CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff December 7, 2015
CANUCKS END 5 GAME WINLESS STREAK
The Vancouver Canucks (10-11-8) took to the ice at Rogers Place tonight against the Buffalo Sabres (11-14-3), and battled, pushed back for a deserved 5-2 win.
Vancouver received secondary scoring from a line other than the Sedins and Jannick Hansen.
Radim Vrbata, scored three goals; Brandon Prust had a goal and an assist; Canucks defensemen had three helpers by Dan Hamhuis, Ben Hutton and Alex Edler.
Adam Cracknell had two assists, with Chris Higgins and Derek Dorsett each getting a helper each.
The Sedins were not left out of the offensive showing by Vancouver as Daniel had two assists and Henrik scored a power play goal.
Ryan Miller recorded his 3rd win in his last 10 starts, making 32 saves for a .941 SV%.
Vancouver led 2-1 after the first period; 4-1 after the middle period, enroute to their win.
CANUCKS JOTTINGS
The Canucks were 1 for 6 on the power play; and killed all 3 shorthand opportunities they faced tonight.
Vancouver’s penalty kill has not allowed a power play goal against on their 4 game home stand, going 7 for 7 in their last three games; and are 14 for 16 in their last 6 games.
With the five goals tonight Vancouver doubled its’ goal production of the last five games. They now have 10 goals scored in their last 6 games.
Derek Dorsett led all Vancouver players with 5 hits and was +1 in plus/minus.
Derek Dorsett leads all Canucks in hits this season with 70, followed by Adam Cracknell with 57; Matt Bartkowski, 56; and rookie Jake Virtanen has 53 hits.
Radim Vrbata had 6 shots and was a +3 tonight.
Only two Canucks were negative in plus/minus tonight: Jannick Hansen at -2 and Henrik Sedin at -1.
Canuck defensemen had 9 of 10 blocked shots in the game. Alex Burrows was the only forward to block a shot.
In the face-off circle, Adam Cracknell led the team, 9 for 12: 75%; Bo Horvat, 7-12: 58%; Jared McCann, 4 for 11: 36%; Henrik Sedin, 8 for 22: 36%; Derek Dorsett, 1-1:100%; Radim Vrbata, 0-1: 0%. Total: 29 for 59: 49.15%
NEXT GAME UP: NEW YORK RANGERS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2015
GAME REVIEW
CANUCKS AT A GLANCE
CANUCKS PLAYER STATS
Statistics courtesy of the NHl and the Vancouver Canucks, with thanks.
CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff December 7, 2015
CANUCKS NEED TO BATTLE AND PUSH BACK
The Vancouver Canucks (9-11-8) take to the ice at Rogers Place tonight against the Buffalo Sabres (11-13-3).
Tonight marks the second of two meetings between these two teams this season. The two teams previously met in Buffalo on Nov. 7 (2-3 L).
The Canucks are 3-2-0 against the Sabres in the last five games played and 4-1-0 in the last five home outings versus Buffalo.
The game is the third of 4 games on the Canucks home stand, having lost the first two as part of a five game winless streak, in which they have been shutout twice and have less than eighteen shots (16,16,17) in three straight games.
The Canucks currently sit in 5th place in the Pacific division with 26 points, two points ahead of Edmonton and four points in front of Calgary.
Buffalo is currently on a three game Western Canada swing on their current road trip which ends on Thursday against the Calgary Flames.
The Sabres are in 7th place in the Atlantic division with 25 points, two points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Vancouver’s last game was against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, a 4-0 loss. Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves with an .818 SV% in his latest start. The Canucks are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games, and 3-6-3 at home.
The Canucks lost their fifth straight National Hockey League game Saturday when they dropped a 4-0 decision on home ice to the Boston Bruins. It wasn’t so much that they lost — we’re getting used to that. It was how they lost. The Canucks barely put up a fight in what their coach had called a “must game.”
Source: ‘Frustrated’ Vancouver Canucks, struggling on both offence and defence, looking to ‘get that swagger back’, National Post, December 7, 2015
For the Sabres, they visited Edmonton last night, and lost to the Oilers 4-2. The Sabres are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and 5-5-2 on the road.
FIVE GAME SKID REVIEW: November 26-December 7
During their 5 game winless streak, Vancouver is 0-3-2. Goals For:5. Goals Against: 16. Shots For: 110 (36, 25, 16,16,17) for 4.55 per cent shots turned to goals. Shots Against: 151 (30, 34, 40, 22, 25) for an .894 save percentage.
Their power play is 2 for 18: 11.1 per cent, 23rd best in the NHL.
Penalty kill has allowed 4 goals on 18 times short handed, for 77.8 per cent, 22nd best in the NHL.
Face-off win percentage, the worst in the league at 41.5 per cent.
As for the Plus/Minus (+/-) factor. During their 5 game winless streak, only one Canuck is in the plus, and that is Luca Sbisa at +1:
There are 13 players in the minus, and 9 players at zero.
The worst is Radim Vrbata at –6. There are three at –5: Alex Edler, Yannick Weber, and Jared McCann; four players at –4: Alex Burrows, Bo Horvat, Chris Tanev, and Chris Higgins; three players at –2: Derek Dorsett, Dan Hamhuis and Ben Hutton; two players at –1: Ronalds Kenins and Jake Virtanen.
Tickets to Saturday’s blowout against the Boston Bruins were selling for as low as $12 each shortly after the puck dropped. Monday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres is currently being sold as low as $30 a ticket, but that may drop even more closer to game time.
“It’s just the inconsistency,” said Tony Ell of Showtimetickets.com. “People want to get behind a consistent product.”
Traffic inside the Canucks official store was far from crowded on a Sunday a few weeks before Christmas.
Source: Demand for Canucks tickets sink to lowest levels in over a decade-globalnews.ca, December 7, 2015
CANUKS JOTTINGS
Since November 1, the Vancouver Canucks are the worst team in the NHL, with a record of 4-9-4 in 17 games played.
Their wins since November 1, are the least during that time, putting them dead last at 30th in the NHL.
During that time they have 40 goals for, 18th in the NHL; 53 goals against, tied with the Arizona for the second most allowed during that span, with Winnipeg the worst with 56 goals against.
Face-off win percentage during their last 17 games, puts them dead last in the NHL at 43.9 per cent.
Overall for the season, the Canucks face-off win percentage is 46.9 per cent in 28 games, worst in the NHL.
Canucks are 4-1 when Brandon Prust has a fight.
Daniel Sedin has 18 points (8-10-18) in the last 13 games. He recently had a seven game point streak from Nov. 14-27; it was the longest point streak of any Canucks player this season and his longest since a seven game streak from Oct. 22 – Nov. 5/13. He currently leads the team and ranks in the top-10 in the League in points (29), goals (12), ppg (5) and ppp (11).
Henrik Sedin has 17 points (5-12-17) in the last 13 games. He recently had a six game point streak from Nov. 16-27. He also had a five game point streak earlier this season from Oct. 29 to Nov. 7. Last season, the Captain recorded points in three or more consecutive games on 10 different occasions. Henrik ranks in the top-10 in the NHL in points (26), assists (18), and ppp (10).
Alex Edler leads VAN in time on ice (24:22) and has led the team in that category in 24 of 27 games he’s played, including 14 games where he’s led all skaters in TOI. He currently ranks t-17th in the NHL in TOI/GP.
Jake Virtanen ranks t-third on the team and third among NHL rookies in hits with 53.
Chris Tanev leads the team and ranks fifth in the League in blocked shots with 69. His defence partner Alex Edler ranks t-14th in the NHL with 56 blocked shots.
Radim Vrbata is the worst Canuck in plus/minus with -17, closely followed by Bo Horvat at -13.
Jannick Hansen is the best Canuck in plus/minus with +10, followed by Henrik Sedin at +6.
Derek Dorsett missed practice yesterday but is expected to be able to play tonight.
Ryan Miller will get the call in net tonight against his old club, while blue-liner Alex Biega is expected to draw into the line-up as well likely in place of either Yannick Weber or Matt Bartkowski.
Miller will start his 23rd game of the season. He has a 2.59 GAA; .910 SV%; and one shutout.
In his last 9 starts, Ryan Miller has won only 2 games, with a 3.17 GAA and .898 SV%.
The Sabres could go with back-up netminder Linus Ullmark tonight after Chad Johnson went the distance last night. Ullmark is winless in his last five starts but did beat the Canucks back on November 7.
Are the Canucks the worst team in the NHL?
You can certainly make the case without much effort. They’re currently on the worst streak. They have the lowest winning percentage of any NHL team. They can’t score and they’re having trouble defending.
But here’s the most sobering part. Look at the NHL standings and find a team you can point to and confidently say: “The Canucks are better than these guys.”
Source: Willes’ Musings: Are the Canucks the worst team in the NHL?, The Province, December 7, 2015
SEASON SNAPSHOT
“We haven’t come out with some of the games I thought we’d come out with,” coach Willie Desjardins told the Canucks website after practice Sunday. “I like our group, I still do. … We’ve been inconsistent and when you’re inconsistent, guys lose confidence in each other so we have to start at the basics and we have to work through it and we have to get back on track.”
Vancouver has scored five goals in five games.
“I’ve seen this team play some amazing hockey and we have to get back to that, we have to get that swagger back, that confidence back,” forward Brandon Prust said. “We have a great team here.”
Source: canucks.nhl.com
CANUCKS PLAYER STATS
SABRES PLAYER STATS
CANUCKS-SABRES AT A GLANCE
Statistics courtesy of the NHL, Vancouver Canucks and SportingCharts, with thanks.
CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff December 5, 2015
CANUCKS SHUTOUT FOR SECOND TIME IN LAST 4-GAMES
OPENING PERIOD
Vancouver came out playing aggressive, and battling including a fight a centre ice between Derek Dorsett and Zac Rinaldo at 2:07 but 47 seconds after the fighting majors were handed out, Boston got on the scoreboard first at 2:54 on a goal by Brad Marchand (13), a wrist shot high above the left shoulder of Markstrom, assisted by Patrice Bergeron (16) and Joe Morrow (1).
Just over four minutes later, the Bruins struck again, making it 2-0, as Torey Krug (3) scored on a slap shot, assisted by Kevan Miller (5) and David Krejci (17) at 7:03.
Vancouver got a power play opportunity at 14:02 with Brett Connolly off for crosschecking Ronalds Kenins. Canucks came up empty for the 30th time in 39 chances at home. That made19 for 97 overall this season on the power play; 1 for their last 9 man advantages.
After the two goals there was not a lot of action around both nets, and the period ended 2-0 Boston.
Shots were 5-5. Boston out hit Vancouver 7-6, and the Bruins had more face-off wins, 10 for 19. Bo Horvat was 4 for 6 on face-offs; Henrik Sedin, 3 for 5; Jared McCann, 1 for 3; Adam Cracknell, 1 for 5.
As for plus+/-, Jared McCann, Radim Vrbata and Chris Higgins were all a –2 in the opening period. Weber, Tanev, Edler and Hutton were all –1.
MIDDLE PERIOD
The Bruins were playing their 3rd game in four nights, so it would be interesting to see how Vancouver would adjust their game in response to a disappointing first period performance, where they could not generate any offense, and were poor defensively, allowing 2 even strength goals on 5-shots.
Vancouver got another power play, at 2:51 as Zac Rinaldo was penalized for slashing. As it was with the first power play in the 1rst period, the Canucks could not capitalize on the power play.
Landon Ferraro (2) made it 3-0 Boston as he came down the right side and put a wrist shot past Markstrom at 8:02 assisted by Zdeno Chara (10). His first goal as a Boston Bruin.
Vancouver was not able to come up with any answers to the Boston Bruins, as they went up and down the ice, time ticking away on the clock. And that is how the period ended, very little to get excited about in the last half of the period and the Bruins went into the intermission with a very easy, unchallenged and comfortable 3-0 lead.
Boston out shot Vancouver 9-7. Vancouver out hit Boston 4-2 in a physical game. Boston had more face-off wins, 9 for 17. Henrik Sedin was 6 for 8; Bo Horvat, 1-2; Jared McCann, 0-2; Adam Cracknell, 1-5. After two periods, Boston was 19 for 36 in the face-off circle.
At the end of two, Tanev and Edler joined McCann, Vrbata and Higgins at –2 for the game. Weber, Hutton, Daniel Sedin, Jannick Hansen, and Henrik Sedin were –1.
LAST PERIOD
The period started with the Canucks on their heels, facing an uphill climb to whittling away at the Bruins 3-goal lead.
Zac Rinaldo was penalized again, his third penalty of the game and second penalty giving Vancouver a power play opportunity,their third power play of the game, at 6:39 for boarding. The power play started out promising for Vancouver, as it was easily their best effort of their man advantages, but once again, Vancouver did not capitalize.
Tyler Randell put Boston up 4-0 after Landon Ferraro drove to the Vancouver net. Randell picked up the puck and scored his 4rth goal of the season, on a wrist shot, at 11:32, assisted by Ferraro (2) and Zac Rinaldo (1).
Brandon Prust got a 10 minute game misconduct for spearing Brad Marchand in the groin at 18:07. Quickly after the play got underway, Derek Dorsett and Zac Rinaldo got into another fight, at the Boston blue line at 18:35.
The game came to an end with Boston winning 4-0. Vancouver’s 13th loss in their last 16 games. Boston out shot Vancouver 22-17.
Vancouver is now tied with Toronto and Carolina in the NHL with the least amount of wins in the league.
Canucks were 0 for 3 on the power play. Canucks came up empty now 32 times in 41 chances at home. That makes 19 for 99 overall this season on the power play; 1 for their last 11 man advantages.
Vancouver has recorded 16 shots against Los Angeles; 16 shots against Dallas; and tonight against Boston, 17 shots, in their last three games. It is the first time this season that the Canucks have had three games inwhich they have had 19 shots in a game or less; first time they have done it in three games straight. And Vancouver has lost each game doing it.
Canucks in the face-off circle:
Henrik Sedin, 12 for 18: 67 per cent
Bo Horvat, 8 for 13: 62 per cent
Adam Cracknell, 4 for 14: 29 per cent
Jared McCann, 1 for 8: 13 per cent
Radim Vrbata, 0 for 1: 0 per cent
Total: 25 for 54: 46 per cent
NEXT GAME UP: BUFFALO SABRES ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015
GAME REVIEW
CANUCKS AT A GLANCE
CANUCK PLAYER STATS
.
Vancouver is 4-1 when Prust has a fight major in a game
Ben Hutton missed 7 games.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom will start
Injured: Luca Sbisa (hand), Jake Virtanen (hip), Chris Higgins (head), Brandon Sutter (sports hernia surgery)
CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff December 5, 2015
The Canucks Have To Find A Way
The Boston Bruins (13-8-3) visit the Vancouver Canucks (9-10-8) at Rogers Place in game two of the Canucks 4-game home stand tonight.
Tonight marks the first of two meetings between these two teams this season. Vancouver visits TD Garden on January 21st.
The Canucks head into action on tonight looking to snap out of a 2-5-3 state that has them in 4rth place in the Pacific division. Vancouver lost their last game against the Dallas Stars 4-2, and their picked up their 4rth loss in a row (0-2-2) and 12th loss in their last 15-games (3-8-4). Vancouver is 2-5-3 in their last 10-games.
The Bruins, 5th place in the Atlantic division, are on a road trip of Western Canada and have not faired well, as they lost in a shootout to Edmonton on December 2, 3-2 and followed that up with an overtime loss to Calgary on December 4, 5-4. Boston is 5-0-2 in its past seven games and finish off their road trip tonight against the Canucks.
The script is getting old, and tired, and is in need of a refreshing change.
In my opinion, the stench that lingers after the last two months, more than indicates that the present incarnation of the Vancouver Canucks has expired and needs to be tossed and replaced with a new and improved.
And the game tonight, is the best game to start.
It’s time, for the next incarnation of the 2015-16 Vancouver Canucks to take to the ice.
Whether there is enough behind the Sedins to give the Canucks that secondary scoring punch and support, Canuck coach Willie Desjardins responded after the Dallas game that he believes there is, and continued by saying:
But It has to happen on the ice…me believing it, or whatever, doesn’t….it has to come out on the ice.
And we need better performances on the ice. That’s not good enough. Like I thought today, you know I thought there were times in the first period that, we looked like, we might battle through and be ok, and get a goal.We didn’t give them an awful lot; they had the couple power plays, but we have to…it’s easy to believe when things go good….it’s harder when they don’t go good…and right know they’re not going good for us…right now we’re disappointed withthe overtime losses, and with all the stuff that’s built up, we got lots of losses, and it’s disappointing ‘cause that’s not where we want to be.
But at the same time, that’s how you get better. You have to find a way. It’s a tough league and that’s what you gotta do.
As for the psyche of the players, especially the younger players, Desjardins says:
It’s a battle to keep believing,when things don’t happen. It’s easy to believe when things happen. When it doesn’t happen, its a lot harder.
But, what are your choices? You don’t have any choice. Your choice is to believe that it’s gonna happen and you gotta make it happen. Like, if you don’t believe and you hesitate when you’re doing something, your lost already.
So, you have to go in convinced at what you’re doing and you have to go hard. That’s the only way you’ll be successful in this league.
So, mentally, we have to accept where we’re at and we have to be prepared to play hard. We know what we’re doing. The guys know the systems,they just have to have confidence that if we play hard we’ll get our opportunities.
As for what is expected tonight against the Boston Bruins, Desjardins said what everyone was thinking, including the fans, at the Dallas post-game press conference:
Boston is a must game. We have to see a good performance against Boston. We have to see it.
CANUCKS JOTTINGS
Vancouver has 1 even-strength goal from a line other than the Sedins in the last 8 games.
The Canucks have scored just five times while dropping four straight games (0-2-2) and recorded just 16 shots in each of the last two contests to fall under .500 for the first time this season.
The Canucks, who have allowed 12 goals during their losing streak.
Vancouver are going after their fifth victory in six contests against the Bruins
Vancouver has allowed 8 power-play goals in their last 8 games.
Radim Vrbata is a team-worst minus -15 for the Canucks. Bo Horvat is -13. Yannick Weber is -9.
Jannick Hansen is a team-best plus +11 for the Canucks. Henrik Sedin is +7 and Daniel Sedin is +6.
Ryan Miller has managed two victories in his last 11 appearances.
Bo Horvat has not recorded a goal in 15 straight games.
Alex Burrows has two goals in his last 15 games, and has a plus/minus of -5.
Jared McCann has 1 goal in his last 16 games, and has a plus.minus of +2.
Vancouver defensemen only have 9 goals this season.
Canucks are 19 for 96 man advantages in 24 games, for 19.8 per cent, tied for 11th best. They are 1 for their last 8 man advantages.
Vancouver has scored on 12 of 61 man advantages in the past 16 games, for 19.7 per cent, 16th best in the NHL.
Canucks have scored on 9 of 38 man advantages at home, for 23.7 per cent, 9th best in the NHL.
Vancouver’s 96 power play man advantages are the most in the NHL, one ahead of the Montreal Canadians; two more than Colorado; three better than Arizona.
Vancouver has scored at least one power play goal in nine of the last 11 games, including at least one power play goal in eight consecutive games from Nov. 12-27. According to ESB, the last time the Canucks went 8 straight games with a PPG in the same season was Dec. 28 – Jan. 15/96. The Canucks also had a PPG in 8 straight games over a span of two seasons from Apr. 14 – Oct. 19/99.
Canucks have allowed 19 goals in 88 penalty kill opportunities, for 77.6 per cent, 22nd in the NHL. They have only allowed 2 goals in their last 12 penalty kill opportunities.
The Canucks penalty kill over the last 16 games, has given up 16 goals on 58 opportunities, 27th best in the NHL.
Vancouver penalty kill at home has given up 6 goals on 33 opportunities, for 81.8 per cent, 14th best in the NHL.
The Canucks have 42 even strength goals for and have allowed 42 even strength goals, for 18 in the NHL this season in G+/-.
In the last 16 games, Vancouver has 22 even strength goals for and have 24 allowed even strength goals, tied for 20th in G+/-.
Point Streaks:
DANIEL SEDIN (1-1-2 / 2 Games)
HENRIK SEDIN (0-3-3 / 2 Games)
Last 5 Games: 1 – 2 – 2
Last 10 Games: 2 – 5 – 3
1-Goal Games: 3 – 6 – 8
2-Goal Games: 1 – 2
3-Goal Games: 5 – 2
Scoring first: 5 – 2 – 5
Opponent scoring first: 4 – 8 – 3
Leading after 1 period: 4 – 0 – 3
Trailing after 1 period: 0 – 6 – 3
Tied after 1 period: 5 – 4 – 2
Leading after 2 periods: 7 – 1 – 5
Trailing after 2 periods: 0 – 9 – 1
Tied after 2 periods: 2 – 0 – 2
OT Record – This Season: 1 – 8
Outshooting opponent: 4 – 5 – 5
Outshot by opponent: 5 – 5 – 3
Even shots: 0 – 0 – 0
Daniel Sedin has 18 points (8-10-18) in the last 12 games. He recently had a seven game point streak from Nov. 14-27; it was the longest point streak of any Canucks player this season and his longest since a seven game streak from Oct. 22 – Nov. 5/13. He currently leads the team and ranks in the top-10 in the League in points (28), goals (12), assists (16), ppg (5) and ppp (11).
Henrik Sedin has 17 points (5-12-17) in the last 12 games. He recently had a six game point streak from Nov. 16-27. He also had a five game point streak earlier this season from Oct. 29 to Nov. 7. Last season, the Captain recorded points in three or more consecutive games on 10 different occasions. Henrik ranks in the top-10 in the NHL in points (26), assists (18), and ppp (10).
Alex Edler leads VAN in time on ice (24:27) and has led the team in that category in 23 of 26 games he’s played, including 14 games where he’s led all skaters in TOI. He currently ranks 17th in the NHL in TOI/GP.
Jake Virtanen ranks third on the team and third among NHL rookies in hits with 53.
Chris Tanev leads the team and ranks tied for fifth in the League in blocked shots with 68. His defence partner Alex Edler ranks 12th in the NHL with 56 blocked shots.
Henri k and Daniel Sedin have played in 583 wins together.According to ESB, since 1990.91 the only pairs of teammates to play in more wins together are Niklas Lidstrom and Kris Draper (664); and Lidstrom and
Tomas Holmstrom (599).
In the month of November, the Sedins combined for 35 points (Daniel registered 8-10-18 while Henrik collected 6-11-17). According to ESB, it is the most points the Sedins have combined for in a calendar month since December 2011, when they tallied 39 points together (10-7-17 for Daniel; and 2-20-22 for Henrik).
The Canucks have had seven different players make their NHL debut this season (Grenier, Shinkaruk, Virtanen, McCann, Hutton, Gaunce, and Pedan). According to Elias Sports Bureau, this is the most number of players to make their NHL debut for the Canucks in a single season since six players did so during the 2007.08 season.
The last season where more than six players made their NHL debut in a single season for the Canucks was in 1999.00 (eight players). The club record for NHL debuts in a single season is 11 which occurred during the 1973.74 season.
Vancouver has had 18 different goal scorers this season, tied for fifth most in the League.
The Canucks players aged 23 or younger that have appeared in the lineup thus far (Baertschi, Horvat, Hutton, Virtanen, McCann, Gaunce, Shinkaruk, and Pedan) have accounted for 19.4% of points (37), 16.9% of goals (12) and 20.8% of assists (25), for the team this season.
The Canucks 71 goals on the year are t-10th most in the NHL.
VANCOUVER’S 2015.16 RECORD WHEN…
Score 4+ Goals: 6-0-0
Score 3 Goals or Less: 3-10-8
Allow 4+ Goals: 0-5-3
Allow 3 Goals or Less: 9-4-5
On 0 Days Rest: 2-1-2
On 1 Day Rest: 2-5-5
On 2 Days Rest: 4-3-1
On 3+ Days Rest: 0-1-1
Score a PPG: 4-5-6
Give up a PPG: 4-7-5
25+ Shots on Goal: 7-8-6
Less than 25 shots: 2-2-2
SEASON SNAPSHOT
LEAGUE STANDINGS
CANUCKS PLAYER STATS
BRUINS PLAYER STATS
CANUCKS-BRUINS SITUATIONS
CANUCKS-BRUINS AT A GLANCE
Statistics courtesy of the NHL, Vancouver Canucks and SportingCharts, with thanks.
By Andrew Phillip Chernoff December 4, 2015 Just Saying….
The script is getting old, and tired, and is in need of a refreshing change.
In my opinion, the stench that lingers after the last two months, more than indicates that the present incarnation of the Vancouver Canucks has expired and needs to be tossed and replaced with a new and improved.
And the game on Saturday night against the Boston Bruins, is the best game to start.
I remember when growing up in the 70’s and following my favourite Canucks, and the great games Boston and Vancouver would have. Bobby Schmautz and other Canucks would rise to the occasion and have their best games of the season against them. Especially Schmautz.
Well, it is time, for the next incarnation of the 2015-16 Vancouver Canucks to take the ice.
And what will it take?
Well, Canuck coach Willie Desjardins was very direct in the post-game interview after the Dallas game on Thursday night, after the Canucks lost 4-2, about his disappointment.
To the point, the Vancouver players need to find a way.
When Desjardins was asked about his team getting 16 shots on net, in two straight games against Dallas and LA, Desjardins admitted that the Canucks have to create more opportunities if they are going to be successful:
The only thing you can do is work your way out of it. You know people aren’t gonna feel sorry for ya. We gotta work our way out of it. It’s gonna be tough…and you know, what , when you come into the rink tomorrow….you have to work to get better. And it’s just, it should be that way everyday, win or lose, that’s how you should approach the rink, but especially when things go tough, that’s when you need your leadership, that’s when you need guys stepping up and getting better.
As for whether there is enough behind the Sedins to give the Canucks that secondary scoring punch and support, Desjardins responded that he believes there is, and continued by saying:
But It has to happen on the ice…me believing it, or whatever, doesn’t….it has to come out on the ice. And we need better performances on the ice. That’s not good enough. Like I thought today, you know I thought there were times in the first period that, we looked like, we might battle through and be ok, and get a goal.We didn’t give them an awful lot; they had the couple power plays, but we have to…it’s easy to believe when things go good….it’s harder when they don’t go good…and right know they’re not going good for us…right now we’re disappointed withthe overtime losses, and with all the stuff that’s built up, we got lots of losses, and it’s disappointing ‘cause that’s not where we want to be. But at the same time, that’s how you get better. You have to find a way. It’s a tough league and that’s what you gotta do.
Desjardins was asked by a reporter, if the third periods and so many one goal losses were affecting the psyche of the players, especially the younger players. “You’re in every game but it seems you’re coming out on the wrong end..”
It’s a battle to keep believing,when things don’t happen.It’s easy to believe when things happen. When it doesn’t happen, its a lot harder. But, what are your choices? You don’t have any choice. Your choice is to believe that it’s gonna happen and you gotta make it happen. Like, if you don’t believe and you hesitate when your doing something, your lost already. So, you have to go in convinced at what you’re doing and you have to go hard. That’s the only way you’ll be successful in this league. So, mentally, we have to accept where we’re at and we have to be prepared to play hard. We know what we’re doing. The guys know the systems,they just have to have confidence that if we play hard we’ll get our opportunities.
Desjardins did not leave the post-game without sharing his expectation for Saturday night against the Boston Bruins:
Boston is a must game. We have to see a good performance against Boston. We have to see it.
After the morning skate on Friday, Desjardin met with the media, and was asked what bothered him the most about the Dallas game:
I don’t think we’ve played as well the last three games. And, that bothers me. I want to be good at home. The results bother me. But, I understand those will happen. You’re not gonna win every game but that’s something that happens. You don’t get used to it. And you don’t enjoy it. But that’ll happen. It’s how you play that matters. I thought the first period we were ok. They didn’t get a lot. But in the second , for whatever reason, we didn’t find our legs and if you don’t skate with Dallas, you’re going to be in trouble. You have to skate with them. And, they’re one of the best skating teams in the league. So, that’s abit of a push for us to do that. We did it in Dallas; we showed in Dallas, we could do it, and last night, we just couldn’t stay with it. So for me, the Anaheim game bothered me and kinda set it up for the next two, I guess.
As for his expectation of the team for Saturday night, he was asked to clarify whether “Boston is a must game.” meant a win, or a must show up. Desjardins response, after admitting he expected the question to be asked:
It’s a must game where you have to play hard. For me, and every game, is a must game where you gotta play hard. That’s what we do. So I think our guys are looking forward to that opportunity to go out and play. Will it be a hard game? For sure, it’s gonna be a hard game but I expect us to have a good effort.
I expect a similar effort with the Boston Bruins, that Canuck fans saw against the Chicago Blackhawks recently. It was a victory that night, a very emotional game, where the Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Jannick Hansen had an outstanding game.
I have thrown out the old script, I just hope Vancouver does not take it out of the garbage and use it tomorrow night…..Just Saying
CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff December 7, 2015
Andrew Phillip Chernoff 