How about them Canucks!

[talloola]

Perhaps the Canucks had a role in creating those "cellar dwellers". :lol:

the so called 'easy' games is only something on paper, but not really anything to do with reality.
especially at this time of the season, always remember how close 'ALL' the teams are in abilities,
and when teams are 'out' of the playoffs, they have new reasons to play well, pride being the first,
and they are also starting their training camps in those games, so that the coaches/mgrs. will not
drop them during the off season, for a different player.

the teams 'out' of the playoffs 'love' to defeat teams at the top, it is the only thing they have left
to stick them with, and they can do that, and the group of teams jockeying for a playoff position are
stressed out, don't want to miss, so they can be defeated by 'cellar dwellers' who are playing loose and having fun, and don't 'have' to do anything, but show their coaches how good they are, and don't
forget about me.

the difference between teams in the top half, and the ones in the bottom half is very
minimal.

 

[Mowich]

They can't pay both of them, not enough cap room, and teams don't generally carry two number one goalies
anyway, the number one is the 'guy', with a good back up, but now schneider is ready for his own team,
his contract expires at the end of this season, and he deserves the big bucks now.

Well then, I should be thankful that they have both for the rest of the season............just in case, you know. ;-)
Corey most certainly deserves his own team with the way he has been playing this year........would be sorry to see him go though.

 

[talloola]

Well then, I should be thankful that they have both for the rest of the season............just in case, you know. ;-)
Corey most certainly deserves his own team with the way he has been playing this year........would be sorry to see him go though.

maybe he won't go anywhere, i'm sure gillis and gillman have had many closed door chit chats about
this situation, as gillman is the 'money' genious (capologist) and gillis will want to hear his
ideas.

for the good of the team I hope both goalies finish this season on a very very good note, that puts
gillis in an advantagious position, which ever way he decides to go.

 

[talloola]

LIVE ON TSN, NBCSN(HD) Radio: 1040 Ducks Tue 03/04/2012 7:00 PM Canucks Ducks Canucks

Preview Canucks hope to get even with DucksDeborah Francisco - NHL.com Staff Writer


Date Vis/Home Final
15 Jan 2012 ANA@VAN ANA, 4 - 2
29 Dec 2011 VAN@ANA VAN, 5 - 2
11 Nov 2011 VAN@ANA ANA, 4 - 3
DUCKS (33-35-11) at CANUCKS (49-21-9)

TV: TSN, NBCSN (HD), PRIME (HD)

Last 10: Anaheim 4-5-1; Vancouver 4-5-1.

Season Series: This will be the fourth and final game between the teams. The Canucks are looking to even up the series at two games apiece. The Ducks prevailed in their last meeting by a score of 4-2. Jason Blake scored a pair of goals in that victory.

Big Story: The Canucks are chasing the Presidents' Trophy for the second straight season, but they will have to keep up their winning streak (six games) to hold off the St. Louis Blues, who trail Vancouver by one point (106) in the standings. The New York Rangers also have 107 points.

Team Scope:

Ducks: Anaheim hopes to snap its three-game winless streak as it starts a three-game road trip across Western Canada to conclude the season. Although the Ducks were edged 2-1 by the Oilers in their final home game on Sunday, fans celebrated what could be the final home game of veteran Teemu Selanne. The Anaheim faithful concluded the contest with a standing ovation for the Finnish veteran.

"It's unbelievable," Selanne said. "It's almost funny that they are chanting that for an old guy like me. I've always had a very special relationship with the fans. It's just an honor to play in front of the great fans we have here."

The Ducks threw everything they could at the Oilers, but Devan Dubnyk denied them 32 times to disappoint Anaheim in its final home game.

Canucks: Vancouver is peaking at just the right time, steamrolling every opponent as it marches into the final week of the regular season with a six-game winning streak and hopes of snatching a second Presidents' Trophy in as many years.

Those seven wins have not come easily to the Canucks as five of them were decided by a single point, including Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory against division-rival Calgary.

That game was decided by an unlikely hero, as Andrew Ebbett cashed in at the 3:53 mark of overtime in his debut after missing 35 contests with a shattered collarbone.

"I'm very happy for the young man," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "He's gone through some challenging circumstances this year with a couple injuries. To see him battle to get healthy, and nobody was sure if he'd be able to come back this year, but he found a way to get himself healthy and come into the lineup, and tonight he pushed his way into the lineup minutes and was able to get us a goal in OT."

Who's Hot: Henrik Sedin has eight assists in his last six games. Chris Higgins has scored four goals in his last five games.

Injury Report: Ducks goalie Dan Ellis (sports hernia) is practicing and hopes to play before the season ends. … Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa missed his third straight game due to what the coaching staff calls "maintenance days." Keith Ballard (concussion) is day-to-day, Daniel Sedin (concussion) has missed seven games and defenseman Aaron Rome (knee) hasn't skated since getting hurt in Colorado March 24.

Stat Pack: Vancouver leads the League in power-play goals on the road (31), while Anaheim is ranked 26th in home goals allowed (115).

Puck Drop: "Our first goal, obviously, every year is to get into the playoffs. We were able to finish first in our division. Now, we're working on the other process; how high can we finish in our conference. There's a possibility that we can finish first, but what we have to do is take care of business and that business is focusing on our next game against Anaheim." -- Canucks coach Alain Vigneault
___________________________________________________________________________________

The big dissapointment in my mind for the anaheim ducks this year is ryan getzlaf,
as he only has 9 goals, which must be very embarrassing as he watches salanne
way ahead of him at the age of 41, who has much more jump and desire than getzlaf
has shown this season.
Its amazing to think back and realize he was part of the olympic team, if they
were picking players right now for that team, he wouldn't even be given a smell.

 

[talloola]

rangers off to a big lead over philly, 4-0 end of first period.

rangers won 5-3

 

[talloola]

rangers off to a big lead over philly, 4-0 end of first period.
rangers won 5-3

game was pretty unorganized at times, some lapses in defense, luongo played ok, but the team wasn't,
and he doesn't play well, when players skate right in on him,
and the switch was needed, and schneider totally closed the door, it seemed it was the switch that
snapped them out of it, and brought them to attention, and the defense was better after that.

grandnani had a tough game, booth had a tough game, kassian didn't look nearly as good
as he did last game, then he was injured and didn't come back,

so other than moving 3 pts up on st. louis, nothing else changed in standings at the top.

I would imagine we will see bieksa next game, and maybe danny, but possibly he won't play till saturday, as
he hasn't skated with the team yet.

I really like vineault's coaching, he acts very quickly concerning 'how' players are playing, and doesn't
dilly dally, and let players continue 'not playing well', out they come, sit for a while, or he will
change the lines accordingly on the fly.

very good shoot-out, can't do much better than perfect, and it was perfect for canuck shooters, and
that 'one' point might become very important as time moves on.

 

[Kreskin]

I'm starting to wonder about this Luongo guy.

He doesn't play good when he has to stop the puck.

 

[talloola]

I'm starting to wonder about this Luongo guy.

whaddya mean, starting. lol

 

[Mowich]

Great night for my teams. Pens win their game and Sid gets two goals then the Canucks win in a perfect shoot-out.......couldn't ask for a better night.

 

[#juan]

Great night for my teams. Pens win their game and Sid gets two goals then the Canucks win in a perfect shoot-out.......couldn't ask for a better night.

When the Canucks went down 4 - 2 I walked away from the TV. I thought the defense was terrible and Luongo wasn't much better. Obviously, the Canucks were able to come back and win the game in a S.O. but their defense have to tighten up or they will have a short play-off. Even Henri Sedin made a dopey turnover that could have cost a goal......Lu stopped it.

 

[JLM]

When the Canucks went down 4 - 2 I walked away from the TV. I thought the defense was terrible and Luongo wasn't much better. Obviously, the Canucks were able to come back and win the game in a S.O. but their defense have to tighten up or they will have a short play-off. Even Henri Sedin made a dopey turnover that could have cost a goal......Lu stopped it.

They all make mistakes #Juan and they all have "off nights", BUT Canucks are playing better than any other team in the league right now...........no one else is even close to 7 straight wins. They are NOT going to play well in EVERY game in the play offs, but they can blow three in any series!
________________________________________________________________________________
yes JLM, the team has 7 wins in a row, and if one goes down the stats there isn't
another team even close to that.
Its amazing, last night I listened to the post game show on team 1040, and I can't
believe how many people are still whining 'big time' about how bad the coach is,
how bad certain players are, and how they would change the lines all around.
Its always amusing to me because these people show nothing but impatience
and anger toward the canuck coaching and management and players, AND THEY ARE ON
TOP OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE, AND CLOSE TO POSSIBLY WINNING THE PRESIDENTS' TROPHY
so, go figure.
One guy who called in, can't figure out why vineault doesn't give higgins much
more ice time, (um excuse me?), he got about 17-18 minutes last night, and no
player should get more time than that, with exception to some defensemen, who
log about 20 minutes or so, but usually forwards do not log the time on the
ice as top defensemen.
That caller would burn out his favourite players when half the season came
around.
Lets all really enjoy the end of this regular season, irrespective of how the
canucks do in their last two games, it really doesn't matter now, and anything
they do to make themselves even better than they are now, will be 'gravy'.

We are lucky to have such a team to call our own, and it won't last forever,
but they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, they are going to be a team for
others to worry about now, and will continue to be that team next year.

I will enjoy their playoffs whether they get eliminated after the first round
or go half way, or all the way, doesn't matter to me now, I have had the
pleasure of enjoying them all season, and nothing can take that away.

 

[talloola]

When the Canucks went down 4 - 2 I walked away from the TV. I thought the defense was terrible and Luongo wasn't much better. Obviously, the Canucks were able to come back and win the game in a S.O. but their defense have to tighten up or they will have a short play-off. Even Henri Sedin made a dopey turnover that could have cost a goal......Lu stopped it.

that turnover that henrik made, on the replay showed that henrik fell over the bottom of the goal as he
was starting to pass the puck, a bit of a clumsy move by him, but just an accident, and it turned out
OK, didn't cause a goal.
The defense isn't fully together right now, when bieksa ballard and rome come back, they will have their
full defensive team and the play will tighten up and look better, vangranni didn't have a good game at
all last night, but all in all he has looked good and the team needs a fast skating offensive defenseman,
but right now he is still learning and fitting in, and I would think during playoffs we won't see him
much at all, unless there is an injury.

 

[#juan]

that turnover that henrik made, on the replay showed that henrik fell over the bottom of the goal as he
was starting to pass the puck, a bit of a clumsy move by him, but just an accident, and it turned out
OK, didn't cause a goal.
The defense isn't fully together right now, when bieksa ballard and rome come back, they will have their
full defensive team and the play will tighten up and look better, vangranni didn't have a good game at
all last night, but all in all he has looked good and the team needs a fast skating offensive defenseman,
but right now he is still learning and fitting in, and I would think during playoffs we won't see him
much at all, unless there is an injury.

I will be back cheering the Canucks again soon. What else can I do. Like all Vancouver Canuck fans over the last forty odd years, I'm stuck with them. :roll::smile:

 

[JLM]

I will be back cheering the Canucks again soon. What else can I do. Like all Vancouver Canuck fans over the last forty odd years, I'm stuck with them. :roll::smile:

I think you've just hit the nail on the head #Juan. There's a hundred other reasons to enjoy the Canucks besides hoping year after year to win a Stanley Cup. Too much emphasis these days on winning at all costs rather than the play of the game. :smile:

 

[talloola]

I will be back cheering the Canucks again soon. What else can I do. Like all Vancouver Canuck fans over the last forty odd years, I'm stuck with them. :roll::smile:

what other team would you rather be stuck with, lol, lets see we'll offer you the islanders, the oilers, (although
their time is coming),and about 15 others who are on the outside looking in right now, and we spent many
years doing that, so we all know what it feels like, but 'this' is fun, so lets enjoy it and really take a long look at this team, and what they have done since gillis arrived.

 

[talloola]

LIVE ON SNET-P(HD) Radio: 1040 Canucks Thu 05/04/2012 6:00 PM Flames Canucks


Preview Canucks try to extend winning streak to eightKevin Woodley - NHL.com Correspondent

Date Vis/Home Final
31 Mar 2012 CGY@VAN VAN, 3 - 2
11 Feb 2012 VAN@CGY CGY, 3 - 2
23 Dec 2011 CGY@VAN CGY, 3 - 1
4 Dec 2011 CGY@VAN VAN, 5 - 1
1 Nov 2011 VAN@CGY VAN, 5 - 1

CANUCKS (50-21-9) at FLAMES (35-29-16)

TV: SNET-Pacific

LAST 10: Flames 2-4-4; Canucks 8-1-1

Season Series: It's the finale between the Northwest Division rivals, with the Canucks holding a slight edge in the season series after a 3-2 overtime win March 31 that ended the Flames' playoff hopes. Vancouver won the first two meetings in early November and early December by a combined 10-2 score, and the Flames won the next two, 3-1 two days before Christmas and 3-2 in a shootout on Feb. 11.

Big Story: Despite a seven-game winning streak, goaltending is once again in the spotlight in Vancouver. Rogers Arena fans cheered the removal of starter Roberto Luongo on Tuesday against Anaheim after he allowed four goals on 15 shots. Sizzling backup Cory Schneider took over and only needed 10 saves - just two in the third period and overtime, and one of two in the shootout - to backstop a dramatic comeback victory. Luongo accepted the blame even while all around him pointed out the numerous defensive breakdowns that led to the goals. Schneider is back in goal against the Flames, but before any antsy Canucks fans read too much into that, it was scheduled long ago as part of a back-and-forth late-season rotation.

Team Scope:

Canucks: Vancouver's season-high seven-game winning streak was built on the back of solid defensive play and included consecutive 1-0 shutout wins. But there was no shortage of wide-open chances early against Anaheim on Tuesday night, allowing the Ducks to go up 4-2 early in the second period and ending goalie Luongo's night early. The Canucks clamped down after that, giving up just two shots in the third period and overtime before winning in a shootout. With the top seed in the Western Conference still in their control - and a shot at a second-straight Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team not an impossibility -- the early wakeup call should focus them defensively in Calgary.

"It's not the ultimate prize," Alexandre Burrows said of first place, "But if we are able to have home ice throughout the playoffs, it's a huge advantage."

Flames: Vancouver put the final nail in Calgary's playoff coffin Saturday with a 3-2 comeback win in overtime. But even with four days off to recover from the loss and get over the disappointment of a third-straight season without making the playoffs, it's hard to know whether the Flames will be fired up to avenge the loss.

With the autopsy still underway on season that ended early because of an ill-timed and ongoing 1-4-4 funk, it didn't sound like a group looking forward.

"You feel like you failed," coach Brent Sutter told reporters in Calgary. "What hurts, what kills me, is seeing the guys let each other down, let themselves down. They're like you're own kids and you want them to succeed and want to see them do well. … You feel bad for them. You feel bad for the organization. You feel bad for the fans. You feel like you let everybody down. That's a tough one."

Who's Hot: With top-line left wing Daniel Sedin set to miss his eighth straight game with a concussion, his unlikely replacement, Maxim Lapierre, is on a tear since taking his spot three games ago. Playing with Henrik Sedin and Burrows, Lapierre, usually an agitating fourth-line center, had a goal and two assists in his first game on the top line, and a goal in each of the next two.

Injury Report: The Flames are missing defenders Derek Smith (upper body) andTJ Brodie (upper body) and center Mikael Backlund (shoulder). … Vancouver will be without Daniel Sedin (concussion) but top-four defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who missed four games to rest an undisclosed ailment, made the trip after practicing Wednesday and is expected to play. Defensemen Aaron Rome (knee) and Keith Ballard (concussion) are also close to returning, but blueliner Chris Tanev is questionable after missing practice Wednesday for what was called a maintenance day by the team. Forward Zack Kassian is out and still being evaluated after leaving Tuesday's game in the second period with an upper body injury that appeared to be to his right side.

Stat Pack: Canucks forward Chris Higgins has five goals in his last six games despite playing on a shutdown third line that has been going up against the opposition's best forwards on a regular basis. … Vancouver's power play is just 2-for-29 after an 0-for-5 outing against Anaheim, and has dropped to fourth in the NHL at just 20 percent, more than five points below its midseason peak atop the League. … Calgary captain Jarome Iginla has one goal and three assists in nine games and is a big reason the Flames have scored just 14 goals in a 1-4-4 slump.

Puck Drop: Canucks captain Henrik Sedin has seven assists in the last three games despite playing without twin brother Daniel. That matches Henrik's total from the previous 16 games combined. He also started the plays that led to two other goals (without getting an assist on either) while finishing plus-4 in Tuesday's shootout win against Anaheim.
___________________________________________________________________________________
28 teams playing tonight, and all teams have played equal games now.

 

[JLM]

LIVE ON SNET-P(HD) Radio: 1040 Canucks Thu 05/04/2012 6:00 PM Flames Canucks


Preview Canucks try to extend winning streak to eightKevin Woodley - NHL.com Correspondent

Date Vis/Home Final
31 Mar 2012 CGY@VAN VAN, 3 - 2
11 Feb 2012 VAN@CGY CGY, 3 - 2
23 Dec 2011 CGY@VAN CGY, 3 - 1
4 Dec 2011 CGY@VAN VAN, 5 - 1
1 Nov 2011 VAN@CGY VAN, 5 - 1

CANUCKS (50-21-9) at FLAMES (35-29-16)

TV: SNET-Pacific

LAST 10: Flames 2-4-4; Canucks 8-1-1

Season Series: It's the finale between the Northwest Division rivals, with the Canucks holding a slight edge in the season series after a 3-2 overtime win March 31 that ended the Flames' playoff hopes. Vancouver won the first two meetings in early November and early December by a combined 10-2 score, and the Flames won the next two, 3-1 two days before Christmas and 3-2 in a shootout on Feb. 11.

Big Story: Despite a seven-game winning streak, goaltending is once again in the spotlight in Vancouver. Rogers Arena fans cheered the removal of starter Roberto Luongo on Tuesday against Anaheim after he allowed four goals on 15 shots. Sizzling backup Cory Schneider took over and only needed 10 saves - just two in the third period and overtime, and one of two in the shootout - to backstop a dramatic comeback victory. Luongo accepted the blame even while all around him pointed out the numerous defensive breakdowns that led to the goals. Schneider is back in goal against the Flames, but before any antsy Canucks fans read too much into that, it was scheduled long ago as part of a back-and-forth late-season rotation.

Team Scope:

Canucks: Vancouver's season-high seven-game winning streak was built on the back of solid defensive play and included consecutive 1-0 shutout wins. But there was no shortage of wide-open chances early against Anaheim on Tuesday night, allowing the Ducks to go up 4-2 early in the second period and ending goalie Luongo's night early. The Canucks clamped down after that, giving up just two shots in the third period and overtime before winning in a shootout. With the top seed in the Western Conference still in their control - and a shot at a second-straight Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team not an impossibility -- the early wakeup call should focus them defensively in Calgary.

"It's not the ultimate prize," Alexandre Burrows said of first place, "But if we are able to have home ice throughout the playoffs, it's a huge advantage."

Flames: Vancouver put the final nail in Calgary's playoff coffin Saturday with a 3-2 comeback win in overtime. But even with four days off to recover from the loss and get over the disappointment of a third-straight season without making the playoffs, it's hard to know whether the Flames will be fired up to avenge the loss.

With the autopsy still underway on season that ended early because of an ill-timed and ongoing 1-4-4 funk, it didn't sound like a group looking forward.

"You feel like you failed," coach Brent Sutter told reporters in Calgary. "What hurts, what kills me, is seeing the guys let each other down, let themselves down. They're like you're own kids and you want them to succeed and want to see them do well. … You feel bad for them. You feel bad for the organization. You feel bad for the fans. You feel like you let everybody down. That's a tough one."

Who's Hot: With top-line left wing Daniel Sedin set to miss his eighth straight game with a concussion, his unlikely replacement, Maxim Lapierre, is on a tear since taking his spot three games ago. Playing with Henrik Sedin and Burrows, Lapierre, usually an agitating fourth-line center, had a goal and two assists in his first game on the top line, and a goal in each of the next two.

Injury Report: The Flames are missing defenders Derek Smith (upper body) andTJ Brodie (upper body) and center Mikael Backlund (shoulder). … Vancouver will be without Daniel Sedin (concussion) but top-four defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who missed four games to rest an undisclosed ailment, made the trip after practicing Wednesday and is expected to play. Defensemen Aaron Rome (knee) and Keith Ballard (concussion) are also close to returning, but blueliner Chris Tanev is questionable after missing practice Wednesday for what was called a maintenance day by the team. Forward Zack Kassian is out and still being evaluated after leaving Tuesday's game in the second period with an upper body injury that appeared to be to his right side.

Stat Pack: Canucks forward Chris Higgins has five goals in his last six games despite playing on a shutdown third line that has been going up against the opposition's best forwards on a regular basis. … Vancouver's power play is just 2-for-29 after an 0-for-5 outing against Anaheim, and has dropped to fourth in the NHL at just 20 percent, more than five points below its midseason peak atop the League. … Calgary captain Jarome Iginla has one goal and three assists in nine games and is a big reason the Flames have scored just 14 goals in a 1-4-4 slump.

Puck Drop: Canucks captain Henrik Sedin has seven assists in the last three games despite playing without twin brother Daniel. That matches Henrik's total from the previous 16 games combined. He also started the plays that led to two other goals (without getting an assist on either) while finishing plus-4 in Tuesday's shootout win against Anaheim.
___________________________________________________________________________________
28 teams playing tonight, and all teams have played equal games now.

Canucks should plan on winning the next two games. I have my own theory about goal tending in the playoffs (as long as both goalies are healthy). Start Luongo and let him continue until he is losing/loses a game, then start Scheider and let him continue until he is losing/loses a game and so on.

 

[talloola]

Canucks should plan on winning the next two games. I have my own theory about goal tending in the playoffs (as long as both goalies are healthy). Start Luongo and let him continue until he is losing/loses a game, then start Scheider and let him continue until he is losing/loses a game and so on.

i'm sure that is the plan.

i'm sure they want to win the next two games, but expecting to and planning to, totally leaves out the opposition who also want to win, irrespective that they are out of the playoffs, doesn't really matter,
they don't give up, they have pride and are very competetive, and can win at any time.

there are changes on defense tonight, tanev and alberts are out for a game, rome and bieksa are back in.

I think byron bitts is playing, he has been in chicago, and he also has been sick, but is fine now.

 

[talloola]

.

well too bad, as they had their fate in their own hands for a while, BUT I wanted them to lose
before the playoffs started, so this is it, makes me feel better, I don't like that long winning
streak flowing right into playoffs, too many wins, a loss is needed to cause a bit of reorganizing,
and being brought to attention, for a fresh start.

edmonton/canucks, saturday, last game of the season

 

[JLM]

well too bad, as they had their fate in their own hands for a while, BUT I wanted them to lose
before the playoffs started, so this is it, makes me feel better, I don't like that long winning
streak flowing right into playoffs, too many wins, a loss is needed to cause a bit of reorganizing,
and being brought to attention, for a fresh start.
edmonton/canucks, saturday, last game of the season

I partly agree, but honestly they should have had this game put away in the first period while Calgary was sleeping and flat footed.