GDT - Canucks vs Blues 7 PM PST SNet

[mathonwy]

A very good hard fought team win.

4th line was our best line.

I want to see the Amex line back together again.

[Hank]

Playoff type win. No real tough saves for Luongo. Nice.

[tantalum]

This game clearly illustrates how Kassian can help now to all those wondering how it was going to be possible. Some help now and I can't help but think a lot more help down the road.

LaPierre with 10, count them, 10 hits.

[Arachnid]

This game clearly illustrates how Kassian can help now to all those wondering how it was going to be possible. Some help now and I can't help but think a lot more help down the road.

LaPierre with 10, count them, 10 hits.

Kassian, 3rd star, jeez man, he keeps this up he's going to become a fan favourite...when's the last time we had a bruiser we really liked? Odjick?

[Hank]

LaPierre with 10, count them, 10 hits.

10 ACTUAL hits, not 10 Clutterbuck@home "hits". Incredible.

[Boston Canucker]

Really nice win. First game back after a road trip against a top team that grinds and gives no room, and we beat them at their game. In fact, I can't think of a really grade A chance the blues had all game. I am sure there was one or two, but nothing sticks out. The D did a very good job of keeping things clean.

I count myself as one who was not a fan of losing cody, at all, but kassian looks good and even more importantly maybe, gragnani seemed to fit in with just fine with how the canucks want theor D to play.

All in all, hard to complain about this one, nice work.

[mathonwy]

MAGS in his first game looked more effective than Tanev.

I was quite impressed with his decision making.

I'm sure if we're going to be seeing Alberts any time soon.

[dbr]

I assume it was a system thing (ie. he is still absorbing ours) but I thought I noticed him make a bunch of chintzy little passes in our zone that were either not likely to get to the recipient or not likely to get to someone in a better position than he was at any rate.

Hopefully two or three weeks of games and practices will have him using his teammates more effectively.

[stoneboat]

MAGS in his first game looked more effective than Tanev.

I was quite impressed with his decision making.

At least on the offensive/playmaking side of things. I have to say Tanev doesn't freak me out as much in his own zone, however. I'd like to see both guys slot in, but I'm not sure that's going to happen -- too bad, because I'm not a big fan of Rome on the right side at all.

[Meds]

That was one of the most entertaining 1-0 (2-0 counting Higgins EN) games I have watched in a long time. The Canucks played a perfect game tonight, and they did it against a team that has the hottest goaltending tandem in the league right now, and who are all about grinding it out and capitalizing on the mistakes generated by a team that over commits while trying to break through the team defense that the Blue's play. Tonight Vancouver didn't over commit, they didn't get desperate for a goal, they didn't take any chances, they just played a solid, smart game, and they walked away with the 2 points and top spot in the league (we really need NYR to lose one here though, that 2 games in hand is gonna kill us otherwise).

The great.....

Burrows. Scored the winner, and just did every little thing all night long. Seriously, this guy is the most underpaid player in the NHL.

Lapierre. 10 hits? What a performance! That's what we'll need in the playoffs, and I will be surprised if we don't get it.

Kassian. Unreal game tonight. Bruising, shooting, bruising, forechecking, bruising, passing, more bruising. 3rd star for a reason.

Team defense. Poised and executing. Perfect game.

The good.....

Luongo. This shutout doesn't land him on the "great" list, he didn't need to be great tonight, the team made this an easy SO for him, but he was still there when he had to be and challenged well and covered down low quickly when the blues got it below our goal line.

Rome and Gragnani. Rome was solid. No screw-ups and played well defensively. He even had a few good looks at the net by reading the defender that was going down to block the shot. Gragnani can move the puck! He's a great little passer, see's his teammates and moves the puck around the offensive zone finding the open man. I liked how he controlled the puck and got a defender to follow him a bit before dishing it across our down. Rome was the benefactor of some extra room on the point tonight because of Gragnani's play and passing.

I suppose pretty much everyone can fit into this category.

The average.....

Raymond. I loved the 3-on-1 we had in the second period where Raymond gets the puck on the left wing and puts a shot right into Elliot's chest. His swan diving antics were crazy in the first period.

The bad.....

The officiating. So inconsistent. John and John pointed it out numerous times, but they didn't really have to.....it was that obvious. Normally I would have been screaming murder at the screen, but the team needs these games right now. They need to learn how to win 5-on-5 and with the other team given a free hand to hang off their backs, sit on them behind the net, and in general play bush league hockey. That's what is going to happen in the playoffs, and everyone knows it.

St. Louis, for their place in the standings and all the hype and success they've seen since Hitch took over, is just simply not "there" yet. They have the defense and the home-end support from the forwads, but the team just isn't at "that level" when they run into a deep team that is going to play them hard and disrupt their attack every time. That's not to say that they don't have some crazy good players that I would want on my team, I'd take Backes, Oshie, and Berglund in a heartbeat. But tonight I think the Canucks wanted to make a statement, they came in and played a flawless game defensively, kept St. Louis to the outside, gave the Blues nothing of note on offense, controlled the puck, made them chase in the offensive zone, and didn't back off or change it up after finally beating Elliot in the third period. They answered every hit and then threw some more that the Blue's didn't have an answer for. If the ref's hadn't let St. Louis play dead-puck-era-defense, there's a good chance the Canucks would have had another 4 or 5 powerplay opportunities and that could have been a huge difference maker. Regardless, a playoff series against St. Louis would be a hard one.

[LotusBlossom]

First hockey game since January that I have seen in its entirety. I've been away overseas most of February and great to see the Canucks start off a home-stand with a win vs the climbing Blues.

I will be catching up on all things Canucks this week and get back to writing and posting in the following weeks to come.

[Aaronp18]

This game clearly illustrates how Kassian can help now to all those wondering how it was going to be possible. Some help now and I can't help but think a lot more help down the road.

LaPierre with 10, count them, 10 hits.

Exactly!

Lappy grew 3 inches in 3 days and that 4th line is going to help us win games when it matters. It's a dimension that has been missing from the Canucks for some time. I've liked what I've seen so far and you can definitely see where Kassian's game can progress.

He should be placed on he first PP to do what Kesler is doing to balance the first and second units. At least give him a shot.

Did the Sabres send us Erhoff instead of this MAG guy? Definitely not as well rounded as Christian but his timely pinches and offensive zone awareness sure reminded me of him a bit. He will need to work on positioning and what to do with the puck in his own end but I think he could work out quite well.

I can see where a player like him, and Erhoff for that matter, could get into trouble on a team that does not have the forward group or system in place that can cover for their offensive forays. Fortunately we have a defensively responsible team and a system in place that enables defenseman to join the rush when possible.

MAG may just thrive here and I'm hugely optimistic that Kassian will!

[porp]

Was at one of my very rare 'nucks games up in the nosebleeds.

Bit of a snoozer; everyone looked mentally if not physically exhausted. Lots of sloppy play, missed communication and confusion behind the play, giveaways, and the Blues came out strong and played tenaciously - but they aren't a very good team. In the second it was almost like a circus. A 'nuck would giveaway the puck but a Blues would give it right back to a 'nuck. Some decent long shifts down low for the Canucks, but the Blues clogged up the slot and passing lanes well. Annoying to watch and some drunken outdoorsmen types behind us started grumbling and left before the first goal.

Tried to keep an eye out for Kassian - saw him with Lapierre and Higgens some, especially in the third. He kinda looked like he was "third man out" or left behind like a younger bro. A little. Not disappointed in him, though. Behind the plays, he looked like he's at least willing to attempt to be defensively responsible. If he keeps that up, AV's going to give him lots of ice time and in more situations. Also, he's biggish, but he doesn't *look* like a monster. Strong lower body/core and balance and decent foot speed but lacks quickness, a trait that is exceedingly rare for big players so I never expected that in him anyway. Solid young (!!!) player with a lot of potential. The Canucks should stick with their development plan for young players and bring him along slowly.

Lapierre was definitely the best Canuck on the ice tonight. Like someone mentioned, having Kassian on his line might have something to do with it, but Lapierre's attitude and energy was standout especially in a game where the Canucks were pretty sluggish overall.

It was nice to see Luo get a shutout, but he didn't have to work super hard for it.

Looked like a game that neither team deserved to win, but a nice recovery after a bobbled puck led to the first goal and luckily that was enough.

[Hockey Widow]

We started tentatively for sure but the early 10-0 in shots was misleading.

On Kassian:

I like this kid. I think he will only get better. So far no dumb penalties and has looked very good. YA Lappy played like a bigger man tonight.

On Pahlsson:

Loved his game. He is exactly what we want in a third line centre. He is what Johnson never was and Cody could never be. He is so sound in his own end and he shut down some pretty mean mothers tonight. Great on the limited PK he had. He muscled a few pucks out of the zone and looked so poised doing it. I think his worth will shine through in the playoffs.

On MAG:

An adventure for sure. He did remind me of a minny Ehrhoff. He needs work in his own zone, defensive positioning and when to pinch in. Man he was in the Blues zone behind the net a few times. Looked like he was trying to hard to impress but I think he had a very solid game one as a Canuck. I cannot see him being an AV favourite until he learns to play better defensively and along the wall. He looks small out there and plays a small mans game. You can see his offensive potential for sure but unless he learns the other side of playing defence he will sit. I did read somewhere that because of his age he has to play in 17 or 18 more games or he is not an RFA in July but a UFA so if that is true I think we can see him playing a lot more the rest of the way. This could be a good thing or this could be a bad thing.

On the lines:

Something needs to shift to get Kesler and Booth going and the only really logical thing would be to put Higgins or Kassian there. Perhaps time to drop Raymond back to the third line and move Higgins up. I'd keep the 4th line as is because they look so damn good together. As others have mentioned when was the last time we had a 4th line that could get almost 12 minutes of ice time and be that dominant out there? I never felt the Blues were a threat to score at any time during the game.

On defence:

Salo with a great game. Hamhuis with a great game. Bieksa with a strong game. Elder with a strong game. Rome with a good game. MAG with a good game. Third pairing still a little adventure but Rome actually had a solid game and covered for the kid.

On the Blues:

I expected a tougher game from them. They had no push back tonight and it was not a typical Blues/Canucks game. Perhaps fatigue from the long road trip but I don't think we saw their A game.

[BladesofSteel]

Some side notes, as just about everyone has already mentioned my thoughts.

I am really encouraged by what Sami Pahlsson could potentially add to this group. Last year in the playoffs, Jannik was a monster for us on the third line, usually alongside Max. I already beginning to see some chemistry b/w Jannik and Pahlsson as they both possess a relentless forechecking/backchecking pedigree that can be soooo effective in shutting down skilled players. If these two can form a good bond, along with Higgins this could be one of the stingiest third lines in the league.

Sami isn't going to knock anyone off their feet, but he does throw his body around, intercept passes and his positioning is so astute that he keeps the opposing D on their toes. His foot speed isn't overwhelming, but his hockey sense and positioning is spot on. I really, really like this acquisition a lot and I think he's going to be a real positive influence for Hansen.

Lappy and Kassian were absolutely HUGE tonight. I can't wait until Zack loses his temper though, it seems he's just a little too passive. Not a negative, as he's clearly got a good head for the game and doesn't want to rock the boat, but I am looking forward to seeing what this guy will do when he gets really, really pissed off. Clearly, right now he's just on cloud 9 for the opportunity that has fallen in his lap.