GDT: Detroit @ Vancouver, 7:00 pm, TSN

[Cornuck]

Good game. Good effort. I love how we always step up our game for Detroit.

[Benjo]

It's nasty how Kronval skates backwards, then changes directions in order to take your head off.

Edit: Sulzer appears to be a very solid player.

Not that it really matters, but curious to see if the head was initial contact. Certainly jumped, but that isn't enough to warrant a suspension.

He is a repeat offender for that exact hit though.

[BladesofSteel]

Did Hodgson play a shift in the 3rd? We were playing hard with the lead so I could see AV playing he best nine down the stretch, but he did finish with 9+ mpg.

[Sticky]

It's nasty how Kronval skates backwards, then changes directions in order to take your head off.

Edit: Sulzer appears to be a very solid player.

Not that it really matters, but curious to see if the head was initial contact. Certainly jumped, but that isn't enough to warrant a suspension.

He is a repeat offender for that exact hit though.

Come on guys... It's not like he snowed the goaltender à la Vernon Fiddler...

[Vpete]

It's nasty how Kronval skates backwards, then changes directions in order to take your head off.

Edit: Sulzer appears to be a very solid player.

Not that it really matters, but curious to see if the head was initial contact. Certainly jumped, but that isn't enough to warrant a suspension.

See this is where the NHL falls flat. It's okay for Kronwall to leave his feet but only as long as he does not make 'illegal' contact after?

Why not give him a game because he left his feet to help, PREVENT, future injuries by similar actions?

[newcanuckfan]

Canucks played great - speed, tenacity, grit...and through some adversity.

Kronwall's hit will be looked at. Nothing will come of it, but it's a dangerous play - left his feet, turned his back and was a shade late (maybe).

Total BS on Kesler's call when Howard didn't draw one for his tantrum.

With the 2 points, who gives a rats ass on the reffing, but it sure leaves me with a "pissed off win" kind of feeling. I'm guessing the Canucks feel the same. Well, for sure Kes will

[dhabums]

Total BS on Kesler's call when Howard didn't draw one for his tantrum.

Here are your choices:

1. Goal allowed, no penalty.
2. Goal waved off, Howard gets 2 for roughing.

[twyf]

Kesler is one tough bugger

[dhabums]

It's nasty how Kronval skates backwards, then changes directions in order to take your head off.

Edit: Sulzer appears to be a very solid player.

Not that it really matters, but curious to see if the head was initial contact. Certainly jumped, but that isn't enough to warrant a suspension.

See this is where the NHL falls flat. It's okay for Kronwall to leave his feet but only as long as he does not make 'illegal' contact after?

Why not give him a game because he left his feet to help, PREVENT, future injuries by similar actions?

I have no problem admitting that I have little to no idea what might happen when it comes to Brendan Shanahan making a decision. But, the mandate of the day is head shots.

[dhabums]

Kesler is one tough bugger

He seems to be a lot tougher when he actually does get hit.

[newcanuckfan]

Total BS on Kesler's call when Howard didn't draw one for his tantrum.

Here are your choices:

1. Goal allowed, no penalty.
2. Goal waved off, Howard gets 2 for roughing.

Sure whatever. So, why call Kesler's? The linesmen had it under control and the hit was borderline. That shit is let go nightly but tonight we see two sides of the same coin.

I'm not a conspiracy guy, just think it was a shit call that could've changed the game. Ironically it did...in the Canucks favour.

[tantalum]

I know I have a post on another board that you need to start punishing the action and not result in an injury but there has to be something pretty dirty on the play. Kronwall left his feet. I agree. But it wasn't a major thing. The contact for the hit was clean. NO head shot. No elbow. No knee. No driving the guy into the glass/boards.

Suspension for that is akin to suspending a routine slash.

If the gets suspended Kesler ought to be suspended on his knee. I don't think he will be as it sort of a slow play very unlikely to result in injury but I bet he hears about it.

[dhabums]

Total BS on Kesler's call when Howard didn't draw one for his tantrum.

Here are your choices:

1. Goal allowed, no penalty.
2. Goal waved off, Howard gets 2 for roughing.

Sure whatever. So, why call Kesler's? The linesmen had it under control and the hit was borderline. That shit is let go nightly but tonight we see two sides of the same coin.

I'm not a conspiracy guy, just think it was a shit call that could've changed the game. Ironically it did...in the Canucks favour.

I repeat, you have 2 choices.

The hit on Kesler was not penalized. That was a bad noncall. However, I have no issue with giving a guy a penalty for starting s*** after a "clean" hit. In a 3-2 game, RK needs to suck it up and pick his spot. Or not, see choices 1 or 2 for clarification.

[Meds]

Kronwall is a big bastard who is known for being a big hitter. He's a bigger pussy. For one, he turns his back for all his big hits and doesn't use the shoulder. For two, he won't stand up for himself when challenged after a questionable hit. Good on Kesler for sending a message that [at least some of] the Canucks won't be bullied.....clean or otherwise.

This game was a classic example of two rivals who enter the game knowing that they are each among the elite teams in the league, they respect each other and will play the opponent hard. It's a much better game compared to one where we play a team like Chicago who have no respect for their opponent and pull bush league cheap shit out every trip to the corners and every scrum in front of the net. The Kronwall hit was the exception to this tonight, but even that was not really dirty or disrespectful, just his total pussing out made a bit of a mockery of him and his team. Things deteriorated after that, but for the most part it was a good game to watch.

Lou is looking very steady in net these days.

1 point behind and 1 win ahead of Minnesota now, and Vancouver has a game in hand.

4 points and 1 win behind Chicago, also a game in hand.

I hate that loser point.

Canucks have hit their stride and look even steadier and more confident than they did last year on route to the President's Trophy. The difference I see now is that they aren't letting some of the in-game set-backs get them down quite as much, particularly when comparing the now to the month of October and early November. The Sedins also look a bit more "ferocious" out there.....if "ferocious" is a word that can be used in the same sentence as Henrik and Daniel. What I mean is that they are playing a tougher game on offense and both of them are often at the net following a shot rather than one of them making a redirection on a flyby while the other peels off after making the pass. Our top line is a 3 man unit who support each other in every area.

If Booth can get back and quickly return to the form he had found in his last 10 games, hindsight will show that Gillis made a great trade in a young season.

As for the "rough-stuff" with Howard and Hansen, I'm thinking more and more that the NHL needs to clarify a few of the points in the rule book that pertain to goaltenders. There is no question that Howard should have received 2 minutes for roughing there. Goalie's either need to be put under the same blanket as all the players or they need to have a different set of rules that are clearly outlined that protect them from players but also prevent them from engaging with players. I wonder what Thomas would have done in June if the Canucks had been free to return his "body-check" on Henrik.....I wonder how long Turco would have lasted if he had been penalized for interference every time he skated out of his crease a couple feet to slow down a forechecker who was pursuing the puck carrier behind the net, or stuck his stick in the face of an opponent who was racing to a loose puck and skated within a foot or two of the crease. The NHL needs to address this an then stand by it.

Hodgson only had one shift in the 3rd period. It was 46 seconds long and didn't start until the 10:58 mark of the period. However, Vancouver was pretty much shorthanded from the 3:15 mark until the 8:38 mark of that frame, and since Hodgson doesn't kill penalties it is understandable that he was sitting for a while. Then Detroit turned up the pressure and Vigneault had to play his strongest skaters and most responsible 2-way forwards. Hodgson is middle of the pack or below for skating, and not the most experienced defensively. Still, I wonder if he may have suffered some sort of minor injury. In a game where he played decent early on and potted a goal, it is somewhat curious that he gets next to nothing in the 3rd period.

Good win.

Next.

[dhabums]

1 point behind and 1 win ahead of Minnesota now, and Vancouver has a game in hand.

4 points and 1 win behind Chicago, also a game in hand.

Actually, that 1 win ahead of MN is really 4 ROW which is what matters.

And we have 2 more ROW than Chi.