VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS LOS ANGELES KINGS ROUND 1

[DonCherry4PM]

Whew, for a minute there I thought normalcy had gone out the window.

Have to say I don't respect LA as much as either of you two. Luongo playing well, is obviously a precondition for us winning a series let a lone a game in the playoffs. But I don't think he has to be near his best when going against Quick. Luongo near his best and our defense staying relatively healthy and our offense continuing to produce means this series is done in five. Luongo average and the above remaining the same I see the series pushing out another game and maybe two depending on how average. Other permutations and we are going to see more of a mixed bag. So maybe I should have defined "too much trouble" as requiring 7 games rather than just leaving it open to interpretation.

Edit: I still take Luongo playing decent in the playoffs as implied, but given his play for the last month, this may be a fault on my part. Luongo, don't make me the fool.

[Farhan Lalji]

Luongo near his best and our defense staying relatively healthy and our offense continuing to produce means this series is done in five.

I guess we'll agree to disagree, but I warn you: It was this type of "biased homerism" amongst Canuck fans in 2003 that lead to us having egg on our faces after we played the Wild.

I hope you're right, but lets not underestimate the Kings here. They only finished 2 points behind us in the standings.

[Cornuck]

The biggest difference will be that the Canucks - as a team - have a few playoff rounds under the belts. The Kings have a couple of guys with experience - But Brown, Kopitar, Quick, Doughty, etc - have none.

The Sedins will be ready to go. Demitra is ready to go. Kesler and Burrows are always ready to go. Our forwards > their forwards.

We're hurting a little on D - I'll give the edge to the Kings here - but a slight edge.

Goaltending? Both Quick and Luongo have struggled lately. Luongo has a better chance of returning to form. Quick could just be tired from playing so many games for the first time. I'll give Luongo the edge here. If they have to go to Ersberg or Bernier - it could even out, unless Luongo gets re-focused.

[the toucan kid]

I guess it actually *is* possible for me not to receive some kind of gay backhanded compliment on here.

Well one can't hide their feelin... I mean that was as straight a compliment as you will ever receive.

Anyway, look I think in terms of talent, rather than statistical production in the regular season, LA has as good a group of forwards and just as adaptable a group as we have (better up the middle too, which always comes into play in the playoffs). I personally would take their D over ours, pretty much just because their top pairing is a little better, and after that it's a bit shitty for both teams anyway. As for goal, we should have the advantage, but Quick can play very well and Bernier is an interesting wildcard. So, I'm not sure we're going to win by any measurement, I just hope we do anyway. Home ice may never have been more important.

[DonCherry4PM]

I guess we'll agree to disagree, but I warn you: It was this type of "biased homerism" amongst Canuck fans in 2003 that lead to us having egg on our faces after we played the Wild.

Well, at least we can agree on that - the disagreement that is.... I consider myself warned.

Still, I think we have a more solid team in the sense that it is now more balanced than in it was 2003. We have more depth than we have had in a long time. (offense mind you, not defense). Really, assuming Luongo plays up to an average of his previous playoff performances, I think our only foreseeable problem or Achilles heel, if you will, is defense (not going to say that is a small heel). But I see our strengths outweighing this problem so long as injuries do not continue and we end up having Salo and Bieksa etc. sitting out. Sure there is a bit of bias there but our team is actually good this year. Why not allow oneself a little bit of confidence. I think we have a high probability of making it out of the first round victoriously all things being equal. I stand by that.

[Fred]

Kind of worrying when the Canucks "D" feature houshold names such as Albert, Rome, Baumgartner and O'Brien.

[Sid Dithers]

Demitra is ready to go.

ROFLMAO!!!

Stop it man, you're killing me!

[Puck]

You don't understand the difference between private citizens and/or companies refusing to give someone airtime, and the GOVERNMENT doing it ... do you?

My point was that for a country which continually points to freedom as a backing for its actions and its basic raison d'etre, it's ironic that any faction therein, company or otherwise, would sensor anyone's creative work and hamper their livelihood. Mind you there is precedent from the McCarthy-era, too. Freedom's all well and good as long as you're in the majority?

As for the giant caps government comment, it was not the Government, it was the University of Ottawa. Did Fox news report otherwise? (Just curious)

But nevermind all that. I believe you began your time on this forum in good behaviour and only responded in defence of your home like most of us would. Now that we're back to hockey... let's stay there.

cheers HG

[LotusBlossom]

First of all, Gramma police. and yes, i spelled that wrong, on purpose.

and look, we vancouverites have a very special commodity that we, uh, in general, use, if not abuse, and, stuff.

and when we do use, or abuse, these, commodities, we, uh, are really bad at spelling and grammar and shit.

stuff.


and i never knew you need grammar to win hockey games.



next up, you tell us that we spell Bieksa wrong, and Sedin suppose to be Sundin, and Naslund's first name is Mats... oh wait, that's Bob Cole... i probably should delete this... but.. meh..



focus on the subject, if your going to attack my grammar, i'll get to post my three thousand word argument why we should nuke USA.

Well the subject was you calling Americans dumb, and doing it in a post full of mistakes.

In Farhan's defense, he did or is attending an American college.

[LotusBlossom]

Curious...

Who is starting in net for the Kings? It's the night before the game and I'm not really sure, but perhaps the Kings' coaching staff isn't all that sure either.

[Kel]

Curious...

Who is starting in net for the Kings? It's the night before the game and I'm not really sure, but perhaps the Kings' coaching staff isn't all that sure either.

All the predictions and previews were made assuming Quick is the starter. I think Quick is going to start the series but we may see J Bernier if Quick performs poorly.

[Kel]

I guess it actually *is* possible for me not to receive some kind of gay backhanded compliment on here.

Well one can't hide their feelin... I mean that was as straight a compliment as you will ever receive.

Anyway, look I think in terms of talent, rather than statistical production in the regular season, LA has as good a group of forwards and just as adaptable a group as we have (better up the middle too, which always comes into play in the playoffs). I personally would take their D over ours, pretty much just because their top pairing is a little better, and after that it's a bit shitty for both teams anyway. As for goal, we should have the advantage, but Quick can play very well and Bernier is an interesting wildcard. So, I'm not sure we're going to win by any measurement, I just hope we do anyway. Home ice may never have been more important.

I agree they have a good group of forwards, but I don't agree they're better up the middle. It's pretty hard to find two C better than Henrik and Kesler (at least from the Kings, Crosby and Malkin are better). Even Wellwood has been playing well. The only question is at the fourth line C position. I also would not take their D over ours, as I still believe in the potentials of Edler, Bieksa and even SOB. Salo when playing at his best like he did against St Louis is probably as good as anyone. Doughty is great overall but from what I've seen in the Olympics, he does sometimes make defensive mistakes that our forwards have the skills to capitalize on. It won't be an easy series but I am not very concerned about the prospect of being upset in round 1, at least given what we know now.

[the toucan kid]

I agree they have a good group of forwards, but I don't agree they're better up the middle. It's pretty hard to find two C better than Henrik and Kesler (at least from the Kings, Crosby and Malkin are better).

Indeed, but in terms of depth and ability on the draw I definitely like guys like Halpern, Stoll and even Handzus better to handle Hank. If we're going to use Kesler to handle Kopitar, then that might hamper his offensive time, in which case their secondary lines might just win the day. I actually do think they can roll lines a LITTLE better than us. While Wellwood has been bringing some nice complementary production - although a lot of it on the PP - his line can't be what we consider our secondary scoring of course, and certainly can't handle the match up game that comes with the post-season. Not having a checking center was always an issue, but it becomes an out and out problem tomorrow night.

The only question is at the fourth line C position. I also would not take their D over ours, as I still believe in the potentials of Edler, Bieksa and even SOB.

You're entitled to continue to believe in their potential of course, I still have some warm feelings for Edler myself, but faith in potential is not really a convincing argument. Imagine the potential of what Doughty could do to us singlehandedly as he is probably the only real number one defenseman in this series - and frankly the only other potential number one also plays for the Kings (he's not there yet though).

[Farhan Lalji]

So uh...you wanna go over to the LA boards with me and cause a war? *crunches a carrot*

haha - I would man but I don't have much free time nowadays....atleast to the extent where I could *really* commit to the level of trolling that I once did.

Unfortunately, it is no longer 2004....where I could teach tennis to little old ladies at 5 star resorts for a few hours, and then spend 2-3 hours per day knocking cyber opponents the f*ck out.

[Farhan Lalji]

First of all, Gramma police. and yes, i spelled that wrong, on purpose.

and look, we vancouverites have a very special commodity that we, uh, in general, use, if not abuse, and, stuff.

and when we do use, or abuse, these, commodities, we, uh, are really bad at spelling and grammar and shit.

stuff.


and i never knew you need grammar to win hockey games.



next up, you tell us that we spell Bieksa wrong, and Sedin suppose to be Sundin, and Naslund's first name is Mats... oh wait, that's Bob Cole... i probably should delete this... but.. meh..



focus on the subject, if your going to attack my grammar, i'll get to post my three thousand word argument why we should nuke USA.

Well the subject was you calling Americans dumb, and doing it in a post full of mistakes.

In Farhan's defense, he did or is attending an American college.

Why am I being "defended" in an argument that I am not even a part of. This bout is between HockeyGirl and Jelly!