R2G4 - Canucks @ Preds - 5:30 - CBC, VS

[Cornuck]

An important game 4. We either go home up 3-1 or even and looking at a best of 3 series.

Rinne - we need to get better shots, sure he's good, but we're making him look like Patrick Roy in his prime. We're shooting from 20-30 feet out, and seeing very few rebounds. He swallows up the puck, even if no Canuck is within 20 feet of him, and he gets a faceoff. Thankfully we're looking a little better at faceoffs.

The Sedins....is there anything that can get them going? Henrik is driving me crazy with his inability to shoot. I think I've seen him come down and wind up once in this series. The rest of the time, he'll pass instead of shoot. Can someone tell him there's no trophy for most assists in the playoffs?

Kesler: An amazing job so far. Hardest working Canuck and is making the rest of his linemates better - no matter who they are. HIggins had his best game playing with him in Game 3.

Samuelsson - I keep thinking back to last year and how we saying, "That's what we got him for! He's a playoff veteran!" - now he's a slug without much use. I hope he wakes up and proves me wrong.

The D - playing well as a group, but the Preds will jump on any mistake they make, so they have to play perfect hockey to keep the Preds of the scoreboard.

Any other players deserve mention?

GO CANUCKS GO!

[woodhog]

Any other players deserve mention?

Burrows has been a lot better of late.
I'm really impressed with Hamhuis's maturity and poise.

As for Samuelsson, he's most likely still hampered by the leg injury he suffered at the end of the season. At least I hope that's his problem. If not, he's just excess baggage. I'd rather see Cody play in his place.

[LotusBlossom]

Rinne - we need to get better shots, sure he's good, but we're making him look like Patrick Roy in his prime. We're shooting from 20-30 feet out, and seeing very few rebounds. He swallows up the puck, even if no Canuck is within 20 feet of him, and he gets a faceoff. Thankfully we're looking a little better at faceoffs.

Rinne gives up a lot of rebounds, unfortunately there are not many Canucks jerseys close by to shoot them back in. If they are a little more mindful of pouncing on the rebounds, the goals will start to come.

The Sedins....is there anything that can get them going? Henrik is driving me crazy with his inability to shoot. I think I've seen him come down and wind up once in this series. The rest of the time, he'll pass instead of shoot. Can someone tell him there's no trophy for most assists in the playoffs?

I'm going to put the finger more on Henrik than Daniel on this one. They need to produce but Hank seems to have lost some confidence in his abilities. Shoot the puck!

Kesler: An amazing job so far. Hardest working Canuck and is making the rest of his linemates better - no matter who they are. HIggins had his best game playing with him in Game 3.

The goals finally came but he's worked at the other end of the ice better than any other forward. Putting pressure on the other teams to make mistakes. Love his play.
Higgins has been a good guy that doesn't mind going to the dirty places to get plays going. I am liking him a ton.

Samuelsson - I keep thinking back to last year and how we saying, "That's what we got him for! He's a playoff veteran!" - now he's a slug without much use. I hope he wakes up and proves me wrong.

Samuelsson is playing with a strained abdomen. They are using him sparingly on the PP and with some fourth line shifts. That's a huge part of him being much of a 'slug' so far.

The D - playing well as a group, but the Preds will jump on any mistake they make, so they have to play perfect hockey to keep the Preds of the scoreboard.

I like the depth the Canucks have on the blue line, a problem that I welcome anyday.

Any other players deserve mention?

Lapierre has been very good so far. Hard hitting, winning faceoffs, and being a pest without taking too many penalties.

[Cornuck]

Yes - Lapierre has done everything - and more - that we expected from him. Great pickup by Gillis.

If Samuelson is injured, I'll let him off the hook... a little.

[Cornuck]

Sullivan out for the Preds.

Salo may be in for Game 4.

[dr.dork]

Sullivan out for the Preds.

Salo may be in for Game 4.

Salo in, Alberts out. Other than that, the same lineup.

Go Canucks Go !

Interesting to see Suter and Weber out against Kesler's line, which is causing fits for Nashville. Would be nice to see the Sedins or Burrows score one or two, because they are getting some chances. On the other hand, I'll just take a win !

[Linden Is God]

It would be awfully nice to see the Canucks go back home with a 3-1 lead.

Ron MacLean on HNIC radio said today he thinks the Canucks will finish it Saturday. Hopefully he's right.

Interesting stat of the day for the gamblers out there. In the past 6 games between the Canucks and Preds, the under has won 5 times and a push once. Me thinks I'm betting the under tonight.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!!

[Tiger]

Samuelsson - I keep thinking back to last year and how we saying, "That's what we got him for! He's a playoff veteran!" - now he's a slug without much use. I hope he wakes up and proves me wrong.

Playing with the Sedins brings both Samuelsson and Burrows stats down.. They are the slugs.. Danny at -4 .. Henrick at -6..
both lousy defensively and not doing that much offensively.
and LB.. Samuelsson is averaging over 18 min a game.. doesn't sound like he's missing any ice time ..

Maybe Weber is being moved to check Kesler is not only because of the Keslers lines skill and guts.. but more because they don't consider the Sedins as much of a threat? ..

"When the going gets tough.. the tough get going".. So all of you have picked North American players as the stand outs? No swedes ..

[dr.dork]

Maybe Weber is being moved to check Kesler is not only because of the Keslers lines skill and guts.. but more because they don't consider the Sedins as much of a threat? ..

"When the going gets tough.. the tough get going".. So all of you have picked North American players as the stand outs? No swedes ..

Dude, of course Weber is moved because they see Kesler's line as more of the threat. That is equivalent to saying they don't think the Sedins are as much of a threat. Anyone could tell you that. The simple fact is the Sedins haven't been dominant against Nashville. They got a total of 6 points against Nashville during the regular season (which wasn't great either).

Perhaps Nashville is just good at neutralizing the Swedes and everyone else for that matter. Kesler has been our best player in the playoffs, but it isn't like he had scored (at all) prior to last game. Plus when you play a skill game the the refs decide that pretty much anything goes, who suffers the most ? The grinders or the skill players ? It isn't rocket science here...

[ClamRussel]

Sorta like when we played Colorado in the playoffs. No doubt Sakic was the highest profile player on their team yet Crawford opted to focus on shutting down the emerging Forsberg instead. He was clearly more of an overall threat to the series.

[dr.dork]

Sorta like when we played Colorado in the playoffs. No doubt Sakic was the highest profile player on their team yet Crawford opted to focus on shutting down the emerging Forsberg instead. He was clearly more of an overall threat to the series.

But we lost that series. I can't remember if we ever shut down Forsberg.

Anyway, if Nashville continues to focus on Kesler (and they weren't to successful with that a couple of days ago) that should free up the Sedins and Burrows.

[ClamRussel]

Sorta like when we played Colorado in the playoffs. No doubt Sakic was the highest profile player on their team yet Crawford opted to focus on shutting down the emerging Forsberg instead. He was clearly more of an overall threat to the series.

But we lost that series. I can't remember if we ever shut down Forsberg.

Anyway, if Nashville continues to focus on Kesler (and they weren't to successful with that a couple of days ago) that should free up the Sedins and Burrows.

Right! So maybe that doesn't bode too well for the Preds eh?

[Tiger]

Dunno... but everytime the Sedin line is on the ice I worry about goals going in.. OUR NET..
Hoping the change of the preds defensive effort means they will at least break even last game they were on for both the Nashville goals.. ( sure its a coincidence? )...
In the playoffs the warriors win ( sorry Toucan ).
Cant wait to see this one start.. and would love to be wrong about the twins !!

[Island Nucklehead]

Hank is obviously hurt... so lets hope we can finish them off earlier. It looks as though everyone will be waiting for us to finish this round. Not good if we're banged up...

Kesler has been a beast, but Higgins is looking mighty fine too. That line is causing some fits.

In all honesty we'd probably be down to a more offensive team. Sure we're creating SOME chances, but we're probably lucky to be playing such a defensive team. The boys have a long way to go before we can take on Detroit or San Jose.

[Linden Is God]

What's with SOB and the hands high hits on Cody? Second one I notice now. Does SOB always hit like that or is he targeting CoHo?