GDT: 11/29/07 Nucks and Jackets 7PM Snet

[levelheaded]

The Canucks catch a break tonight as Pascal Leclaire re-aggravated his wonky knee, so Frederik Norrena goes in net tonight for Columbus. If Luongo can keep his goalless streak going until midway through the third period (by my own calculation, don't trust me with math) then he'll set the Canucks record for you-know-what.

The X-factor being that I won $5 on a scratch and win tonight, so there's no way we take this. 3-2 Columbus, Salo and Morrison will be our goalscorers. Modin, Brule and Klesla score for CBJ.

GO CANUCKS GO

[Linden Is God]

What's with the negativity around here these days? The team is playing great but there's always 2 or 3 predictions of the boys losing. I think Columbus will be a tired or rusty team. They haven't played in a few days (Monday I think) and are on a west coast swing. If they've been sitting around out west then they'll be rusty. If they went back to Columbus Monday night, they should be a bit tired from traveling.

I say a 3-1 win. Mo, Kesler and Linden with the goals. Nash for the BJ's.

[whistler]

FWIW...The TSN crew said the Jackets were in Vancouver watching the Canucks/Ducks game.

They'll probably play a diciplined game.

Speaking of which...why wasn't Pronger suspended for his hit to a celebrating Kesler's kidneys?

Will the league allow us to injure every Jacket player who scores?

"His arms were up in the air" Pronger explains, "I couldn't get a good head shot in."

[SRsez]

I say a 3-1 win. Mo. Nash for the BJ's.

Sounds about right to me.

[Joe Rockhead]

I let my daughter change the channel early in the second. Too boring.

[levelheaded]

2-0 after two. The Sedins have been great, so has Luongo. Apparently Krajicek's goal was a real beaut.

[antro]

it's in the books -- new shot out record, way to be, lui

got dicey in the last 30 seconds, but canucks played shut down for most of the 3rd, and were a bit unlucky they didn't score. Norrena played well, otherwise it would've been more lopsided.

[B. Mackin]

Vancouver 2 Columbus 0
Bob Mackin

The Buzz:
Roberto Luongo became the first goaltender in Vancouver Canucks’ history to record a shutout hat trick when he blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 Thursday at General Motors Place. Luongo also stonewalled the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks earlier this week and is the early favourite to be named the NHL's first star of the week.

Yes-vember:
After starting the month with a disastrous 3-0 loss to the Nashville Predators, the Canucks ended their November schedule with an impressive 9-4 record, including two shootout losses to the Edmonton Oilers. The only other loss was at St. Louis.

Lamplighter:
Mattias Ohlund got the game-winning goal more than four minutes into the second period when the puck deflected off Adam Foote’s ankle.

Goat of the Game:
See Adam Foote’s ankle.

Stupid Game stat:
Was it by mistake or design that the Blue Jackets’ roster includes Adam Foote and Jared Boll? The number one attraction in Columbus is the 11-1 Ohio State Buckeyes football.

Klesla vs. Kesler:
Columbus’ Rostislav Klesla: 1 shot, 31 shifts, 21:10 ice time; Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler: 2 shots, 29 shifts, 21:44 ice time.

On the Road Again:
The Canucks begin a three-game road trip Sunday in St. Paul with a 3 p.m. face-off (Team 1040/pay-per-view).

[B. Mackin]

Every second Roberto Luongo keeps the puck out of the Canucks' net on Sunday will be a new record.

He finished Thursday's game with 193 minutes and 56 seconds since last surrendering a goal. The Canucks have played 195 minutes and 34 seconds without allowing a goal. Ken Lockett's 184:20 was Vancouver's previous standard for goaltending effectiveness in the spring of 1975 until Luongo's three shutouts this week. Maybe going with the retro blue, white and green full-time wasn't such a bad idea.

Ex-Canuck Martin Rucinsky was the last opponent to score on the Canucks in St. Louis Blues' 3-1 win on Nov. 23 in the Show Me State. Rucinsky's goal came at 4:26 of the third period. Since then, the Canucks have scored nine unanswered goals.

[canuckslove]

Roberto Luongo is such a terrific goaltender. He focuses on the puck, and is there to back up his teammates, just like what friends are like. He is a great team member, and he does not boast about this, such a modest guy.

The canucks are doing much much better as the season really starts setting in. By the end of the season, they will improve so much, I believe they will win the Stanley Cup this year.


Go Canucks.

[UpYerKilt]

I guess those new Canuck jerseys are starting to look a bit better these days...funny how a winning team will do that.

Officially the hottest team now in the NHL. Seriously I never saw this coming at all.

Puck luck continues to go there way...full team effort ='s puck luck - no passengers!

Great football game tonight - gave the old remote a good workout. I'm asking Santa for that retro #9 Romo jersey.

Guts

[Linden Is God]

Forget team records. I want Luongo to gun for Boucher's record.

[B. Mackin]

Appreciate and applaud a job well done and a milestone in Canucks' history.
However, remember what the calendar says. It's the end of November.
It's a long, long way to mid-April, May and June.