GDT: Vancouver has the Blues - 7pm - SN - 1/9

[Cornuck]

Now that Mats has had a game to warm up, we should see him a little closer the 'real thing' tonight in his second pre-season game.

Canucks host the Blues who own the cellar in the west. Will this be a case of the new Canucks beating an opponent that they should? Or will the old Canucks rear their ugly heads and drop 2 points to an inferior team? After starting .500 in their first 20 games, the Blues are 6-12-1 in their last 19 - still, they have the 6th best PP in the league so once again, the Canucks need to refrain from taking needless penalties.

I'm guessing we'll the hot goalie play tonight and the team hopefully will give him the W he's deserved in past games.

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GO CANUCKS GO!

[newostar]

First home game for Mats...hope he pots a couple on the PP.

I think him and Wellwood will work well together, but we'll see. I don't like Raymond with that line though. Think we need a guy to go get the puck instead of Raymond who's fast but keeps his head down and gets pushed into the boards, falls down, or gives it away. Send him back to the Moose.







_______________________
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Mats jersey is in!

[Mikodat]

Got to be tough for the Blues coaching staff. Coaching against a team with 3 scoring lines.... Stay outta the penalty box and this one should be in the bag.. Other than Power Play Blues are overmatched bigtime. Sundin line gives Sedin's and Kesler line an easier job.. They aren't the ones the Blues will be targeting.. Even if Labarb gives average goaltending ...

4 - 2 Canucks... Sundin's first canuck goal on the PP...

[the toucan kid]

I'll say Sundin gets a point on the powerplay, but I doubt he'll be much better tonight than in Edmonton. This is a process of weeks, not days.

Well we blew it against Atlanta, so they're aren't any sure things, but with the Sharks tomorrow, two points are a must here.

[Cornuck]

The Great Dane is back!

Nice ovation for Sundin's first shift too.

[Cornuck]

After taking the 2nd period off, they seem to be waking up. Mitchell!- with the career game!

[Cookie La Rue]

They already have San Jose in their minds it seems.

The 2nd was pretty weak in all aspects, they sat back with the lead and the Shark factor.

Hopefully they can pull it around in the 3rd with more ethusiasm and energy.

Go Canucks Go

hell yeah, as i'm writing this, 3:3 Mitchell shot deflected by Burrows.

[Cornuck]

I'm amazed that they can't win while only playing 40 minutes.

Let's hope for a better effort tomorrow.

[Mikodat]

God.... do the Canucks suck? Maybe the worst game of the season.. Should of been the opposite.. Some days being a Canucks fan is lousy ... today is one of them 6-4 beating by the worst team in the conference.

[Cookie La Rue]

... today is one of them 6-4 beating by the worst team in the conference.

Right but that means not so much. Hey the Blues also get paid for playing hockey and if you don't take a team serious they let you feel it. They may be the worst in the standings statistically but they can play, that's obvious.

Too bad for Lotus Blossom got her birthday spoiled. Anyways Happy birthday.

[Mikodat]

Hey the Blues also get paid for playing hockey

So do we pay the Canucks for not playing hockey tonight???? Sad when the best line on the Canucks is the 4th line.. at +1... and the 2 best players are both Dmen... Mitchell and believe it or not Obrien.. Rest of the team should be charged with robbery by fraudulently imitating hockey players...

[dr.dork]

First of all the Blues deserved to win.

Second, that penalty on Sundin for "slashing" was baloney. I realize it is an automatic call, but it is obvious that it wasn't much more than a tap. If you carry around a toothpick of a stick and someone touches it and it explodes, is it still a penalty ?

Third, LaBarbara could work on rebound control. (I am not blaming this result on him and he has done very well, but even in the wins his rebound control wasn't all that good). If you give up enough juicy rebounds, eventually it will cost you.

Fourth, it is nice to have Ryan Johnson back. The guy breaks his foot and finger, comes back and the first thing he does is go out there and block more shots. If everyone wanted to do what it takes to win like Johnson, Kesler, Burrows (and a few others) this team would be fine.

Fifth, some pretty serious mental lapses on D by Bieksa and Mitchell (and a few forwards). If you give up 6 goals, you're not going to win a lot of games.

Sixth, Nycholat can't make that pass for the first (or was it the second ?) Blues goal. Probably explains why he played 6 minutes. On the other hand, about 3 other Canucks could have neutralized that mistake and they didn't.

Seventh, Hansen played better, and was noticeable. His two penalties were borderline (IMO) and he was at least going to the difficult spots which resulted in the Burrows goal.

Eighth, Sundin is getting better but still has a ways to go.

Ninth, I didn't watch the whole game, so my analysis may be somewhat off...

[Sid Dithers]

... today is one of them 6-4 beating by the worst team in the conference.

Right but that means not so much. Hey the Blues also get paid for playing hockey and if you don't take a team serious they let you feel it. They may be the worst in the standings statistically but they can play, that's obvious.

Too bad for Lotus Blossom got her birthday spoiled. Anyways Happy birthday.

That's holding the Canucks accountable.

[Mozy]

We lose to the worst team, is it even worth turning on the TV today to watch the best team?

[Puck]

I can barely stand this. How many times have we lost to the Blues in the last three years? Bile keeps coming up everytime I think about it. The Canucks can not keep giving away the easier points and expect to remain in the hunt. Screw the Sharks game; points lost to the team that is likely to be the conference winner are not all that relevant unless you hope to win it yourself. Bah.