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CANUCKS HOCKEY BLOG

Friday, November 16, 2007

Game Day Post: Wild at Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks meet the Minnesota Wild for the first time this season. I've been looking forward to this game as much as the Olsen twins look forward to a buffet dinner.

The Canucks are coming off their 1-0 loss against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night; the Wild won against those same Oilers last night, but previous to that, has lost seven of nine games.

Pavol Demitra is still out, but Marion Gaborik is back (Michael Russo, Minneapolis Star-Tribune via Vancouver Province). He'll play unless he pulls his groin walking to a Starbucks. Last season, Gaborik managed six points (4G-2A), a plus-3 rating and 23 shots on goal in five games against the Canucks.

For the 'Nucks, it looks like Jannik Hansen is out, Jeff Cowan is in and Alex Burrows is getting a promotion to Mo's and Cookie's line (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province; Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun).

"Any time you get a chance to move up a line, you want to make the best of it," Burrows said Thursday. "Alain is an honest coach and will give guys chances that he thinks that are playing well and right now I'm happy about my game.

"But I'm not satisfied and have to keep improving."

Cooke had a game-high six hits in a 1-0 shootout loss to Edmonton on Wednesday, while a healthier Morrison has more giddy-up in his stride and has six goals.

He hit a post and was foiled in the shootout against the Oilers, and the addition of Burrows -- in place of struggling rookie Jannik Hansen -- should provide the line with a needed spark.

"Cookie is a great forechecker and we'll try to get in there and if we can get the puck to Mo, he can work his magic and maybe find us," added Burrows. "We need to get some dirty goals, but defensively we've been playing much better.

"If we keep playing that way, we'll get our breaks and get our goals."
My keys to a Canucks' win:
  • Don't let Lemaire control the tempo of the game.
  • Keep Gaborik and Rolston in check.
  • A goal or two or three or four would be nice.
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posted by J.J. Guerrero, 6:28 AM

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