Vancouver Canucks

[ridinryan44]

As per Angus' twitter, Kesler skated for a practice today.

You can check out Kesler talking about it at canucks.nhl.com

[ridinryan44]

Word in the street is that kesler is ahead of schedule and could return before the target of November 1st. Great news for owners and team. Not as great for COHO.

[Loch]

Word in the street is that kesler is ahead of schedule and could return before the target of November 1st. Great news for owners and team. Not as great for COHO.

Pfft... Hodgson bolts out of the gate and either Sturm or (preferably) Samuelsson gets demoted down the lines instead.

[redrobster22]

Pfft... Hodgson bolts out of the gate and either Sturm or (preferably) Samuelsson gets demoted down the lines instead.

I see Samuelsson having a huge year and being a big part of our #1 power play unit. He's in a contract year and will be given a great opportunity and I say he runs with it. 30+ goals and 30+ assists I figure.
I wonder why they haven't experimented with CoHo on the wing before? I think probably because he's such a great 2 way player that they want to keep him at center. But with Henrik, Kesler and Malholtra having top 3 center spots locked down for the forseeable future, something has to give. He's too skilled and not a proper fit for the 4th line so they way have to move him to wing full time. Unless he lights it up before Kesler is back and Canucks brass decide to sell high on him and deal him for a top D prospect or picks?

So glad to be talking hockey... Welcome back NHL!

[ridinryan44]

Mike Gillis has informed TSN that Kesler should be back in five to six games. Sex-ay.

[ridinryan44]

Pfft... Hodgson bolts out of the gate and either Sturm or (preferably) Samuelsson gets demoted down the lines instead.

Fingers crossed for this scenario! Whether or not it's Kes or Hodgson on the wing with the other sticking at center, I would like yonder samuelsson on the third line. I just like that depth.

[ridinryan44]

Pretty poor start to the game tonight. Vancouver came out flat and Pittsburgh was dominant. Vancouver took some bad penalties and Luongo allowed a weak goal by James Neal to sneak threw his pads on the first of two PP goals on the night. I think Neal must have paid Lou off before the game as Luongo pretty much carried the puck into his own net. Matt Cooke padded the lead, sniping a shot top corner off a nice pass from Staal. Lou was cheating to the other side of the net, not too happy to see him let this one in either, though it was a well placed shot. Lapierre tied the game on a eerily similar play to the Neal goal, throwing the puck on net where Fleury seemed to step on the puck and knock it into his own net. Both bad angle shots.

Vancouver came out flying in the second and really dominated until Cooke scored his second of the game on weak shot while shorthanded. Luongo should have stopped this as well and could have, if he were acting like a goaltender. He was way out of position and really had no chance at it the way he was playing the shot. Vancouver managed, though, to rebound well and Keith Ballard scored off a beautiful pass from Hank Sedin to put Vancouver within one.

The third period was great back and forth hockey, great chances for both teams. Burrows was entirely responsible for Vancouver's third goal, drawing a penalty, putting the puck on net on a wrap-around and then screening Fleury while Daniel sniped home the tying goal. Fantastic reward for Burrows on a huge effort. The sixth man wasn't even needed. Vancouver coul dhave put it away in overtime but Fleury kept Pittsburgh alive. All in all, it was a spectacular third period of hockey. Bettman was happy with the finish on this one.

-I can't believe I'm saying this, but Ballard was fantastic. One tiny little mishap stick-handling the puck in front of his own net was really the only negative from his game tonight. Ballard had the initial breakout pass on his own goal as well, overall a very solid effort and was skating like the wind.

-Higgins was Vancouver's best player all night. His forecheck was great and his energy level was high. He forced turnovers and made some great passes. Lead by example.

-The fourth line of Volpatti-Lapierre-Weise was Vancouver's most consistent and was rewarded with more ice-time than usual. Great forecheck and played their roles very well.

-Sedin's took a while to get started, but it was Burrows who had the most chances. Could have buried at least two goals but bobbled the puck a bit. Early season jitters. Daniel missed a golden opportunity on a wide open net, shooting the puck right into Fleury's glove. The play was reviewed as Fleury's glove clearly crossed the line, but there was no evidence to show the puck crossing. Easy decision.

-Luongo was bad. He made some good saves, as he should, but let in two bad goals. Very reminiscent of last season, all over the place. It appears as though he doesn't know what to do, play his angles and percentages or follow his instincts much like Thomas in Boston. Luongo also bit on every tiny little move that both Letang and, even more so, Malkin put on him in the shootout. Not good. Ian Clarke, where are you.

-Hamhuis is so freakin' underrated. Defensive stud who makes zero mistakes.

-Cody Hodgson and the second line was pretty invisible most of the night but improved as it went on. Good third period for Hodgson and some effective work on the second PP unit gave fans some promise. He almost put the game away with a couple of minutes left in the game showing great patience in drawing Fleury out of position and putting the puck through his pads. Fleury got enough to deflect it just wide of the net.

-Chris Tanev played ok, but made typical rookie mistakes. Kid is going to be a solid dman one day, but definitely has some work to do to earn more time. That will come as he gains experience and confidence.

-Alex Edler had six shots on net.

-Henrik Sedin played in his 500th consecutive game. That's value.

-The first PP unit was Sedin-Sedin-Burr-Samuelsson-Edler. Second unit was Higgins-Hodgson-Sturm-Salo-Bieksa. Kinda sad to see Hamhuis miss out on PP time but he's just too valuable on the defensive end of things.

-Bieksa and Hamhuis led the team in TOI, both with 25+ mintues.

Three Stars:

1.Chris Higgins - Best player out there for Vancouver. Backcheck, forecheck, you name it...Higgins did it.

2.Alex Burrows - Jump. Energy. Shots. Was there anything Burrows wasn't doing tonight? Nope. Sole reason why Vancouver tied the game.

4.Dan Hamhuis - The unheralded workhorse, deserves more respect than he gets. Stuffed Malkin one-on-one in overtime with time winding down.

[OceanMon]

thanks for the report! fantastic!

[doulos]

Was a pretty entertaining game between two solid teams. Though Vancouver has that extra gear that I'm not sure any other team in the league can match once they get rolling.

[loco man]

Nice write up!

Does it look like Sammy has locked down the spot on the top PP? He is available on the wire and I am debating between him and Wayne Simmonds.

Top PP seals it for Sammy

Thanks

[ridinryan44]

Nice write up!

Does it look like Sammy has locked down the spot on the top PP? He is available on the wire and I am debating between him and Wayne Simmonds.

Top PP seals it for Sammy

Thanks

Tough call... if it works, he stays. I've never liked him there but I know Vancouver wants it to work for some reason. I know he'll be given a long look there but I'd prefer to see Salo. I'd probably still take Samuelsson over Simmonds even if he was on the second unit, though. Unless you really need the PIM.

[loco man]

Tough call... if it works, he stays. I've never liked him there but I know Vancouver wants it to work for some reason. I know he'll be given a long look there but I'd prefer to see Salo. I'd probably still take Samuelsson over Simmonds even if he was on the second unit, though. Unless you really need the PIM.

Thanks - just a straight points league, no PIM

[ridinryan44]

Thanks - just a straight points league, no PIM

I think I'd definitely stick with Sammy then...first unit PP time or not.

[ridinryan44]

Rough start to the game with Vancouver once again taking early penalties. This is typical of a Canucks team in the past few years and needs to change. They are good at coming back but no team wants to put themselves down early. It also makes it hard for the Sedin's to get into the game as they sit and watch during the penalty kill. Not a whole lot to say as I didn't get to focus too much on the game with last night being the last of the visit from the extended family, but I can pass along what I liked and didn't.

-I feel much more confident with Schneider in net. He's still making mistakes while playing the puck, two last night that led to goal-scoring chances, but I like the fact he can actually play, which Luongo can't at all. Schneider is waiting too long to make the play and he's allowing the opposition to limit his options. Needs to make better decisions more quickly. Sounds like he'll be getting another start this week, either against Philly or Det.

-Burrows was a game-changer again last night. Played with a ton of energy, all over the ice and chipped in with a goal and a fight. Hard to decide between him and Hamhuis who has been our best player thus far, but I think Burrows gets the edge as he is so much more visible with his effort.

-Speaking of Hamhuis, I just can't say enough good things about him. Guy is so incredibly solid in his own end and had a great heads-up play to Hodgson, who was calling for the puck, to assist on Hodgson's first goal of the season. Put it on his tape perfectly and Hodgson was able to direct it into the back of the net. Makes a huge difference having a guy who you can count on and put in any type of situation. Great on the PP as well.

-Salo replaced Samuelsson on the first PP unit for the last bit of the game. I like that so much better. I'd rather see Sameulsson playing of the half-boards on the second unit, with Bieksa and Hamhuis running the points. The first unit stayed the same other than the Salo/Sammy swap.

-Hodgson was great last night. Visible all game, played hard and his skating is so much better. He actually looks quick. If he can keep this up he's gonna make it hrad for Vancouver to send him back down when Kesler returns. Also helps to make sure Kesler isn't going to be pushed to come back early.

-Ballard was good again last night. Huge sigh of relief.

-The entire second line was better last night but still has a ways to go.

On to Philly tomorrow. I think Luongo will get the start and then maybe Schneider in Det. It will be interesting to see...

[ridinryan44]

Luongo will be starting in Philly. Odds are good Schneider will start in DET. Schneider makes a fantastic third goalie in weekly H2H leagues.

Henrik and Sturm both sat out practice today but are working out off ice. Just precautionary.