That Much Further West - Canucks 3, Hawks 2 (OT)

Q put him in the line up, and then refused to play him as usual. Scott wasn’t glaringly bad but if he can’t sniff the ice in the 3rd of a close game, he shouldn’t be out there

Lots of blowouts last night. Looking forward to the great ice in CGY and EDM.

Foley missed it because he was busy formulating his next diatribe against Viktor Stalberg. Either that, or reading up on Swedish pond hockey.

All the talk about Corey & Cory in these games always makes me think of Feldman & Haim

Hopefully this story has a happier ending

Everyone, including Toews, were on the wrong side of the glory hole all night.

that’s a lot of pressure joining a new team that’s actually competent like Chicago, and having your first game with that team being against the one with which you spent 8 years and helped break a ton of franchise records.
all players need a few games to get adjusted to their new surroundings.

two thumbs up for that verb.

just annoyed at that hook on Stals because of the timing =( oh well

Did he make some big saves? Yes. Do I wish he made 1 or 2 more? Hell yes. While I WISH we didn’t need to rely on goalie wins, I think in reality, we do at times, and I just wish we could.

but as far as I’m concerned we won that game. Just perusing this board sort of validates that incongruous observation. Pretty upbeat for a game we lost in OT.

Vancouver is a very good team and we were dominating them for about two of the three periods. I’d like to know what the offensive and defensive zone faceoff % are for the sedin’s, it seems to me the Nucks are most vulnerable when those guys have to play in their own end.

Hjarlmarrson was awesome, especially in the first period.

Toews/Kane/Stals were sik out there. Let’s hang on th that crazy 88 guy a few more games before we start seeing what he can bring on the open market, eh?

Matt, I sort of disagree with your dismissal of the non call on Edler’s slash. It clearly prevented Stals from doing anything but throwing a shot into Schneider. And I didn’t see the Hawks get away with anything all night – (tongue firmly in cheek.)

Our Corey was phenomenal – more of that please.

Totally agree with the fowards on the point – rethink that and rethink it now!

Has any player in the history of the NHL played with more centers than Hossa?

Get Stalberg sized up for a cape. where did this guy come from?

you can’t teach size. He looks awfully good standing in front of the net on the PP.

Shaw played well last night, absorbing a few hard, clean checks to get the puck out of the zone. Over all, I thought he played quite well, but I don’t think Edler knocks Hayes on his ass.

from the pressbox!

I may have to put a ring on it.

all in all, I liked the agressiveness of our d-men last night. It seems like a better strategy than sitting back.

Why is it our points are so wide open when a team establishes control of the puck behind our goal line? Is our defensive strategy to pack it in? It seems every team we play always has wide open d-men at the point.

Stalberg didn’t score on the OT break away and crow let in another soft one – they suck

I think anyone who glances at 30:22 TOI will find reasons to forgive Keith his -2.. Personally speaking (and this is just me) I pay little attention to CORSI.. but if Scott had been on ice for 3 goals against then, yes, there would have been trouble. Teeth looked Imperious at times last night against some pretty damn terrifying players (honorable mention to Mr Bolland who looked to be in full on rat-mode as well). Pleased with Hjammer and Leddy to.
If Stals can add a killer finish to his game he is going to be a monster.. can we hypnotise him to convince him that everyone is Columbus?

And yet I’m also the same guy who has unfairly ridden Keith and there are allegedly stats that back that up.

Which is it?

Stalberg for the giveaway that led to the 2nd goal and Quenneville for having Patrick Kane out for a defensive zone draw with less than 90 second left in overtime and the Sedins taking the ice.

2 played great. Not at fault for any of those minuses.

I didn’t see who were the three stars last night, Edler should have been one of them if he wasn’t.

Keith and Seabs are going to be logging the minutes – no way around that. Weber and Suter do a similar thing for the Preds.

O’d or Lepisto would not have seen many minutes in the third either.

What’s your view on the no-call opn the slash by Edler on Stals in OT? scneider might have stopped it anyway, but it definitely limited stals’s options.

Just thinking about that Westy and SCH worrywarts, does Vancouver not need a top 4 d-man. It seems to me we sort of opened up a can of whoop ass on you guys for an extended period of time last night. Did no one in the Van organization tell their “top 4 d-men that Viktor has wheels?”

My point is, (and me making a point is alwyas a scary thing – ussually blasted out of the water by CNS’s stats!), that great goaltending masks a lot of weaknesses.

Is van’s top 4 really all that much better than our top four? Inquiring minds want to know.

Although Kane was on the ice for 3 goals, in two of them it would be very hard to place any blame on him.

didn’t notice him protecting the wrist.. just a bit of rust, i think

but definitely nice to have him back. There was one time Hossa tried to make a pass last night that he definitely should have shot. Kruger or Van the Man will be fine on this line.

Also missed breaking up a cross-ice pass about 2 minutes later. He looked out of sorts with the stick. Whether it’s the wrist or just inactivity, time will tell. For missing 8 games, he wasn’t terrible. He wasn’t good either.

The whole 2nd line spent large portions of the game in their own end. New teammates and tough competition will do that.

Beautiful.

I really like Ruutu – thought about getting his jersey. My biggest complaint about him is he wasn’t accurate with his shot. He’s get the chances and miss the net a lot. Things may have changed the last three years though.

but it seems he’s lways hitting, legally, our little guys.

that’s about as likely as me becoming a Flames fan.

but that move would have undressed anyone. Too bad he couldn’t put it home.

your division is severely screwed up this year.

the two straight Penalty-free games.. alright, Zebras helped last night but it looks like a lesson learned. Even a young firecracker like Shaw kept his cool under a barrage of hits. I like.

The Hawks controlled most of that game and had some great opportunities. Schneider stood on his head and stole a win for the Nucks.

But I’m doing it anyways…

It helps of course in the game against the Canucks where forwards not named Toews, Hossa, Bolland and Mayers decide to play there best possible two-way hockey.

/tilts head sideways like confused dog

Vik Stalberg? I want him paired up with Hossa….NOW. Swap Sharp with the Toews line, even thought it bit awkward with Kane and Sharp on the same line.

We have 4 clear top 6 forwards. You want to put 3 of them on one line and leave Hossa with a 36 year old center and a 25 year old who, while faster than a 15 year old virgin, still lacks awareness in his own zone. It was one thing to overload that top line last year when we were about as a deep as a kiddie pool. It makes little sense this year.

This team MUST learn how to DEFEAT the top teams in the NHL

You forgot San Jose so I’m just going to include them. They’ve taken 16 of 30 points against those teams you listed with the Sharks added. I think they need you need the tutor, not them.

Even Kane wasn’t abysmal in this regard…for a change.

STOP THAT.

That’s not why we lost this game. Our best D man was on the ice for all 3 goals. You’re painfully clear observation has no merit. We got beat by a goaltender who made some timely saves when he had to, we also lost an ungodly amount of face-offs, and the PP was clown shoes. None of which will be affected by adding another blue-liner. Not saying we can’t improve there, but your comment is hyperbole.

If the Hawks keep playing like they did last night, they’re going to win a lot of games.

A lot of last year that was the ONLY line that was working. It would t exactly be some new innovative crazy idea to throw them together now. But I do not think Stalberg should be moved off the top line, they are doing really well together. And hard as it is I’m going to ignore your potshot at Kane

And it’s not going to be Shaw (still think its a little weird he has the highest toi of forwards but whatever)

I am feeling very forgiving towards Pat & Edzo…

I hope they ask his his “think about trading Kane” column.

Kane would be on cloud nine after the ASG and skills comp. and his weekend of headlines and media gush would transfer over to extreme confidence on the ice and he would become the Nuckslayer. Oh well.

against Edm

Hawks shouldn’t worry too much about the result except maybe the shitty PP execution (although only 2 chances is not a legitimate sample size).

It’s been shit all year. As many have stated before, they have to get the forwards off the point. It can actually look competent when that change is made.

The refes swallowing whistles is probably to our advantage. There are not to many things in life that frighten me more than being on the PK against the Twins

shame he couldn’t bury it though… but welcome back, cap’n

there was a lot to like … and he probably has a “to do” list of things to focus on back in the A