Toronto at Vancouver 4:00PM CBC (HD)

[levelheaded]

This is going to be a good game tonight. Despite all predictions of doom and gloom the Leafs have turned into a hard-working team with a penchant for come-backs and opportunistic scoring. Even though on paper their offence is terrble and their defence is above average they've been great scoring goals and terrible keeping them out of their own net.

Mikhail Grabovski and Matt Stajan are the ones to watch. Both are on point streaks and are quickly establishing themselves as go to offensive players. Nicklas Hagman has also done well becoming a trigger man and has started racking up goals, not to Mention Antropov's continuing success from last year. Toskala has been up and down and certainly isn't as good as he was last year, but he's still tough to beat when he's on. Kaberle is still one of the best passers in the game, and could all too easily take this team apart with one of his pinpoint stretch passes. Our offense has gone dry lately, so neutralizing the Leafs has to be priority number one. They don't have much depth beyond the players and I mentioned, and if we can chip in a few goals and retreat back defensively we should be able to beat them.

As for Canucks notes Bieksa is out and Nycholat has been recalled. I'm not sure who's going to play, him or Davison, but I imagine they'll go for the Nycholat's offence to jumpstart our anemic attack. Salo is injured, but likely to play. Demitra is probable to return to the lineup and was skating on a line with Wellwood and Pyatt. I'd personally like to see Sedin-Sedin-Bernier and Raymond-Wellwood-Demitra, but Viggy seems intent on sticking with the Raymond with the Sedins experiment which has yet to produce any real positive effects. Oh well.

And finally, this game has a special significance to me. Right now I live in downtown Toronto with 4 Leafs fan roommates who would love nothing more to see the Canucks get ground into dust tonight. I don't think I could ever live down a Canucks loss. There's more than money at stake in this game.

With all of that said I say 4-1 Canucks. Daniel, Wellwood, Raymond and O'Brien for us, Steen for them. Demitra will have a pair of assists in his return, Nycholat will play a decent game if he ends up in the lineup.

GO CANUCKS GO

[Cornuck]

For the 2 points and levelheaded's pride, I hope we crush the leafs tonight on National TV. It will also be the first use of the 'new' 3rd jerseys. So maybe they'll bring some added puck luck.

We've had some time off again, and that never helps, so I'm predicting a slow start, but a solid 40 minutes after that. Don Cherry will whine about the Sedins, so I hope they have their best game of the season.


GO CANUCKS GO!

[tey]

Wow, good thing I looked, with the game being in Vancouver I woulda went and tuned in at 7:00 to watch it, but, of course CBC needs to cater to TO.

[Linden Is God]

Wow, good thing I looked, with the game being in Vancouver I woulda went and tuned in at 7:00 to watch it, but, of course CBC needs to cater to TO.

This really pisses me off. I was hoping to watch the Habs and Flyers then have the Canucks as the late game. My night was all planned but this threw a monkey wrench in it. Anyways, I will be devastated if the Canucks lose. I have too many friends that are Leafs fans and have been running my mouth too much.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!!

[Mikodat]

Canucks gotta beat the leafs... I have been against Toronto for nearly 60 years.. Habs fan ... then changed to Canucks in 70.. Goooooo Canucks....

3 - 1 .. Kesler.... Bernier..... Wellwood ( just to pizzzzz off Fletcher )

[dr.dork]

Hmm, I can't help but not hate this Leaf team. They are overachieving and for the first time in about three thousand years the expectations of a Leaf team are low. No Tucker to hate.

We seem to be in a scoring funk, and it is time to snap out of it. I say 4-2 Canucks, with Bernier, Hordichuk, Demitra and Wellwood scoring goals.

Go canucks go !

[BingoTough]

Yikes we give up a 2-man PPlay with a stupid penalty to Mitchell (Hanson in the box). Loungo loses his stick, but keeps the net clear.

Wellwood scores shortly after with a seemingly impossible goal (right on top of Toscala, tips it over Toscala's shoulder).

Then Davidson feeds Schenn a knucle-sandwich.

[BingoTough]

w00t! After being outshot for most of the period, and registering only one shot on their first powerplay, Kesler scores at the tail end of the period with Finger in the box.

[Robert]

As much as a hockey nut and lover of the Canucks I am I just can't give two shits about this game.

Fuck

[levelheaded]

Pretty dull game really. The Canucks got the big lead early then trapped to hell. Certainly not an exciting game after the first period. But hey, I won some money and I get to gloat until we play the Leafs again in February. I'll take it.

Louie really deserved the shuttout. It's sad that he didn't get it. He's been beyond sensational this month.

[Sid Dithers]

As much as a hockey nut and lover of the Canucks I am I just can't give two shits about this game.

Fuck

Someone's on a Lions-downer.
Me too.

[antro]

anyone know why edler didn't play? is he injured?


i didn't notice the early start, and tuned in early in the 3rd. i'm pretty sure it was me who ruined the shut out. actually, i think it was the refs. they blew a tripping call on salo just before the 1st toronto goal, and then the high sticking was phantom. he got him with the shoulder.

[Linden Is God]

I am thoroughly disgusted with the commentating crew tonight. The blatant display of Leaf bias during the game was too much for me. As much as I loved the action tonight, I really had trouble watching the game due to Crawford and Hughson. This is supposed to be Hockey Night in Canada, not Hockey Night in Fucking Toronto. I fully expected Hughson to be straight down the middle but to me it is now obvious that the CBC mandates their commentators to be pro Leaf. I thought last week against the Habs was brutal, but this week was even worse.

Fuck Jim Hughson, fuck Marc Crawford, fuck Don Cherry and fuck the CBC.

[Sid Dithers]

anyone know why edler didn't play? is he injured?

He's got the flu.

[Larry Goodenough]

I am thoroughly disgusted with the commentating crew tonight. The blatant display of Leaf bias during the game was too much for me. As much as I loved the action tonight, I really had trouble watching the game due to Crawford and Hughson. This is supposed to be Hockey Night in Canada, not Hockey Night in Fucking Toronto. I fully expected Hughson to be straight down the middle but to me it is now obvious that the CBC mandates their commentators to be pro Leaf. I thought last week against the Habs was brutal, but this week was even worse.

Fuck Jim Hughson, fuck Marc Crawford, fuck Don Cherry and fuck the CBC.

The best was.. "Are we gonna see the comeback kids again??!?"

Then Vancouver wakes up and they don't get another shot.

Crawford should have mentioned you can't get the "comeback kids" moniker unless you're constantly losing in the third.