Sunday, March 04, 2007
Game Day: Wild at Canucks
Tonight's game against the Minnesota Wild has turned out to be a showdown for first place in the Northwest Division. With 17 games to go in the regular season, the Canucks and the Wild are only a point apart in the standings; the Flames are in there as well, tied with the Canucks in points, but they have played one more game.
It won't be easy for the Canucks. Of all the Northwest Division teams, they've had the most trouble - a 2-3-1 record this season - against the Wild.
What the do the Canucks need to do? First, stop Marion Gaborik:
More, more, more 'Nucks related links from today's mainstream:
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Minnesota+Wild
It won't be easy for the Canucks. Of all the Northwest Division teams, they've had the most trouble - a 2-3-1 record this season - against the Wild.
What the do the Canucks need to do? First, stop Marion Gaborik:
Indeed, anyone who has watched Minnesota play this season can see the Wild have found a synchronous consistency that will make them dangerous when the playoffs start next month. But there also is one little statistic — three numbers and two dashes — that bleats too loudly to be ignored:Then stop Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra:
21-6-4.
That's the Minnesota Wild's record this season with Gaborik in the lineup.
For the first time in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild sport three 20-goal scorers in Brian Rolston (26), Marian Gaborik (22) and Pavol Demitra (21).In six games against the Canucks this season, Rolston has eight points (4G-4A) and Demitra has seven (3G-4A); in his three games against Vancouver, Gaborik has three goals and an assist.
The Wild also have three goaltenders in Manny Fernandez, Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding who have proved they can perform at the NHL level.
More, more, more 'Nucks related links from today's mainstream:
- A couple of Minnesota players have more than hockey on their mind. - Iain MacIntyre (Vancouver Sun), Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Province)
- Josh Green, out for 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL, vows to return for the postseason. - Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Province)
- How did Bryan Smolinski take his trade to the Canucks? Well, he's used to being traded of course, but it doesn't get easier. - Ed Willes (Vancouver Province)
- And already, Smoke is making an impact. - Grant Kerr (Globe and Mail)
- Brent Sopel is back and hopes to never leave again. - Gordon McIntyre (Vancouver Province)
- Markus is apparently excited that Big Bert is a Red Wing. I'm not. I wish he stayed in the Eastern Conference. - Helene St. James (Detroit Free Press)
- Nathan Smith is back and back scoring, and the Manitoba Moose, much like their parent 'Nucks, are in first place. - Gary Lawless (Winnipeg Free Press)
- Wayne Gretzky - yes, Wayne Gretzky - was in Surrey this week to watch the Surrey Eagles' game against top prospect Kyle Turris and the Burnaby Express. - Nick Greenizan (Peach Arch News)
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Minnesota+Wild
Labels: Bertuzzi, Gaborik, game day preview, Smolinski, Sopel, Wild
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Canucks 1 Blues 3
There may have been a couple of new characters in the lineup, but the Canucks played the same, conservative game. They generated more than a few scoring chances and won the puck possession battle. They threw 26 shots on Blues goalie Curtis Sanford but could only put one puck behind him.
The result was a 3-1 Canucks loss to a Blues team minus Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin. It was the Canucks first regulation loss since a 3-0 loss to another non-playoff team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Again, the Canucks ran into penalty problems late in the third period. Down only by a goal with three minutes left, they gave the Blues a 5-on-3 powerplay. Doug Weight scored to put the game out of reach and the Canucks league-leading penalty-killing unit have now allowed a powerplay goal in five consecutive games
Roberto Luongo was pissed (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun):
More from the Mainstream
Back at home on Thursday night against the Phoenix Coyotes.
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, St+Louis+Blues
The result was a 3-1 Canucks loss to a Blues team minus Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin. It was the Canucks first regulation loss since a 3-0 loss to another non-playoff team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Again, the Canucks ran into penalty problems late in the third period. Down only by a goal with three minutes left, they gave the Blues a 5-on-3 powerplay. Doug Weight scored to put the game out of reach and the Canucks league-leading penalty-killing unit have now allowed a powerplay goal in five consecutive games
Roberto Luongo was pissed (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun):
A frustrated Luongo suggested the Canucks are playing down to the level of the NHL's also-rans instead of rolling over them, and said in no uncertain terms that has to change.I don't blame him for being upset. Hell, I'm upset. Last season, the Canucks lost all four meetings against the Blues, which very well may have been the reason they missed the playoffs. They're in a better spot this season, but of course, nothing is guaranteed yet. They can't keep giving away points like they have the last couple of games.
"We need to bury them, that's the bottom line," Luongo said after the Canucks ended a four-game road trip by dropping a 3-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues.
"A number of times we have talked about the same thing against teams like that and we keep shooting ourselves in the foot."
More from the Mainstream
- Some post-game pieces. - Jason Botchford (Vancouver Province), Brad Ziemer (Vancouver Sun)
- Sopel and Smolinski were okay. Not great, not terrible, just okay. - Jason Botchford (Vancouver Province), Brad Ziemer (Vancouver Sun)
- Bad for Marc, good for the Moose. - Jason Botchford (Vancouver Province), Brad Ziemer (Vancouver Sun)
- The common reaction after yesterday's trade deadline - the West got a lot, lot better. - Tony Gallagher (Vancouver Province)
- On trade deadline day, Nonis rested. Well, not really, but after getting Smoke and Sopes, he didn't get anyone else. - Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Sun)
About the game around the blogosphere
- Game recaps from Waiting For Stanley, The Chief Canuck and Canucks Fangirl.
My 3 Stars of the Game
- Curtis Sanford (STL): 25 saves and is now 5-0 lifetime against the 'Nucks.
- Doug Weight (STL): Veteran stepped it up in the third period and scored two goals.
- Daniel Sedin (VAN): Scored a goal. Would have had at least a couple of assists if Santala could shoot.
Official Statistics
Next GameBack at home on Thursday night against the Phoenix Coyotes.
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, St+Louis+Blues
Labels: Blues, game recap, Smolinski, Sopel
Monday, February 26, 2007
Smoke and Sopes
Another centerman? Check.
Another defenseman? Check.
Playoff experience? Check again.
Some veteran help? Check too.
With a couple of shrewd moves today, Dave Nonis added some good depth to a (hopefully) playoff-bound Vancouver Canucks.
Bryan Smolinski not only gives the Canucks depth at center, he also brings them some playoff experience. "Smoke" has appeared in 99 playoff games, a total exceeded only by Trevor Linden's 112 postseason appearances. He has 45 points (20G-25A) in those games.
The Canucks now have Henrik Sedin, Brendan Morrison and Smoke down the middle. When he comes back from hip surgery, you can add Ryan Kesler to that list. That's about as deep and versatile a group as you'll see from any of the playoff-bound teams. With all due respect to Brad Moran, how happy will Nazzy be to finally play with a proven playmaking center? With the Blackhawks, Smolinski did a fine job centering Marty Havlat at certain points this season.
When evaluating Brent Sopel's return to Vancouver, we have to remember a couple of things.
During Sopel's first go-around with the Canucks, he was paired with Mattias Ohlund as a 1A/1B kind of defensive pairing. Most nights, Marc Crawford matched Ohlund and Sopel against opposing teams' top lines. While Ohlund performed admirably against the likes of Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic, Sopel sometimes seemed overmatched. Sopel won't be playing in this role this time around.
Most likely, Sopel will be slotted in at the bottom-half of the defense corps and will take one of Krajicek's or Fitzpatrick's spots in the team's third pairing. More importantly, he is capable of playing 20+ minutes per game, something that Krajicek and Fitzpatrick weren't capable of doing on a regular basis, and can take over some of Kevin Bieksa's minutes if he needs to. With the Kings, he was averaging 21:06 minutes of ice-time per game.
What will be interesting is to see how Sopel adapts to Alain Vigneault's system, and I've got a feeling he will adapt well. Under Crawford's run-and-gun system, Sopel was, of course, susceptible to the occassional bonehead blunder. Under AV's system, the players breakout closer together, but also, the forwards are expected to backcheck - both of these should help Sopes.
Dave Nonis is certainly proving his worth as GM. The only roster casualty to acquire Sopel and Smolinski was Marc Chouinard, who was placed on waivers to clear some cap room. He made his team deeper and better and didn't have to give up his first-round draft pick or the Grabners, Bourdons and Schneiders.
Not a bad day's work.
[update: 02/27/07, 5:28 AM]
Some reaction on the trades from the local press.
First, Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Province):
The Vancouver Canucks addressed two pressing needs Monday by acquiring centre Bryan Smolinski from the Chicago Blackhawks and defenceman Brent Sopel from the Los Angeles Kings.Ed Willes (Vancouver Province) is certainly cautious:
Smolinski, 35, was acquired for a 2007 second-round pick while the Canucks surrendered a second-round pick in 2007 or 2008 and a fourth-round pick in 2008 for Sopel, 30. They'll be in the lineup tonight in St. Louis, where the Canucks face the Blues.
Considering the reasonable prices before today's noon (PST) trade deadline -- and heightened hype over Stanley Cup potential -- general manager Dave Nonis remains cautious.
Before the all-members meeting of the Stanley Cup parade committee, Vancouver chapter, is convened, a word of caution.So is Iain MacIntyre (Vancouver Sun):
After watching 20 trade deadlines come and go, the only thing we know for certain about deadline deals is we don't know anything for certain about deadline deals.
Moves that appear to be brilliantly conceived -- Theo Fleury for Robyn Regehr and other stuff at the 1999 deadline -- blow up in a team's face. Moves that are scarcely worth an inch of six-point type -- Calgary acquired Ville Nieminen and Marcus Nilson at the '04 deadline -- help spark a deep playoff run.
So to paraphrase the immortal Joaquin Andujar, you can sum up deadline trades with three words: You never know.
Luongo and coach Alain Vigneault have raised expectations, but not enough to rationally explain the disparity between projections made for this team in September and February.As expected, the players are excited (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province):
The reality is the Canucks are an average team with exceptional goaltending and excellent special teams. In regulation time, they are 23-21-18. They are difficult to play against and were going to make the playoffs before Monday's trades, and their post-season success, as with the regular season, was going to be determined largely by Luongo and special teams.
Smolinski and Sopel might help, but the Canucks still will win or lose on Luongo, the power play and penalty killing. What Nonis has done is increase Vancouver's margin for error, but only fractionally.
"We got Sopes? No way, that's great," defenceman Kevin Bieksa said after Sami Salo read out the deals to a group of curious players.Well, almost everyone is excited (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun):
The news came as a relief to a group who, despite public proclamations to the contrary, knew they needed depth both up front and on the back end to have a legitimate shot at making a long playoff run this year.
"I think these are two pretty good moves," centre Brendan Morrison said. "It's confidence from management that this group has the potential to do something this year and that's how we feel in the room."
Marc Chouinard said he was surprised and disappointed to learn Monday he had been put on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks.______________
Those same words could also describe Canuck management's reaction to his play this season.
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
