GDT: Canucks @ STL - 5pm - Snet

[Cornuck]

Thank you to the good Doctor for getting these up for a while - he had a good streak for a while - and has got the team to 8-1-1 in their last 10. I'll try not curse it with my GDT.

We start a 3 games in 4 days road trip and come back home on Boxing Day. Tonight it's St Louis, who have already beat us once this year (3-2 on Dec 5).

The Blues are missing some key players and we should be able to take advantage of that. With luck we'll get out to an early lead and not have bust ass for 60 minutes - we'll need some gas for the rest of the week.

NHL.com Preview

THN.com Tale of the Tape

Canucks.com Game Notes

GO CANUCKS GO!

Caution of the day: Please be careful this holiday season.Too much beer can cause you to fall down stairs and get a serious head injury -it will seriously affect your life and the people around you. I have a friend that is beginning the long recovery process.

[dr.dork]

The Blues are missing some key players and we should be able to take advantage of that. With luck we'll get out to an early lead and not have bust ass for 60 minutes - we'll need some gas for the rest of the week.

This is a much better strategy than coast in the first two periods and turn it on in the third.

[LotusBlossom]

Game was much better played than last time they faced the Blues in a building they have difficulty producing points during the regular season.

Heard Daniel Sedin on the TEAM1040 earlier this morning and he's said that they are playing a style that dictates the pace of the games, for the most part, and that they are playing more like a team. He also said when they have a 1 goal lead going into the third they feel they are going to win the game.

I'm sure as Canucks fans we will find something to nit pick, but Luongo has won his last 9 of 10, Kesler and Daniel are tied with 16 goals for the season each. Their record the last 11 games has been stellar. Finding ways to win even when they don't bring their A-game, isn't that the team we wanted?

[nucklehead_88]

Luongo is playing like a hero.....his GGA in December, 1.73. he's third in the league in wins, overall GGA of 2.40. his save percentage .914.....he's looking good folks.

[the toucan kid]

That's a pretty normal save percentage. While I think he's playing well, he still LOOKS the same. He's a good goalie like I said, but there are obvious flaws in his game. Doesn't mean he won't be successful, but he is exploitable.

[nucklehead_88]

That's a pretty normal save percentage. While I think he's playing well, he still LOOKS the same. He's a good goalie like I said, but there are obvious flaws in his game. Doesn't mean he won't be successful, but he is exploitable.

well they dont seem to be exploiting him....maybe once a game

[the toucan kid]

well they dont seem to be exploiting him....maybe once a game

Not right now, no, but we're finally playing better in front of him.

[dr.dork]

well they dont seem to be exploiting him....maybe once a game

Not right now, no, but we're finally playing better in front of him.

The number of bad goals is dropping. By any measure he is playing better. He isn't stealing a lot of games but it is hard to steal games when the team is outplaying the other team 9 out of 10 games.

The other thing I've noticed is that he is starting to play better "cold". He was seemingly better when he got lots of shots and he was always shaky on the first few shots of the game.

Let's just hope he (and the team) peak for the playoffs.

[the toucan kid]

Let's just hope he (and the team) peak for the playoffs.

I love how that is what it comes down too though, this whole season is a snooze. Let's get going.

The number of bad goals is dropping. By any measure he is playing better. He isn't stealing a lot of games but it is hard to steal games when the team is outplaying the other team 9 out of 10 games.

No qualm. But I am monitoring (well, you know...) his mobility, how he approaches post to post plays etc.

Seems to me you get him moving, he still looks pretty bad and if he don't snare the first one it gets a little dicey. That focuses in on the negative rather than the many things he does well, but those faults have imploded us a couple times in the playoffs now.