How about them Canucks!

[talloola]

Canucks return home to face CapitalsSunday, 10.27.2013 /


CAPITALS (5-6-0) at CANUCKS (8-4-1)

TV: CSN-DC, SNET-VAN

Last 10: Washington 5-5-0; Vancouver 6-3-1

Season series: This is the first of two meetings between the Washington Capitals and Vancouver Canucks. They won’t face each other again until March 14 at Verizon Center.

Big story: Vancouver returns to Rogers Arena to begin a three-game homestand after going 5-1-1 on its seven-game road trip. The Canucks have won three in a row, with each game going past regulation. Washington is playing the fourth of a five-game road trip that concludes Friday at Philadelphia.

Team Scope:

Capitals: After earning victories in Winnipeg and Edmonton to start the road trip, Washington suffered a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday night. Jason Chimera and Aaron Volpatti scored for the Capitals, but coach Adam Oates pulled starting goalie Braden Holtby after the latter allowed three goals on 11 shots.

"That's Adam's call, it's what I respect," Holtby said of being lifted. "I'd like to finish every game that I play but at the same time, we haven't been addressing our starts as a group because we've been masking them with winning a few games."

Canucks: Vancouver made sure it was a pleasant flight home Friday night, when it closed out its long road trip with a 3-2 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues. Ryan Kesler scored the game-winner via the power play at 4:45 of overtime, his second goal of the night, to lead the Canucks to their third straight victory.

"Throughout the trip, we won in different ways," Vancouver coach John Tortorella said. "We kept our composure.

"Day by day, it's a really good trip but you need to flat-line it here and just stay within ourselves and just keep on working as a team."

Who's Hot: Kesler’s overtime goal Friday was his seventh of the season. He has scored in three straight games and has four goals and three assists over the past four games. … Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has four goals and two assists in the past four.

Injury Report: Washington is without defenseman Jack Hillen (leg), who's on long-term injured reserve. … Vancouver is expected to be missing Jannik Hansen (upper body), Dale Weise (lower body), Alexandre Burrows (foot) and Jordan Schroeder (ankle).
---------------------------------

burrows is playing tonight

 

[bill barilko]

The better team won tonight and Ovechkin must be saving himself for Sochi or he's finished or both

 

[JLM]

The better team won tonight and Ovechkin must be saving himself for Sochi or he's finished or both

No doubt, they capitalized tonight!

 

[talloola]

canucks played well tonight, although at times capitals had them pinned in their own end
but canucks played thru that, and definitely were the better team.

luongo didn't have a lot of work, but he did make some great saves and of course the penalty
shot at the beginning of the game set a tone for sure, great save.

 

[gopher]

Rangers 3 - Islanders 2

very intense match

 

[JLM]

canucks played well tonight, although at times capitals had them pinned in their own end
but canucks played thru that, and definitely were the better team.

luongo didn't have a lot of work, but he did make some great saves and of course the penalty
shot at the beginning of the game set a tone for sure, great save.

I'm in a bit of a quandary re the West vs. the East. Is the disparity because the West has stronger teams or is it because the East's teams are more evenly balanced?

 

[talloola]

I'm in a bit of a quandary re the West vs. the East. Is the disparity because the West has stronger teams or is it because the East's teams are more evenly balanced?

the stats say it all, but there must be a stat somewhere listing how the east did against
the west this far.
if there isn't you can go thru each western conference teams schedule calendar and make a
note of results with all the eastern conference teams they played this far.
if you have nothing better to do with your life.
let me know your results.

 

[talloola]

WINGS (6-4-2) at CANUCKS (9-4-1)

TV: TSN, FS-D

Last 10: Detroit 4-4-2; Vancouver 8-3-1

Season series: This is the first of two matchups between these former Western Conference foes. Detroit is 3-0-2 over its last five against Vancouver, although the Canucks won the most recent encounter, 2-1 in a shootout, on April 20.

Big story: Detroit and Vancouver are meeting as inter-conference foes for the first time since 1980-81, and the two perennial powers are headed in opposite directions of late. The Red Wings are looking to avoid a fifth straight loss as they open a four-game road swing at Rogers Centre, while Vancouver is looking to close out October with a fifth straight victory.

Team scope:

Red Wings: After a promising start to the season, little has come easy for the Red Wings over the past four games. Detroit has gone 0-2-2 with losses to Phoenix, San Jose, Ottawa and, on Saturday, the New York Rangers. The Rangers – suffering from early-season issues of their own – dominated much of the play, and only the outstanding play of goaltender Jimmy Howard (37 saves) kept the Red Wings in it. Derick Brassard scored with 13 seconds to play in overtime to give New York the victory.

“Something has to be done about it,” Howard said after the game. “It’s just believing in each other and not trying to do too much, let guys do their jobs. It’s frustrating. We lost with 12 seconds left in overtime. Once again we didn’t really play 60 minutes and lost.”

Canucks: The Canucks, to a man, have had no problems doing their jobs. Vancouver has won four in a row and is 6-1-1 over its last eight – seven of which came on the road – grinding out three overtime or shootout victories over that stretch. Back on home ice Monday against the Washington Capitals, the Canucks emerged victorious in yet another one-goal contest. The loaded top line of Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler combined for four points, including the tying and go-ahead goals early in the third period.

"They had the puck a lot," Canucks coach John Tortorella said of his new No.1 line of Kesler with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. "[Kesler] did a lot of forechecking for them and winning battles. Danny's goal was just puck possession, and I haven't seen a goal like that in quite a while."

Who’s hot: Daniel Sedin has three goals and three assists over a four-game point streak. He also has four goals and an assist in his past four against the Red Wings. … Despite the loss to the Rangers, Howard bounced back after being pulled against Ottawa three days earlier for conceding three goals on eight shots. Howard started all five contests over the Wings recent 3-0-2 run against the Canucks.

Injury report: Detroit forward Johan Franzen will miss the game Wednesday with an undisclosed injury. Center Darren Helm is on injured reserve with a partially torn disc in his lower back, along with defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (upper body). … Canucks winger David Booth will miss 1-2 weeks with a lower-body injury. Forwards Dale Weise (lower body), Jannik Hansen (upper body) and Jordan Schroeder (sprained ankle) are all on injured reserve.

 

[talloola]

not a particularly good game, detroit was the better team, first loss for canucks
for a while.

detroit came into this game with 4 losses in a row, but they were
determined tonight, definitely 'up' for this game, tired of losing
I guess.

detroit 2-vancouver 1

 

[gopher]

Buffalo 0

Rangers 2


Good skating, stick handling, and puck control by the Bluemen. Hopefully, Callahan will make a speedy recovery from an injury and shore up the offense even more.

 

[talloola]

Buffalo 0

Rangers 2


Good skating, stick handling, and puck control by the Bluemen. Hopefully, Callahan will make a speedy recovery from an injury and shore up the offense even more.

yes, callahan makes a big difference, too bad he was injured 'again'.

 

[talloola]

twins have been resigned, 7 mill for 4 years, they will retire as canucks.

 

[JLM]

twins have been resigned, 7 mill for 4 years, they will retire as canucks.

So what you are saying is they are resigned until they resign! - Those boys have made a fair contribution over the years and never really slackened off.

 

[talloola]

So what you are saying is they are resigned until they resign! - Those boys have made a fair contribution over the years and never really slackened off.

yes they are a class act, very community minded, and great players, not at first, but over the years
they have improved constantly. they didn't want to go anywhere, although they could have demanded
more money elsewhere, they are not interested.

 

[talloola]

MAPLE LEAFS (10-4-0) at CANUCKS (9-5-1)

TV: NHLN-US, CBC

Last 10: Toronto 7-3-0; Vancouver 6-3-1

Season series: This is the first of two meetings between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. In their most recent matchup, on Feb. 18, 2012, the Sedin twins teamed up to power the Canucks to a 6-2 win at Rogers Arena. Daniel Sedin had a goal and three assists, while Henrik Sedin set up four goals. Linemate Alexandre Burrows scored twice.

Big story: The Canucks figure to see a vastly improved Maple Leafs team that since the last time these teams met has ended a lengthy Stanley Cup Playoffs drought and gotten off to a fast start in the 2013-14 season. Phil Kessel was shut out Wednesday by the Calgary Flames, but is still among the NHL leaders with nine goals.

Team Scope:

Maple Leafs: Even without Kessel, there was still more than enough firepower present for Toronto to double up Calgary 4-2 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk each scored his seventh goal of the season in the opening period, with van Riemsdyk really shifting the momentum on a shorthander with four seconds left.

Of course, Jonathan Bernier's season-high 41 saves also had something to do with the Maple Leafs getting two points. Bernier made over 30 saves for the seventh time in nine starts.

"They're a good team in that building," Bernier said. "I've played here many times and they come out really hard. I just want to make those saves and keep my team in the game."

Canucks: Unlike the teams it's chasing in the Pacific Division, the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, home ice hasn't always been kind to Vancouver. While the Sharks and Ducks are each a perfect 5-0-0 in their own arenas, the Canucks are a mere 3-3-0 following Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

The Sedins combined for the game's opening goal, credited to Daniel at 14:12 of the first period, but the visitors struck for a pair in the second and an otherwise strong effort by Roberto Luongo (25 saves) went to waste.

"It was a sloppy game from both teams, a lot of play in the neutral zone and turnovers and not a whole lot of chances," Henrik Sedin said.

Who's hot: Van Riemsdyk has two goals and five assists during a five-game point streak for the Maple Leafs. Nazem Kadri has two goals and three assists during a three-game point streak. … Henrik Sedin has three goals and nine assists during a 10-game point streak for the Canucks. Daniel Sedin has four goals and three assists during a five-game point streak.

Injury report: Toronto defenseman Mark Fraser (knee) and forwards Nikolai Kulemin (ankle) and Tyler Bozak (lower body) are on injured reserve. … Vancouver forward David Booth (lower body) is out about a week. Forwards Jordan Schroeder (ankle), Jannik Hansen (upper body) and Dale Weise (lower body) are on injured reserve.

 

[bill barilko]

The Canucks showed how far TO has to go to field a true NHL calibre team-apart from the goalie TO looked like a minor league bunch of cheap shot artists.

Vancouver 4 / Toronto Maple Laffs 0

 

[JLM]

Probably the best game I've seen the Canucks play for awhile. Toronto couldn't do a thing. If they are the best team in the East I'd sure hate to see the worst. I think Pha. won tonight.

 

[Kreskin]

The game was a bit of a disaster for Toronto. Losing Boland is going to hurt.

 

[JLM]

It's beginning to look as if the biggest test for the Canucks could come before the Stanley Cup final.

 

[talloola]

It's beginning to look as if the biggest test for the Canucks could come before the Stanley Cup final.

sorry jlm, but your post went right over my head, I can't figure it out.

toronto have been winning games 'by' their goalies, outshot in the last three games by lots, over 40
shots from all 3 teamns

they became sour very early in the game, being outplayed, but worse than that, being scored on. its a
good thing for them, now they can begin helping the goalies out a bit with some sort of defense.

they thought they were going to come to vancouver and show everyone 'another' win, and keep the ball
rolling, but 'canucks' had other plans.

its nice to see all of the toronto fans in 'our' building having their mouths shut, with nothing to say.

luongo didn't have a lot of shots, but he made some quality saves, and deserved the shut out.

it was annoying when jim hughson said that kassian 'kicked' bolland, without even suggesting it was 'not'
deliberate, which made kassian seem like a dirty player.
I was glad during the intermission they talked through that play and explained 'just' how it happened,
a hockey play with no intent to injure.

out on the road again for 4 games for canucks. phoenix, san jose, l.a., anaheim