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CANUCKS HOCKEY BLOG

Friday, February 10, 2006

Canucks 1 Ducks 3

The Vancouver Canucks' four-game homestand started promising enough. But after a very good 7-4 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, one where the top two lines played as good as they have all season, the Canucks have now lost the last two. Both to non-playoff teams. Tonight, they lost 3-1 to Brian Burke's Anaheim (still) Mighty Ducks, and combined with Colorado's win against Columbus, the Canucks have dropped to 3rd place in the tight Northwest Division.

Game Recaps: canucks.com . ESPN
Statistics: Score Sheet . Stat Sheet
My notes from the game:

  • The score sheet says the Ducks only outshot the Canucks by two (30-28), but this is misleading. Many of the Canucks shots were "easily-stoppable". More than a few were from long-range. They barely tested Ducks goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
  • I lost count of how many times the Canucks tried that long-bomb pass from blue line to blue line. You would think that after the play didn't work the first, I don't know, 50 times, they would figure it out. The Ducks kept reading the play and kept forcing the Canucks back into their own zone.
  • Alex Auld had a horrible game, lasting only 17:19 minutes before he was pulled. He let in three goals in 13 shots. I'm sure he's looking forward to the two-week Olympic break.
  • Maxime Ouellet actually played a decent game after relieving Auldy. He stopped all 17 Ducks shots in just over two periods and kept the game within reach.
  • I thought Markus Naslund played a strong game. Besides an undisciplined, retaliatory penalty late in the second period, he was skating and hustling on the ice. He scored the lone Canucks goal - his 26th of the season - and put seven shots on Bryzgalov. I'll have more on Markus later this weekend.
  • I can't say the same for Todd Bertuzzi. He was a non-factor for pretty much the entire game.
  • Trevor Linden didn't play much, but he stood out when he was on the ice, especially on the penalty kill.
  • If Dave Nonis is willing to play trade-sies with Brian Burke, I wonder what it would cost to get defenseman Keith Carney. The guy is solid.
Next up: Minnesota on Sunday.

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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

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posted by J.J. Guerrero, 11:27 PM

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