GDT: 10/15/07 Nucks/Sharks 7PM PST SNET/1040

[levelheaded]

I say we start this with a bit of Youtube action (maybe a bit NWS, some blood)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=W8GaDuCvYbE

I don't think much more needs to be said. Time for a bit of payback for the season opener.

I say 4-1 Canucks, a reinvigorated Cooke with a pair, Naslund and Bieksa with the others.

GO CANUCKS GO

[trevordaddy]

Cooke? doubtful. He can only score from within 3 feet of the net on a scramble play.

[levelheaded]

Cooke? doubtful. He can only score from within 3 feet of the net on a scramble play.

EVERYBODY LOVES THE COOKER

Including me.

[Cornuck]

It will be good to see how we match up against a real team after the 2 confidence builders with the Soilers.

GO CANCUKS!!

[mband]

The Sharks are likely to be sterner competition than the woeful Oilers. Hopefully the Canucks will start on the right foot this time, as opposed to their sad season-opener. I predict 3-2 Canucks in OT, with Linden netting the game-winner.

[Daniel Wilson]

It's nice to see that Jeremy Roenick's only appearance on the score sheet this time around is for a penalty. Not like the Sharks last appearance in GM Place where two JR goals in the first period led to a Sharks 3-1 victory in the home opener.

Still, it's great to see JR and his personality still around after his contemplating retirement in the off-season.

[Linden Is God]

Man they gotta capitalize on those powerplays. It's going to kill them.

[mband]

Isbister working his way around Carle was impressive, and it was great to see him draw a second penalty moments later. I'm liking this kid tonight! It's too bad we couldn't capitalize on any of our power plays.

[Daniel Wilson]

It was good to see Matt Cooke back to his old tricks early in the first period, taking Craig Rivet into the boards behind the Sharks net. Perhaps a sitting was just what the sparkplug needed.

Isbister is looking good as well, which begs the question: who gets the third and fourth line spots when Cowan is ready to return to the line-up?

[mband]

Woohoo! One of our power plays finally paid off! Isbister blasts one off the post, straight to Pyatt who had no trouble directing it into the net.

And then in his next shift, Isbister draws yet another penalty. What a great game for him!

[Daniel Wilson]

How refreshing is it to see a bounce go the Canucks way? Too many times we're treated to bounces going against the Canucks and maybe even more refreshing is that the goal wasn't called back.

All great teams need those bounces in their favour and hopefully more come the Canucks way.

[levelheaded]

That save on Daniel has really turned the game around. The Canucks were dominating until it, that's what big ticket goaltending can do. The canucks sounded like they were doing such a great job killing off the 5 on 3, but blew it after letting Bernier walk around our defence.


Edit: Can drop passes be made illegal? It makes me want to strangle puppies every time Naslund tries one at the blueline. 99% of the time he just gives the puck away or ends up destroying an otherwise promising play.

[Daniel Wilson]

Is it just me, or is Ryan Kesler a marked man lately. Obviously there was the vicious cross check from Jesse Boulerice, but it's continued after that. On Saturday, Sheldon Souray took a run at Kesler and tonight, Kesler's been on the receiving end of a hard Craig Rivet check.

You think a guy who almost got his jaw crushed last week would have an easier time...

[Brian CC]

Is it just me, or is Ryan Kesler a marked man lately. Obviously there was the vicious cross check from Jesse Boulerice, but it's continued after that. On Saturday, Sheldon Souray took a run at Kesler and tonight, Kesler's been on the receiving end of a hard Craig Rivet check.

You think a guy who almost got his jaw crushed last week would have an easier time...

Kesler plays an agitators role, thus he makes himself a target. He gives as well as gets. Comes with the territory I guess. Personally I would like to see him develop his offense a little more and leave this stuff to guys like Cooke, Burrows and Rypien.

[mband]

That save on Daniel has really turned the game around.

Indeed, Nabokov looked positively Luongoesque on that save. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all our blown chances won't come back to bite us.

And yeah, Naslund's drop pass was ridiculously dangerous. It was so preposterous that even the Sharks defender did a double-take - if he'd reacted sooner, it would have led to an easy breakaway.