GDT: Yotes @ Canucks - 7:00PM PST, SNET-P

[SKYO]

AV needs to try something like this.

AMEX line gets #1 minutes.
the hated Ray on the second line with Hank and Burrows
Danny with Sammy and Hansen
4th line grinders.

[tantalum]

Ya I guess we watched different games

After the first 10 minutes they did have some dominant shifts but they never really looked dangerous.

After the 10 minute mark they scored twice and hit 3 or 4 posts/crossbars. They were quite dangerous. Luongo let in 3 bad goals IMO. The first one was just a dreadful rebound. The first coyote PP goal Luongo simply failed to follow the puck. He didn't really seem to be screened and the shot placement wasn't great. Then he had another poor rebound. Yes other poor plays on that one but he failed to control that rebound and really every rebound all night. On his game he sucks those up and all of a sudden the defense doesn't look half bad. THe other issues were a poor pinch by Hamhuis and a couple of poor decisions by Bieksa. Take even half of the above things out the game tonight and the canucks get the win. Take them all out and they win comfortably.

The last couple of weeks it's been a team thing. Tonight I don't think so. Tonight the loss can rightfully be put on a few players shoulders.

[Hockey Widow]

Ya I guess we watched different games

After the first 10 minutes they did have some dominant shifts but they never really looked dangerous.

After the 10 minute mark they scored twice and hit 3 or 4 posts/crossbars. They were quite dangerous. Luongo let in 3 bad goals IMO. The first one was just a dreadful rebound. The first coyote PP goal Luongo simply failed to follow the puck. He didn't really seem to be screened and the shot placement wasn't great. Then he had another poor rebound. Yes other poor plays on that one but he failed to control that rebound and really every rebound all night. On his game he sucks those up and all of a sudden the defense doesn't look half bad. THe other issues were a poor pinch by Hamhuis and a couple of poor decisions by Bieksa. Take even half of the above things out the game tonight and the canucks get the win. Take them all out and they win comfortably.

The last couple of weeks it's been a team thing. Tonight I don't think so. Tonight the loss can rightfully be put on a few players shoulders.

What the F is your problem Tant? I want to mope and complain and jump off the bandwagon for a night and all you want to do is talk facts. Geesh!!!

[tantalum]

I could be wrong. RD certainly tells me that I am often enough.

[Hockey Widow]

I could be wrong. RD certainly tells me that I am often enough.

Tonight you are a voice of reason my friend. I'm just happy the ticket and dinner were free!

[mathonwy]

Ya I guess we watched different games

After the first 10 minutes they did have some dominant shifts but they never really looked dangerous.

After the 10 minute mark they scored twice and hit 3 or 4 posts/crossbars. They were quite dangerous. Luongo let in 3 bad goals IMO. The first one was just a dreadful rebound. The first coyote PP goal Luongo simply failed to follow the puck. He didn't really seem to be screened and the shot placement wasn't great. Then he had another poor rebound. Yes other poor plays on that one but he failed to control that rebound and really every rebound all night. On his game he sucks those up and all of a sudden the defense doesn't look half bad. THe other issues were a poor pinch by Hamhuis and a couple of poor decisions by Bieksa. Take even half of the above things out the game tonight and the canucks get the win. Take them all out and they win comfortably.

The last couple of weeks it's been a team thing. Tonight I don't think so. Tonight the loss can rightfully be put on a few players shoulders.

What the F is your problem Tant? I want to mope and complain and jump off the bandwagon for a night and all you want to do is talk facts. Geesh!!!

LOL busted.

Not very often does HW want to go down this avenue.

What happened to it doesn't matter it's just the regular season?

No, I hear ya. When you watch a game intently and the team loses, you can't help NOT be overly critical of all of the fucks ups.

I hear ya. Kassian needs to be sent down to work on his conditioning. We need high energy and jump and Kassian didn't bring that in the 3rd. He was totally gassed.

[mathonwy]

I could be wrong. RD certainly tells me that I am often enough.

Tonight you are a voice of reason my friend. I'm just happy the ticket and dinner were free!

Did you put out?

J/k..

*duck*

[Meds]

Caught the highlights.

Lou's head was elsewhere tonight on 3 of them, maybe 4. Can't fault him on the winner though, hard shot from in close is always going to give up a rebound like that unless the shooter is a moron and puts it right into the goalie's chest.....enter Mason Raymond.

Since I didn't see it I can't harp on Raymond. All I know is that when I heard he was being tried with the Sedin's I just hung my head. There are several better options, like Kassian, Higgins, Booth, Hansen, Lapierre, and Weise. Although, I guess using Booth or Higgins would mean breaking up what it currently our most effective line. Raymond has been our most ineffective forward overall since returning to the lineup.

A Bieksa brain-fart during a period where the team is in sleepwalk mode is nothing new.

Also not surprised to hear that, despite the fact that they put up a few points, the Sedin's wouldn't really engage physically tonight. I'm going to stay optimistic here and go with my gut which is telling me that they are the two guys saving the most for the playoffs.

I'm not going to hang this one on Luongo, even though the team did get him 4 goals. I pity the guy. If HW's source is on the level and Lou really is going through some serious domestic shit on the home front, then he gets an automatic pass in my books. Nobody, regardless of salary, vocation, or location, is going to be able to maintain the focus required to be 100% effective at anything they do.....unless they completely despise their spouse. So in this case the loss that would normally rest on Louie gets dumped on Vigneault and/or Gillis. They should have given Luongo a leave of absence from the team for the remainder of the season to go and work through things with the missus. No team could ever be in a better position to do this than the Canucks are right now. They are all but locked into #2 in the West, and have been since mid February thanks to 3 very weak NW division teams and a Minnesota Wild team that shit the bed in epic fashion back at the mid-season mark. The team has a backup goalie that many other GM's are probably salivating over as the day approaches when they can drop an offer sheet in Gillis' lap. The core is a close knit group and the room is rumored to be one of the tightest in the NHL. The team would carry on and be there for Luongo away from the rink, rather than being distracted by his home life issues at the rink. There should have been no question posed to Luongo about this, it should have been cut and dry. Just about every guy in his situation, with his personality type, is going to try and be there for the team and not bail on his buddies. It's the wrong move. Instead of fighting through just one battle Luongo is taking on several at once. The relationship war, the win/lose game of hockey, and (what has been for him at least) the lose/lose battle with the fans and media. On top of that he is fighting himself as he shoulders more and more blame for the team's recent woes. All this is compounding and it is killing the team, and at this point putting him on the shelf will only make matter worse on the hockey front. Gillis needs to level with him and just tell him to take the time he needs and not come back until the stuff between him and Mrs. Luongo is sorted out one way or the other because last time anyone checked "I DO" wasn't "until a shot at the Stanley Cup do us part".

If logic, psychology, and compassion aren't enough to convince the team, coaching staff, and management that this is the way to go, then past history had better do the trick. Every time Vigneault has left Louie in to "play his way out of it" the team has ended up mired in a slump. A couple of nights off and/or a walk on the sea wall have been the only things that have really snapped Lou out of it and let him settle and get his focus back on the ice. This time it's different only in that it is going to be much harder.

Relationship problems and pro hockey don't mix well, especially for goaltenders. Just ask Kirk McLean.

[Meds]

I could be wrong. RD certainly tells me that I am often enough.

Tonight you are a voice of reason my friend. I'm just happy the ticket and dinner were free!

Did you put out?

J/k..

*duck*

Might wanna try a low block instead.

[SKYO]

Is that medic?

[Meds]

Is that medic?

It is.

[SKYO]

Is that medic?

It is.

haha hows it going man, crazy seeing all the old crowd back together again.

Where's ODB??

[Meds]

Is that medic?

It is.

haha hows it going man, crazy seeing all the old crowd back together again.

Where's ODB??

He's around. Been on a bit of a hiatus of late. Generally sticks to the "OF", and even then he wasn't on for a month or so til Lever came back a week(ish) ago.

[benivolent]

finally back from the game.

impressions:

holy crap this team cannot wait for the post season. The really really disturbing thing is that they are creating so many bad habits. I have NEVER seen this team give up so many odd man rushes and look so lazy while doing so. I couldn't really tell if it was just a bad pinch, or a horrendously slow back check. (Was it me or did Burr look pretty gassed on some of his back checks?)

One can only hope that they are practicing a different system but using a really lame one during games so that the other teams who might be scouting them are totally flummoxed as how to defend this erratic style. [sarcasm?]

Play pretty much died every time it went near good ole MayRay.

What did you guys think of the defensive zone start sans Malhotra. I didn't really notice it. (plus it was more of an afterthought)

Didn't really notice Kassian except for a couple hits. Weise didn't really have an impact...in fact that whole fourth line seemed rather quiet except for lappy and one shift that i can remember.

If not for the work of the third line, and the odd rush (here come's booth up the side, wonder what he's gonna do, oh yeah take it to the net and ignore the opening that he created for them) from the 2nd. Don't get me wrong. I actually like Booth for what he brings. I just wish that him and Kes, would start to develop some 5-on-5 moves more often.

Lu: wth, man?! no rebound control tonight, and didn't to want to bother to slide to the left on that one goal.

Maybe the coyotes are on to something though.... banking it in off their own players crashing the crease. heh.

please playoffs, come soon!

[SKYO]

He's around. Been on a bit of a hiatus of late. Generally sticks to the "OF", and even then he wasn't on for a month or so til Lever came back a week(ish) ago.

DL's stupid hot avatars!, ODB still acting non-hardcore?

I'm just going to assume Topper still holding reign over everyone? No THINKER yet?