Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Game Day: Lightning at Canucks
That the Tampa Bay Lightning were happy to see Roberto Luongo traded out of the Southeast Division is an understatement (Damien Cristodero, St. Petersburg Times).
The Canucks understand how explosive the Lightning offense is, which is in the top-10 in the league (3.04 goals/game). Their powerplay is also in the league's top-10, which, before it hadn't scored in the last three games, had scored 15 PPG in 13 games; it is converting on 19.2% of its opportunities this season. Having Vinnie Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards will do that to your team (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun, Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province).
More from today's mainstream:
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Tampa+Bay+Lightning
Lightning center Brad Richards on Monday said with a smile and a chuckle that last summer's trade that sent Luongo to the Canucks was "a good thing."Let's keep it that way, eh?
And defenseman Dan Boyle said he was sure if a poll of Tampa Bay players was taken, "99 percent" would say Luongo stole more games against them than any other goalie.
Said Richards: "He gave us fits."
The Canucks understand how explosive the Lightning offense is, which is in the top-10 in the league (3.04 goals/game). Their powerplay is also in the league's top-10, which, before it hadn't scored in the last three games, had scored 15 PPG in 13 games; it is converting on 19.2% of its opportunities this season. Having Vinnie Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards will do that to your team (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun, Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province).
Eight years into his career, the former No. 1 overall pick has become one of the league's brightest stars. He and linemate Martin St. Louis, the scoring champ and Hart Trophy winner in 2003-04, are tearing it up.Of course, now would be a good time for the Canucks' penalty-killing unit to get back on track (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province).
Lecavalier has 42 goals and 88 points. The pint-sized St. Louis 39 goals and 89 points. Only some teenage kid named Crosby has out-pointed these Lightning bolts.
No one expected the Vancouver Canucks' penalty kill to continue blistering along at a 95-per-cent rate, but some cracks have begun to show.
Most alarming, coach Alain Vigneault said, is the eight chances given up against Minnesota on Sunday, although the Wild scored just once on four power plays.
"We haven't given eight chances to the other team on their power play very often this year," Vigneault said after the Canucks practised Monday morning. "They picked us apart.
"It's something we're going to look at a little bit closer."
More from today's mainstream:
- Luongo ain't tired, but Vigneault plans to give Sabourin a start this week anyway (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun).
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Tampa+Bay+Lightning
Labels: game day preview, Lecavalier, Lightning, St. Louis
4 Comments:
"No one expected the Vancouver Canucks' penalty kill to continue blistering along at a 95-per-cent rate.."
Actually, I did...They had a great system going, and now they look lost on the PK. Like they've lost the confidence in their ability.
Great stuff indeed....Vancouver will be just fine....check out www.thenhlarena.com and www.thenhlarenaprogram.blogspot.com....some good stuff there indeed.
Chris
A shameless plug, hey JJ?
Curse Mike Keenan to hell!
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