GDT: 7/10/15 Canucks @ Flames 7pm SN

[Hockey Widow]

Typical Canucks, our guys can add to a 2-1 lead to take the win in a regular season. In the playoffs, can't hold on to a 3-0 lead in a do or die game, folded like a cheap tent under some mild wind.

Oh fuck off

[Jovocop]

Typical Canucks, our guys can add to a 2-1 lead to take the win in a regular season. In the playoffs, can't hold on to a 3-0 lead in a do or die game, folded like a cheap tent under some mild wind.

The whole point of bringing in guys like Sutter and Prust is to make sure that the Canucks won't fold like a cheap tent in the playoffs.

[Meds]

My favorite goal of the game was Hank's.....although clearly he was trying to pass the puck through the post to Sutter.

What made it my favorite was that entire shift Ferland was running around like an idiot throwing borderline late hits and just chasing around out of position like a fool. Hank scores.

[5thhorseman]

Yep, once Ferland startd running around I thought we'd see a bit of a scrum toward the end of the game, but we kept our poise and the rest of the Flamers looked like they'd given up.

Burrows fetching the puck even though McCann not (yet) credited with an assist. Team player.

3rd line chemistry seemed to be mostly Burrows and Hanson. McCann invisible except for one PP early and later on a rush and shot from left wing. Only the first game, though. It's a lot faster than pre-season.

I wonder who Virtanen displaces next game?

[Lancer]

McCann invisible except for one PP early and later on a rush and shot from left wing.

Wasn't as invoved offensively as I would have liked to have seen, but he was doing good things without the puck. Even the Canuck-hating media noted that it was McCann stripping the puck off a Flamer in the neutral zone and passing it to Burrows for his goal.

Funny, as far as young centres go I can't recall ever hearing Bennett's name all game. Guess he's not 18 years old anymore...

[SKYO]

Sedins - Sutter $$$ money line was great.

Dorsett/Prust ready to rumble.

Burrows playing energized with the rookies.

MillerTime!

Solid game by the jedi Tanev.

McCann/Hutton showed some NHL moves out there.

Baertschi settling down out there, nice to have skill on various lines now.

[Hockey Widow]

As long as we keep Sutter with the twins we have to keep McCann, or recall Vey. Virtanen may not get in for awhile and once Higgins comes back it will be even harder for him to draw in.

McCann got bounced around a couple of times but I thought he looked stronger as the game wore on. He played very well away from the puck and in his own zone. Like Bo last year that's what you want from him. We all know the offensive potential is there, it's his defence and play away from the puck that will dictate whether he stays all year. Gotta check his F/O stats. If he is creating chances and not being a liability then WD will trust him and the offence will come.


Vrbata looked good but that line didn't show the chemistry it did in pre-season. They were solid defensively so I'd keep them together for a bit yet. Unless you want to sit Vrbata and insert Virtanen which won't happen. Kinda hard to pull Sutter from that top line right now. I'd dress the same line up Saturday.

Tanev a plus 4, Giordano a -3.

[vic]

Calgary lost because of one reason, Sam Bennett is no longer 18 years old.

[sagebrush]

Sbisa is an exciting player to watch ...

[Lloyd Braun]

Yup. It was a good game. It's becoming clear that our team improved in the offseason despite all the bitching and moaning.

Out of the additions, Hutton and Bartkowski stand out to me as the most important. Not that either of them is a particularly amazing player, but they're clearly the two best puck-movers we have on defense, which addresses our most important weakness last year. Their strong transition game will allow us to minimise time hemmed in our own zone, as well as helping create offense off the rush... something we've struggled with for a while now.

I thought everyone played reasonably well, and Sbisa looks much better when paired with a guy like Hutton who can get the puck out of his own end. Hamhuis, Edler, and Sbisa are all slow to exit their own zone, and with Bieksa and Stanton added to the mix last year, any strong forecheck killed us. It's still a weakness, but now we can at least have one competent rushing defenseman on each pairing.

My biggest worry is the fourth line. I can't see them maintaining any degree of offensive possession, and I don't think the dump -> forecheck -> lose possession -> repeat game is effective. A few solid hits are not a good trade for a tilted ice surface, even in the playoffs. I'm no fan of Vey, but I wonder if his skill at puckhandling, transition, and distribution might look better there than Cracknell's grit.

As much as it pains me to say this, the Flames will find their legs soon and they'll be a solid team despite this one shitty performance. I think they were extremely lucky to make it to the playoffs last year, but they've improved a great deal in the offseason between adding Hamilton and their youth like Monahan, Bennett and Gaudreau each getting a year older.

Neither team in this game is elite, but I think there's a very good chance both teams make the playoffs again. It feels like the Calgary/Vancouver rivalry is only going to heat up over the next few years, which will be fun to watch.

[Meds]

This one felt like Calgary picked up where they left off last season.....giving up shots and possession while hoping to score against the run of play. The own goal by Wideman was a good example of what happens when the numbers correct towards the mean.

Ferland is an idiot. Terrible player who will hurt Calgary more often than help them. I'm not sure if this is just him, or if Hartley is sending him out there to cruise around like a wayward ballistic missile. His last shift was a gong show, and it was clear that he didn't care about the score, he was just trying to send a message and do some damage. Most of his big hits were borderline charges, if this becomes par for the course I suspect there will be some warnings coming his way from the league. If this is par for the course late in games where the Flames are losing, Hartley will probably end up getting a few phone calls as well.

The Sedins and Butter.....good line. Vrbata would never have scored that goal because he wouldn't have been going to the net like that. You can definitely see the advantage of having a guy like him on their wing. He looked like a younger, faster, right-shooting, Burrows out there. Possesses a good 200 foot game and a nose for going to the right place to score with the Sedins.

I'm not sure how good of a shot Hutton has, but if it's even half-way decent, I could see him replacing Edler on the top PP unit.....although having him on the back of the 2nd unit makes them much more dangerous. He's very calm and poised with the puck. Maybe he is Jedi Tanev's Padawan?

Baertschi and Horvat with a few nice back and forth's. Vrbata and Horvat had a few nice little reads too. Hopefully more will come. Was it just me or was Bo less noticeable after getting boarded by Hamilton?

Miller was solid. I wonder if he told Luca that he owes him a pizza for blowing the goose-egg like that. His best save of the night came off of his own defenseman's leg on that clearing attempt gone wrong.

Special Ed is back. I still can't believe anyone thought it was a good idea to give him $5M and call it a bargain. He's not a top pairing guy. I know it's only one game, but he was like this all pre-season and for much of last year. 2010-11 is the one-off I'm thinking.

Definitely looking forward to Saturday's game. If we could hand them back-to-back losses in regulation that would make up for last spring.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Try watching decades of failure. You learn to cheer for your team regardless and not get stressed out as in the end it's just a game and you have a real life. So learn to look at the bright side as in the end you don't have a choice anyways; this is your team. And when they do happen (because you know, if you make the playoffs, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN), you'll be glad you stuck with them.

Nice advice.

But dude, you're talking to a guy who's been through it all with all different incarnations of Canucks teams past and present (what were you saying about decades of failure??). I'm a fan and always will be..otherwise why would I bother here. You're right the ups and downs are entertaining no matter what happens..and the stress for me adds to the entertainment because it means I care.

So 40+ years been through it all and seen it all...except for one thing and you all know what that is. That's all I'm really looking for..just one time at least. And it's just my opinion that the best/fastest route there is to add to the nice young group we're building with more great young assets...meaning finish low and sell old assets. That's my M.O. for the year.

Tell you what though, the team showed some promise today. Problem is they're not a Cup team this year and that's my point.

[Zamboni Driver]

Colour me impressed.

Miller very solid

Twins and Sutter very good line, very impressed

Bartkowski and Hutton great with the puck, great at getting it out of the zone, great ability to rush with the puck, solid at the point.

Burrows and Hansen played well together.

4th line did its job.

40+ shots, 5 goals. Not bad. Calgary believed the press about being a good team.

Daniel on a 240 point pace and tied for the lead in the Art Ross race

[Nuckertuzzi]

Back to the game...

What I liked compared to years past, even the Kes years, is skill is apparent throughout the top 3 lines (remember how bad the 2nd line was last year). Takes major pressure off the twins to not have to carry them every night..tho they did again tonight. But that's something they, and us, have been longing for for years. Question is will it carry throughout the year.

And there was some mobility in the back end with the new additions.

One game but overall more speed, skill and youthful enthusiasm compared to last year, but less size and grit (which Jake can offset).

[Topper]

A few comments;

The Flames gave up late in the second. Daniel and Hank haven't feasted like that since Dion was traded away.

Edit - Hamhuis was awful in his own end.

Can't say I'm overly impressed with Bartkowski's rushes to nowhere never looking to pass.

The interesting dynamic that Sutter brings to the twins of someone willing to carry the play instead of waiting for the setup.

How long is the Sven experiment allowed to last. Outside of one preseason game, there has been nothing from Sven to suggest he's an NHL player.

Had to laugh the last while reading commentary that the Flames have three solid goaltenders and a dilemma of trying to shed one.

One game against a team that rolled over and died.......81 to go.