GDT - Oct 17 - Canucks vs Cody's Dad - 4pm on S-NET

[Hockey Widow]

This was exactly the game we needed. We got up for and dominated a basement dweller. Going up by three was big as it allowed Torts to roll four lines and three D pairings.

Good on Luongo get that SO. The hockey gads were kind to him today, especially after the goal was calle back and he tried to gift wrap one for the Sabres. But a SO is a SO.


Good for Stanton on getting his first and in making the save on the Luongo wrap around attemp

Kassian great game, JS strong game, Booth OK but we need more from him. But if Kassian and JS can keep getting stringer and more game ready we will have our three lines.

Liking Stanton more and more each game, good waiver pick up by MG, the guy who never gets enough credit for the things he does right!

Still holes in the game and we'd still need to show we can best a top 10 team. But an improvement over seasons past when we didn't dominate teams we should. Nice all round effort, even Alberts had a decent game.

Saturday at 9:30am, ugh, I doubt I will be up for that game but let's hope the Canucks are.

[Lancer]

Cody Hodgson plays more minutes than he ever would have in Vancouver because Buffalo really is that bad of a team - he was arguably their most dangerous forward out there (which is truly depressing if you're a Sabres fan).

I'm gonna cringe when I look at the ice times for the Twins and Kesler. I don't know how they're going to keep this up over 82 games because it seemed like they were on the ice half the game 5-on-5.

Garret and Shorthouse were going on about how Kesler's really turned it on the last couple of games. Those last two games, he's played almost entirely on the wing. Coincidence??? Methinks Gillis should be looking for a 2nd-line centre to play with Kesler as opposed to a 2nd line winger. Just a thought.

Kassian looked better out there and held on to the puck more before making higher-percentage plays. It's coming... I hope. Be interesting to see if Schroeder stays on the 3rd line with Kassian and Hansen and see what could develop between them but would be more intrigued to see him centre Kes and Higgins.

Luongo is getting some serious puck-luck payback for the own-goal last Saturday. I'll take a shutout any day, though.

They beat a team they should have beaten and looked good doing it. It must suck to be Ryan Miller these days. I'd spare a tear for Erhoff because it was evident he is making some skilled plays his teammates just can't finish - but he took the money and ran. Hope he's happy collecting his millions out there.

[SKYO]

I'm gonna cringe when I look at the ice times for the Twins and Kesler. I don't know how they're going to keep this up over 82 games because it seemed like they were on the ice half the game 5-on-5.

But big minutes is what the best players in the league thrive on and how they stay sharp imo, as they never get "cold" and just constantly stay in-the-zone.

[herb]

It needs to be said again; the Sabres suck.

However, just like that, Luongo’s numbers are looking more like his career averages.

It was an all around strong performance up and down the Canucks line up. The only real sore spot for me is the PP didn’t get a goal. Nice to see Stanton get his first NHL goal!

If Santorelli and Stanton can keep it up, wow, what a couple of finds. Santorelli won’t keep scoring at a .75 PPG pace, but if he can score at a .5 PPG pace, provide versatility throughout the line up and be defensively reliable he will provide the depth we desperately need.

I thought the Kassian-Schroeder-Booth line was good tonight. They had lots of offensive zone time, a few shots on goal and all three made some nice heads up plays. It was a step in the right direction.

How long can Henrik and Kesler continue to play as much as our best defensemen? Not all season, but Tortorella definitely wasn’t lying when he said he was going to lean on his best players. Ideally that third line gets good enough to take two or three minutes off Hank and Kes’ workload.

Kind of an intriguing team we have this year. This finally looks like the versatile, mobile, two way defensive group Gillis has been trying to build for years. There are some big question marks up front, but I am cautiously optimistic Schroeder can be a NHL player, and would like to see him play with Kesler at some point (I’m sure he will). Santorelli has been a God send early on.

*Edit - how could I forget to mention Cody Hodgson getting used as a pylon by Schroeder in the third period. Just Cody being Cody I suppose.

[herb]

I'm gonna cringe when I look at the ice times for the Twins and Kesler. I don't know how they're going to keep this up over 82 games because it seemed like they were on the ice half the game 5-on-5.

Actually, it was less than 1/3 of the game 5 on 5. Still a lot more ice time than we are used to seeing them get, but it's what a lot of other great players have done for years. I guess the big worry is injuries, but those could happen either way.

[sagebrush]

The best looking effort of the season, by far. Sustained for about 50 minutes.

The Canucks were more in sync than previous games, & made a lot of smart plays. Including Kassian.

Lets see how they do against Pittsburgh - with Edler back in the line up.

[okcanuck]

I can hardly wait for Royal-dud's post explaining to us how Gillis completely blew the Co-Ho--Kassian trade. Co-Ho was almost invisible out there,Kassian had a pretty decent game.

[CFP!]

I can hardly wait for Royal-dud's post explaining to us how Gillis completely blew the Co-Ho--Kassian trade. Co-Ho was almost invisible out there,Kassian had a pretty decent game.

Didn't you see the faceoff he won against Booth?

[Benjo]

Cody's cross ice saucer pass to Vanek on the no goal play was very Sedin-like. I'd say that was his only noticeable play on the evening.

[Vader]

I don't post a lot on these GDT threads and being en-route to Vegas I didn't see the game but...

Any team that has to play Christian Erhoff 25mins+ a game is in trouble. Good PP guy, good puck mover. I like the guy. But on the Nucks he was sheltered defensively and was the #5 guy at even strength. What's happened to Tyler Myers?

Hodgson was 11-6 on the FO and an even plus minus in 20 mins. Kassian played 12. Not writing off Kassian by any means but seriously, is it OK to admit Hodgson / Buff is winning this trade so far?

12 mins for David Booth? Only 14 for Hansen? Figured Hansen would be a Tort favourite. Higgins w/ 5 SOG. Streaky guy looks like he's getting hot

Saving judgement on the Canucks as a whole until we see them play a few more "playoff" caliber teams

[Arachnid]

It's pretty much guaranteed that Buffalo will be drafting 1st overall in 2014, that is if they don't lose the lottery. This is a bad team, worst in the NHL

Prediction: Sabres trade Miller to cOilers for Yakapoopoo and Dubious, still finish last for the next 2 years and draft 1st in 2015 to claim the Next Best Thing™....BakerDude declares he has always secretly loved the Buttfuckalos since they won that damned coin toss...moves his fam to Tonawanda and gets stabbed making a run to the liquor store get'n some Colt for his booster juice...dies in hospital because he never filled out the paperwork for ObamaScares citing 'it was what it was'.

Ah...the sad happy life of a clown