GDT: Canucks @ Leafs - 4pm - CBC, NHLN-US

[Cornuck]

Yeah, yeah - Leafs suck, Toronto sucks, etc etc - but they have actually won some games this year. After getting the hopes up for an entire nation, they are now 1-7-2 in their last ten and out of the top eight where they're expected to stay. I keep hearing the word "Rivals" - but can a shitty team that we only play twice a year, truly be a rival? Can a rivalry be built upon utter disgust?

We lead them in every major statistic (except losses) and they on a downhill skid. This can only mean one thing: The Canucks will take them lightly and fall behind early.

Stat of the day: 131st all-time meeting between the Canucks and Maple Leafs. Vancouver leads the all-time series 56-50-24.

NHL.com Preview

THN.com Tale of the Tape

Canucks.com Game Notes

GO CANUCKS GO!

[dr.dork]

Yes this is a rivalry.

I'll be hanging my head in disgust for the rest of the year if we lose to the Leafs. If we beat them and we don't win the cup then there will be a bright spot to the season as in "well, at least we didn't lose to the Leafs". Basically take Farhan's incoherent rantings about Chicago, replace Chicago by the Leafs and Farhan by Dork and you get the idea.

I really don't hate the Leafs that much any more mainly because they're a pathetic bunch, but I certainly don't want to lose to them.

[Linden Is God]

I may pull a Farhan and jump off the bandwagon if the Canucks lose this game.

Ok in all seriousness, I really really don't want to be a fan of the team that let' the Leafs end their losing streak. I have way too many friends who are Leafs fans and I've been doing too much chirping this year.

4-2 Canucks win. Burrows, Sammy, Hamhuis and Daniel.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!!

[Cornuck]

"well, at least we didn't lose to the Leafs".

That's about the same as saying, "Well, at least I wasn't beaten up by a Girl Scout today".

Look, I think Toronto and the Leafs sucks, too - and it goes back to the early 70's. But as some time, you have to shake your head and walk away - leave them in their puke filled gutter and hope that they sort them selves out so that some day, they will worthy of your hatred again. For now, they're just the pathetic former high school jock who's fat and bald.

[dr.dork]

For now, they're just the pathetic former high school jock who's fat and bald.

Which is a good reason not to lose. No losing to fat bald former high school jocks. (And if you do, the only way to take that foul stench away is to drink from Lord Stanley's Stein).

[dangler]

Yes this is a rivalry.

I'll be hanging my head in disgust for the rest of the year if we lose to the Leafs. If we beat them and we don't win the cup then there will be a bright spot to the season as in "well, at least we didn't lose to the Leafs". Basically take Farhan's incoherent rantings about Chicago, replace Chicago by the Leafs and Farhan by Dork and you get the idea.

I really don't hate the Leafs that much any more mainly because they're a pathetic bunch, but I certainly don't want to lose to them.

I share the dr.'s sentiments,I don't hate them ,but if the Canucks lose this I think I'll develop a permanent twitch.

The Canucks on HNIC @ the centeroftheuniverse,I feel a F--K UP of global encompassing magnitude comin on.

Is Bieksa playing?

[Island Nucklehead]

Well Luongo's save percentage didn't look good after two periods (3 GA/16 Shots)... but man did he steal one for us in the third.

HUGE saves late in the game with a one-goal lead, Giguere faltered first on Raymond's goal and the Canucks escape (!!) Toronto with 2 points. Big win, and a huge third period from Luongo.

[nucklehead_88]

errhoff and hansen had bad games for sure. and for the twins. we were waiting for Luongo to steal us one....he stole us one

[ClamRussel]

Only saw the 3rd....GREAT performance by Lu, can't ask for more than that. Like his performance in the Olympics, and w/ the great goalies like Fuhr & Roy, its not always about their stats but rather WHEN they shut the door. Esp w/ Fuhr, he might let in 4 but slams the door and allows his team to win 5-4 for example. In the Olympics Lu may have let in late goals that resulted in OT but he never allowed that final goal....including a great save off Pavelski that gave Crosby a chance.

On another note, what the F is up w/ Ballard not dressing?!?

[Island Nucklehead]

On another note, what the F is up w/ Ballard not dressing?!?

Still a work in progress, apparently. He was our worst d-man coming back from injury (he even admitted so) and he's sitting because of it. When you lose a step, conditioning, timing or whatever, on a team with depth like this it can be easy for guys to overtake you on the chart. I'm sure Ballard will be back up to speed soon enough and we'll see Rome or Alberts come out.

It kind of sucks for Ballard to have to practice his way back onto the team but he said it himself that on squads as good as this, we (the coaching staff and fans) have the luxury of not NEEDING him to win hockey games. Let him find his game without being hung out to dry/forced to do so, and we'll be a better team because of it.

[ClamRussel]

On another note, what the F is up w/ Ballard not dressing?!?

Still a work in progress, apparently. He was our worst d-man coming back from injury (he even admitted so) and he's sitting because of it. When you lose a step, conditioning, timing or whatever, on a team with depth like this it can be easy for guys to overtake you on the chart. I'm sure Ballard will be back up to speed soon enough and we'll see Rome or Alberts come out.

It kind of sucks for Ballard to have to practice his way back onto the team but he said it himself that on squads as good as this, we (the coaching staff and fans) have the luxury of not NEEDING him to win hockey games. Let him find his game without being hung out to dry/forced to do so, and we'll be a better team because of it.

Well thats certainly a much clearer answer than we're getting from the AV/MG duo.
Another luxury of depth is the ability to have highend talent on your farm team and not NEED to squeeze them into your lineup before they're ready. A luxury this club hasn't had too often.

[Arachnid]

Jeez, that was dirty, I can't even bug my Leaf friends, we played like crap but still beat a shittier team. Drinking beer at the ACC yuck, I feel like scum, good thing there's micro beer

[the toucan kid]

Lots of diving by us.

Luongo was pretty sharp in the third, which is nice to see. He didn't face a lot of second chances though.

Good enough to win, I guess.

[dangler]

Lots of diving by us.

That penalty Kessel drew seemed to signal to the Canucks how the game was going to be called.I was surprised there were no diving penelties in that game.

[LotusBlossom]

Not a great win but a win nonetheless, which is important or else those Leaf lovers will be bragging they beat Canada's best team until their faces match their jerseys!

Officiating was horrible, and I mean horrible both ways. Even Leafs fans (the few intelligent ones) were saying there should have been some calls the Canucks didn't get or calls they didn't deserve and vice versa.

I was a little worried, the Leafs haven't beaten us in a long time, either at the ACC or at Rogers Arena.

I think I'm finally ready to drink some beer on this trip. Been sick and flu-ish the day we flew out. (Sunday the 7th)

Poor Mr LB has had to abstain from having some good pints because he felt bad for me, but he didn't have to, but he's awesome like that (ask Brian and Clam)

Anchor Bar tomorrow for some original Buffalo Wings and then game time.

I'll say one thing, as I wrote in my blog, tons more support for the Canucks at the ACC, more so than ever. Glad we sat by some good Canucks fans that were transplanted out in the Big Smoke.

What pissed me off about the whole TO experience was that the biggest story was not a marquee match-up against Vancouver but more about a fucking AHL player who couldn't cut the mustard to make the big club in the first place when he had a legitimate shot with their lack of talented personnel. Seriously, the Toronto media with some exceptions need to get their heads out of their asses.