GDT: Canucks vs Ducks (8pm - Saskie time!)

[newcanuckfan]

That is one gaping hole in the back end, and the "team D" has been faltering as well.

The second thing they can correct between periods, the first one....well, let's hope Salo gets well soon.

[rats19]

Hiller at .909.....
Little push at the end of 2nd. Can we carry it to the3rd?

[rats19]

Stopping watching tsn mobile box score now..night all

[Overtime]

An atypical first game back after the long road trip game. Bright lights; Cody, Roberto.
Booth had some energy too. Good to see.
Anaheim obviously has been rejuvenated.

[newcanuckfan]

Yeah - I do hate to bitch so much about "these type of games", but they do really piss me off. I mean, I like and respect AV and all, but it'd be nice to see a few of them getting their asses chewed out mid game.

Ah well, could be worse -- like actually spending $ to be at the game.

[Hockey Widow]

An atypical first game back after the long road trip game. Bright lights; Cody, Roberto.
Booth had some energy too. Good to see.
Anaheim obviously has been rejuvenated.

I don't think so. They have played this way since the Boston game so thats 4 in row where they have not brought their A game, or their B game.

[Overtime]

Yeah - I do hate to bitch so much about "these type of games", but they do really piss me off. I mean, I like and respect AV and all, but it'd be nice to see a few of them getting their asses chewed out mid game.

Ah well, could be worse -- like actually spending $ to be at the game.

Umm. Prefer not to disagree but I feel that its just a game that AV should just stay quiet about.
It was not good but we hit plenty of posts.
Im sensing a .500 streak for a little while. Im o.k. with that. Happy to see Hodgson gaining confidence
and thrilled to see Booth on a comeback.
Loved hearing Carlyles comments on the 1040 pre game show.

[Benjo]

What did Carlyle say?

[Overtime]

An atypical first game back after the long road trip game. Bright lights; Cody, Roberto.
Booth had some energy too. Good to see.
Anaheim obviously has been rejuvenated.

I don't think so. They have played this way since the Boston game so thats 4 in row where they have not brought their A game, or their B game.

Mid season. On top of the division. Got some revenge! We have played plenty of teams on a winning roll in the past few weeks.
Minnesota has dropped like a stone.
For every time their is a season. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up.
Mason Raymond is quite the enigma. He gets in position so often but just seems to squeeze the stick!
Sorry ...rambling.

[Overtime]

What did Carlyle say?

Carlyle stated that the 'nucks are the best team in the league. Top nine forwards and our six deep "D" are players that any team in the league would take on their team. He indirectly commented Gillis in that he has replenished our line-up with his depth
personnel moves. Carlyle stated further that whenever we lose someone due to injury; there always seems to be someone that steps up that almost any team would take in their line up.
He also stated "Choose your poison" as far as goaltenders. "As long as Luongo isnt playing in October" Lol'

[Meds]

Few things stood out in a terrible return to home ice.....

First of all, with the exception of a very few, the team looked disinterested from the first puck drop. It was like they just didn't care about getting an easy 2 points off of one of the worst teams in the NHL.

I am sick of Aaron Rome. Have been since he was an injury plug in 2009-10. The guy is one of Vigneault's boys, he is fine as a #7 or lower, but when he gets anything more than 12 minutes a game it is usually ugly. Tonight he should have been benched after his second shift. He was directly responsible for the first goal, he tried to be cute with the puck and failed to clear it. Luongo makes 2 HUGE saves and Rome is nowhere to be found covering the attacking Anaheim player in front who finally buries it past a sprawled Luongo and Henrik who dove into the net behind his goaltender to try and save a goal. Rome then turned the puck over at the blueline on Blake's goal. Granted, it was a hard pass that came out of the corner from Booth, but instead of play it safely, stop it and dump it back to the corner, Rome tries this quick "one-timer-touch-flip-pass" that he completely missed because he just doesn't have the skill to pull that off. Blake is by him and off to the races. Edler hustled back to take away the pass, but Blake has alot of experience sniping, and when he is that open on the fly and has that long of a look.....well that was 2-1 Ducks.

Rome has been trying to do too much with the puck since he came back earlier this year and nailed a couple of lucky goals. It's like he suddenly thought he was the dman's version of Crosby or something. He's a joke and a total downgrade from Alberts who at least has the good sense to recognize his limitations for the most part.

Edler has been struggling lately too. He has to be the worst defensman going to the allstar game when it comes to keeping the puck in at the point. He also has tried to carry the puck a bit too much and turned it over along the boards.

All of our defensemen have struggled lately when facing an aggressive forecheck. I'm not sure if this is because they are rushing too much under pressure, or if the forwards aren't coming back to support properly, or if the coaching staff simply hasn't done their job in drawing up a safe breakout plan. Most teams that are succeeding against our forecheck are exiting the puck right up the middle when we press along the boards. They simply kick the puck back and then hit the man in the slot who takes the puck up and out safely. Why we don't try this too is beyond me, but I'm not a coach.

Our first PP unit was terrible tonight. There were a few opportunites that came close, but ultimately it was a non-factor in that game. Some of that was due in part to our point men being exceptionally bad at keeping the puck in the attacking zone. This resulted in no setup time and constant regrouping.

On the plus side there was Luongo and Hodgson. Both of them were the best players on the ice for us tonight. Luongo held the team close and made some killer highlight reel stops. Hodgson continued to play smart hockey and once again showcased his shot, which is crazy quick and accurate. Raymond had a pretty strong game and has shown that he has gotten stronger on the puck, that was a very good read on Hiller's over-committment, and a fast reaction to sweep around the net.

Booth looked a bit off, but only in his timing. He doesn't seem to have lost a step, and actually got better as the game went on.

The only plus I take from this is that we will likely finish this home stand 5-1 after losing like this.

[ukcanuck]

An atypical first game back after the long road trip game. Bright lights; Cody, Roberto.
Booth had some energy too. Good to see.
Anaheim obviously has been rejuvenated.

I don't think so. They have played this way since the Boston game so thats 4 in row where they have not brought their A game, or their B game.

it reminds me of the 3 games they dropped against Chicago last spring. that time it was the flu, this time it is the schedule and an emtotional let down after Boston...is this a periodic anomoly or something worse, much worse...

[damonberryman]

Yeah - I do hate to bitch so much about "these type of games", but they do really piss me off. I mean, I like and respect AV and all, but it'd be nice to see a few of them getting their asses chewed out mid game.

Ah well, could be worse -- like actually spending $ to be at the game.

Umm. Prefer not to disagree but I feel that its just a game that AV should just stay quiet about.
It was not good but we hit plenty of posts.
Im sensing a .500 streak for a little while. Im o.k. with that. Happy to see Hodgson gaining confidence
and thrilled to see Booth on a comeback.
Loved hearing Carlyles comments on the 1040 pre game show.

For some reason I got to agree with the 500 comment. I have sensed it coming by watching half-assed efforts the last few games. I think it has to do with the Boston game. We won the game but we lost the war. I would like to take that game as a statement on our team toughness but I can't. I got a feeling down deep in their bones the Bruins and their brutal play combined with losing Salo took way more out of the boys then we have heard about. Hopefully a small losing streak will get managements attention and they will go out and get us the killer d we need, but I do not know if they are (or I am ) prepared for the cost. Weber will cost us at least Hodgson and Edler and I do not want to give up Cody. However, unless someone else comes along I do not know how we are going to win the Cup without some toughness combined with skill on the back end.

[Reefer2]

Little AV is -3 tonight. I wonder how Big AV will spin that shit.

Take your pick:

a) blame it on coming back from an injury
b) just a bad game
c) blame it on Ballard

[Boston Canucker]

Yeah - I do hate to bitch so much about "these type of games", but they do really piss me off. I mean, I like and respect AV and all, but it'd be nice to see a few of them getting their asses chewed out mid game.

Ah well, could be worse -- like actually spending $ to be at the game.

Umm. Prefer not to disagree but I feel that its just a game that AV should just stay quiet about.
It was not good but we hit plenty of posts.
Im sensing a .500 streak for a little while. Im o.k. with that. Happy to see Hodgson gaining confidence
and thrilled to see Booth on a comeback.
Loved hearing Carlyles comments on the 1040 pre game show.

For some reason I got to agree with the 500 comment. I have sensed it coming by watching half-assed efforts the last few games. I think it has to do with the Boston game. We won the game but we lost the war. I would like to take that game as a statement on our team toughness but I can't. I got a feeling down deep in their bones the Bruins and their brutal play combined with losing Salo took way more out of the boys then we have heard about. Hopefully a small losing streak will get managements attention and they will go out and get us the killer d we need, but I do not know if they are (or I am ) prepared for the cost. Weber will cost us at least Hodgson and Edler and I do not want to give up Cody. However, unless someone else comes along I do not know how we are going to win the Cup without some toughness combined with skill on the back end.

I think this is right about the impact of the Boston game on the Canucks, at least in the short term. But in terms of losing the war, it's worth noting that the Bruins have not played well since that game either. They lost to Carolina on the weekend, and before that - like the Canucks - were winning games where they were playing well below par. I was at the Bruins- Habs game and the Bruins were very sloppy, but Thomas bailed them out, as our goalies have done lately. In all, I tend to take January games as the the worst barometer of a team's performance. It's the dog days. NYR lose to messed up Habs team, Detroit gets blown out by NYI, the Bruins lose to Carolina, we lose to the Ducks...January sucks for hockey.
Our guys need to pick it up for sure, and better play damn better on Tues, but one look around the league shows this happens to a lot of good teams this time of year....long freaking season.