Canucks - Hurricanes Preview / O'Brien puckers up / Sundin

The Canes are fighting for their playoff lives and barely hold onto 8th spot. We're fighting for a spot too. There are no more excuses for Vancouver. This team is either going to snap its losing streak and turn it around, or they'll lose again and the barbaric fans and media will continue their verbal crucifixions.
I have a good feeling about tonight's game. I think the team is going to come out playing hard this time. If they don't, they're dead.
We'll see which players are quitting on Vigneault. I don't think there are that many.
Demitra will play with Sundin and Kesler. I like the sound of that line.

4-1 Canucks is my guess.

EAT CROW, SHANE-O

Shane O'Brien has had some time to think about what he ranted about a couple of days ago and today he was the better man for apologizing.

"Mike Gillis never told me I had to fight," O'Brien said after the team's game-day skate at General Motors Place. "He was just talking to me about playing physical. Maybe I took it the wrong way. As a frustrated player, you want to be in the lineup. No one likes losing and it's just a tough situation. I didn't help it by doing what I did and apologize to Mike Gillis and the Vancouver organization and fans. It was just a lot of frustration."

"Mike is a good man, I was never trying to point the finger at him," O'Brien said. "He's got a job to do, AV (coach Alain Vigneault) has a job to do, there are lots of quality, good people in this organization. I am just frustrated at not being in the lineup and my career is not where I want it to be and my team is not where I want it to be. I made it about me and I apologize to my teammates. I was selfish, but like I said, I was frustrated."

Well that's a lot better, Shane. I'm glad he did this. Like I said earlier, a slumping and frustrated team doesn't need players bad-mouthing the GM and coach at times like these, especially when the GM is backing the coach.
His apology hasn't helped his situation though. He is still a healthy scratch for tonight's game. Rob Davison will play again.

SUNDIN NEEDS TO RUSH THE PUCK UP THE ICE

This poster at CDC almost has the right idea. Sundin likes puck possession. I watched him for years in Toronto and one thing he really likes doing is circling around in the defensive zone, gaining speed, and then taking the pass from a D-man and rushing up the ice. With Sundin's size and hands he's awfully hard to contain when he plows into the offensive zone with that much speed.