GDT: Canucks vs Predators | Oct 20 @ 7pm | SNET-VAN, 1040

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Boy, Pekka Rinne looked like Luongo tonite, couldn't find the puck, puck getting in from shot behind him, etc.

Baltard and most of our D looked really good, which was nice to see. Although, a weaker oppoponent with not many weapons up front. Nice to see the boyz get some lucky bounces too, they worked harder vs Rangers (40 shots), but couldn't get any breaks against a hot goalie.

[Aaronp18]

Weber looked pretty happy tonight.

Anyone else get the feeling he just doesn't want to be there - as if this wasn't obvious in the offseason!

Trade deadline cannot come fast enough for him. What's Raymond's $2.5 M in cap space represent 3/4 of the way through the season?*



*Clearly just speculating I have done zero cap calculations!!!

[Per]

I'm glad we don't have a shitty goalie like Rinne!

Definitely deserves a plus: +

[Topper]

A few comments:

I hope that was better than lithium for a few of you.

Was it vs San Jose last year that Vancouver had 3 5on3 pp's in succession? I thought AV learned that two point bombs (Edler-Salo) was the way to go in those instances. Daniel QB'ing from the point with Burrows and Kesler down low is a waste. Especially so with Suter and Weber in the sin bin.

Preds looked like they had been occupying Vancouver for a few days and their decision making in the first reflected that hangover. Rolling at the Roxy?

KB4 does not want to be sitting in the press box this season.

Tootoo was running about like a monkey with razor blades and no Canuck would challenge him until Volpatti offered up his pound of flesh to be whaled upon.

Why didn't Colin Wilson get an extra couple of minutes for not having his jersey tied down?

Well played shut down hockey after the blow out first.

4-1 and 5-1 and AV keeps going with the 1st unit PP

[tantalum]

a
Trade deadline cannot come fast enough for him. What's Raymond's $2.5 M in cap space represent 3/4 of the way through the season?*



*Clearly just speculating I have done zero cap calculations!!!

It's worth nothing. Players on the IR still count towards the cap. A team only gets an exemption to bring in extra cap hit equal to what is on the LTIR that surpasses the cap (i.e. a below the cap team doesn't get LTIR exemptions). In short, injuries do not allow a team to save up cap space. And in fact for below cap teams injuries cause them to spend closer to the cap as they replace those injured players.

[BCReefer]

A few comments:


Was it vs San Jose last year that Vancouver had 3 5on3 pp's in succession? I thought AV learned that two point bombs (Edler-Salo) was the way to go in those instances. Daniel QB'ing from the point with Burrows and Kesler down low is a waste. Especially so with Suter and Weber in the sin bin.

AV is a stubborn mule who never learns any lessons unless MG tells him to or he is fired.

The PP is all passing with little shots, needed to give line 2 some more time on the 5 on 3.

Sturm's goal should of counted, there was no kicking motion at all.

[Island Nucklehead]

Isn't it Newell Brown (sp?) that runs the PP?

[Listercat]

Some comments:

The Canucks played the best period of hockey this season in the first. Good puck support at both ends of the ice. Breakouts were as a 5 man unit with short quick passes to non stationary players. The Preds D was caught time and again flatfooted by the Canucks transitional speed. Pecker looked human!

PP in the first looked good. Passes were quick and the unit was not stationary. The D man move down the slot is a new wrinkle which creates havoc for defenders. As the game went on the PP's again became too deliberate and the unit became stationary looking for the perfect setup.Players need to get in a position to shoot if the puck comes to them not receive it and then try to position themselves.( Kesler's goal)

Luongo looked to be more focused. The only goal the toothless ones got came off a defensive breakdown where 3 players went to the puck carrier. That coupled with a bad bounce ruined the S/O

The 4th line played very well, getting in on the forecheck, creating turnovers, and getting a goal. Weise showed some decent wheels and some smart play. Lappy seems to have settled in very well with his role.

Sturm played his best game and actually showed some of the old speed he is/was known for.

KB4 is skating very well and moving the puck quickly.

Will Weber face the wrath of Shanny???

[old calamari]

good game last night looks like some of the rust is wearing off. got a couple of ugly goals but take them as they seem to put some grins on the sedins. anybody notice vignault going after ballard on the bench? would like to be a fly on the wall in the preds room after the game.. weber looked pissed all night.

[Jovocop]

Bieksa has already pissed me off 3 times tonight.

Twice with soft passes on the PP which killed any chance of puck movement around the zone and once with his belly flop to the ice on the PK taking himself out of the play. Playing lazy again.

Bieksa has reverted back to "Casual Kev" so far this season. I hope that he starts playing better soon and live up to his contract...

Give it 3 years.

That is exactly what I have been worried about... The Canucks went through that once with him... not too long ago...

[Aaronp18]

It's worth nothing. Players on the IR still count towards the cap. A team only gets an exemption to bring in extra cap hit equal to what is on the LTIR that surpasses the cap (i.e. a below the cap team doesn't get LTIR exemptions). In short, injuries do not allow a team to save up cap space. And in fact for below cap teams injuries cause them to spend closer to the cap as they replace those injured players.

I know this.

I wasn't sure if Raymond has been placed on long term injury or not. Is there a point in putting him on LTIR if we aren't up against the cap?

Or do you have to put players on LTIR??

[Potatoe1]

From a territorial / Systems stand point last nights game was not significantly different then the performance against the Rangers. Funny how the same game with only slightly better execution can lead to a completely different result.

-Sedins and Higgens continue to be our best forwards on the season. If Chris can stay healthy that 2-year deal is going to look like an absolute steal. Hank scores a power play goal on a slapper from 15 feet, wtf is that all about?

-First unit power play looked better with Salo but Bieksa was terrible with the second unit. His body of work on the power play going back to last season is horrible, yet here he is. Puck control by the first unit was fantastic, main issue right now is point players missing the net, breaking sticks, or just duffing their shots. I think Salo caught the same bug that Edler has had to start the season. As for the 5 on 3's,, I really don't understand why they change up the first unit. I get that it's a bit different strategy but the unfamiliarity created by bringing in such a different configuration leads to more mistakes and poor execution. Just throw out the first unit.

-Most encouraging performance up front was Sturm, who looked like a different player then the guy we saw benched 2 games ago. Looked faster, was more aggressive, and probably the best player on his line. Why didn't he play like that last week?

-Most disappointing performance had to be Hodgson, who likely had his worst game. He wasn't "bad" and he still generated quite a bit offensively, but the "zip" we have seen most of the season just wasn't there. He's either a bit tired or the defensive struggles he is feeling from the position change is affecting the rest of his game. That said, even though his all round game was poor, he still made a number of excellent passes and clearly has the higher end skill that is very lacking among our bottom 9 forwards.

-At the Back I though Ballard stood out. Skated miles, moved the puck well, made some good hits. Really seems to be improving since the coaches have increased his ice time. He still made a couple of errors that were head scratchers but he does seem to be finding his grove. Now just get him on the dam power play, cripes.

-Bottom 6 over all had a good night outside of Malholtra who continues to struggle. Hansen had his best game, Lappy continued his excellent start and Volpatti brought the type of physical game we need from a player with his very limited ability. Weiss had the goal and was clearly the stand out, at this point he is looking like an ideal 4th liner and at 23 there could still be some upside. Good pick up there, hell that might be the best move of the off season

-And as for our much maligned goalie. Thank go he didn't do anything else to embarrass himself, I can only imagine the nonsense we would be seeing right now if Lu had done anything face palm worthy.

[dbr]

Did not catch the game but in checking out the result I saw Barry Trotz blew a gasket afterwards..

[url=http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/21/barry-trotz-if-youre-scared-of-playing-in-the-nhl-get-a-dog/]On the play of rookie Mattias Ekholm, Trotz was brief.

“I thought he was horrible, just horrible.”

When it came to the host of younger guys he’s playing and having them deal with the likes of the Sedins and Ryan Kesler, Trotz was dead-nuts direct.

“You’re going to have to line up against the best in the league, if you’re scared of that, get a dog.”

If there’s one thing Trotz was thankful for, it was for Canucks coach Alain Vigneault playing nice with him.

“I want to thank Alain Vigneault for not playing his top two lines the last 10 minutes.”

[coco_canuck]

A few lucky breaks and a mortal goalie wrapped this game up in the first period.

Difference between last night and Tuesday was also the Canucks net presence, especially on the PP. Drive the net more and get bodies in front and it'll pay off.

Very good rotations and positioning by the Canucks skaters for the most part, there were a couple of instances where both d-men pinched and two forwards covered the points. Sometimes when that happens you might as well cue up the shit-show theme music.

The PP looked great to begin the game, but as Lister said, it became more predictable as the game wore on.

Although the 4th is starting to look like a reliable line, Lappy would make the 3rd an even better line.

How much has Cody increased his trade value? Not his best game as Pot mentioned, but there's no room for him to play centre on the top two lines and the way Lappy is looking, and considering he's only 27, he'll be the 3rd line centre before long and it's a spot he can occupy for many years moving forward. Can Cody help fetch us a more suitable winger for Kesler?

Ballard looked much better, but we still see the odd mistake and occasional poor positioning that the coaching staff must be fond of. When Ballard plays with confidence we see the flair to his game, like that nifty chip pass to Burrows in his own end by the goaline near the side boards to start a rush, or his puck rushing where he banked it off the boards and flew into the O-zone. The guy has a ton of skating, passing and puck handling skills that can nicely replace what Ehrhoff did on even strength. He doesn't have Hoff's shot, but he's also not getting a chance on the PP...not yet at least.

[Sticky]

A few comments:

I hope that was better than lithium for a few of you.


4-1 and 5-1 and AV keeps going with the 1st unit PP

I'm sure that it was...but the effects will wear off very soon.

After criticizing the B's earlier in the day for doing the same thing vs. Leafs, it occurred to me that IF the philosophy of "making them pay on with the powerplay" is NOT just Canuckspeak for "we're not tough enough"... then I suppose that trying hard to score on the PP, regardless of whether the goal is needed to win the game or not, is exactly what should be done.