can't have that. We need to emulate Detroit, yet we don't have the talent on our roster to do so. So....TRAP TRAP TRAP!
Judy: The Oiler fans have been pissed for most of the year. But you make a good point. I stand by my Canucks fans opinion though, especially at the live games. I've been there and seen it.
There has to be more rally cries from the fans, not a collective 18,000 groans because they count the team out.
I'm not going to predict a score.
Yeah I am...3-2 Canucks. Everyone jumps back on the wagon.
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Thanks for sharing. It was very interesting and meaningful.
Thank you for sharring this
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